Overview
Messiah College Offers First-Class Academics, Student Activities, and Cultural Experiences in a Community Atmosphere
Most students want to get a great college education but want to have fun too. Life at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania, provides just that experience. At Messiah, students have loads of fun and plenty of opportunities to meet new people, make new friends, and get involved in exciting programs and activities, all while being challenged academically at a Christian college that is ranked as one of the nation's best Baccalaureate Colleges in the North (according to the 2009 U.S. News and World Report).
Students at Messiah College can choose from more than 55 majors taught by accomplished Christian scholars - each of whom signs a statement of faith as an indication of his or her commitment to the mission of the college. Messiah College also offers 60 student clubs and organizations, student-led ministries, student government, service and outreach teams, the yearbook and student-run weekly newspaper, theatrical productions, traveling musical groups, residence hall activities, and concerts, as well as a variety of fun outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming, and tubing along the local Yellow Breeches Creek.
Visitors to Messiah College consistently confirm that its scenic, 471-acre campus in Grantham, Pennsylvania, is a friendly and warm place - reflecting the college's genuine commitment to hospitality within a gracious Christian context. The main Grantham campus, just 12 miles southwest of the state capital, Harrisburg, is home to more than 2,800 students who thrive in a close-knit, small-community atmosphere yet savor the cultural experiences and opportunities of nearby urban centers such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and New York City - all of which are within a few hours driving distance of Messiah College.
The Philadelphia satellite campus at Temple University (a comprehensive public research university with 34,000 students) situates Messiah College within a culturally rich, historically significant city and major urban center, complete with ethnic, cultural, and academic diversity.
A Variety of Study Abroad Programs Enhance the Messiah Experience
Learning doesn't just take place in the classroom at Messiah College. In fact, the Pennsylvania school strives to have the world be its students' global classroom, and that's why international education is an important part of the Messiah experience.
Through Messiah College, students can learn Mandarin Chinese in Dalian, China; study community development in Nairobi, Kenya; explore the arts in Sydney, Australia; and dive into history and philosophy in Athens, Greece.
With over 30 programs in 40 countries, Messiah College's study abroad program is one of the best in the nation, consistently ranking since 1999 in the top 20 baccalaureate institutions for total students studying abroad. In fact, the Chronicle of Higher Education 2007 "Open Doors" survey ranks Messiah College eleventh in the nation among baccalaureate schools sending students to study abroad.
Because Messiah wants its students to become global citizens, the college works hard to keep the costs of studying abroad as affordable as possible. When students study off campus through a Messiah College-approved program, all their state and federal grants and loans, as well as all Messiah aid, will apply. In most cases, the college even pays for international flights.
Last year 429 students traveled from Grantham, Pennsylvania, to countries around the globe. They participated in a variety of study abroad, service-learning, and cross-cultural programs in 40 countries, including Australia, Russia, Ecuador, England, France, Greece, Germany, Japan, Spain, and Uganda.
Messiah's Division III Athletic Program Attracts Students Committed to Excellence and Christian Character
Messiah College's athletic program is at the top of its game among NCAA Division III colleges. Messiah athletic decorations include six national men's soccer championships, two national championships in women's soccer and one in women's softball, national runners-up in women's basketball, and four national runner-up titles in women's field hockey.
The athletic program attracts scholar-athletes committed to the relentless pursuit of excellence and the development of Christian character both on and off the field. The coaches in Grantham not only know their sports well, but also have callings as Christian role models and teachers.
Messiah's coaches are considered members of the college's Community of Educators, supporting the belief that coaches are educators too in every sense of the word. The Pennsylvania school wants its student-athletes to grow in every aspect of their lives - academically, athletically, and most importantly, as committed Christians who understand how their faith affects everything they do.
Of Messiah College's 22 intercollegiate, NCAA Division III athletic teams, women compete in basketball, cross-country, field hockey, indoor track and field, lacrosse, outdoor track and field, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, and volleyball. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross-country, golf, indoor track and field, lacrosse, outdoor track and field, soccer, swimming, tennis, and wrestling.
Student-athletes seeking an exciting athletic and academic experience coupled with a Christian world-view should check out Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania.
