Washington & Jefferson College: A Historical Overview of Academics and Rankings

Washington & Jefferson College (W&J), a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, traces its origins to the late 18th century. This article delves into the college's history, academic programs, rankings, and various aspects of student life.

A Legacy Forged in Presbyterian Roots (1780s-1865)

W&J's story begins with three Presbyterian missionaries: John McMillan, Thaddeus Dod, and Joseph Smith. These men, graduates of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), established log cabin colleges in the 1780s to spread Presbyterianism on the American frontier.

John McMillan: Built his log cabin college near his church in Chartiers in 1780.
Thaddeus Dod: Established his log cabin college in Lower Ten Mile in 1781.

In 1787, Washington Academy was chartered by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, with Reverends Dod and Smith among the first trustees. Thaddeus Dod was selected as the headmaster. However, due to financial difficulties and unrest from the Whiskey Rebellion, the academy did not hold classes from 1791 to 1796.

Meanwhile, in October 1792, John McMillan was chosen as the headmaster for the "Canonsburg Academy," which was chartered by the General Assembly on March 11, 1794. In 1802, Canonsburg Academy was reconstituted as Jefferson College, with John McMillan serving as the first President of the board of trustees. In 1806, Matthew Brown petitioned the Pennsylvania General Assembly to grant Washington Academy a charter, allowing it to be re-christened as Washington College.

Over the next 60 years, unification efforts between the two colleges were thwarted by disagreements over location. In 1817, a dispute over a perceived agreement for unification erupted into "The College War," threatening the existence of both institutions.

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Consolidation and Growth (1865-1945)

Following the Civil War, both Washington College and Jefferson College faced dwindling student numbers and financial strain. In 1865, they merged to form Washington & Jefferson College. The initial charter stipulated operations at both Canonsburg and Washington, creating administrative challenges.

Jonathan Edwards, elected as the first president of the unified college in 1866, faced difficulties administering two campuses and overcoming lingering loyalties to the separate colleges. In 1869, he resigned, and the two-campus arrangement was declared a failure, leading to consolidation in Washington.

Before the merger could be completed, Canonsburg residents filed a lawsuit, known as the Pennsylvania College Cases, seeking to overturn the consolidation plan. Leadership of the college during this time fell to Samuel J. Wilson, a local pastor, and James I. Hays.

George P. Hays led the newly unified college until 1881. His successor, James D. Moffat, oversaw a period of growth, with the construction of the Old Gym, Hays Hall, Thompson Memorial Library, and Thistle Physics Building, as well as the acquisition of land for Cameron Stadium.

In 1914, Frederick W. Hinitt was elected president.

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Mid-20th Century Expansion and Change (1945-1998)

Named after Howard J. Baker's successor, Ralph Cooper Hutchison, was much more popular with the student body. In an effort to strengthen the college's science department, Hutchison extended and expanded the southern portion of the campus, adding the Lazear Chemistry Hall and purchasing McIlvane Hall.

During World War II, the campus was opened to the Army Administration School. Hutchison resigned in 1945 to take the presidency of his alma mater, Lafayette College.

James Herbert Case, Jr., president from 1946 to 1950, constructed new dormitories to accommodate veterans under the G.I. Bill.

Boyd Crumrine Patterson, who assumed the presidency in 1950, oversaw curriculum revisions and the construction of the Henry Memorial Center, Greek housing units, the U. Grant Miller Library, the Student Center, the Commons, and two new dormitories. His fundraising efforts expanded the college's endowment significantly. Patterson retired in 1970, the same year that the trustees authorized the admission of women as undergraduate students.

Modern Era and Leadership (1998-Present)

Under Burnett's successor, Brian C. Mitchell, who served as president from 1998 to 2004, the college experienced a growth in construction and an effort to improve relations with the neighboring communities.

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In 2004, Tori Haring-Smith became the first woman to serve as president of Washington & Jefferson, undertaking an effort to improve the science curriculum and to construct the Swanson Science Center. After 13 years of service, Haring-Smith retired from her position on June 30, 2017.

John C. Knapp was named Haring-Smith's successor on April 21, 2017, and became the college's 13th president on August 1, 2017.

On February 27, 2024, the college announced the selection of Elizabeth MacLeod Walls as the 14th president.

Campus Life and Facilities

The 60-acre Washington & Jefferson College campus features over 40 buildings, with the oldest dating back to 1793. Nearly all students live on campus, and about one-third are members of fraternities or sororities.

Housing

The first dormitory on campus was Hays Hall. Other housing options include:

Wade House, Carriage House, and Whitworth House: Victorian homes for older students.
Chestnut Street Housing complex: Housing for Greek organizations.
Presidents' Row: A cluster of ten buildings dedicated to theme housing.
New Residence Hall and Bica-Ross Hall: Suite-style living arrangements.
Mellon Hall: Housing for female freshmen.
Upperclass Hall: Housing for male freshmen.
Other dormitories: Alexander Hall, Cooper Hall (formerly Beau Hall), Marshall Hall, Penn House, and the currently unused North Hall.

Other Facilities

Administration Buildings: Admissions House, Alumni House, and the President's House.
Clark Family Library: The modern library.
Thompson Hall: The former library, now used for administrative purposes.
The Hub, the Commons, and the Rossin Campus Center: Recreational and dining facilities.
Cameron Stadium: Used for football and track.
Henry Memorial Center: Used for basketball, wrestling, swimming, and volleyball.
Other athletic facilities: Brooks Park, Ross Memorial Park and Alexandre Stadium, and the Janet L.

Academics and Rankings

Washington & Jefferson College offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary and independent study.

