Alpha Mu Gamma ( ΑΜΓ ) is a national collegiate foreign language honor society founded at Los Angeles City College on April 29, 1931. More than three hundred charters have been granted to chapters in the United States, Puerto Rico , and the Virgin Islands .
60-468: In January 1957, through the efforts of Sister Eloise-Therese of Sigma chapter at Mount Saint Mary's College, the week of February 16–22 was proclaimed National Foreign Language Week by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Each successive president has continued to proclaim National Foreign Language Week, and the tradition is now celebrated in high schools, colleges and universities in the United States during
120-455: A 3.0 overall grade point average and who have earned 2 A's in one foreign language, although specific membership requirements can vary; a school may raise the standards, but they cannot lower them. That is to say, the membership requirements cannot go below the nationally required 3.0 and 2 A's. In addition, students of American Sign Language and English as a second language courses may also be considered for membership. The society organizes
180-456: A 4-point scale, and some historians say this is the origin of the standard modern American GPA scale. Bob Marlin argues that the concept of grading students' work quantitatively was developed by a tutor named William Farish and first implemented by the University of Cambridge in 1792. That assertion has been questioned by Christopher Stray, who finds the evidence for Farish as the inventor of
240-403: A biennial convention hosted by an Alpha Mu Gamma chapter. The typical convention program consists of academic presentations by student and faculty members, a banquet with a keynote speaker, and a meeting of the national executive council. Grade Point Average Grading in education is the application of standardized measurements to evaluate different levels of student achievement in
300-407: A course. Grades can be expressed as letters (usually A to F), as a range (for example, 1 to 6), percentages, or as numbers out of a possible total (often out of 100). The exact system that is used varies worldwide. In some countries, grades are averaged to create a grade point average ( GPA ). GPA is calculated by using the number of grade points a student earns in a given period of time. A GPA
360-634: A foreign language and completion of a multicultural perspectives course is also required. Mount Holyoke's membership in the Five College Consortium allows students to enroll in courses at nearby Amherst College, Smith College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. They may also complete one of 12 Five College Certificates—among them African studies, Buddhist studies, coastal and marine sciences, cognitive neuroscience, international relations, and Middle Eastern studies—in lieu of
420-680: A group of historically female colleges in the Northeastern United States. The college was founded in 1837 as the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary by Mary Lyon , a pioneer in education for women. Mount Holyoke is part of the Five College Consortium in Western Massachusetts . Undergraduate admissions are restricted to female, transgender , and nonbinary students. In 2014, it became the first member of
480-419: A long debate under the presidency of David Truman over the issue of coeducation. On November 6, 1971, the board of trustees voted to remain a women's college. At Convocation on September 2, 2014, President Lynn Pasquerella announced a new policy allowing the admission of transgender individuals of both sexes to the college, as well as the admission of students whose gender identities are non-binary . Of
540-618: A minor. In addition to the BA, Mount Holyoke offers three master's degrees: a coed Master of Arts in Teaching , a Master of Arts in mathematics teaching, and a master's in psychology . Other programs include dual-degree programs in engineering with the California Institute of Technology , the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College , and the University of Massachusetts Amherst ;
600-452: A model of Christian society for all to see." Students "were required to attend church services, chapel talks, prayer meetings, and Bible study groups. Twice a day teachers and students spent time in private devotions. Every dorm room had two large lighted closets to give roommates privacy during their devotions". Mount Holyoke Female Seminary was the sister school to Andover Seminary . By 1859 there were more than 60 missionary alumnae; by 1887
660-526: A single nation can vary in their grading systems as well. However, several international standards for grading have arisen recently, such as the European Baccalaureate . Mount Holyoke College Mount Holyoke College is a private liberal arts historically women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts , United States. It is the oldest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges,
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#1733085885509720-485: A student with financial aid or a scholarship. Grades are seen as an indicator for academic success and ability, and GPA is thought to indicate future job effectiveness and success. In addition, research has shown a correlation between GPA and future Job satisfaction . Studies have also shown that a higher GPA leads to a higher income. Students were given assessments as far back as 500 B.C. but no methods existed to formally measure student performance or track mastery of
