Engaged Students

Whether it's the College's Polling Institute, an active, multi-faceted community service program, or the College's partnership with Jefferson Elementary School, Muhlenberg students are engaged in ways that augment classroom learning and improve the world in the process...

A place where individuality thrives!

• The Institute of Entrepreneurship prepares Muhlenberg students in the concepts of innovation and self-reliance appropriate for a variety of life and career pursuits. Students receive support in the creation and development of business ventures. Muhlenberg students have started a magazine for Lehigh area college students and established a weekly laundry service for students. The Institute also offers coursework in entrepreneurial studies.

• The S.H.A.R.E. (Students Have A Real Effect) program illustrates the dedication of Muhlenberg students to making a difference. The student-led community service group does numerous activities and projects throughout the year. S.H.A.R.E. is committed to social justice through direct service in the city of Allentown as well as advocacy, activism, and education. Current projects include work with local shelters, Big Brothers and Big Sister program and the Second Harvest Food Bank.

• Muhlenberg sends over 100 students abroad each year. The College has agreements with 33 universities around the world, guaranteeing that courses taken abroad will transfer back to Muhlenberg, as well as allowing financial aid to travel abroad with the student. Two of the most popular programs are the London Theatre semester and an international business program at the University of Maastricht, Netherlands. Students can also choose programs in Argentina, Australia, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Scotland, and Spain.

• Muhlenberg offers three Honors programs to students of promise—Muhlenberg Scholars, Dana Associates, and R.J. Fellows—which provide special freshman courses, unique seminars, and the chance for mentored research during the junior/senior years. Past courses include “Take me out to the Ballgame” and “Laughing to Death: Comedy and Menace in Drama.”

Great Teaching

Muhlenberg faculty members are committed, passionate teachers. Students enjoy close relationships with faculty, and a number of opportunities for research, independent study, and project work are offered each year...

Academically demanding; Personally supportive

• The Interdisciplinary Study Program in Central America allows Muhlenberg students to pursue research and service projects while improving their Spanish language skills. Guided by faculty with expertise in conservation biology and environmental sociology, students explore real solutions to the delicate problem of environmental and cultural conservation in developing Latin American countries. Previous research projects have included comparative studies of public education, water quality studies and ecotourism and conservation. Prior service projects have focused on issues such as medical care, education, housing and sustainable development.

• Muhlenberg students have the opportunity to jumpstart their graduate education during their undergraduate career. The 3-2 program with Duke University allows students to spend three years at Muhlenberg and two years at Duke while earning a B.S. and M.S. in forestry and environmental studies. There is a similar program for engineering students at Columbia University or Washington University—St. Louis.

• The First Year Seminar program is designed for freshmen students to question, discuss and think critically about their own basic beliefs and values. Covering a broad range of topics, the seminars stress writing and speaking skills. Previous course offerings have included: Reflections of Pop Culture, Exploring Cultural Identity and Sprawl and Life in Suburbia.

• The Faculty Center for Teaching assists and supports the Muhlenberg faculty as they explore their pedagogy and examine new teaching methods. The Center serves as a forum for professors to discuss and share effective teaching tools. The Center affirms the commitment of Muhlenberg faculty to be not only outstanding scholars, but also exceptional teachers. With a low student to faculty ratio of 12:1, students have many opportunities to interact individually with faculty.

• Muhlenberg students and faculty are engaged outside as well as inside the classroom. Many faculty members entertain students in their homes. Some departments sponsor spring picnics for all department majors. Professors also invite students to collaborate on research projects both during the summer and throughout the year.

Vibrant Community

With over 100 campus clubs and organizations, an active performing arts scene, varied community service opportunities, and convenient access to both New York City and Philadelphia, the Muhlenberg campus culture is high-energy and involved...

Warm, friendly, caring

• The Muhlenberg campus is committed to giving back to the community. The Center for Ethics sponsored a two-week intensive program called “Hunger in the Midst of Plenty” in which students raised over $5,000 for the Heifer Project, an international program that helps needy families build sustainable futures. The College has a particular interest in the educational and social needs of local children in the Allentown School District. The College’s IT department donated 75 used computers to the Allentown Digital District to support students in need of computers for education.

