Randolph College is a nationally recognized, private, coeducational, liberal arts and sciences institution with a career focus located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Founded in 1891 as Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, Randolph is known for its excellent academic program, diverse close-knit community, exceptional faculty, rich traditions, and growing NCAA Division III athletics program.

Rankings
Randolph is consistently recognized by the leading national guidebooks as a quality liberal arts institution. The Princeton Review listed Randolph in The Best 385 Colleges 2020 Edition, naming the College a “Top Fifty Green College” (#9) and including Randolph in its Top 20 list of “Most Accessible Professors.”

Randolph was named one the nation’s “Best and Most Interesting” institutions in the prestigious Fiske Guide to Colleges 2022 and appeared on several other lists as well: “Top Performers in Social Mobility” (U.S. News & World Report), “Cool Schools” (Sierra Club), the “Top 100 Colleges with the Happiest, Most Successful Alumni” (Forbes), and Money magazine’s list of best colleges. Learn more about how Randolph ranks here.

Academics
The College’s rich academic program offers students a choice from 30 majors and 43 minors. The College also offers popular pre-professional programs in engineering, nursing, law, medicine, and veterinary studies. The teacher licensure program is enhanced by two graduate degree programs in education. An M.F.A. in Creative Writing, the only low-residency program of its kind in Virginia, welcomed its first class in summer 2018, and the College introduced a Master of Arts in Coaching and Sport Leadership in 2020.

Randolph’s Center for Student Research facilitates opportunities for students to participate in original and innovative research and scholarship. The Center for Ancient Drama provides a unique student experience associated with the production of the Greek Play.

In addition, Randolph’s competitive and funded Summer Research Program allows students to spend eight intensive weeks collaborating with faculty members. The program includes all disciplines across campus and offers students opportunities to present findings at professional conferences and/or to publish results in professional journals.

In addition to an established and well-respected student-run Honor System that permeates all aspects of campus life, Randolph College is home to 18 academic honor societies, including one of the oldest chapters of Phi Beta Kappa in the nation and only the fifth charter granted in the state of Virginia.

Student Organizations
With more than 40 student clubs and organizations, Randolph College offers ample opportunity for involvement and leadership. Student leadership is in integral part of campus life, and students are offered opportunities for leadership positions as early as their first year.

The competitive Davenport Leadership Program provides students with an opportunity to learn and build attributes that have long been associated with leaders: self-awareness, communication, critical thinking, self-confidence, initiative, motivation, conflict management, goal setting, teamwork, and problem solving.

The program helps students to understand the connections between their academic work, social and co-curricular choices, and their participation in community service.

Gamers can compete against college players from around the country with our esports team.

Whether it is serving as a student-docent at the Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College, performing in the many theatre, dance or music programs, serving in Student Government, working in the College’s student-run Organic Garden, or taking part in one of the many other clubs on campus, students are able to pursue their passions outside of the classroom.

Athletics
The College also offers 18 NCAA Division III athletic teams. The College’s athletic facilities include the recently renovated Michels Athletic Center, home to the basketball court, a six-lane swimming indoor swimming pool, and athletics training facilities; the WildCat Stadium field and track facility; tennis courts; and a softball complex.

Outcomes
Randolph’s graduates enter the workforce or graduate school prepared to succeed. Alumnae and alumni have forged successful careers in a variety of fields including law, medicine, journalism, education, engineering, and science, and the College ranks in the top 15 percent of all colleges and universities nationwide for the percentage of graduates who go on to earn PhDs.

Randolph’s graduates are accepted into top graduate and professional programs. Examples include Stanford, Cornell, Yale, Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Oxford University (UK), Medical University of South Carolina, and law programs at Boston University and George Washington University.

Campus
Located in the heart of Virginia, Randolph’s picturesque 100-acre campus in an historic, residential area of Lynchburg features the best of traditional brick buildings and pathways and exciting facilities such as WildCat Stadium and the newly renovated Student Center. One of the more unique aspects of campus is the Mabel K. Whiteside Greek Theatre. Situated in “The Dell,” the Greek theatre was built to offer classics students the opportunity to produce ancient drama in a realistic setting modeled after the theatres of ancient Greece. In addition to these productions, The Dell is the setting for numerous events throughout the year including Commencement.