780-590: A summer program in China and January term programs in Georgia and South Africa. The college is also affiliated with more than 150 study abroad programs in more than 50 colleges and students have the opportunity to petition any programs with which the college is not already affiliated. The college also encourages international internships and research for the semester, year, summer, or January terms. Each year more than 200 Mount Holyoke students, representing approximately 40 percent of
840-946: Is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III and the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) as well as the New England Rowing Conference (NERC). Facilities include a lighted synthetic multipurpose turf field surrounded by an eight-lane track with a nine-lane straightaway; Kendall Sports and Dance Complex housing a swimming pool and separate diving well; gymnasium with basketball, volleyball, and badminton courts; weight room; cardiovascular area; one-acre (4,000 m ) field house with indoor track and tennis courts; squash courts; racquetball courts; and three studios for dance, aerobics, yoga, and other activities; The Orchards, an 18-hole golf course (home to
900-702: Is a member of the Pioneer Valley 's Five College Consortium , the Consortium of Liberal Arts Colleges , the Annapolis Group , the Oberlin Group , and the Consortium on Financing Higher Education . In 2023, Mount Holyoke's undegraduate student body was 50% white, 22% international, 7% Asian, 9% Hispanic, 5% black, and 5% multiracial. Mount Holyoke offers a number of student groups and organizations. Themes include Art, Academics, Club Sports, Entertainment &
960-438: Is also made available online each week through Issuu. WMHC (91.5 FM ) is a radio station licensed to serve South Hadley, Massachusetts . The station is owned by Mount Holyoke College and is one of the oldest stations run by women. Mount Holyoke classes have been voting on class colors and mascots since the late 1800s, but the colors currently in use were not adopted until 1901. The class of 1901 chose hunter green, and
1020-506: Is located directly across from the campus in the college-owned Village Commons. Mount Holyoke has instituted "The Big Turn Off" energy conservation campaign. It also focuses on "green" building with five LEED certified buildings on campus. It has reduced its environmental impact by recycling 40% of waste and composting as well as using produce grown in the student-run organic garden in dining halls. The Seminary Building (1837) contained classrooms, parlors and rooms for students and faculty,
1080-453: Is more interested in a topic, has learned to deal better with failure and whether he has developed new ideas cannot be answered with grades. Instead, Precht suggests a differentiated written assessment of the students' learning and development path. In his opinion, the grading system comes from a psychologically and pedagogically uninformed era and does not belong in the 21st century. German educational innovator Margret Rasfeld criticizes
1140-498: Is often calculated for high school , undergraduate , and graduate students. A cumulative grade point average ( CGPA ), is the average of all the GPAs a student has achieved during their time at the institution. Students are sometimes required to maintain a certain GPA in order to be admitted to a certain academic program or to remain in that program. Grades are also used in decisions to provide
1200-496: Is reserved for Frances Perkins Scholars. Most residence halls house students from all four class years at any given time. In January 2018, Mount Holyoke opened a new centralized dining commons within the previously existing Blanchard Community Center. Previously, six dormitories on campus had dining areas inside of them, but the plan to consolidate these into one dining hall was made so that the college could shift to accept an unlimited meal plan and offer extended hours. Mount Holyoke
1260-474: The 2004 U.S. Women's Open ) designed by Donald Ross ; and a 60-stall equestrian center with two indoor arenas (100' × 256' and 70' × 130'), an outdoor show ring, permanent fibar dressage arena, outdoor cross-country courses, and a boathouse finished for Spring 2010. Several feature films reference Mount Holyoke. Prominent among them are: An urban legend says that the characters of the hit 1960s cartoon Scooby Doo Where Are You! are said to be modeled after
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#17330858855091320-424: The 1870s to the 2010s, most recently with a new residence hall in 2008 and the construction of a centralized dining hall in 2018. The school owns an 18-hole golf course, The Orchards, which was designed by Donald Ross and which hosted the U.S. Women's Open in 2004. Mount Holyoke's library includes more than 740,000 print volumes, 1,600 periodicals, and more than 140,000 electronic resources. Its first librarian
1380-654: The Frances Perkins Program, for women over the age of 24 who wish to complete the requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree; and the Postbaccalaureate Studies Program, for students who have already earned an undergraduate degree and wish to complete additional course work in preparation for graduate work in medicine, nursing, veterinary medicine, dentistry, or physical therapy science. Three academic centers—the Weissman Center for Leadership,
1440-613: The McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives, the Miller Worley Center for the Environment —support the academic program through public lectures by visiting scholars, conferences on issues of pressing concern, mentoring and internship opportunities, and hands-on learning experiences. The Weissman Center's Speaking, Arguing, and Writing (SAW) Program provides opportunities for developing leadership and communication skills, including