• Spirituality is an important component of the Muhlenberg experience. The Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding serves as an expression of Muhlenberg’s commitment to interfaith relations. The Institute uses the resources of the academic community to foster research and dialogue and to build bridges of understanding between the faith traditions. The Lutheran Student Movement holds weekly Bible study and other activities. Students can also participate in activities sponsored by Catholic Newman Center and the Jewish Hillel House, both of which have recently received new facilities. Students from all backgrounds and beliefs find a welcoming place to practice their faith and fellowship at Muhlenberg.

• Over 100 student organizations give Muhlenberg students a wealth of extracurricular activities from which to choose. Some options include: academic and honorary societies, community service groups, sports and recreational organizations, music, entertainment and cultural organizations, religious organizations and Greek societies. Students interested in media contribute to the yearbook, weekly newspaper, literary magazine, electronic newspaper, campus radio station, or campus television.

• Muhlenberg students have several options for residential life including single-sex and co-ed halls, garden apartments, theme housing and sorority and fraternity houses. All first year students must live on-campus. The Residence Hall Association, a student organization, plans educational and social activities in the halls. Upperclass students may opt for the MILE (Muhlenberg Independent Living Options) program which allows them to live in campus-owned housing off-campus. The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects recently awarded the Ewing Cole Cherry Brott architectural firm an Honor Award for its design of the Robertson and South Residence Halls. The 2 four-story buildings include air-conditioned bedroom suites, a shared living room, kitchenettes and bathrooms as well as a large informal social area with a kitchen, television and Internet outlets.

• Through lectures, workshops, exhibits and other events, the Office of Multicultural Life is committed to making a difference in the lives of all students. Recent lectures have included: Cultural Heritage: Myths and Stereotypes and an Alternative Medicine seminar. The Office also serves as a base of support to Asian, Latino, Native American, and African-American students. The diverse community at Muhlenberg enhances the learning experience for all students.

Successful Outcomes

A significant number of Muhlenberg students go on to medical school, law school, dental school, or advanced study at some of the nation's leading universities. Others enter the world of work with a high degree of success...

Promoting excellence beyond graduation

• The Office of Career Development and Placement offers workshops and seminars about topics such as resumes, cover letters, interviewing and career exploration for students during all four years. The Office also assists students in obtaining relevant summer jobs and internships. One tool of the office, the Ultimate Life Exploration system, allows students to track academic and extracurricular activities throughout their undergraduate experience. The completed portfolio helps students decide about career and graduate school options.

• Immediately upon graduation, 25-30% of Muhlenberg graduates enroll in graduate programs. Five years after graduation, as many as 55% have pursued some graduate study. Recent graduates have attended institutions such as Cornell, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Georgetown and Harvard.

• Recent graduates have been awarded some of the nation’s most prestigious post-graduate awards including Goldwater Scholarships and Truman Scholarships. Eleven recent graduates have received the competitive Fulbright awards.

• Over 1,600 Muhlenberg alumni have agreed to serve as career coaches to this generation of Muhlenberg students. They provide career advice and information, access to internships, and assistance as Muhlenberg students begin their careers. Recent graduates have been hired by such organizations as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and Touche, Wyeth Laboratories, Merrill Lynch, Pfizer, The Disney Channel, IBM, Thomson Financial, and TIME Magazine. Within a year of graduation, over ninety-five percent of students responding to a college survey were either employed full-time or enrolled in graduate or professional school.

• Distinguished alumni of Muhlenberg include: James A. Skidmore, Jr. Chairman and CEO, Science Management L.L.C.; Richard Ben-Veniste, the lead prosecutor in the Watergate case and Democratic counsel in the Whitewater hearings; Frederick Busch, an award-winning novelist and Writer-In-Residence at Colgate University; Dr. Paul C. Brucker, President of Thomas Jefferson University; Kam-Kam Cheng, a singer and actress who played a female lead in the Broadway production of Miss Saigon; David Fricke, Senior Editor of Rolling Stone magazine; David Massenheimer, an actor who played a male lead in the Broadway production of Les Miserables.