Salem College
Salem College is a private women's liberal arts college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded in 1772[1] as a primary school, it later became an academy (high school) and ultimately added the college. It is the oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college[1] and the oldest women's college in the Southern United States.
Not to be confused with Salem University, Salem State University, or Winston-Salem State University.
Former names
Little Girls' School (1772–1866)
Salem Female Academy (1866–1907)
1772
Academy
1907
College
Summer McGee
34
469
105
Spirits
Though Salem is regarded as a women's college, men 23 years of age and over are admitted into the continuing education program through the Martha H. Fleer Center for Adult Education and into graduate-degree programs. Salem College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.[2]
Academics[edit]
Salem College offers the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Music (B.M.), Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.), Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), and Master of Education (M.Ed.).
On February 24, 2021, Salem College announced it would focus on preparing students in health leadership.[7] According to the website, Salem College has transitioned to becoming "The nation’s only college dedicated to elevating and expanding the role of women in health leadership."[8]
Traditional-age students are required to complete an internship and service learning project as part of the Salem Impact general education program.[9]
Salem College has a cross-registration relationship with Wake Forest University, in which Salem undergraduates may take classes at Wake Forest's Reynolda Campus when a given course is not offered at Salem. (Similarly, Wake Forest undergraduates may enroll in Salem College courses when such a class is not available to them at Wake Forest.)[10] Several Salem students are also members of Wake Forest's marching band.
Salem offers graduate degrees in education, school counseling, and Piano Pedagogy plus add-on teaching licensures.
Salem College is home to the Salem College Center for Women Writers. The center sponsors workshops and lectures, and hosts an annual writing contest.[11]
Student life[edit]
As of 2022, Salem College enrolled 469 students; this includes undergraduate students, graduate students in the field of education and adult continuing education students who live off-campus. Traditional aged undergraduates live on campus and off. A majority of students are from North Carolina but many represent Texas, Florida, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, and Maine. Salem College has an international student population from Nepal, Ethiopia, South Korea, Mexico and Burma. Salem's diverse student population results in classes that are a rich mixture of traditional-aged and adult students, enhancing the learning environment.
Salem College shares its campus with Salem Academy, a residential high school for young women. They formerly shared buildings, but the academy was given its own buildings in the early 1900s.
Salem students participate in many unique traditional events including Fall Fest, the Sophomore/Senior banquet and Founders' Day Convocation. Students are required to attend one formal Student Government Association meeting per month and several formal convocations per year.
Salem students are also able to participate in Big/Little, a typically sorority based process where new students (Littles) pair themselves with an upperclassman (Bigs). This pairing is supposed to help incoming students adjust to life at Salem College.
Students are able to participate in over 40 clubs on campus, ranging from religious to political to environmental to social.[12]
Salem, known athletically as the Spirits, is a member of the NCAA Division III; and competes in the USA South Athletic Conference.[13] Salem College did not move into the USA South Athletic conference until the 2016–2017 school year. Before the change, Salem's athletics teams were in the GSAC (Great South Athletic Conference). Currently, basketball, cross-country, soccer, softball, lacrosse, tennis, swim, and volleyball exist on campus as NCAA varsity sports. Salem's basketball team won the regional championship in February 2007. In 2013 Salem ended the season with the most wins in basketball history at 17–11. The soccer team won the regional championship in 2008, and has compiled a 49-18-3 record over the last four years. In 2011 the soccer team was Meredith Classic Runners-Up. The Salem College soccer team in 2013 was one of only 88 teams in both men's and women's soccer for all NCAA divisions to earn the Team Ethics Award presented by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. The cross country team would end the year in second place for 2013. The softball season for 2013 ended with best record (14-22) and best Great South record (9-7). The volleyball team went to the NCAA Tournament and won the Great South Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time. The Spirits had four players on the Great South All-Conference team, one player on the GSAC All-Freshmen team, and twi players on the GSAC All-Academic Team.
Other team honors and awards include: