Roanoke College: A Journey Through History and Tradition

Roanoke College, a private liberal arts college nestled in Salem, Virginia, boasts a rich history intertwined with academic excellence, traditions, and a commitment to community. Founded in 1842, the college has evolved from its humble beginnings as the Virginia Institute to a prominent institution offering a diverse range of programs and opportunities. With approximately 2,000 students representing various states and countries, Roanoke College continues to uphold its mission of educating and empowering individuals to make a difference in the world. Roanoke College's storied past is tied to its present and future. With this immersive virtual tour, it's easier than ever to learn about the history and culture of the College. You'll take a journey through today’s campus while earning about the 180+ years of history of the College.

Founding and Early Years

The story of Roanoke College begins with the vision of Lutheran pastors David F. Bittle and Christopher C. Baughmann. In 1842, they established the Virginia Institute near Staunton, Virginia, with the aim of providing quality education rooted in Christian values. The institution was renamed Virginia Collegiate Institute in 1845, marking a significant step in its development. Two years later, Bittle and Baughmann made the pivotal decision to move the institute to Salem, a town poised for growth as a center of commerce and transportation in the region. According to the source, the school moved all of its possessions in a single covered wagon. The relocation to Salem proved to be a turning point for the college, setting the stage for its long-term success.

Growth and Development

Roanoke College experienced steady growth throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, adapting to the changing needs of its students and the wider community. A boys' preparatory school was founded by Lutheran pastors David F. Bittle and Christopher C. Baughmann. Originally located in Augusta County near Staunton, the school was named Virginia Institute until chartered on January 30, 1845, as Virginia Collegiate Institute. In 1930, Roanoke embraced coeducation, opening its doors to women and broadening its academic community; a small number of non-degree-seeking women, mostly from Elizabeth College in Salem, were previously enrolled. Smith Hall, the first women's residence hall, was established in 1941 and quickly became a prominent landmark on the John R. Turbyfill Front Quad. Roanoke adopted the alumnae of Marion College, a sister Lutheran women's college in Marion, Virginia, when it closed in 1967.

The college experienced exceptional growth in the 1980s and 1990s. Two campaign plans, the 1992 Sesquicentennial Campaign and the 2002 Plan, also known as "The Difference", were successfully completed with over $150 million raised.

Campus Landmarks and Traditions

Roanoke College's campus is home to several iconic landmarks and cherished traditions that contribute to its unique identity.

The Rock

Built under the cover of night in the 1970s by a determined student and a few hundred friends, the structure was known by the builders as The Monument but now has become known as The Rock. The 10-foot stone canvas is painted time and time again to announce upcoming events, performances and sporting events.

The Kicker

This three-foot cement obelisk was added to campus more than 100 years ago after a student nearly ran a professor down zipping between buildings in a car (picture a Model T Ford!) It was meant to obstruct traffic, but students soon began to kick the post for good luck. Now it’s one of the oldest traditions on campus. Kick it when you walk by. Students do, even alumni still kick it when they are on campus.

Signing In and Out

New students sign in to class register books during orientation each year, under the watchful eye of faculty members. Seniors “sign out” by burning their name into the wooden bookcases at the President’s House. This tradition started in the 1970s and has continued through several presidents. More bookcases are added frequently so there’s plenty of room for new grads!

The Seal

The “ban” on stepping on the College Seal in front of the Administration Building is relatively new (the College Seal was added to the Heritage Walk in 1995), but it’s serious business. Students say you won’t graduate on time if you step on the seal, so it’s generally avoided at all costs - until graduation day, and then there’s dancing in the streets AND especially on the seal! The blue shield on the seal emblazoned with a gold cross represents the College's strong history and relationship with the Christian church. The white dogwood flower represents the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Lamp above symbolizes the lamp of knowledge. The motto, "Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat", means in English, "Let he who earns the palm bear it".

Rooney the Maroon-Tailed Hawk

That big Maroon bird you notice around campus, especially at big gatherings and athletic events, is Rooney the Maroon-tailed hawk, the mascot of the Maroons. Rooney is a rare breed of hawk only found around the Roanoke campus. 🎵 Deep in our hearts, a flame is softly burning… So if the mascot is a hawk, what’s a Maroon? It’s a color! Roanoke’s official colors are blue and gold, but as Maroon athletics kicked off more than 100 years ago, blue and gold uniforms were hard to find. As a result, the teams had to compete in the uniforms that were available - which were maroon. The local paper started referring to Roanoke College students as Maroons, and it stuck! Now, you see blue and gold mingled with maroon throughout the College.

Read also: Self-Service for Roanoke Students

Ghost Stories

Legend has it there are a few ghosts around campus, particularly in Monterey and the Administration Building. They probably won't bother you - unless you participate in one of the Roanoke College ghost tours!

