Earlham College | News from Public Affairs

First-year student Nigel Purcell of Centerville, Ind., begins his Earlham experience by unpacking his belongings in the newly refurbished Barrett Residence Hall.

RICHMOND, Ind. — Students from all over the world soon will be arriving on campus for the start of Earlham College's 162nd academic year. The year promises growth and improvements in internationalism and diversity, in financial support for and recognition of faculty/student scholarship, in physical facilities and even in highways.

The liberal arts college begun in 1847 by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) is known for its rigorous academics and far-ranging international programs. For the 2008-09 academic year, the College again draws on a tradition of increasing the international flavor of the campus with 174 international students from 70 countries expected to begin classes this month, according to Associate Director of International Programs Kelley Lawson-Khalidi.

Earlham's incoming first-year population will add to the distinctive diverse mix of cultures that thrive on the Earlham campus. New students will be arriving from nearly 40 countries including the United States. This year Earlham welcomes first-year students from Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, Hungary, Iraq, Norway, Rwanda and Tajikistan for the first time.

While schools across the country have struggled with international enrollment in recent years, Earlham's dedication to "engaging the world" has resulted in a significant increase in international students over the last decade. Fifteen percent of the incoming Class of 2012 is composed of international students.

Applications to attend the selective school once again rose approximately four percent over the previous year, according to Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Jeff Rickey. More than 1,900 applications were received and the College expects 334 first-year students and 25 transfer students to arrive for classes this semester. The College also expects to be fully enrolled at approximately 1,200 students.

Members of the Class of 2008 make their way to Chase Stage, the outdoor home of Commencement at Earlham College. This year, first-year students will begin their Earlham experience with a welcome at this site.

Earlham's impressive faculty has received several competitive grants in recent months, which will continue to enhance student learning and faculty development at the progressive institution. The awards include a Knight Foundation grant to fund a local newsgathering collaborative between journalism students at Miami University and Earlham. The Freeman Foundation has also pledged significant funds to widen the circle of faculty involved in Japan programs, to provide faculty and students with travel opportunities to Japan and to hire post-doctoral fellows. Both grants will strengthen and enrich the College's curriculum. Assistant Professor Judi Hetrick oversees the Earlham journalism program and Gary DeCoker is the Director of Japan Study.

Additionally, Earlham is the co-recipient of the 2008 Campus Technology Innovator Award given by Campus Technology magazine. The College received the award for Edu-Grid, a high-powered computing project for complex computer science, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and environmental science application development led by Earlham and Northern Iowa University. Charlie Peck, associate professor of computer science, oversees the project at Earlham.

One hundred and forty Earlhamites soon will be taking up residence in newly refurbished Barrett Hall. First opened in 1954, Barrett was taken out of service and given an extensive renovation during the last year. Improvements to the coed building included the installation of an elevator, a temperature control system, common areas on each floor and Ethernet access in each room.

"Barrett looks great," said Kevin Schaudt, associate dean for student development. "We've had a positive response to the building, and we're especially pleased that we've been able to enhance the communal aspects of the building."

While the renovation of Barrett is complete, construction fences encroaching on The Heart at the center of campus will remain a part of the landscape while the College completes a planned upgrade of Earlham Hall that began in the spring of 2008.

Earlham Hall will be under construction for the entirety of the 2008-09 academic year and is scheduled to re-open in the summer of 2009. Extensive renovations to the hall include the conversion of the first floor to offices for Student Development, Residence Life, Diversity, and Campus Safety and Security as well as a remodeled Health Services and Counseling office. In addition, a new climate control system, new mechanical systems and a new elevator will be installed. The upper floors of Earlham Hall will remain student housing and each floor will boast new furniture in rooms and common areas.

Even with Earlham Hall unavailable for occupancy this year, Schaudt says that thanks to careful planning, the College does not foresee any problems with providing housing. But, he says, "On-campus housing will be tight. Residence Life will be using all available spaces in residence halls and College-owned houses."

In addition to construction on campus, students, faculty and staff will find plenty of construction surrounding the campus this year. The Indiana Department of Transportation's (INDOT) multi-million dollar, multi-year project to restructure U.S. 40 has reached the Earlham campus. Plans call for widening the highway in front of the College and crews have already begun work.

"It will be a mess on and off through February 2009 while they move the utilities," says Alan Bigger, director of facilities at Earlham. According to reports Bigger has received from INDOT, the road widening will begin in the spring and continue through 2010. Bigger says this second phase of the project will be "an even bigger mess" and will have a significant impact on campus access and egress at its main drive during construction.

Incoming first-year students will begin their Earlham orientation on Friday, August 22. According to Wendy Seligmann, associate dean for student success, this year's location for the welcome for students and their families is outdoors at Chase Stage, the traditional site of Earlham's Commencement exercises.

"As students begin their Earlham career with their class, we want them to think about successfully graduating from this same place, next to these same people," says Seligmann.

Students and families will be treated to a welcome by Director of Admissions Nancy Sinex who, for the last 12 years, has shared a special knowledge of incoming Earlham students during Orientation. On campus, the tremendously popular address is generally referred to as "Nancy's Speech" or simply "The Speech" and will be made available online after it is delivered.

Contact:
Mark Blackmon, director of media relations
765/983-1256 — E-Mail Mark