Discover

'Drew University' is a small, private university located in Madison, New Jersey.
Originally established as the Drew Theological Seminary in 1867, the university later expanded to include an undergraduate liberal arts college in 1928 and commenced a program of graduate studies in 1955. Nicknamed the "University in the Forest" because of the relative serenity of its wooded 186 acres (753,000 m²) to the school's suburban surroundings, Drew University maintains a combined undergraduate and graduate on-campus population of approximately 2,500 students. ^[4]
While Drew is loosely affiliated with the United Methodist Church, it makes no religious demands on its students. Many of the Theological School's students and faculty are, however, United Methodist, and the History and Archives Commission of the United Methodist Church is housed on campus.

Contents

History

Academics

Undergraduate

Graduate

Other programs

School spirit: traditions and athletics

Notable alumni

Points of interest

References

See also

External links

History

In 1867, Daniel Drew (1797-1879), a financier and railroad tycoon, endowed his antebellum estate in Madison for the purpose of establishing the Drew Theological Seminary. To this day, the Theological Seminary continues to graduate candidates for service in the ministry; however, the institution grew to include a liberal arts curriculum.
Dr. James Strong first published his seminal work, Strong's Concordance, in 1890 during his tenure as Professor of exegetical theology at Drew Theological Seminary.
The College of Liberal Arts admitted its first class of 12 students in 1928, after the trustees of the Drew Theological Seminary voted to accept a gift of $1.5 million from brothers Arthur and Leonard Baldwin to build and endow such an institution, and to change the name of the institution to Drew University. In 1955, a Graduate School became the third of the university's degree granting entities.
From its beginnings, the College of Liberal Arts has honored its founders' wish that it be ecumenical in its choice of faculty and students. The Baldwins also asked that the new institution be named ''Brothers College'' in recognition of their extraordinary relationship. The name was later changed to the ''College of Liberal Arts'', but its major academic building still bears its original name.
In its early years, Drew provided educational opportunities for women, through enrollment in religious classes. However, for a brief time, Drew became an all-male institution, during the 1930s until 1942.
During the Second World War, the draft threatened to take too many of Drew's students and the college of liberal arts responded by enrolling both women and US Navy recruits, through a V-12 Navy College Training Program. At this time, Drew became coeducational.
During the 1970s, the College also established, with generous assistance from the Mellon Foundation, a now widely imitated freshman seminar program. It allows first-year students to participate, with faculty who also serve as their academic advisers, in intensive study of a topic of hopefully mutual interest. Interdisciplinary study became a focus of the curriculum as well, with the creation of majors in behavioral studies, and Russian studies, and minors in such fields as American studies, arts administration, business management, and writing.
In 1984, psychology professors Philip Jensen and Richard Detweiler led an effort to provide a personal computer and application software to all incoming freshman, a program referred to as the "Computer Initiative". Drew was the first liberal arts college to have such a requirement (Drexel University being the first school overall one year earlier). The Computer Initiative differentiates Drew from other liberal arts colleges, and continues to this day as a required computer purchase program. As a result Drew has considerably fewer public computing labs than comparable schools its size, utilizing the centrally managed student laptops for instructional and general-purpose computing use.
Thomas Kean, former Governor of New Jersey (1982-1990) and Co-Chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, was Drew's president for 15 years and stepped down in June, 2005. Robert Weisbuch, former President of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, was named Drew's eleventh president in July 2005 and formally inaugurated on April 28, 2006.
During his tenure as president, Kean succeeded in adding new faculty in African, Asian, Russian, and Islamic studies, significantly increased opportunities for students to study abroad, increased applications from prospective students, nearly tripled the school's endowment, and committed more than $60 million to construction of new buildings and renovation of older buildings—principally student residence halls. In the event, several of these faculty were not retained, and the program in Asian Studies fell victim to a lack of cooperation among concerned faculty.
In July, 2007 it was reported that Drew University's rising tuition cost at a then minimum of $34,230 had outranked Princeton University at $33,000 minimum and Stevens Institute of Technology at $32,000 minimum, making Drew the most expensive school in the state of New Jersey ^[5]
Drew University is home to the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and the archives of the United Methodist Church.

