West Chester University

Entry to Old Main Building, reconstructed on High Street opening onto the Quadrangle

The university traces its roots to the private, state-aided school that existed from 1812 to 1869. As the state began to take increasing responsibility for public education, the academy was transformed into West Chester Normal School, still privately owned and state certified. The normal school admitted its first class, consisting of 160 students, on September 25, 1871. In 1913, West Chester became the first of the normal schools to be owned outright by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

West Chester became West Chester State Teachers College in 1927 when Pennsylvania initiated a four-year program of teacher education. In 1960, as the Commonwealth paved the way for liberal arts programs in its college system, West Chester was renamed West Chester State College, and two years later introduced the liberal arts program that turned the one-time academy into a comprehensive college.[7]

The campus quad located on North Campus appears on the National Register of Historic Places, and is called the West Chester State College Quadrangle Historic District, featuring WCU's historic buildings. The buildings, with the exception of Anderson Hall and Philips Memorial Building, were each built with local Chester County serpentine stone. They include Ruby Jones Hall, Recitation Hall and the Old Library.[7]

With passage of the State System of Higher Education bill, West Chester became one of the 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education on July 1, 1983. Along with its new name— West Chester University of Pennsylvania—the institution acquired a new system of governance and the opportunity to expand its degree programs.

West Chester is recognized for its formal poetry program. Its annual conference on form and narrative in poetry began in 1995 and is devoted to New Formalism. It has established a poetry center that sponsors readings and an annual book competition oriented toward formal poetry. It has also established Iris Spencer awards recognizing undergraduate achievement in formal poetry.

Nineteen days before his death, Frederick Douglass gave his last public lecture at West Chester University. The lecture took place on February 1, 1895. Now, the university has the Frederick Douglass Institute on its campus as well as a statue of Douglass.[8][9] It has been named a national historic landmark by the U.S. National Park Service. The Underground Railroad Network to Freedom recognized the Frederick Douglass Institute for its great work in understanding the history of the underground railroad.[10][11]

In April each year, students celebrate Banana Day,[12] on which a gorilla, Rammy, and many others give out bananas across the entire campus. Banana Day was conceptualized by WCU senior, Rodolfo P. Tellez, in 1996. Students take part in games similar to a field day to win Banana Day T-shirts, from push-up competitions to banana eating contests.

At the undergraduate level, the university offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, and Bachelor of Music degrees. Paraprofessional studies are available in law, medicine, and theology. In cooperation with the Pennsylvania State University, Columbia University, and Philadelphia University, West Chester University offers a 3–2 dual-degree program combining liberal arts, physics, and engineering. Also available are early admission assurance programs with Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and Temple University School of Medicine. The university provides special admission opportunities and scholarships to the Widener School of Law–Harrisburg Campus. Certification programs are available in health and physical education, teacher certification, driver education and safe living, and outdoor recreation. Interdisciplinary areas of study with transcript recognition include American studies, ethnic studies, Latin American studies, Russian studies, peace and conflict studies, women's studies, and linguistics. At the graduate level, West Chester University of Pennsylvania offers master's (M.A., M.B.A., M.Ed., M.M., M.P.A., M.P.H., M.S., M.S.W., M.S.N., M.U.R.P.) and doctoral (DPA, DNP, Ed.D., Psy.D.) degrees.

West Chester was ranked 55th in the Master's Universities (North) category by U.S. News & World Report for 2020 and ranked 10th for Public Universities (North).[15] West Chester is ranked #1 in the PASSHE by Forbes as well as being ranked among one of the best public institutions in its region by both Forbes and U.S News & World Report. West Chester is one of only three Pennsylvania schools ranked in the top 100 Kiplinger "top buys" in American public education.

