Macalester College
Macalester College (/məˈkæləstər/) is a private liberal arts college in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1874, Macalester is exclusively an undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 2,174 students in the fall of 2018 from 50 U.S. states, four U.S territories, the District of Columbia and 97 countries.[4] The college has Scottish roots and emphasizes internationalism and multiculturalism.[5]
Macalester College was founded by Rev. Dr. Edward Duffield Neill in 1874 with help from the Presbyterian Church in Minnesota. Neill had served as a chaplain in the Civil War and traveled to Minnesota Territory in 1849. He became connected politically and socially. He went on to found two local churches, was appointed the first Chancellor of the University of Minnesota and became the state's first superintendent of public education. In leaving the University of Minnesota Board of Regents he desired to build a religious college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church that would also be open to other Christian church members.[6]The college's original name was Baldwin College; it was affiliated with the Baldwin School, a Presbyterian secondary school.[7] After a large donation from Charles Macalester, a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Philadelphia, the institution was renamed Macalester College. Macalester donated a hotel, the Winslow House, as the first permanent classroom building. With additional funding from the Presbyterian Church and its trustees, Macalester College opened for courses in 1885 with five teachers, six freshmen, and 52 preparatory students.[6]
James Wallace joined the faculty in 1887 and later became president. He helped stabilize the college's finances and advance the institution.[6] During his tenure, Macalester created a focus on a liberal arts curriculum.
In 2008 Macalester publicly launched a $150 million campaign. In 2009, construction was completed on Markim Hall, a new home for the Institute for Global Citizenship. Plans called for the building to qualify for Platinum certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system, a building rating system devised by the U.S. Green Building Council that evaluates structures' sustainability and environmental impact. In 2012, Macalester opened its renovated and expanded Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center.[6]
In 2020, Suzanne M. Rivera became the college's 17th president; she is the first woman and first Hispanic person to serve in the role.[8]
In 2020 U.S. News & World Report ranked Macalester the 27th best liberal arts college in the United States, and tied at 24th for "Most Innovative", tied at 43rd for "Best Undergraduate Teaching", and 30th for "Best Value" national liberal arts college.[13]