The Roanoke Mace

The Roanoke mace was presented to the College in 1996 by the four daughters of Hartselle DeBurney Kinsey '21. The mace is dedicated to Mr. Kinsey, who was devoted to Roanoke College as a student, teacher, advocate and trustee. Maces date back to the Middle Ages, when they were used as weapons.

Campus Environment

Roanoke's main campus is relatively self-contained with most academic buildings and residence halls built around three quadrangles: the John R. Turbyfill Front Quad, the Back Quad (central campus), and the Athletic Quad, which surrounds the college's newest athletic facilities and residence halls. The campus is lined with brick sidewalks and has been recognized for its landscaping and views of the surrounding mountains. The campus architecture is a blend of traditional collegiate and modern styles.

Buildings

Old Roanoke County Courthouse (now Francis T. West Hall) is one of the oldest buildings on campus. The President's House is in a residential district approximately one-half-mile north of the Roanoke campus on North Market Street. The colonial revival mansion, one of the largest private homes in the area, was constructed in the late 1930s. It was purchased in the mid-1950s by John P. In April 2011, the President's House and its garden were opened to the public during Virginia's Historic Garden Week.

Additional college facilities, mostly residence halls and athletic fields, are located on the site of Elizabeth College, a Lutheran women's college that closed in 1922. The area, approximately two miles east of the main campus, is referred to as Elizabeth Campus. Roanoke acquired three office buildings on College Avenue across from West Hall in 2005-06. In 2013, Roanoke purchased two Main Street buildings: the Bank Building, located on the corner of College Avenue and Main Street across from West Hall, and the Old Salem Post Office, located on the corner of Main and Market Streets. Roanoke had leased the bank building for several years preceding the purchase and will continue to use it for academic purposes.

Read also: The History of Roanoke Football

Roanoke opened a new 200-bed residence hall in 2012; the building, the college's second LEED-certified building, completes the third quadrangle along with Kerr Stadium and Caldwell, Beamer, and Ritter Halls. Roanoke's most recent major project opened in 2016; the Morris M. Cregger Center is a multi-purpose athletic and recreation center with a 2,500 seat performance arena (basketball and volleyball), a 200-meter indoor track and field facility, athletic department and faculty offices, classrooms, fitness facilities, and a sports medicine clinic. The center is on the north side of campus; Bowman Hall, a large residence hall that opened in 1965, was razed to make land available.

Academics and Programs

Roanoke College offers a comprehensive range of academic programs designed to prepare students for success in their chosen fields. The college offers 35 majors, 57 minors and concentrations, and pre-professional programs. Research facilities include the Center for Community Research and the Center for Church and Society.

Roanoke is an NCAA Division III school competing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The college fields varsity teams in eleven men's and ten women's sports. Roanoke athletic teams are the Maroons. The college's athletic colors are maroon and gray. In June 2023, it was announced that Roanoke would be reinstating the college's football program, which has not played since 1942. Roanoke teams have won two national championships: the 1972 NCAA College Division men's basketball championship and the 1978 Division II men's lacrosse championship. In 2001, Roanoke student Casey Smith won an individual national championship in the Division III women's 10,000m track and field event. In 2009, student Robin Yerkes secured Roanoke's fourth national championship when she won an individual championship in the Division III women's 400m track and field event. Yerkes is the most decorated athlete ever to graduate from Roanoke, earning 12 All-American honors in multiple events. Roanoke teams have won 101 conference championships as of May 2013 (47 in men's sports, 54 in women's sports) since the college joined the ODAC as a founding member in 1976. Roanoke has won more conference championships than any other ODAC school in men's lacrosse with 18 titles and women's basketball with 13 titles.

Each year, Roanoke accepts approximately 35 incoming freshmen and first-term sophomores to become members of the Honors Program. These students complete the Honors Curriculum in lieu of the Roanoke College Core Curriculum.

Student Life and Organizations

Roanoke College provides a vibrant and engaging student life experience, with a wide array of clubs, organizations, and activities to suit diverse interests.

The Student Government Association at Roanoke exists to give students a voice in the administration. It is the highest level student organization. Roanoke has recognized chapters of nine social and two service Greek organizations. The Greek organizations operate in college-owned housing. Roanoke's original fraternity row has been converted into residence halls. Roanoke's Greek organizations have a prominent role on campus, but are not dominant; approximately 25% of the Roanoke student body participates in Greek life.