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  View from outside the quad, looking south
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  Philips Hall
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  Whispering archway
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  Old Library, West Chester
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  Old Main Entry
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  Downtown West Chester
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  Downtown West Chester

The university's North Campus is partially in West Chester borough and partially in West Goshen Township.[19] The South Campus is partially in West Goshen Township and partially in East Bradford Township. West Chester University currently has the second largest university geothermal system in the United States. The system drastically reduces carbon emissions on the campus. The campus is located in a suburban area approximately 20 miles from the City of Philadelphia. On campus, there is the state of the art Recreation Center, the state of the art Business and Public Management Center, The Dr. Sandra F. Prichard-Mather Planetarium, The Hollinger Field House, many buildings (built in the 1800s and early 1900s) in the West Chester State College Quadrangle Historic District registered into the National Register of Historic Places, and the state of the art Sciences & Engineering Center that is near completion, just to name a few buildings. There are also many outdoor activity areas such as: basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts, and the nearly 100 acre Robert B. Gordon Natural Area for Environmental Studies. The university is surrounded by a vibrant atmosphere and a medium sized town. Downtown West Chester is only less than half of a mile away from the campus. Downtown West Chester has a wide variety of clothing stores, restaurants, historic landmarks, as well as recreational activities. There is also a West Chester University campus located in Philadelphia.[20][21]

The West Chester University "Incomparable" Golden Rams Marching Band, which has over 300 members, performs pre-game, halftime, or post-game at all home and select away WCU football games in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and in Delaware. The band performs in parades and high school marching band competitions. The Golden Rams have performed in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day parade, Miss America parade, Philadelphia Eagles games, Pittsburgh Steelers games, and the annual Collegiate Marching Band Festival in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In 1993, the band performed pregame for Game 3 of the World Series in Philadelphia. In 2009 and 2018, the band attended the Bands of America Grand National Championships in Indianapolis, an honor given to only two college bands in the United States each year. The IGRMB was awarded the 2019 Sudler Trophy by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. This is the first time in history that a Division II university received this honor.

The athletic teams at West Chester University of Pennsylvania are named the Golden Rams. Students participate in NCAA Division II athletics in the PSAC and the ECAC. West Chester University has won national championships in women's basketball, women's lacrosse, women's swimming (the team was the DGWS champion in 1972), women's field hockey (including four AIAW titles from 1975 to 1978), and men's soccer. West Chester won the first ever women's basketball national championship in 1969 and was on the losing end in the final game each of the following three years.[22][23]

In 1961, the men's soccer team won the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship.[24] Jerry Yeagley was a player on WCU's championship team before going on to win six NCAA Championships and six National Coach of the Year Awards as the men's soccer coach at Indiana University. In addition, prior to the NCAA instituting a tournament format to decide the champion in 1959, the Golden Rams were voted the National Soccer Champions in 1950 by the Intercollegiate Soccer Football Association.[25]

In 1977, 1979, and 1982 the boxing team won the National Collegiate Boxing Association national championship. In 1976, Edward Skalamera claimed the national title for his 147 lb. weight class while Joe Gery took the top position in the nation for his 180 lb. class.[26]

WCU's football program has won 21 PSAC East championships (1960, 1961, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2018), has appeared in the NCAA Division II playoffs 14 times (10–14 record) (1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019), and was the ECAC team of the year in 2006 and 2007.

The WCU Men's and Women's swimming teams are noted for dominating the PSAC in recent years; the Men have not lost the conference title since 1998 and hold a total of 25 PSAC championships, the most out of any school in the conference. 2008 was a particularly successful year for the Men's team; finishing 3rd at NCAA's and fielding an 800-yard freestyle relay team that took the national title. The women's swim team has remained undefeated in the PSAC since 2007 and hold a combined total of 10 championships. West Chester graduate Jackie Borkowski ('10) competed in the 2012 Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb. in the 50m freestyle ultimately coming in 86th place. She won 3 individual national titles during her tenure with the Golden Rams.

In 2008, West Chester defeated C.W. Post College 13–12 to win the Division II women's lacrosse title. It was the second national title in the women's program history. WCUPA played in the NCAA tournament in 2010 (2nd place), 2011 (4th place), and 2012 (2nd place). The 2013 team was named Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Champions. Ginny Martino's winning percentage is 80% over the last 17 years as head coach (250–60).[27]

In 2012, the Men's Baseball Team claimed West Chester's first NCAA Division II College Baseball National Championship.[28] The Golden Rams shut-out Delta State 9–0 in Cary, North Carolina. West Chester becomes the first team from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) to win the national championship and just the third northern school to walk away with the title.

West Chester's Women's Field Hockey team won the NCAA Division II championship in 2011, 2012, and 2019. The varsity Women's Rugby program also won the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) rugby national championship in 2019.

Campus Recreation: The Women's Ice Hockey Club won the Division II national championship in 2013. The Men's Lacrosse Club won the Division II national championship in 2013 and 2015.

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