Thiel College

Short description: Lutheran college in Greenville, Pennsylvania, US

Thiel College

Former names

| Thiel Hall (1866–1870)[1]
Motto| Lux Mundi, Verbum Dei

Motto in English

| Light of the World, Word of God
Type| Private college
Established| 1866; 160 years ago (1866)

Religious affiliation

| Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
President| Susan Traverso[2]
Undergraduates| 790 (fall 2022)
Location|

Greenville, Pennsylvania

U.S.

|u}}rs|  Blue and gold
Nickname| Tomcats
Mascot| Tommy Tomcat
Website| www.thiel.edu

Thiel College (Template:Ipac-en, Template:Ipac-en) is a private college in Greenville, Pennsylvania. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America[3] and is one of the smallest colleges or universities in the region with about 100 full-time and part time faculty members.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Campus
* 3 Academics
* 4 Athletics
* 4.1 Championships
* 5 Student life
* 6 Living on campus
* 7 Notable alumni
* 8 References
* 9 External links

## History

Founded in 1866 as a coeducational institution known as Thiel Hall, the college started as a result of a meeting between William Passavant and A. Louis Thiel. At the Lutheran Church Pittsburgh Synod convention in Greensburg in 1869, it was decided that Thiel Hall would become a college and serve western Pennsylvania from an initial campus in Philipsburg (now known as Monaca). Four years later, on September 1, 1870, the college received a charter from the government of Pennsylvania and relocated to Greensburg, where it was incorporated as Thiel College.[4]

On August 1, 2016, Susan Traverso left her position as provost of Elizabethtown College and became the 20th and the first female president of Thiel College.[5]

Today, Thiel is home to about 110 full- and part-time faculty members. According to the US Department of Education, the school has just under 1,000 students in attendance. In 2016 and 2018, Forbes Magazine rated Thiel among the top ROI colleges in the U.S. In 2018, Colleges of Distinction recognized Thiel overall for the third consecutive year, and its Business and Education programs were singled out for their excellence for the second straight year.

Thiel College awarded Amelia Earhart an honorary degree in 1932. In his book “The Search for Amelia Earhart,” author Fred Goerner said, “The most satisfying recognition, however, came from her father’s alma mater, Thiel College of Greenville, Pennsylvania in the form of an honorary Doctor of Science degree.”[6]

Thiel was also the first institution to grant an honorary degree to Fred Rogers in 1969. Rogers’ address at Thiel was titled "Encouraging Creativity." In his address, he admonished educators and society in general for forcing conformity on children and encouraged understanding and tolerance as children endeavored to find their gifts.[7] Thiel College also presented an honorary degree to Richard M. Nixon in 1959, when he was U.S. vice-president.

## Campus

Thiel College entrance

Thiel is situated on a wooded 2000-acre campus in the small western Pennsylvania town of Greenville, which is about halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

Thiel has an enrollment of around 790 students. The student body is 56% male and 44% female. 63% percent of students are from Pennsylvania, 33% are from other states and Puerto Rico, and the remaining 4% are international students. 19% of students are minorities. The college has a student:faculty ratio of about 10:1, and 61% of classes have 20 or fewer students.[8]

The school recently opened the new Haer Family Science and Arts Connector and a competition-certified track and field complex in the fall of 2017 and remodeled the Maenpa court in the fall of 2022.[9]

## Academics

Roth Hall

Thiel offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in more than 60 majors, minors, and areas of study. It also offers five Master's degree programs.[10][11][12][13][14] Thiel is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education[15] Pennsylvania Department of Education,[16] with some programs accredited by specialized accreditors such as the American Chemical Society.[17]

## Athletics

The Thiel Tomcats compete in NCAA Division-III athletics, in the Presidents' Athletic Conference. Tomcats currently field teams in baseball, men's and women's basketball, cheerleading, dance, men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's indoor track & field, men's and women's outdoor track & field, men's and women's volleyball, USA Rugby sanctioned men's and women's clubs, and wrestling.[18] In 2017, Thiel began offering Equestrian Studies as a minor. Thiel also offers a variety of fun and competitive intramural sports throughout the year.[19] Thiel recently hired a new athletic director, Jason Fautas, on September 12, 2022.[20]

### Championships

"The Thiel College cheer team finished second Friday at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) College Nationals in Daytona, Fla. Competing in the Open Spirit Rally category, the Tomcats scored a 92.8 Friday.[21]"