Historical Connections

Roanoke has strong historic ties to the railway due in part to its alumni connections. The Norfolk and Western Railway, now Norfolk Southern Corporation, has provided career opportunities for many Roanoke alumni; the NWR was headquartered in Roanoke until 1982 and is a major employer in western Virginia. Roanoke graduates who have advanced to leadership positions include Stuart T. Saunders and John Fishwick, former presidents of the NWR; John R. Turbyfill, retired vice-chairman, NSC; John S. Shannon, retired executive vice president, NSC; and William T.

The NWR named a Pullman car "Roanoke College" in honor of the college and Fishwick's Salem residence is now the college President's House. Saunders and Turbyfill served as chairman of Roanoke's board of trustees.

Acknowledging the Past

In April, the College unveiled two bronze plaques on the Administration Building, the oldest and most prominent building on campus. “This will be a historic day of recognition of a long-forgotten part of our history that needs to be remembered and reclaimed,” Roanoke College President Michael C. The plaque dedication is part of a longer research process that is seeking to better understand the history of slavery at Roanoke College, said Dr. Dr. Bucher wrote an opinion piece that appeared in the Roanoke Times that went into detail about the commemoration and what it means for the College. “The history of our past will serve as a guide for educating our students who will live and learn in a community that is more diverse, equitable and inclusive,” Belton said. “It’s this wisdom and learning from the past that will ensure Roanoke College will have a strong future. The history of our past will serve as a guide for educating our students who will live and learn in a community that is more diverse, equitable and inclusive.

Emancipation Day is observed April 3 in Virginia, commemorating the first weeks of April 1865 when most enslaved people gained their freedom. Tuesday, April 6 at noon: “What is Equity?”, a reading group sponsored by the Teaching Collaborative, the Center for Studying Structures of Race, and the Office of Multicultural Affairs. Dr. M. Ivonne Wallace Fuentes and Dr. John G. Selby - will examine the history of slavery and emancipation in Virginia and elsewhere. Drs. Fuentes and Selby will each give a short presentation and then will engage in a discussion with attendees. Dr. Selby will focus on the end of the Civil War, while Dr. Fuentes will delve into the ends of slavery in other countries, including Haiti and Brazil, and examine how we can place American slavery in a broader geographical context.

The Historical Society

Founded in 1875 by the college's first president, David F. Bittle, the Society is the oldest student organization on campus. The society plans outings to historical sites, hosts films and speakers, and sponsors socials two or three times a year. Every year, the History Department sponsors Signature Events, with the help of the Historical Society.

Founder's Day

On Founder's Day, the birthday of the Founder of RC and the Historical Society, the Society puts on a series of events to honor the first president: David F. Bittle. The evening begins with a trek to the cemetery on the Hill to meet Bittle face-to-face, and concludes on the back quad with a bonfire and lots of activities and ceremonies.

Bittle's Bash

After the sun sets on Founder's Day, the Society gets an opportunity to celebrate Bittle's Birthday in the Cavern. Between the Karaoke and disco lighting, it is always a night to remember.

Colloquium

The symposium is a great celebration highlighting the accomplishments of the students that have completed the senior seminar class.

Salem Christmas Tour

Every year History students, along with tremendous help from Mrs.

Ghost Walk

In the fall, right around Halloween time, History students participate as guides in the Salem Ghost Walk, held by the Salem Museum. Tour guides dress up in period costume and lead walks telling the scary stories of hauntings around RC and Salem, including a stop by the graveyard!

Spring Picnic

Each year at the end of the spring semester, Dr. Miller hosts a picnic for the department and friends at his house on High Street. Delicious food is always a key attraction, as well as the campfire at dusk, complete with singing and Dr. Selby's annual fire walk. Every year the History Department celebrates the birthday of the first President at Roanoke College, David F. Bittle. Bittle helped to expand the college and define the mission of the faculty and student body. The Historical Society, along with the History Department, collaborate to run this event year after year. The first is a bonfire that is hosted on the back quad. After the bonfire, there is a torch light parade that is led to the founder's grave. Upon singing happy birthday to Bittle, Prof.

Virtual Tour

You might walk right past the Tree of 40 Fruit without realizing it carries 40 different types of fruit. You might miss the indentation in the ground on the Front Quad where clay was excavated to make the bricks for our early buildings. On our new Historical and Cultural Virtual Tour, you’ll see these gems. “It’s not a normal tour. There are some really unusual parts to it,” Roanoke College President Michael C. Maxey said. Access, an advertising and public relations firm in Roanoke, led the design and development of the virtual site with video assets and content creation in collaboration with a wide array of Roanoke College subject-matter experts. It’s not a normal tour. There are some really unusual parts to it. President Michael C. The virtual tour is specially designed to tell the storied history of Roanoke College, our traditions, the role we continue to play in the greater community and some of the major artistic and historical artifacts that make up our identity. Walk around campus with Dr.

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