Bennett College - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

This article is about the historically black women's college in Greensboro, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

. For the women's college in Millbrook
Millbrook, New York
Millbrook is a village in Dutchess County, New York, United States. It is often said to be a "low-key version of the Hamptons" and one of the wealthiest towns in New York State. Millbrook's estimated town population was 1,551 in 2008. Millbrook is located in the Hudson Valley, an hour and thirty...

, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

which existed from 1890 to 1978, see Bennett College (New York)
Bennett College (New York)
Bennett College was a women's college founded in 1890 and located in the town of Millbrook in New York. The school closed in 1978.-History:...

.

Bennett College is a four-year liberal arts

Liberal arts college

A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...

women's college

Women's Colleges in the Southern United States

Women's colleges in the Southern United States refers to undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations consist exclusively or almost exclusively of women. Salem College is the oldest female educational institution in the South and...

in Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...

. Founded in 1873, this historically black

Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....

institution began as a normal school

Normal school

A normal school is a school created to train high school graduates to be teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name...

to provide education to newly emancipated slaves. It became a women's college in 1926 and currently serves roughly 780 undergraduates. It "has struggled for years with financial (and administrative) difficulties" and is currently on probation with its regional accrediting body

Regional accreditation

Regional accreditation is a term used in the United States to refer to educational accreditation conducted by any of several accreditation bodies established to serve six defined geographic areas of the country for accreditation of schools, colleges, and universities...

for "run[ning] afoul of the accreditor's standard on financial stability."

Bennett today

Bennett College has 780 students, all women and primarily of African-American descent, enrolled in one of Bennett's 24 degree programs. Bennett is currently ranked #16 among the top historically black colleges and universities, both for its academic achievements and its relatively reasonable tuition

Tuition

Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...

rates. Today Bennett is reorganizing and revitalizing its campus and academic infrastructure. Bennett's brother school is Morehouse College

Morehouse College

Morehouse College is a private, all-male, liberal arts, historically black college located in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Wabash College, Morehouse is one of three remaining traditional men's colleges in the United States....

in Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...

. This relationship developed through the close and historic friendship of former Bennett College President Dr. David Dallas Jones and former Morehouse College President Dr. Benjamin E. Mays.

Institutional Goals

To achieve and maintain fiscal stability.
To increase and stabilize student enrollment and retention.
To improve the academic standards and competitiveness of the College.
To upgrade and maintain the College's physical plant facilities to accommodate the academic, cultural, social and residential programs.
To enhance and support the social, cultural and spiritual development of the students.
To optimize philanthropic support and advance College relations.
To maximize the potential and ability of employees to contribute and develop professionally within a supportive College environment.
To create a College culture that embraces and commits to continuous improvement.
To develop a deepened sense of community at Bennett College.
To build stronger relationships with local, regional, national and international communities.
To identify Bennett College as a United Methodist Church related college while respecting religious diversity.

Philosophy

Bennett College's undergirding philosophy is that a high-quality college experience should provide its women students with strong academic and co-curricular programs that encourage their personal development, endorse life-long learning, and prepare them to meet the needs of an ever-changing society. Bennett College values and respects every member of its community. As a United Methodist Church Related institution, the College believes that education should be related to humanitarian ends.

Presidents of the College

There have been fifteen principals or presidents of Bennett College

W.J. Parker (principal) (1874 - 1877)
Reverend Edward O. Thayer (1877 - 1881)
Reverend Wilbur F. Steele - (1881 - 1889)
Reverend Charles N. Grandison - (1889 - 1892)
Dr. Jordan Chavis - (1892-1905)
Reverend Silas A. Peeler - (1905 - 1913)
Professor James E. Wallace - (1913 - 1915)
Reverend Frank Trigg - (1915 - 1926)
David Dallas Jones - (1926 - 1955)
Dr. Willa B. Player - (1956 - 1966)
Dr. Isaac H. Miller, Jr. - (1966 - 1987)
Dr. Gloria Randle Scott
Gloria Randle Scott
Gloria Randle Scott is an American educator and the first African-American to head the Girl Scouts of the USA....

- (1987 - 2001)
Dr. Althia F. Collins - (2001 - 2002)
Dr. Charles Fuget - (2002, interim)
Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole - (2002 - 2007)
Dr. Julianne Malveaux
Julianne Malveaux
Dr. Julianne Malveaux is the 15th president of Bennett College. She is an African-American economist, author, liberal social and political commentator, and businesswoman. She is well-known for her left-wing political opinions.-Education and career:Malveaux entered Boston College after the 11th...

(beginning June 1, 2007)

Unique academic programs

Bennett has incorporated three new programs that are aimed at increasing students' awareness of the struggles and accomplishments of all women, especially those of African descent; and staying in-step with the ever-changing climate of today's globally integrated society: Womanist Religious Studies, Global Studies, Africana Women's Studies and The New Academy.
ACES stands for "Academic Cultural Enrichment series". It is a series of lectures and presentations of a religious, cultural, or academic nature. Students are required to wear certain attire to aces. The dress code is business attire. The programs give students the opportunity to enhance their cultural and intellectual development, learn how to appreciate and accept ideas and beliefs different from theirs learn how to listen and in general, acquire behaviors that often make a significant difference in how one is perceived and accepted by others. Students are expected to attend a certain amount of aces programs by the end of the semester.
Bennett College’s Mission / Philosophy: “The College welcomes students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds, recognizing that the educational experience is enriched and strengthened when multiple voices are represented and heard. Operating in an interdisciplinary, learning-centered environment, students, working with faculty and staff, will learn to use sophisticated intellectual skills, think analytically, and solve problems in ways that respect a variety of viewpoints and deepen their understanding of different cultures.”

