Chestnut Hill College

Chestnut Hill college is a liberal arts institution in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, PA from which it takes its name. Founded in 1924 as a Roman Catholic women’s college by the Sisters of St. Joseph, it has been fully co-educational since 2003. The city of Philadelphia itself can be a haven for students, with a vast cultural history and a vibrant nightlife.

Undergraduate freshman at Chapel Hill will be inducted into a Core Curriculum course, which contains programmes such as a College Writing requirement and a foreign language course. As well as an active interdisciplinary approach, CHC is well regarded in a range of courses including environmental sciences and music. CHC’s most famous Mathematics alumnae is Frances Spence, who would go on to work for ENIAC as one of the world’s fist computer programmers.

Some clubs and organisations at CHC are an active Student Government Association, and theatre group Mask & Foil, one of the oldest societies on campus. One of the facilities at CHC is the Campus Ministry, a multi-faith institute with a mission statement of ‘coming to know God, self and others through service, spirituality and community’.

The athletics team and CHC students are nicknamed the ‘Griffins’, after the mythical beast which features on the university crest. Eligible sports teams compete in the Central Athletic Collegiate Conference, and there are nine men’s teams including baseball and lacrosse, and nine women’s teams such as bowling and volleyball.

One of the most popular events hosted at Chapel Hill is the annual Harry Potter Weekend. The four day occasion includes a conference with academic discussion of themes found in the films and novels, a Quidditch Tournament, and a festival with attractions such as a Knight Bus and imitation Butterbeer.