Roanoke College

Roanoke College is an independent, co-educational, 4-year liberal arts college. Founded in 1842, we are the second-oldest Lutheran-related college in America. We seek and welcome students of all races, creeds, nationalities, and ethnic origins.
With more than four out of five Roanoke students receiving part of Roanoke's $40 million in available grants and scholarships, the cost of a year at Roanoke is more affordable than you would think.
We take passion seriously. Passion shapes meaningful lives. It leads to positive change. It influences others. If you come here, we will help you find yours.
Through a whole-person approach to education, you will explore the world from intellectual, physical, creative, social, and moral perspectives. You will find what you love and join a community of scholars who share your interest. You will deepen your connection in research and intensive study. Through real-world experiences, you will apply your knowledge to current issues and develop practical skills to help you in your career.
To us, the goal of a good education is more than a degree; it is completing the puzzle that is you. At Roanoke, we help you put the pieces together to understand who you are and how you relate to the world. From day one, you and your advisor will begin to create your plan. In the courses you select, you will challenge assumptions, broaden your perspective, and gain confidence in your ability to make smart decisions for yourself.
You will find your passion, and through experiences inside and outside the classroom, build the skills and determination to live what you love.
We know students learn more in courses focused on topics they care about. In our core curriculum, you will explore fundamental concepts and apply them to current issues through subjects that interest you. These include "Computing and the Mind," "A Study of American Film," "First Contact: Native Americans and Europeans," "Tropical Marine Biology," and "Digital Media: Manipulation for Good and Bad."
While exploring exciting core curriculum topics, you will build practical writing, speaking, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and collaboration that employers say they look for in new hires. Our core curriculum is unique among colleges in the country. It is one reason that U.S. News & World Report ranks us among the top five up-and-coming liberal arts colleges in America.
Today, everything is global. A disease in West Africa threatens lives in Texas. A song posted in Rio goes viral and becomes a world hit. A product invented in Virginia is manufactured in Vietnam, then sold in Portland stores to Pakistan to Paraguay.
Whatever you wear, drive, or listen to is linked to the global economy. If you have never left home, you are still connected in a thousand ways to the larger world. At Roanoke, we want you to see and be part of that world. It will open your mind, broaden your perspectives, and get you ready for a future full of unique global opportunities.
On-campus you will meet students and professors from over 40 countries, be able to choose from more than 100 internationally themed classes, and attend a variety of global events. Suppose you want to travel and study abroad. In that case, you will have opportunities through several college-led Intensive Learning Term (May Term) programs, as well as semester and year-long international exchanges with more than 50 schools around the world.
We can arrange semester and year-long study abroad in over 50 countries through Roanoke-led, affiliate, or exchange programs.
At Roanoke, we believe some of your best learning opportunities occur outside the classroom. It begins your first of week freshman year, where we will encourage you to meet and make friends with people from many different backgrounds and learn how to work effectively through life's issues together.
From the start, we will encourage you to join many different clubs and organizations, where you will have a chance to take leadership roles, learning to motivate teams, organize events, and achieve your goals. During your four years, you will find many exciting things to do that will open your mind to new possibilities and might even lead you to the passion you have been seeking.
If you like what you see and believe that you would be a good fit at Roanoke, we are happy to set up a time for you to come and visit. When you are ready to apply, we want you to know that we treat each application personally, and we will spend time carefully reviewing your application. We are available to answer questions by text, phone, or email, whichever works best for you.
Roanoke College was founded in 1842 as the Virginia Institute, a preparatory school for boys near Mt. Tabor Church, about eight miles from Staunton, Virginia. The dreamchild of two Lutheran pastors, David F. Bittle and Christopher C. Baughman, attracted local boys to its classes to prepare them for Gettysburg College and, hopefully, its Seminary. In 1845, the state incorporated the school as the Virginia Collegiate Institute. Bittle left the school to return to full-time ministry in Maryland. Baughman, seeking a better location and a more significant population from which to recruit students, moved the Institute to its permanent home in Salem, Virginia, in 1847. He served the school as principal until 1853 when the Virginia Legislature granted the Institute its collegiate charter under Roanoke College, and David Bittle returned to accept the presidency.