A review of Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia reveals the “inconvenient truth” that Roanoke College is in fact not located in Roanoke, Virginia but in nearby Salem, Virginia. The large city of Roanoke with a metropolitan population of more than a quarter of a million, that shares its name with the college is about 8 miles away and dominates the Roanoke Valley. In this beautiful part of a beautiful state, men and women follow a liberal arts curriculum as they progress towards a degree from the small but well respected Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia.
Religion at the Fore. While any listing of U. S. colleges will confirm the fact that Roanoke is a private, independent liberal arts school there is no getting away from the fact that its roots are deeply set in the Lutheran tradition. First established by two Lutheran pastors in 1842, Roanoke was meant to serve as prep school for boys to ready them academically for college or better yet the seminary. Today Roanoke College is a soft reflection of those early days. The school is a four year institution that still has Lutheran connections but has opened its doors wide. The student population at Roanoke today is not just made up of Virginia boys getting ready to become ministers. The 1,900 undergraduates are both male and female and represent 40 states and 33 countries.
Hope you like small. While Roanoke has certainly worked to achieve its obvious diversity within the student body the fact remains that Roanoke College, Salem. VA is a small school. If you choose to come here it is important to recognize that fact that you will find little anonymity here. With only about 500 members of each class year, you are likely to know almost everyone in your class and you will find it difficult to cross the relatively small campus without meeting someone you know. While some students like to blend into the background, for those who like feel part of the action Roanoke may be a good match.
Fortunately the city of Roanoke and the surrounding area is home to a quarter of a million residents so you are not totally in the boonies but on campus you had better be prepared for a scaled down college campus.
Large Enough for Phi Beta Kappa. The good news is that the small size of Roanoke College has not interfered with the quality of the educational product offered here. Young men and women will find plenty of academic choices. With approximately 35 majors from which to choose it is unlikely that you will not find a solid match for your area of interest. It is important, if you are interested in a narrow area of study that you discuss your curriculum options with authorities at Roanoke College to make certain your needs can be accommodated.
The academic accomplishment level at Roanoke College is well documented. Perhaps most notable is the fact that Roanoke was selected for it own chapter of the National College Honor Society, Phi Beta Kappa. This is an honor bestowed on only 276 colleges in the nation and offers affirmation to the scholastic programs offered at this this institution of higher education.
Life at Roanoke College. When my Dad went to Roanoke in early 1930’s the school though small still seemed to have lots going on. A look through his old yearbook was really quite surprising. There was a full compliment of athletic clubs, though the equipment looked a little tired. There were also many students involved in dramatic offerings and literary magazines. Everyone it seemed took part in some type of extra curricular activity.
Today Roanoke maintains a solid reputation regionally as a highly competitive participant in Division III NCAA intercollegiate sports. You won’t find football here, but you may not notice because of solid action in 19 other men’s and women’s sports going on all year round. With less than 2000 students on campus a healthy percentage do get involved in athletics either playing or as spectators.
Students who attend Roanoke know that they are coming to a small school, but they may be surprised to discover it is a school with large interests. In fact on campus you will be able to locate some 100 clubs, groups and organizations that should allow you continue to develop skills, hobbies and interests of your own outside of class time.
The Princeton Review records their findings that Roanoke is among the “Best in the Southeast”. But what of course will be decisive is what your own personal review of Roanoke College reveals to you.
