Sweet Briar College

Infobox University
name = Sweet Briar College
motto = Rosam quae meruit ferat
mottoeng = She who earns the rose may bear it
established = 1901
type = Private women's college
president = Elisabeth Showalter Muhlenfeld
city = Sweet Briar
state = Virginia
country = USA
campus =Rural, convert|3250|acre|km2|2|lk=on
students = 735
undergrad = 724
postgrad = 11
faculty = 64
colors = Pink and Green color box|pink color box|green
nickname = Vixens
athletics = NCAA Division III, ODAC
website = [http://www.sbc.edu/ www.sbc.edu]

Sweet Briar College is a liberal arts women's college in Sweet Briar, Virginia, about convert|12|mi|km|0 north of Lynchburg, Virginia. The school is named after the former Sweet Briar plantation, which was likely named for the sweet briar rose. The school’s motto translates to: "She who earns the rose may bear it." The Admissions Office’s current theme is "Think is for Girls." SBC is one of only a few colleges or universities that has pink as an official color.Fact|date=October 2008

Sweet Briar College is located on the former plantation of Elijah Fletcher and his family. In the 19th century, Fletcher was a teacher, businessman and mayor of Lynchburg. His wife, Maria Crawford, is credited with naming the land Sweet Briar.Fact|date=October 2008 By the mid-1800s, Fletcher had between 80 and 100 slaves at the plantation.Fact|date=October 2008 After their emancipation in 1865, several continued to work for pay and live at Sweet Briar. When Elijah Fletcher died, his daughter, Indiana, inherited the plantation. When she passed in 1900, she willed the land and much of her assets to starting a college for women. The goal, as stated by Williams, was to prepare young women to be "useful members of society."Fact|date=October 2008

The campus is situated on convert|3250|acre|km2|0 in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The college's architecture is dominated by the work of Ralph Adams Cram, who also lent his architectural expertise to the campuses of Princeton University and West Point, among others. The campus property also includes the Sweet Briar plantation burial ground, in which upwards of 60 slaves were buried.Fact|date=October 2008 A slave cabin remains on the land as well, and archaeologists have found many slave artifacts that have helped them to piece together what slave life might have been like at Sweet Briar.Fact|date=October 2008 21 of the 30 buildings on campus have been designated as the "Sweet Briar National Historic District" by the National Register of Historic Places.

Sweet Briar is home to The Center for Civic Renewal, The Virginia Law-Related Education Center and the Junior Year in France and Junior Year in Spain programs.

Rankings

Sweet Briar has continually ranked high across the board by several organizations.
*In 2004, Princeton Review gave SBC an academic ranking of 99, a perfect score. "SBC Current Ratings" http://sbc.edu/about/ratings.html]
*U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" ratings, out of 100 top liberal arts colleges: in 2006, 71st; ["Sweet Briar Ranks in U.S. News' Top 100 Liberal Arts Colleges" http://www.sbc.edu/news/?id=1512] in 2005, 68th; ["U.S. News Ranks SBC in Top 100 of Liberal Arts Colleges" http://www.sbc.edu/news/?id=1327] in 2004, 63rd. ["Sweet Briar College Scores High in Rankings." http://www.sbc.edu/news/?id=865]
*Princeton Review's "Best 361 Colleges": in 2008, ranked No. 1 for "Most Beautiful Campus," No. 5 for "Best Career/Job Placement Services," No. 8 for "Professors Make Themselves Available," No. 10 for "Professors Get High Marks" and No. 13 for "Class Discussions Encouraged."
*Princeton Review's "Best 361 Colleges": in 2007, ranked 7th "Professors that Make Themselves Accessible," ranked 10th "Class Discussions Encouraged" and ranked 12th "Dorms Like Palaces." Based on a student-based survey."Sweet Briar Makes Princeton Review Top-20 Lists." SBC News 2006. http://www.sbc.edu/news/?id=1840]
*Princeton Review's "Best 361 Colleges": in 2006, ranked 11th "Professors Make Themselves Accessible," ranked 11th "Class Discussions Encouraged," ranked 14th "Dorms Like Palaces." "Sweet Briar College Makes Five Top-20 Lists in Princeton Review." SBC News 2005. http://www.sbc.edu/news/?id=1516]
*Princeton Review's "Best 357 Colleges": in 2005, ranked 14th, higher than any other women's college, "Best Overall Academic Experience" and ranked 9th "Best Bargains" (private schools)."Sweet Briar Receives High Marks in Princeton Review Survey Results," SBC News 2004. http://www.sbc.edu/news/?id=1328]
*Princeton Review's "Best 351 Colleges": in 2004, ranked 4th in "Student Happiness with Financial Aid," ranked 11th "Best Quality of Life Category," and ranked 15th "Class Discussions Encouraged." ["Sweet Briar College Scores High in Rankings." SBC News 2003. http://www.sbc.edu/news/?id=1250]
*Princeton Review's "Best 345 Colleges": in 2003, ranked 8th "Students Happy with Financial Aid," ranked 9th "Professor Make Themsevles Accessible," ranked 10th "Best Quality of Life," and ranked 12th "Are Your Instructors Good Teachers?" ["Sweet Briar in "Top 20" Lists of Princeton Review." SBC News 2002. http://www.sbc.edu/news/?id=829]
*National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) results: in 2004, SBC exceeded national average on all five key NSSE measures; in 2001, SBC scored in the top 10% on all NSSE measures; in 2000, SBC scored in the top 20%.
*Princeton Review's most beautiful campus: In 2007 rated #1, in 2006, rated #3; in 2005 rated #5. (Student-based survey)

