St. Norbert College

Infobox_University


name = St. Norbert College
established = 1898
type = Private
president = Thomas Kunkel
city = De Pere
state = Wisconsin
country = USA
undergrad = 2,015
postgrad = 57
faculty = 109 full-time, 70 part-time
campus = Suburban, 38 Buildings on 93 Acres bordering the Fox River
colors = Green and Gold
endowment = US $62,950,000
website= http://www.snc.edu/

St. Norbert College (SNC) is a private Catholic liberal arts college in De Pere, Wisconsin (a suburb of Green Bay). St. Norbert College was founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Norbertine priest and educator, and named after Saint Norbert of Xanten. Frances I. Van Dyke, a seminarian, was the first and, at the time, the only student. In 1952, the college became coeducational and today enrolls about 2,000 students.

History

St. Norbert College was established when Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Dutch immigrant priest from the Premonstratensian abbey of Berne (Netherlands), founded the college to train young men for the priesthood. St. Norbert is the first and only institution of higher learning in the world sponsored by the Premonstratensian order. Abbot Pennings later discovered a need for higher education in northeastern Wisconsin, and started a commerce program at the college for lay students. Abbot Pennings retired in 1955.

St. Norbert's second president, Father Dennis Burke, expanded the college, anticipating the student population would eventually reach 2000. Dr. Robert Christin, who became president in 1968, implemented the course system and the academic divisional structure. In 1973, Neil Webb, a former faculty member and vice president, became president. Dr. Webb had strong fiscal management abilities and established the first substantial permanent endowment for the school.

Serving as the college's president from 1983 to 2000, Dr. Thomas Manion brought national recognition to the institution and led the expansion of facilities and the development of additional academic programs. Under his leadership the enrollment topped 2000, and extensive renovations and construction activities expanded the college's physical facilities.

Mr. Thomas Kunkel, former Dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park, became the seventh president of the college on July 1, 2008.

Academics

St. Norbert offers undergraduate programs (leading to the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, or Bachelor of Business Administration degree) in more than 40 areas of study. A program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is being offered jointly with the Bellin College of Nursing. Although SNC considers itself to be a liberal-arts college, fewer than half of its students major in one of the liberal arts; the most popular undergraduate majors are Business Administration (22%), Education (18%), and Communication (12%). [ [http://www.snc.edu/oie/assessment/cds2006.htm St. Norbert College 2006 Common Data Set] Retrieved August 6, 2007.] Regardless of their major, students enrolled at St. Norbert College complete a 12-course (48 credit) General Education Program that emphasizes writing and ensures a liberal education. In addition to its undergraduate offerings, St. Norbert College offers masters-level graduate programs in education, theological studies, and, starting in 2008, liberal studies.

In the past 15 years, St. Norbert has consistently been ranked as one of the top five comprehensive (Bachelor's-level) colleges in the Midwest, by "U.S.News & World Report". [ [http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1ccbach_mw_brief.php US News and World Report 2008 College Rankings] ] Starting in 2008, however, SNC was re-categorized as a national liberal-arts college, and now appears in the third-tier of the US News rankings. In addition to its overall ranking, US News listed SNC as a "great school, great price" and an "A+ School for B Students." The college is also listed among the "best in the Midwest" by Princeton Review.

Athletics

The St. Norbert College Green Knights participate in NCAA Division III athletics in the Midwest Conference. Varsity sports include: baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, cheer and dance, men's cross country, women's cross country, football, men's golf, women's golf, men's hockey, men's soccer, women's soccer, women's softball, women's swimming, men's tennis, women's tennis, men's track, women's track, women's volleyball.

St. Norbert's Men's Ice hockey team competes in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association. St. Norbert has had much success in the NCHA and won the Division III national championship in 2008. The St. Norbert hockey team has been the NCHA regular season champions from 1997-1999 and 2002-2008, and have won the post season tournament in 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008. They have been one of the most successful Division III hockey teams over the past decadeFact|date=February 2007. St. Norbert also hosts a lacrosse club team participating in the Great Lakes Lacrosse League.

St. Norbert's Men's Football team has delivered 8 conference championships in the last 9 years while competing in the NCAA Division III Midwest Conference under the helm of head coach Jim Purtill. Since his arrival the Green Knights have enjoyed a 77-3 Midwest Conference record while competing in the National Playoffs 7 of those years.

The Green Bay Packers conduct training camp here having done so since 1958, making this the league's longest training camp relationship between a team and school. In exchange, the Packers donate their used equipment and give St. Norbert yearly grants. [cite news
title = Night Practices Continue For '07 Training Camp
publisher = Green Bay Packers
date = 2007-06-18
url = http://www.packers.com/news/releases/2007/06/18/1/
accessdate = 2007-06-18 ]

Notable Alumni

*Vernon Biever, photographer and author
*Robert John Cornell, member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin
*N. Patrick Crooks, Wisconsin Supreme Court, Justice
*Tom Durkin, sportscaster
*James H. Flatley, U.S. Navy War Hero
*Bob Forstrom, pro arena football player, Green Bay Blizzard
*Ted Fritsch, Jr., American Football player
*Jerimiah Janssen, pro football player, New York Jets (NFL)
*Mary Mullarkey, Chief Justice, Colorado Supreme Court
*Don Schneider, Schneider National Inc., Chairman of the Board of Directors, Multi-Billionaire, 117th Wealthiest Man in America [ [http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/54/richlist07_Donald-Schneider_6OJM.html] ]
*James J. Schmitt, Mayor, City of Green Bay

References

External links

* [http://www.snc.edu/ Official website]
* [http://www.midwestconference.org/ Midwest Conference]
* [http://www.nchahockey.org/ Northern College Hockey Association]