"The Thiel College men’s volleyball team beat the tournament’s top two seeds on its way to the program’s first conference championship with a 3-1 win over Wittenberg in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference men’s volleyball championship on Saturday, April 14, 2019.[22]"

"The Thiel College wrestling team won its 23rd President’s Athletic Conference championship on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022 at Waynesburg University’s Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse.[23]"

The Tomcats earned the second seed in the tournament after finishing the regular season with a 28-12 overall record and a 17-7 record in the PAC in 2016.[24]

## Student life

Thiel offers a variety of activities, clubs and organizations, and leadership opportunities, including 28 honorary societies and academic clubs, Greek life, leadership and service organizations, student government, a theatre troupe, multicultural and religious groups, marching and concert bands, and several choirs. The Thiel Activities Board provides a range of recreational activities.

There are fraternities and sororities at Thiel.

Students can participate in TCTV, Thiel College television, to engage in weekly television programs regardless of major.[25]

## Living on campus

Thiel guarantees housing for four years in residence halls, apartments, theme houses and townhouses. Nearly 88% of students live on campus. In addition to the Davis Square apartments, College Avenue Apartments and Townhouses, Thiel provides five dormitories for its students: Sawhill, Stewart, Bane, Hodge, and Florence West. Thiel provides five theme houses: Kappa Sigma house, Phi Theta Phi house, Alpha Xi Delta house, Sigma Kappa house, and Zeta Tau Alpha house.[26] Other facilities on campus include a computer lab, career development center, IT Solution Center, Learning Commons, art gallery, a fitness center, multi-sport air-supported dome, theater, and dining.

## Notable alumni

* Mark Funkhouser ′71 (2007–2011), Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri
* Shirley M. Frye, mathematics educator
* Lynn Jones (1979–1986), baseball player
* Mark Nordenberg (1995-2014), chancellor, University of Pittsburgh
* Tom Regan, professor and writer
* Carl Aaron Swensson, Lutheran minister; founder of Bethany College
* Jack M. Wilson (2003-2011), president, University of Massachusetts
* Phyllis Zimmerman, composer, choral conductor

## References

1. ↑ "History". Thiel College. https://www.thiel.edu/about/thiel-history#:~:text=The Thiels were early investors,(later named Monaca)..
2. ↑ Ricciutti, Gerry (17 May 2016). "Thiel College names first female president". http://wkbn.com/2016/05/17/thiel-college-names-first-female-president/.
3. ↑ Why Go Lutheran
4. ↑ "The History of Thiel College 1866-1974", Dr. Roy H. Johnson. Thiel College, Greenville, Pennsylvania
5. ↑ Ricciutti, Gerry (17 May 2016). "Thiel College names first female president". http://wkbn.com/2016/05/17/thiel-college-names-first-female-president/.
6. ↑ "Amelia Earhart's connection to Thiel College | Thiel College" (in en). https://www.thiel.edu/about/thiel-college-connection-to-amelia-earhart.
7. ↑ "Fred Rogers' connection to Thiel College | Thiel College" (in en). https://www.thiel.edu/about/thiel-college-connection-to-fred-rodgers.
8. ↑ https://www.thiel.edu/assets/documents/fact-sheets/2016-2017_Fact_Sheetupdate.pdf [bare URL PDF]
9. ↑ "Maenpa to be recognized as a donor toward the $2 million gymnasium renovation project" (in en). https://www.thiel.edu/newsroom/press-releases/detail/maenpa-to-be-recognized-as-a-donor-toward-the-2-million-gymnasium-renovatio.
10. ↑ "Management M.B.A. | Thiel College". https://www.thiel.edu/graduate-degrees/business-administration-m.b.a.
11. ↑ "Speech-Language Pathology | Masters | Thiel College". https://www.thiel.edu/graduate-degrees/speech-language-pathology-m.s.
12. ↑ "Communication and Leadership | Thiel College". https://www.thiel.edu/graduate-degrees/communication-and-leadership.
13. ↑ "Counseling | Thiel College". https://www.thiel.edu/graduate-degrees/counseling.
14. ↑ "Physician Assistant | Masters | Thiel College". https://www.thiel.edu/graduate-degrees/physician-assistant.
15. ↑ Ltd., Info724. "Middle States Commission on Higher Education". http://www.msche.org/institutions_view.asp?idinstitution=468.
16. ↑ "EDNA". http://www.edna.ed.state.pa.us/Screens/wfInstitutionDetails.aspx?InstitutionPK=34575.
17. ↑ "ACS - CPTASL". https://webapplications.acs.org/Applications/CPTASL/app_list_results.cfm?STATE_CODE=PA.
18. ↑ Thiel Athletics
19. ↑ "Intramural Sports | Thiel College". https://www.thiel.edu/campus_life/intramurals.
20. ↑ "Thiel College hires Jason Fautas as athletic director" (in en). https://www.thiel.edu/newsroom/press-releases/detail/thiel-college-hires-jason-fautas-as-athletic-director.
21. ↑ Dept, Thiel College-Communications and Marketing. "NEW VIDEO: Thiel cheer team finishes second at NCA College Nationals" (in en). https://www.thiel.edu/newsroom/print-detail/thiel-cheer-team-finishes-second-at-nca-college-nationals.
22. ↑ "Thiel College men's volleyball wins its first conference championship in program history" (in en). https://www.thiel.edu/newsroom/press-releases/detail/thiel-college-mens-volleyball-wins-its-first-conference-championship-in-pro.
23. ↑ "Thiel College wrestling team wins PAC championship; ties record for most conference titles" (in en). https://www.thiel.edu/newsroom/press-releases/detail/thiel-college-wrestling-team-wins-pac-championship-ties-record-for-most-con.
24. ↑ "Thiel returns to PAC Championship Tournament" (in en). 11 May 2016. https://thielathletics.com/news/2016/5/11/baseball-thiel-returns-to-pac-championship-tournament.aspx.
25. ↑ maggie. "Campus Media" (in en). https://www.thiel.edu/campus_life/student-activities/campus-media.
26. ↑ maggie. "Visiting Thiel" (in en). https://www.thiel.edu/about/visiting-thiel.