1500-532: The Performing Arts, Politics & Activism, Governing Organizations and Religious organizations. Among these student groups is the Mount Holyoke News , the college's independent, student-run organization which has been in print since 1917. Mount Holyoke News or MHN publishes on a weekly basis throughout the academic year with new issues going out in print form each Friday. A digital edition of each issue
1560-698: The Seven Sisters (not counting the coeducational Vassar College ) to introduce an admissions policy that was inclusive of transgender students. Graduate programs are open to applicants regardless of gender. The college's 800-acre (3.2 km ) campus includes the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum , the John Payson Williston Observatory , and a botanic garden . The college awards the Glascock Prize annually. Mount Holyoke
1620-459: The Seven Sisters that had remained women's colleges, Mount Holyoke was the first to implement such policy. The 2020 annual ranking by U.S. News & World Report categorizes Mount Holyoke as "more selective". For the Class of 2027 (enrolling fall 2023), Mount Holyoke received 5,030 applications, accepted 1,926 (38.3%), and enrolled 587. The middle 50% range of SAT scores for enrolled students
1680-438: The United States in 1971. It has been criticized that grades are only short-term snapshots of how much a student has learned in a given period of time, which only partially reflect the actual performance and does not take sufficient account of the individual development of students. Likewise, poor grades over a longer period of time would give students the impression that they would learn very little or nothing, which jeopardizes
1740-519: The ability to effectively frame, articulate, and advocate positions. The Community-Based Learning Program links students with community-based organizations in courses that combine analysis and action. Mount Holyoke has study abroad programs and exchanges for full-year or semester study in France, Senegal , Costa Rica, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom, as well as
1800-616: The classes of 1902, 1903, 1904 voted for crimson, golden yellow, and royal blue, respectively. In 1909, the students voted for lion, griffin, sphinx, and pegasus as their class symbols. They also decided that even-year classes would use pegasus and lion and their colors would be red and blue, and odd years would use griffin and sphinx, with green and yellow as their colors. This system has persisted to this day. Each class proudly displays their class color at class-related activities such as Convocation. Mount Holyoke offers 13 varsity sports programs and six competitive club sports teams. The college
1860-404: The collective ideal of a united team of women could match the success of nearby men's colleges like Amherst and Williams. The curriculum allowed women to study subjects like geometry, calculus, Latin, Greek, science, philosophy, and history, which were not typically taught at other female seminaries in the 19th century. Lyon's efforts in founding an institution of higher education for women, despite
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1920-471: The college. In 1889, students traveling from the midwest could take these examinations in Freeport, Illinois , and within a few years, this was expanded to other cities. Many additions were made to the course catalog, and starting in the 1889 academic year, students could choose to pursue degrees of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science . Within 4 years, the seminary enrollment dropped from 269 to 8. In 1893,
1980-410: The collegiate course. At the time, two South Hadley families agreed to host boarders. President Elizabeth Mead deemed these options unsatisfactory and pushed the trustees to build yet another cottage. Mrs. Mead was ready to relieve the students of a large share of the drudgery of domestic work that had made up a good portion of their studies since Mary Lyon's conception of the seminary. From 1895 to 1996
2040-438: The economic challenges of the time, paved the way for more women to have the same opportunities for higher education as their brothers. Mount Holyoke Female Seminary was one of several Christian institutions of higher education for young women established during the first half of the 19th century. Prior to founding Mount Holyoke, Lyon contributed to the development of both Hartford Female Seminary and Ipswich Female Seminary. She
2100-404: The first full week of March. The aims of Alpha Mu Gamma are to (1) recognize achievement in foreign language study, (2) nurture an interest in the study of foreign languages, literatures and civilizations, (3) stimulate a desire for linguistic attainment, and (4) foster sympathetic understanding of other peoples through the medium of languages. Membership is generally offered to students who have
2160-414: The innate intrinsic motivation of every child to learn. Children who have already lost their desire to learn and only study for their grades have no reason to continue learning after they have achieved the best possible grade. In addition, poor grades represent destructive feedback for students, since they do not provide any constructive assistance, but only absolute key figures. It is also criticized that