Bennett college offers 20 majors and 19 minors under 3 divisions: Division of Natural and Behavioral Sciences and Mathematics, Division of Social Sciences and Education, and Division of Humanities. These disciplines include degrees in bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, bachelor of arts and science in interdisciplinary studies, bachelor of social work, and the bachelor of fine arts. Bennett also offers five dual degree programs including Chemistry/Chemical Engineering with NC A&T, Chemistry/Pharmacy with Howard University, Mathematics/Mechanical Engineering with NC A&T, Mathematics/Electrical Engineering with NC A&T and Mathematics/Industrial Engineering with NC A&T.

Global Studies Center

Journalism and Media Studies

The Department of Journalism and Media Studies offers students a foundation that provides skills required to become good communicators. JMS majors are encouraged to be committed to scholarship and critical thinking, theoretical experiences (e.g., course work, seminars, and workshops), and a variety of practical opportunities (e.g., internships, online, print broadcast publications). In addition, the JMS Department will seek to acquire and to maintain standards of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (AEJMC) and its national accrediting body. In keeping with its vision to seek accreditation, the JMS Department uses current standards of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications as directives.

JMS Groups

Bennett Banner- Print/Online Newspaper
Belle Magazine- Print/Online Magazine
Belle Media Group- Belle Media Group (BMG) houses five news and lifestyle media platforms in the Journalism and Media Studies Department at Bennett College.
Belle Vision- Online and campus television station
Belle Air- Online radio station

Building History

The Journalism and Media Studies Department, formally known as Mass Communications, was originally inside Shell Hall Complex, which was built in 1991 and named for Ernest and Juanita Shell, its major donors. Bennett received almost $4 million from alumni, federal funds and major donors. Now, the old heating plant, Annie Merner Plant houses the Journalism and Media Studies Department.

Residence halls

There are seven residence halls on the campus of Bennett College: four underclassman (Barge, Reynolds, Jones, and Pfieffer), two upperclassman (Player and Cone), and one (honors hall) specifically for the college's honor students. Five out of seven residence halls have two floors with communal bathrooms on each end of the halls, there is a parlor which serves as as living room area, there study rooms; Willa B. Player is the only Hall with a kitchen other than the honors hall. The Honors Hall, one of the most recent additions to the campus, has three floors and suite-style rooms with mini kitchens, living rooms, and personal bathrooms.

Referred to as Living Learning Centers, Bennett College houses its students in:

Carrie Barge Hall
Laura Cone Hall
Robert E. Jones Hall
Annie Merner Pfieffer Hall
Willa B. Player Hall
Jessie Reynolds Hall
Honors Hall(2010)

Student organizations

There are over 30 campus social, service, religious, and the student government association organizations.

Alpha Kappa Alpha

Alpha Kappa Alpha

Alpha Kappa Alpha is the first Greek-lettered sorority established and incorporated by African American college women. The sorority was founded on January 15, 1908, at Howard University in Washington, D.C., by a group of nine students, led by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle...

Sorority, Zeta Xi chapter
Purpose: to cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship among college women, to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women; to maintain a progressive interest in college life and to be of service to all mankind.

Alpha Kappa Mu

Alpha Kappa Mu

The Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society is an American collegiate honor society recognizing academic excellence in all areas of study. Juniors, seniors, and graduate students are permitted to join...

Honor Society
Purpose: to promote high scholarship; to encourage sincere and zealous endeavors in all fields of knowledge and service; to cultivate a high order of personal living and to develop an appreciation for scholarly work.

Alpha Lambda Delta

Alpha Lambda Delta

Alpha Lambda Delta is an honor society for students who have achieved a 3.5 GPA or higher and are in the top 20% of their class during their first year or term of higher education.-History:...

Honor Society
Purpose: to encourage superior academic achievement among students their first year in institutions of higher learning; to promote intelligent living and a continued high standard of learning and to assist women and men in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their roles in society.

Barge Hall Council
Purpose: to provide quality programming and events for the residents of Barge Hall and to build community, promote a safe, clean and responsible living environment.

Belles of Peace
Purpose: Encourage unity among members and the campus community. To encourage personal growth and the upholding of high moral and ethical standards within the college community.

Bennett College Ambassadors Association
Purpose: to assist the Office of Admission with recruiting students and recruitment activities in order to increase enrollment.

Bennett College Choir
Purpose: to establish a group of students who are disciplined through music who represent the college as ambassadors.

Beta Kappa Chi Honor Society
Purpose: to foster academic excellence and research in the sciences; to recognize student achievement in the sciences.

Biology Club
Purpose: to join all majors together for a collective and to raise awareness on health issues.

Notable alumnae

External links

Bennett College

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