Tuition and Fees

In 2022-2023, part-time undergraduates paid an average of $767 per credit hour. Average full-time undergraduate tuition and fees were:

Tuition: $27,605 (In-State and Out-of-State)
Fees: $580 (In-State and Out-of-State)
Books and Supplies: $1,000
On Campus Room and Board: $13,910
On Campus Other Expenses: $1,200

Rankings

Washington & Jefferson College is recognized by U.S. News & World Report and other publications. LendEDU recognized W&J for having one of the lowest student loan default rates in the country (1.10% compared to the national rate of 10.10%) and as one of the best colleges for financial aid.

EduRank places Washington & Jefferson College at:

923rd in the United States
3581st in the world

Liberal Arts & Social Sciences:

Ranked 928th in the United States and 4357th in the World.
Main research topics: Political Science, Philosophy, Law, Sociology, History.

Computer Science:

Ranked 949th in the United States and 4775th in the World.
Main research topics: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Library and Information science, Machine Learning.

Biology:

Ranked 1026th in the United States and 5142nd in the World.
Main research topics: Genetics, Biochemistry, Neuroscience, Paleontology.

Engineering:

Ranked 998th for Engineering in the United States and 5279th in the World
Main research topics: Materials Science, Optical Engineering.

Environmental Science:

Ranked 1055th for Environmental Science in the United States and 5327th in the World.
Main research topics: Geography and Cartography, Geology, Ecology, Paleontology.

Physics:

Ranked 1014th for Physics in the United States and 5209th in the World.
Main research topics: Quantum and Particle physics, Materials Science, Optical Engineering, Astrophysics and Astronomy.

Psychology:

Ranked 986th for Psychology in the United States and 4282nd in the World.
Main research topics: Social Psychology, Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, Education Majors, Psychiatry.

Medicine:

Ranked 1200th for Medicine in the United States and 5415th in the World.
Main research topic: Psychiatry.

Chemistry:

Ranked 1071st for Chemistry in the United States and 5436th in the World.
Main research topics: Organic Chemistry, Materials Science, Biochemistry.

Mathematics:

Ranked 904th for Mathematics in the United States and 4595th in the World.
Main research topics: Statistics, Math Teachers.

Art & Design:

Ranked 740th for Art & Design in the United States and 3196th in the World.
Main research topics: Art History, Literature.

Business:

Ranked 1039th for Business in the United States and 5035th in the World.
Main research topics: Management, Finance.

Economics:

Ranked 1151st for Economics in the United States and 5297th in the World.
Main research topics: Finance, Development Studies.

Student Body

In 2023, the college received 3,218 applications and offered admission to 2,624 applicants (82% acceptance rate). 314 accepted students enrolled, a yield rate of 12%. The student-faculty ratio is 11:1, with 73% of classes having fewer than 20 students. The average freshman retention rate is 81%.

Popular Majors

The most popular majors at Washington & Jefferson College include:

Business Administration and Management, General
Accounting
Psychology, General
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Spanish Language and Literature
Communication, General
Political Science and Government, General
History, General
Biochemistry
English Language and Literature, General

History Program

During the 2021-2022 academic year, 15 students graduated with a bachelor's degree in history from W&J. About 53% were men and 47% were women. The majority of bachelor's degree recipients in this major at W&J are white.

Student Life

Arts and Culture

Washington & Jefferson College fosters a vibrant student art and musical scene, providing opportunities to view art and music from the larger community. The college holds a collection of paintings by Malcolm Parcell, displayed in various locations on campus, most prominently in the Malcolm Parcell Room in The Commons.

The W&J Arts Series presents musicians, singers, and other artistic performers at the Olin Fine Arts Center. Past shows have included Di Wu, Habib KoitÃ©, Chris Potter, and others.

Athletics

W&J competes in 26 varsity sports at the NCAA Division III level. The football team has been successful, winning 18 out of the last 21 PAC Championships and advancing to the NCAA Division III playoffs 17 times. In 1922, W&J played to a 0â0 tie in the Rose Bowl against the California Golden Bears and were named to a share of the national championship. In 1923, John Heisman coached the W&J football team.

W&J also fields teams in field hockey, men's wrestling, baseball, softball, and women's volleyball, as well as men's and women's cross country running, soccer, tennis, water polo, basketball, swimming and diving, golf, lacrosse, and track & field.

Traditions

The college's coat of arms features a two-part shield based on the coats of arms of the Jefferson and Washington families. The design, adopted in 1902, includes two towers representing Washington College and Jefferson College, three stars representing the McMillan, Dod, and Smith log cabins, and an interlocked design adapted from Jefferson's coat of arms.

Town-Gown Relationship

Relations between the city of Washington, Pennsylvania, and Washington & Jefferson College date back to the founding of both in the 1780s. The citizens of Washington offered a $50,000 donation in 1869 to lure the college to consolidate in Washington. However, the relationship has faced challenges, including disagreements over college expansion plans and attempts to challenge the college's tax-exempt status.

Alumni

As of 2009, Washington & Jefferson College had about 12,000 living alumni. Notable alumni include:

Henry A. Wise: Governor of Virginia.
James G. Blaine: U.S. Congressman.
Clarence Long: Key figure in directing funds to Operation Cyclone.
James A. Beaver: Governor of Pennsylvania and acting president of the Pennsylvania State University.
Blake Ragsdale Van Leer: Fifth president of Georgia Tech.
William Holmes McGuffey: Author of the McGuffey Readers.
Jacob Lindley: First president of Ohio University.
Joseph A. Walker: Astronaut and test pilot.
Jonathan Letterman: Recognized as the "Father of Battlefield Medicine."

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