2220-890: The junior class, study for a semester or academic year at universities and programs abroad. Through the school's membership in the Twelve College Exchange program, Mount Holyoke students can study at one of the following 12 other schools for one semester or a full year: A number of faculty are nationally and internationally recognized for their research and writing achievements, including Christopher Benfey (literary scholar), Joseph Ellis (historian), Susan Barry (neurobiologist), Mark McMenamin (geologist and paleontologist) and Becky Wai-Ling Packard (psychologist). Mark McMenamin 's Hypertopia Option has been called one of only two methods "by which planetary temperature can be stabilized." Mount Holyoke administrator and art professor Rie Hachiyanagi made international headlines when she
2280-408: The land and main building. Lyon's layout of the campus provided a widely imitated model for the higher education of women by providing a physical environment that supported a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum equivalent to that of men's colleges. Lyon's innovative goals set her Seminary apart from other female seminaries of the period, offering a curriculum equivalent to those at men's colleges. All
2340-447: The numerical mark to be unpersuasive. Stray's article also explains the complex relationship between the mode of examination (oral or written) and the varying philosophies of education these modes imply to both the teacher and the student. The A-D/F system was first adopted by Mount Holyoke College in 1897. However, this system did not become widespread until the 1940s, and was still only used by 67% of primary and secondary schools in
2400-504: The option to design a special major. The most popular undergraduate majors, based on 2021 graduates, were: The primary degree conferred is the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, for which students complete 128-semester credits (one standard course equals 4 credits). At least 68 credits must be earned from coursework outside the major department, across the three curricular divisions: humanities, science and mathematics, and social sciences. Study of
2460-520: The original library, and a periodical reading room. A south wing was added in 1841, a north wing in 1853, and a gymnasium and laundry in 1865. All were destroyed by fire in 1896. Upon the burning of the college building in September 1896, Treasurer Williston announced the pressing need for a new chapel building, a new gymnasium, and a series of cottage dormitories in the modern style. This style of separated buildings allowed for flexibility in fundraising that
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2520-474: The rare transit of Venus in 1882. It is the oldest academic building on campus. Mount Holyoke has been recognized for its campus beauty by Huffington Post , The Princeton Review , and Architectural Digest . Its oldest building dated back to the school's opening in 1837, but it burned down in 1896 and was replaced by buildings that opened the following year. Additional buildings were constructed, remodeled, torn down, and expanded at various points from
2580-402: The same evaluation standards". Grading may also reflect the bias of the instructor thereby reinforcing systematic bias. As educators have begun to recognize the potential drawbacks, alternative grading methods, including competency-based assessment, specifications grading, and "ungrading" have become more popular. Most nations have their own grading system, and different institutions in
2640-616: The school's alumnae comprised one-fifth of all female American missionaries for the ABCFM; and by the end of the century, 248 of its alumnae had entered the mission field. Mount Holyoke Female Seminary received its collegiate charter in 1888, becoming Mount Holyoke Seminary and College . The change in admission from Seminary to College included fundraising by the trustees, an overhaul of the entrance requirements, and course catalog. Entrance exams were introduced at this time, scheduled in June or September at
2700-491: The seminary course was discontinued, and the new title Mount Holyoke College was authorized. A movement towards what was referred to as cottage-style living started in 1889 by the New York Association after the change to Mount Holyoke Seminary and College. $ 15,000 was raised, and plans were put in place for Mary Brigham Cottage, with accommodations for the president and thirty students, with priority given to those in
2760-478: The students worked in one building with little privacy. There was close contact with the all-female faculty, and daily self reports on their personal strengths and weaknesses. The college cut staff to the minimum as the 100 or so students each performed one hour of work a day, handling most of the routine chores like cooking and cleaning and maintaining the grounds. Lyon rejected the goal of the men's colleges to promote individualism and independence and instead fostered
2820-659: The subject. In the mid 1600’s Harvard University started to require exit exams to evaluate students, but they were not scored with letter grades. The first record of a grading scale for students was at Yale University. Yale University historian George Wilson Pierson writes: "According to tradition the first grades issued at Yale (and possibly the first in the country) were given out in the year 1785, when President Ezra Stiles , after examining 58 Seniors, recorded in his diary that there were 'Twenty Optimi , sixteen second Optimi , twelve Inferiores ( Boni ), ten Pejores .'" By 1837, Yale had converted these adjectives into numbers on