Academics

*SBC offers three pre-professional programs: Pre-Law, Pre-Medicine and Pre-Veterinary.
*SBC was the second women's college to offer an engineering degree.
*2004 marked the first year that SBC offered a graduate degree. Both programs are co-ed and in the field of education.
*SBC offers several abroad programs to its students, the two largestFact|date=October 2008 being Junior Year in France and Junior Year in Spain.
*Students may choose between 37 majors and 36 minors, and may also pursue a self-designed major.
*There are eight different languages that students may choose to learn.

Traditions

Class Landmarks
The Senior Steps (which only seniors may use, although an underclasswoman may if a senior invites them), Junior Bench (which only seniors and juniors may use, or underclasswoman if a senior or junior invites them), Sophomore Rock and Freshmen Hitching Post.Fact|date=October 2008

Spring and Fall Step Singing
Seniors sit on the senior steps while the other three classes sit surrounding the senior steps and the classes serenade each other with meaningful and humorous songsFact|date=October 2008

Sisters
Incoming first years become "little sisters" to their junior "big sisters" who help them assimilate to college lifeFact|date=October 2008

Secret Sophomore
Sophomores pick a senior to give gifts to over the course of their final year, and are revealed at the end of the yearFact|date=October 2008

Junior Banquet
Juniors receive their class rings and have to "earn" their senior's robe by dressing up for a week. The senior will also either elaborately decorate their junior's room, or prank them in some way through their room (messing it up or moving the furniture).Fact|date=October 2008

Lantern Bearing
Seniors march with a close underclasswoman friend, with decorated lanterns either made or ordered by the underclasswoman. The seniors wear their academic robes and other members of the procession traditionally wear white.Fact|date=October 2008

The Rock and Hitching Post
Paint fight between the freshmen and sophomores in the fall which ends when the sophomores cede the post to the freshmen. The hitching post and the sophomore rock will be also be painted different colors during the academic year, either to memorialize a school event or as a prank.Fact|date=October 2008

Founder's Day
The Sweet Briar community walks up to Monument Hill, where the founder's daughter is buried, and celebrate the beginning of the school yearFact|date=October 2008

Class Ring
Juniors receive their rings at the Junior Banquet, which ends Junior Week. The ring design has remained similar for many years. The ring is worn on the left pinky until the woman is engaged, and then she wears her ring on her right pinky. The ring is worn with the chapel pointing towards her heart while she is at Sweet Briar, and pointing away when she is gone.Fact|date=October 2008

Each class has its own colors, motto and Latin emblem, which rotate every four years.Fact|date=October 2008

