The mission of Eckerd College is to provide excellent, innovative undergraduate liberal arts education and lifelong learning programs in the unique Florida environment, within the context of a covenant relationship with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Eckerd will change your life so you can change the world. We inspire and empower individuals to improve the world through mastery of self and a lifetime of learning. Our students are guided on a four-year discovery journey, with small classes, professor-mentors, and a commitment to community service.
We love our spectacular mile-long waterfront and white-sand beach on Florida's Gulf Coast. However, we are more than a pretty face. Eckerd is an innovative liberal art and sciences community where students are well-taught and well-loved. We are not for everyone, but we might be just the place for you.
Our waterfront campus is offers swimming, boating, and sunbathing on our white-sand beach– steps away from your dorm room. Native plants and wildlife cover the campus, which we nurture with conservation efforts. Most of our faculty offices open directly outside or in common areas to encourage interaction with students. The bay and other natural areas are living laboratories for research —even for first-years. Study in a hammock or on a blanket on the beach or head to our modern library overlooking Fox Pond. Get a workout at the fitness center or our outdoor pool.
You will not find any ivory towers on our campus. Each day we aim to change the world around us, whether on campus or in our home city of St. Petersburg, a dynamic city of arts, culture, and outdoor activities. Our students and professors contribute thousands of hours each year to non-profit groups in St. Petersburg. For example, more than 60 non-profit groups in St. Petersburg benefit from our students' work each year.
In our cafeterias, seasonal ingredients come from local, owner-operated farms and ranches. Meat and dairy from animals raised with artificial hormones or routine antibiotics are avoided.
Located on 188 acres of waterfront property in St. Petersburg, Florida, Eckerd College is a private, coeducational college of liberal arts and sciences known distinctively for marine science, environmental studies, international relations and global affairs, creative writing, management, study abroad, and civic engagement. Eckerd's 1,850 residential students from 47 states and 33 countries choose among 38 majors leading to a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Nearly 40% of each Eckerd graduating class goes on to pursue advanced degrees, and Eckerd is among the nation's leaders in the percentage of its graduates who earn doctoral degrees. Also, 700 students are enrolled in the Program for Experienced Learners, a bachelor's degree program for adult learners. Eckerd's Leadership Development Institute executive education program, Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College (ASPEC), Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and Road Scholar identify the college as a national leader of innovative programs in continuing education and lifelong learning. Eckerd College is one of only 40 schools listed in Loren Pope's trusted Colleges That Change Lives. One of the youngest colleges to be awarded a Phi Beta Kappa chapter for its undergraduate education quality, Eckerd has one of the highest proportions of students who study abroad during their college career. Eckerd College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees.
Comparing the most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that Eckerd College's 6-year graduation rate compares favorably to that of other private colleges and universities. The most recent six-year cohort (2009) had a graduation rate of 65%, compared to 59% nationwide for private, not-for-profit baccalaureate institutions. The rate that first-year students return is another leading indicator of graduation rates. Eckerd's rate is above the average for other colleges.81% of first-year students starting in 2015 returned for their sophomore year.
The history of Eckerd College is the story of a visionary church, a courageous board of trustees, a highly committed faculty and staff, able students, and thousands of friends who turned an idea into a reality. Here are some of the highlights.
We provide students with specialized abilities in a chosen major and a foundation of knowledge that can be applied among many career paths and academic pursuits. Internships, jobs, research opportunities, and community volunteer activities enable students to integrate theory and practice and clarify their values and career choices. The Eckerd Edge enhances the classroom experience for all students through resources and programs that enrich students' learning.
Eckerd students develop a love for learning, acquire an informed awareness of the significant elements of their cultural heritage, explore various perspectives on human existence's central concerns, and assume increased responsibility for their growth. Employers value the ability to solve problems, adapt to change, work across disciplines, and collaborate with others. These are the tenets of the liberal arts education. It changes lives and changes the world.
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