Academics

Undergraduate

Drew University offers programs leading to the traditional undergraduate degree of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) through its 'College of Liberal Arts'. Renowned for its academics Drew University is comparable to some of the top liberal arts college in the nation. It has the reputation of being one of the more elite colleges in the tri-state area.
Today, Drew students fulfill a general education program distinguished by a flexibility that allows students to shape their individual academic programs to serve their own needs and interests, while developing the lifelong skills and values that a liberal arts education provides. Students also undertake academic programs that further emphasize depth, independent research, and experiential and collaborative teaming. To fulfill the required minor in the general education program, students may choose from many disciplinary and interdisciplinary offerings, or design a self-created minor subject to faculty approval.
The 'College of Liberal Arts' provides major concentrations in 27 academic areas, including: Anthropology, Art, Behavioral Science, Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Chinese Language, Classics, Computer Science, Economics, English, French, German, History, Mathematics, Mathematics & Computer Science, Music, Neurosciences (includes psychobiology), Pan-African Studies, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology, Spanish, Theatre Arts, Women's Studies.
Minor concentrations are available in all areas that offer majors except neuroscience, behavioral science and the joint mathematics and computer science program. In addition, the college offers these interdisciplinary minors: American Studies; Archaeology; Arts Administration and Museology; Asian Studies; Business Management; Business, Society, and Culture; Comparative Literature; Chinese; Environmental Studies; European Studies; Humanities; Holocaust Studies; Italian; Jewish Studies; Latin American Studies; Linguistic Studies; Middle Eastern Studies; Russian; Western Heritage; and Writing.

Graduate

The 'Caspersen School of Graduate Studies' offers the traditional Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. The Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree is awarded to Ph.D. students at the completion of their comprehensive exams, as a recognition of having A.B.D., or All But Dissertation status in completion of the Ph.D. Areas of study include: Book History (M.A. only), English Literature, Modern History & Literature, and Women's Studies (M.A. only, Ph.D. concentration). It also offers an innovative interdisciplinary arts and letters program offering Master of Letters (M.Litt.) and Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) degrees as well as a program in Medical Humanities, offering a Certificate of Medical Humanities (C.M.H.), as well as Masters (M.M.H.) and Doctoral degrees (D.M.H.). The Caspersen School is currently developing a graduate program in Education. The Caspersen School is known for its particular faculty strengths in the study of Willa Cather, intellectual history, and medical humanities.
In 2006, the 'Graduate Division of Religion', with programs in Biblical Studies, Historical Studies in Religion, Liturgical Studies, Religion & Society, Theological & Philosophical Studies, and Wesleyan & Methodist Studies, was created as an administrative move of the graduate programs in religion from the Caspersen School to the Theological School. The change was made to reflect current trends in the academic study of religion. Like students in the Caspersen School, M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D degrees are offered in these areas, and most students may elect to concentrate in Women's Studies. Drew is particularly strong in the areas of constructive and systematic theology, liturgical studies, theological ethics, feminist issues in religion, and post-colonial Biblical studies.
'Drew Theological School' offers degree programs designed to train candidates for the ministry. While affiliated with the United Methodist Church its programs are open to individuals of all faiths. Degrees offered include the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.), Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.), and the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.). The faculty of the Theological School are largely the same as in the Graduate Division of Religion, and are additionally noted in the areas of evangelism and environmental issues in religion.

Other programs

Drew also offers a few other programs through the office of 'Continuing University Education.' These programs include professional teacher continuing education; some community education programs; certificates in pharmacological laboratory analysis (in a partnership with Johnson & Johnson) and in historic preservation; and a post-baccalaureate, pre-medical preparation program.

School spirit: traditions and athletics

Drew University has 15 sports teams in 11 sports, including: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Equestrian, fencing, Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, and Tennis. Drew is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in Division III athletics, and competes with schools the Landmark Conference, the Eastern College Athletic Conference, the Mid Atlantic Collegiate Fencing Association and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association.
In 2007, Drew joined a new Division III athletic conference, the Landmark Conference with seven comparable schools. Division III institutions may not provide athletic scholarships. The sports teams are known as the ''Rangers'' and the university's mascot is the ''Ranger Bear''—a bear who wears a forest ranger's hat.
The school's colors are ''Forest Green'' and ''Oxford Blue'' (originally gold).
Note: The Green is sometimes referred to as "Ranger Green" or "Lincoln Green"
The ''alma mater'' of Drew University is ''Amid the tow'ring forest'', written by John Barclay, Class of 1936. The lyrics are, as follows:
: ''Amid the tow'ring forest''
: ''thy halls of learning stand,''
: ''Thy name our purpose to uphold,''
: ''We'll spread through all the land.''
: ''Thy colors ever glorious''
: ''still wave on high so true,''
: ''All hail to Drew forevermore,''
: ''All hail the green and blue.''