Tap Clubs

Sweet Briar does not have a formal Greek system. Instead, many women are members of Tap Clubs, so named because new members are "tapped" (that is, woken up in the middle of the night) rather than rushed as in a traditional Greek sorority. In addition students can belong to more than one tap club (although students may only belong to one of the "main four"), and they do not live in sorority houses. Some clubs tap in the fall but most tap in the spring. There are tap clubs for many different interests, and rivalries between the clubs run deep.Fact|date=October 2008

Aints 'n' Asses
Often referred to as simply "Asses," the Asses are outgoing and boisterous. The Asses put on Ass Shows — comical, light theater for satirical purposes. Their rival tap club is Paint and Patches.Fact|date=October 2008

Bum Chums
Started in 1945, the Bum Chums primary purpose is community service. The "Notorious Ten" organize annual blood drives, the Bum Chum Bazaar, and fund a scholarship (to mention just a few). They also coordinate and run "The Game;" which serves two purposes. The first is to promote class bonding among the sophomore class; who as freshman, typically, only know the women on their hall or dorm. The second purpose is learn who the leaders are within the sophomore class (potentially future Bum Chums). Each year, after Spring Step Singing, a new group of 10 are tapped to continue the legacy. The Bums also try to find out the identity of all of the new sophomore QVs (their rival club). The Bums are one of the four main tap clubs.Fact|date=October 2008

Chung Mungs
Chung Mungs are known to be the women who do everything around campus, but are rarely given credit for all of their hard work. It is fitting, then, that the Chung Mungs conduct the campus Ghost Tours. Their rival tap club is Tau Phi. Chung Mungs are one of the four main tap clubs.Fact|date=October 2008

Earphones
The Earphones are not known for singing on key.Fact|date=October 2008 They are, however, often seen at sporting events, cheering on the Vixens, and singing happy birthday to people on campus. The earphones put on a half note show every fall and spring for those girls, who were recently tapped. There are some lineages in Earphones, but it is mostly for fun. Two freshmen are tapped each spring. Often recognized as being some of the loudest girls on campus,Fact|date=October 2008 their rival tap club is Sweet Tones.Fact|date=October 2008

Falls on Nose
FoN is a relatively new tap club on campus, focused on volunteerism. Their rival tap club is Taps 'n Toes.Fact|date=October 2008

Paint and Patches
Sweet Briar's oldest tap club, founded in 1901.Fact|date=October 2008 PnP is composed of theater enthusiasts, both actors and technical staff. PnP has the largest budget of any club on campus (excluding Campus Events), because it sponsors theater productions. The rival tap club is the Aints 'n' Asses.Fact|date=October 2008

QVs
The QVs are elected by their class at the end of freshman year. The main purpose of the QVs is to encourage sophomore class spirit — during the year they will do secret "drops" (small gifts of candy and presents) for their fellow sophomores. Sophomore QVs are completely anonymous except to current and former QVs--during the school year the junior Bum Chums try to find out the identity of all the current QVs. The QVs rival tap club is the Bum Chums. QVs are one of the four main tap clubs.Fact|date=October 2008

Sweet Tones
The only tap club with auditions, the Sweet Tones are Sweet Briar's a capella singing group. Their rival tap club is the Earphones.Fact|date=October 2008

Taps 'n' Toes
TnT is the tap club for dance enthusiasts. Participation in two or more dance concerts is required to be considered for membership. They help put on the two dance concerts during the year (one in the fall and one in the spring). Their rival tap club is Falls on Nose.Fact|date=October 2008

Tau Phi
Tau Phis are academic and erudite. There was, at one point, a GPA requirement to be tapped as a Tau Phi. This was dropped in recent years, due to new policies regarding access to student academic records.Fact|date=October 2008 Their rival tap club is the Chung Mungs. Tau Phi is one of the four main tap clubs.Fact|date=October 2008

Campus Life

Sweet Briar is residential campus, and nearly all students are required to live on campus for their entire time at SBC.Fact|date=October 2008 There are seven standard dormitories, and more independent living available in Patteson House and the Music Box, available to upperclasswomen.

SBC has over 50 clubs and organizations.Fact|date=October 2008

The Honor Code

"Sweet Briar women do not lie, cheat, steal or violate the rights of others. Therefore I pledge to uphold all standards of honorable conduct. I will report myself and others for any infraction of this pledge."

