Washington College

Washington College is a private institution that was founded in 1782. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,467, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 112 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Washington College's ranking in the 2016 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, 100. Its tuition and fees are $43,850 (2015-16).

In 1782, Washington College became the first college chartered after American independence from the British, under the patronage of President George Washington. Today, the small liberal arts school in Chestertown, Maryland, offers small class sizes and more than 40 bachelor's degree programs. Outside the classroom, Washington College students are in a prime location to take in the excitement of Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, which are each about 90 minutes away. If they want to stay closer to campus, students can explore the shops and restaurants of Chestertown, which started as a colonial port about three centuries ago.

On campus, Washington College students can get involved in about 60 clubs, several Greek-letter organizations and sports. Student athletes can play intramural and club sports or try out for the Washington College varsity teams, which compete in the NCAA Division III in various conferences. The intercollegiate teams are named the Shoremen and Shorewomen, which is particularly appropriate for the varsity rowing and sailing teams that compete in the nearby Chester River. Notable Washington College alumni include John Emory, for whom Emory University was named.

Founded under the patronage of George Washington as the first college chartered in the new nation, Washington College takes seriously its mission to "challenge and inspire emerging citizen leaders to discover lives of purpose and passion." Our small size and dedicated faculty enable us to deliver a truly personal and interactive education with abundant opportunities for research, internships, creative projects, and study abroad. Our flagship academic enrichment program, the Cater Society, rewards creativity, initiative and intellectual curiosity with competitive grants to support research and scholarship anywhere in the world. Known for a strong literary culture centered around the Rose O'Neill Literary House, the College brings internationally known writers to campus and each May awards the world's largest undergraduate literary prize, the Sophie Kerr Prize, to a graduating senior. Good writing is not just for English majors: The ability to think critically and write clearly and persuasively is integral throughout the curriculum. WC's setting in the Chesapeake Bay watershed enriches studies in history, archeology, biology, chemistry, and environmental studies. The Center for Environment & Society helps students integrate ecological and social values through programs that promote learning, research and stewardship. Each fall its Chesapeake Semester engages students in the study of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, exploring how science, policy, and residents' lives intersect. Throughout the year, the Chester River Field Research Center at nearby Chino Farms offers research and study in areas such as bird migration, sustainable agriculture, and habitat restoration. CES also boasts a Geospatial Information Systems Lab where students use the latest computer software to map crime statistics for the state of Maryland, map the Chester River for environmentalists and create 3D renderings for town planners and preservationists. The arrival in 2010 of Ambassador Mitchell Reiss, a former State Department policy advisor and special envoy to Northern Ireland, as our 27th president raised our profile in international studies. Investment executive Jack S. Griswold was named interim president after Dr. Reiss stepped down to become president and CEO of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Virginia. Study abroad opportunities abound. Signature programs include travel to Tanzania, Rome and Oxford as well as biology fieldwork in Bermuda, Ecuador and Mount Desert Island. History students enjoy the Colonial setting of Chestertown and gravitate to the impressive programming and research opportunities at the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience. Housed in the colonial-era Custom House on the Chester River, the Center brings accomplished historians to campus as fellows-in-residence and hosts a wide array of lectures and special events focused on American history and identity. Typical of our hands-on learning approach, students make all the decisions for the Alex. Brown Investment Fund, learning how to manage nearly $500,000. New initiatives of the career-counseling office include the "Washington College to Wall Street" program, in which an alumni network helps students interested in business and finance boost their skills and connections. With ample opportunity for leadership through clubs and student groups, close relationships with professors, and a well-honed sense of citizenship and community, Washington College graduates enter the "real world" with a can-do attitude, prepared to lead in the community and the workplace. The 2013-14 academic year saw three students earn Fulbright teaching awards for assignments in Brazil, Nepal and Mexico.