2880-537: The system of grades as unhelpful and, in her opinion, the resulting competitive thinking in schools and says: "School is there to organize success and not to document failure." German neuroscientist Gerald Hüther criticizes grades for being responsible for ensuring that students cannot specialize in any topic that they are enthusiastic about and have a talent for, since otherwise their grades in other areas would deteriorate. He also believes that "our society will not develop further...if we force all children to conform to
2940-484: The system of school grades in his book Anna, die Schule und der liebe Gott: Der Verrat des Bildungssystems an unseren Kindern . He believes that numbers from 1 to 6 (the school grading system used in Germany) do not do justice to the personalities of the children. In his opinion, grades are neither meaningful nor differentiated and therefore not helpful. For example, the questions whether a student has become more motivated,
3000-482: The trustees allotted funds for the employment of four women to wash the dinner dishes that had formerly constituted the task of eight or ten students. On February 28, 1987, the United States Postal Service 's Great Americans series issued a postage stamp featuring Mary Lyon , in honor of Mount Holyoke's Sesquicentennial (Mount Holyoke's 150th anniversary). In the early 1970s, Mount Holyoke had
3060-471: The way of thinking, which can often be traced back to the grading system, that bad grades lead to poor future prospects, leads to perplexity, pressure, stress and depression among parents and children. It is criticized that students often do not learn for their future life or out of interest in the material, but only for the grades and the associated status, which promotes bulimic learning . German philosopher and publicist Richard David Precht criticizes
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#17330858855093120-593: Was 1360–1470 for the composite, 690–750 for evidence-based reading and writing, and 660–750 for math, while the middle 50% range for the ACT composite score was 31–33. U.S. News & World Report ' s 2023 rankings ranked Mount Holyoke the 36th-best liberal arts college in the nation, and tied for 30th for "Best Undergraduate Teaching." In 2023, according to a ranking by the Princeton Review which assessed students' perceptions of their faculty, Mount Holyoke's faculty
3180-427: Was also involved in the creation of Wheaton Female Seminary (now Wheaton College ) in 1834. Mount Holyoke Female Seminary was chartered as a teaching seminary in 1836 and opened its doors to students on November 8, 1837. Both Vassar College and Wellesley College were patterned after Mount Holyoke. According to historian Amanda Porterfield, Lyon created Mount Holyoke to be "a religious institution that offered
3240-421: Was an alumna Mary Nutting . Through the Five College Consortium , students have access to more than 9 million volumes. Computer support is provided. The MEWS (Mediated Educational Work Space) supports collaborative multimedia learning with group project rooms, wall-mounted plasma displays, a digitization center, and a faculty development area. In 2013, "Clear and Gold Tower," a glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly ,
3300-468: Was attractive to the trustees, while still providing the students with the resources and accommodations they needed. In 1897, Mary Lyon Hall and Mary Lyon Chapel were built, as well as dormitories Brigham, Safford, Porter, and Pearsons. Blanchard Gymnasium was completed in 1899. John Payson Williston Observatory , completed in 1881, was given in memory of the Willistons' eldest son and built to be ready for
3360-409: Was charged with the attempted murder of a regular member of the faculty on 23 December 2019. Hachiyanagi used a fire poker, large rock, and a gardening shears to attempt to beat and kill her victim. Hachiyanagi's alleged victim survived the attack. Hachiyanagi pled guilty to the charges and on October 20, 2021, was sentenced to a term of 10 to 12 years in prison. The 800-acre (3.2 km ) campus
3420-556: Was designed and landscaped between 1896 and 1922 by the landscape architecture firm of Olmsted and Sons . The campus includes a botanic garden , two lakes, several waterfalls, tennis courts, stables, and woodland riding trails. It is also home to the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum which is part of the Five College Museums/Historic Deerfield and the Museums10 . An independent bookstore , The Odyssey Bookshop ,
3480-539: Was founded in 1837 by Mary Lyon as Mount Holyoke Female Seminary . Lyon developed her ideas on how to educate women when she was assistant principal at Ipswich Female Seminary in Massachusetts. By 1837 she had convinced multiple sponsors to support her ideals and the nation's first real college for women. Mount Holyoke Female Seminary opened on November 8, 1837, in South Hadley, Massachusetts. The town had donated
3540-480: Was installed in the Williston Library's atrium. The college has 21 residence halls as well as apartments and "annex" spaces in which to house students, and an overwhelming majority of students live on campus (98%). Each residence hall reserves a quarter of its rooms for housing first-year students with the exception of Pearsons Annex, which is reserved for living learning communities, and Dickinson House, which
3600-605: Was ranked #9 in the nation. The ranking was based on students' level of agreement or disagreement with the statement, "Professors are interesting and bring their material to life." As of 2023, Mount Holyoke was ranked #6 in the Princeton Review's ranking of the "Top 20 Best Schools for Making an Impact." Mount Holyoke College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education . Mount Holyoke offers 50 departmental and interdepartmental majors, including
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