At Sweet Briar, the Honor Code pervades every aspect of everyday life.Fact|date=October 2008 First-years are required to memorize the pledge and take a test on it before they are allowed to hand in and Pledge any academic work.Fact|date=October 2008 All academic work must be Pledged, and the consequences for violating that pledge are severe. However, the Honor Code has non-academic applications as well. It is generally understood that the women on campus also adhere to the Honor Code, which creates an environment of trust which is uniquely Sweet Briar.Fact|date=October 2008 It is not uncommon to see women leave their laptops on the table in the library while they run to lunch. Bags are left unattended, and money left lying out will usually remain there until someone sticks it in a charity box.Fact|date=October 2008

ports

Its sports teams are known as the Vixens, and is the only college/university to have such a mascot.Fact|date=October 2008 Sweet Briar is a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Sweet Briar has seven Varsity Sports: Field Hockey,Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis and Volleyball. Sweet Briar has Fencing as a club sport.

Students also participate in recreational sports with SWEBOP, the Outdoor Program. SWEBOP organizes many trips throughout the year including hiking, fly fishing, caving, rock climbing and weekly kayaking and skiing.Fact|date=October 2008

Riding

The school is well known for its excellent horseback riding program,Fact|date=October 2008 which focuses on show and field hunters, huntseat equitation, and show jumping. The school boasts seven different riding teams.Fact|date=October 2008 These include the fall jumper team, fall show team, Affiliated National Riding Commission (ANRC) team, fall field team, Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) team, Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) team, and Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) team.

The school's riders boast a number of titles. This includes 10 ANRC Team reserve national championships title wins (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005), and nine ANRC Team national championship title wins (1978, 1979, 1980, 1986, 198, 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1999). Individuals have been reserve ANRC national champions 6 times (1980- Pam Kobrock, 1985- Laurie Woolverton, 1986- Georgianna Congers, 1989- Pam Ward, 1990- Kerstin Chrisman, 2001- Cara Meade) and national champions 9 times (1978- Jamie Plank, 1979- Jamie Plank, 1980- Kathy Tayleor, 1981- Jamie Plank, 1986- Pam Ward, 1987- Gail Phillips, 1988- Pam Ward, 2000- Jen Lampton, and 2004- Karen Dennehy).

In addition, in 2006, Sweet Briar's IHSA team won their region (Zone 4, Region 1), and placed second at Zones, qualifying them for the Nationals Competition. The team placed third overall, with Jodie Weber '06 claiming a fourth overall in the Cacchione Cup competition.Fact|date=October 2008

Notable people

Administration

* Victor Henningsen, former president of the Board of Trustees

Alumnae

* Elaine Dundy, actor, journalist, novelist, biographer, and playwright
* Sally Miller Gearhart, educator and science fiction writer
* Molly Haskell, feminist film critic and author
* Janet Lee Bouvier, mother of Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis
* Diana Muldaur, actor and former president of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
* Mary Lee Settle, author
* Ann Taylor, National Public Radio newscaster

Faculty

* Marion Elizabeth Blake, classics professor
* John Gregory Brown, English professor, novelist
* Cornelius Eady, poet
* Iren Marik, classical pianist
* Constance Merritt, former Margaret Banister Writer-in-Residence
* Mary Oliver, Pulitzer Prize winning poet

ee also

* GCRT J1745-3009 - a newly-discovered, bursting, transient radio source discovered by "Sweet Briar College" and the Naval Research Laboratory
* Women's Colleges in the Southern United States

References

External links

* [http://www.sbc.edu/ Sweet Briar College]
* [http://www.jyf.sbc.edu/ Sweet Briar College Junior Year in France]
* [http://www.jys.sbc.edu/ Sweet Briar College Junior Year in Spain]
* [http://www.aaheritageva.org/search/sites.asp?MailingListID=546 Virginia African American Heritage Program] (Sweet Briar is listed as a Heritage Site)
*" [http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15463035/site/newsweek/ In Virginia, three elite women's colleges reinvent themselves and find a new mission in a coed world] " (Sweet Briar College, Hollins University, and Mary Baldwin College)