★ 'N.B.': Due to a change in school colors, the words "true" and "blue" in the last lines replaced the original text of "bold" and "gold" respectively.
The student-run newspaper of Drew University is ''The Acorn.'' It publishes every Friday starting the first week of the semester until the last week of classes. In 2004, ''The Acorn'' was voted "Best College Newspaper" by the New Jersey Collegiate Press Association.
Intramural sports include Men's Rugby (DRFC), Women's Rugby (DWRFC), Men's and Women's Ultimate Frisbee, Dance Team, and Cheerleading.
The indoor sports home, the 'Baldwin Gymnasium', is the new home of the Jersey Express of the American Basketball Association's current incarnation.

Notable alumni

★ Clint Bolick Founder, Institute for Justice

★ George Selgin Economist

★ James Van Der Beek (no degree received) — Actor (star of ''Dawson's Creek'')

★ Young-Ho Chun (B.A. and PhD.) — Theologian

★ Aileen Quinn (B.A.) played Annie in the 1982 motion picture.

★ Holly Bakke (B.A.) Former New Jersey Banking and Insurance Commissioner under Governors Cody and McGreevey

★ Soon Yi Previn (B.A.) — daughter of noted composer Andre Previn and wife of director Woody Allen

★ Fred Garrigus Holloway (B.A., 1921) — Bishop of The Methodist Church, formerly Dean of Drew Theological Seminary and President of Drew University

★ Jeff Smith (M.Div., Class of 1965) — Minister, cookbook author, host of ''The Frugal Gourmet''

★ Hae Jong Kim (D.Min., 1984), Bishop of the United Methodist Church

★ Frank Morales An Episcopal priest and political activist in New York City.

★ Robert E. Hayes Jr (D.Min., 1997), Bishop of the United Methodist Church

★ Herbert George Welch (1890) — Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church

★ Kim M. Sharan (B.A Economics), Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Ameriprise Financial.

★ Wayne Lavender- Minister of the United Methodist Church, Leader of Passing the Peace, and author of Counting the Ants While the Elephants March By.

★ Joseph J. Beneducci (B.A.) Former President and Chief Executive Officer of Fireman's Fund Insurance Company

★ Katie Woods (B.A.) Head Women's Lacrosse Coach at American University

★ Craig Stanford (B.A) Professor of Anthropology and Biological Sciences and Co-Director of the USC Jane Goodall Research Center at the University of Southern California.

★ David B. Audretsch Economist

Points of interest

★ The 'Florence and Robert Zuck Arborteum' is an arboretum located on the southwest part of Drew University, 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, New Jersey. The arboretum is open to the public by appointment. Created in 1980 in honor of faculty members Robert and Florence Zuck, the arborteum contains a mix of native and introduced trees. Its two small ponds serve as student laboratories. They contain turtles, goldfish, catfish, and muskrats, and are also stops for migrating Canadian geese, ducks, and herons.

★ The Drew University Admissions office does not require the SAT or ACT when evaluating potential students (a copy of a graded high school essay may be submitted instead of standardized test scores). Drew Makes SATs Optional

★ Drew has received numerous rankings by the Princeton Review including those for "Best Theater Colleges" and "Professors Get High Marks".

★ Several motion pictures have used Drew University as a filming location: '' So Fine'' (1981); ''Deconstructing Harry'' (1997); ''The Family Stone'' (2005); ''Spinning into Butter'' (2006). An episode of ''The Sopranos'' was also filmed on campus, as well as the back to school episode of ''The Daily Show'' in 2001. A few MTV commercials have also been filmed on Drew's campus.

References

1. http://media.www.drewacorn.com/media/storage/paper914/news/2007/07/18/News/Drew-Named.Most.Expensive.University.In.The.Garden.State-2928278.shtml?refsource=collegeheadlines
2. Drew University
3. About Drew
4. Quick Facts
5. http://www.nj.com/newsflash/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-26/118574129113650.xml&storylist=jersey#continue

See also

★ List of botanical gardens in the United States

External links

★ www.drew.edu — Official website of Drew University

★ Drew University PD - Department of Public Safety

★ The General Commission on Archives and History for The United Methodist Church (known more familiarly as the ''Methodist Archives'')

★ The Acorn (Student Paper of Drew University)

★ Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (the resident theatre company of Drew University)

★ That Medieval Thing (the largest student group at Drew University)

★ Insanity's Horse (Literary and Arts Magazine of Drew University)

★ Cunningham, John. ''University in the Forest: The Story of Drew University''. (Third edition, 2002). ISBN 0-89359-017-7.