## External links

* Official website
* Official athletics website

* v
* t
* e

Private colleges and universities in Pennsylvania

Liberal arts
colleges|

* Albright
* Allegheny
* Bryn Mawr
* Cedar Crest
* Chatham
* Dickinson
* Elizabethtown
* Franklin & Marshall
* Geneva
* Gettysburg
* Grove City
* Haverford
* Juniata
* King's
* Lafayette
* Lebanon Valley
* Lycoming
* Marywood
* Mercyhurst
* Messiah
* Moravian
* Muhlenberg
* Saint Vincent
* Susquehanna
* Swarthmore
* Ursinus
* Washington & Jefferson
* Waynesburg
* Westminster
* Wilson
* York

Universities
and colleges|

* Alvernia
* The American College
* Arcadia
* Art Institute of Philadelphia
* Bucknell
* Bryn Athyn
* Cabrini
* Cairn
* Carlow
* Carnegie Mellon
* Chestnut Hill
* Clarks Summit University
* Curtis Institute of Music
* Delaware Valley
* DeSales
* Drexel
* Duquesne
* Eastern
* Gannon
* Gratz
* Gwynedd Mercy
* Harcum
* Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
* Holy Family
* Hussian School of Art
* Immaculata
* Keystone
* La Roche
* La Salle
* Lackawanna
* Lancaster Bible
* Lehigh
* Manor
* Marywood
* Misericordia
* Moore College of Art and Design
* Mount Aloysius
* Neumann
* Peirce
* Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
* Philadelphia
* Point Park
* Robert Morris
* Rosemont
* St. Charles Borromeo Seminary
* Saint Francis
* Saint Joseph's
* Salus
* Seton Hill
* Thiel
* Thomas Jefferson
* University of Pennsylvania
* University of Scranton
* University of the Arts
* University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
* University of Valley Forge
* Villanova
* Widener
* Wilkes

* v
* t
* e

Presidents' Athletic Conference

Full members|

* Bethany
* Chatham
* Franciscan
* Geneva
* Grove City
* Saint Vincent
* Thiel
* Washington & Jefferson
* Waynesburg
* Westminster

Football-only members|

* Carnegie Mellon
* Case Western Reserve

* v
* t
* e

Colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

* Augsburg
* Augustana (IL)
* Augustana (SD)
* Bethany
* California Lutheran
* Capital
* Carthage
* Concordia (Moorhead, MN)
* Finlandia
* Gettysburg
* Grand View
* Gustavus Adolphus
* Lenoir-Rhyne
* Luther (IA)
* Midland
* Muhlenberg
* Newberry
* Pacific Lutheran
* Roanoke
* St. Olaf
* Susquehanna
* Texas Lutheran
* Thiel
* Wagner
* Wartburg
* Wittenberg

[ ⚑ ]  41°24′47″N 80°22′59″W﻿ / ﻿41.413°N 80.383°W﻿ / 41.413; -80.383

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