Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro

Not to be confused with University of Edinburgh.

Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro
Former name
  • Edinboro Academy (1857–1861)
  • Northwest State Normal School (1861–1914)
  • Edinboro State Normal School(1914–1927)
  • Edinboro State Teachers College (1927–1960)
  • Edinboro State College (1960–1983)
  • Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (1983–2021)
TypePublic campus
Established1857; 167 years ago (1857)
Parent institution
Pennsylvania Western University
Academic affiliation
PASSHE
Endowment$26.4 million[citation needed]
PresidentJon Anderson[1]
ProvostJames Fisher (interim)[2]
Academic staff
346
Administrative staff
392
Students4,043[3]
Undergraduates2,939
Postgraduates1,104
Location
Edinboro
,
Pennsylvania
,
U.S.

41°52′12″N 80°07′19″W / 41.870°N 80.122°W / 41.870; -80.122
Campus585 acres (237 ha)
Fight songMeet Virginia
Colors   Red & white
NicknameFighting Scots
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division I – MAC (Wrestling only)
NCAA Division II – PSAC
MascotMacCato, The Fighting Scot
Websitewww.edinboro.edu

Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro (abbreviated as PennWest Edinboro) in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, United States, is a campus of Pennsylvania Western University.

History

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Baron-Forness Library
Ross Hall

Edinboro University was founded as the Edinboro Academy, a private training school for Pennsylvania teachers in 1857, by the region's original Scottish settlers. It is the oldest training institution west of the Allegheny Mountains and the second-oldest in Pennsylvania.

Edinboro initially consisted of a modest two-story building, including six classrooms. The school began with three instructors, 110 students, and a principal. That original building Academy Hall is currently used as the undergraduate admissions office.

In 1861, the Edinboro Academy affiliated with the state government of Pennsylvania to become the second State Normal School in Pennsylvania, occasionally known as the Northwest State Normal School.

In 1914, the state purchased the school from the original stockholders and renamed it the Edinboro State Normal School.

By 1927, the advancement of academic programs to include liberal arts study required the school to rename itself Edinboro State Teachers College. Further development of the liberal arts to include degree programs outside the field of education resulted in Edinboro becoming Edinboro State College in 1960. Continued development of undergraduate liberal arts programs and advanced graduate degrees earned Edinboro university status in 1983, and was known as Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. [4]

In July 2021, the university was officially merged with fellow Western Pennsylvania institutions Clarion University of Pennsylvania and California University of Pennsylvania. On October 14, 2021, the state officially adopted the new name of the combined universities: Pennsylvania Western University.

Campus

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The campus is located 18 miles (29 km) from Erie, Pennsylvania and within 5 miles (8.0 km) of the educational and population centers of McKean, Waterford, and Albion. The main campus has 42 buildings on a 585-acre (2.37 km2) campus which includes a 5-acre (20,000 m2) lake, open fields and woods, 11 on-campus residence halls (Highlands 1~8, Rose Hall and Earp Hall (used for summer sports camps) and Towers (only one being used currently)) for approximately 2,500 students, and the seven-story Baron-Forness Library. Edinboro University offers 150 degree programs and 57 minors. The student-faculty ratio is 18:1.

In 2007, the university announced a plan to build dormitories for $115 million.[5] The Highland Complex had eight halls, with the first four beginning operations in 2008 and 2009 and the remainder doing so in 2010 and 2011. They opened at a time when enrollment peaked. By 2022 enrollment had sharply declined and Edinboro University was merging with other universities. That year the university announced that Buildings 7 and 8 of the Highland Complex were to be sold; at the time the two buildings had no students.[6]

Fighting Scot Statue

Athletics

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Main article: Edinboro Fighting Scots

Edinboro University offers 17 varsity sports: women's basketball, cross country, lacrosse, volleyball, swimming, soccer, softball, tennis, and indoor and outdoor track and field, and men's football, wrestling, cross country, basketball, swimming, tennis, wheelchair basketball, and outdoor track and field. All but the wrestling and wheelchair basketball are NCAA Division II programs and members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Wrestling competes on the NCAA Division I level, and as of the 2019 season will no longer actively compete against Division II level PSAC wrestling programs as a result of their new affiliation with the Mid-American Conference in wrestling. Its wheelchair basketball team competes in the NWBA Intercollegiate Division.

Notable alumni

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Main article: List of Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro

References

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  1. ^ "Dr. Jon Anderson Named President of PennWest University". PennWest University. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  2. ^ "PennWest introduces interim DEI officer, interim provost". The Meadville Tribune. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  3. ^ "Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Student Life". US News & World Report. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  4. ^ Edinboro University, "Edinboro University History", www.edinboro.edu, 2019-2020
  5. ^ Smith, Ryan (September 10, 2007). "Edinboro announces $115M housing project". Meadville Tribune. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  6. ^ "Edinboro University plans to sell 2 Highlands complex residence halls". Erie Times-News. April 15, 2002. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
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