Gettysburg College

Overview

At Gettysburg College, "Do great work" is more than a tagline. The college believes that learning means doing, and that a college education should prepare students to be great and do great work. So often, what happens outside of the classroom is a vital extension of what happens inside. If students want to get involved--and most Gettysburg students do--the opportunities are almost endless.

Academic Excellence

A highly selective, nationally-recognized college of 2,600 students rooted in a rigorous liberal arts and science curriculum, classes at Gettysburg College augment academic excellence with community responsibility and global experiences, provide leadership opportunities and engage with public policy issues. Classes in all of their 68 academic programs average 18 students and come in many forms--from conversational seminars that challenge students to be their intellectual best, to intensive studio and music classes with lots of experimentation and interaction, to hands-on labs where students undertake research and fieldwork, to small lectures peppered with lively debates. Their small class sizes encourage debate and ensure personal interactions between students and their professors. All of their tenured faculty members have a PhD or terminal degree. In fact, Gettysburg College supports a first-class faculty that embraces innovation and cutting-edge developments. They are leading scholars in their fields, encouraging their students to be on the front lines of academic discovery and many students across all disciplines have engaged in highly personalized student-faculty research. Incoming students have unique access to this passion for academics through their popular First-Year Seminar programs--creatively designed to hone writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills--all while sparking students' intellectual curiosity.

World Famous Town

Located steps away from the battlefields that altered the course of the nation's history and less than a mile from the site of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, the college's historic location inspires their students towards responsible citizenship and leadership. No tradition better highlights the significance of their historic location to their students than the annual First-Year Walk. In 1863, Gettysburg College students walked with President Abraham Lincoln to the Gettysburg National Cemetery where Lincoln delivered his iconic speech. Every year, students recreate this walk with their class. They hear a recitation of the Gettysburg Address, an address from a faculty member, and are welcomed into the community by the mayor of the town. Attracting over three million visitors each year, the town of Gettysburg has a lively local atmosphere and close proximity to several major metropolitan centers. The college's location--easily accessible from Washington, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and the state capital, Harrisburg--offers internships, off-campus research, experiential learning, and service opportunities, enabling the college to balance their small-town charm with big-campus resources.

Vibrant Campus Life

Outside the classroom, "Gettysburgians" are actively involved in over 120 student organizations that run the gamut, from student government and campus publications to sports, the arts, community service, and outdoor adventure. All are run by students and create more than a thousand leadership opportunities each year. Known as the "Bullets" on the field, Gettysburg offers 24 Division III intercollegiate sports for men and women. Strong recreational and intramural programs give everyone an opportunity to get involved. In fact, over 90% of students participate in one of the campus recreation programs. During the weekends, students can choose from one of over 800 events planned by the Campus Activities Board each year--including concerts, comedians, and coffeehouses, cheering on the Bullets, going on outdoor expeditions, exploring DC museums, taking in a movie or lecture, playing inner tube water polo, competing in a ping pong tournament or trivia night, and so much more. Despite their close proximity to several metropolitan centers, Gettysburg College is not a "suitcase" school--95% of students stay on campus during the weekends.

Distinctive Programs

Gettysburg College's distinctive programs and other unique facilities enable the college to balance their small-town feel with big campus resources. Whether their students want to learn about public policy and presidential leadership through the Eisenhower Institute, cultivate their personal leadership style through the Garthwait Leadership Center, engage in diverse perspectives and public interpretations of history through the Civil War Institute, or combine their love of music with their liberal arts education through the Sunderman Conservatory of Music, their students are challenged with programs that inspire them to greatness and push them to the next level every day.

Global Perspectives

Recognizing the value of preparing tomorrow's global leaders, Gettysburg College provides opportunities accessible for all students to take their learning out of the classroom and into the world. In fact, nearly 60% of Gettysburg students study abroad for at least one semester at prestigious colleges and universities worldwide, earning the college the distinction of being named 2nd in the nation--and 1st in Pennsylvania--for semester-long study abroad experiences by the Institute of International Education. Through study abroad experiences, the integration of global perspectives into the classroom, and short immersion, research, and service-based trips--both across the country and around the world--students graduate ready and able to make a difference in an increasingly globalized world.

Connections and Career Opportunities

One of the things that distinguishes Gettysburg College is their commitment to help students develop a career plan and build their professional network. Their Center for Career Development works with every student, from their first year through their senior year and beyond, to help them learn about their strengths, hone their professional skill set, and articulate their value to potential employers and graduate schools. Over 80% of students complete at least one internship by the time that they graduate, and have over 6,000 opportunities for career exploration, from immersion trips to networking dinners and externships. Another unique program offered by the Center for Career Development is the Entrepreneurial Fellowship, a platform that provides alumni mentorship and resources to help budding student-entrepreneurs kick-start their entrepreneurial journey. With opportunities like these on their resumes, it is no surprise that 98% of their recent graduates have either found full-time employment or are enrolled in a graduate school program less than one year after their graduation.