Friday, November 9, 2007

Providence College
This page refers to a college in Rhode Island. For the college in Manitoba, see Providence College and Theological Seminary.
Providence College
Providence College is a Catholic college in Providence, Rhode Island, the state's capital city. With a 2004-2005 enrollment of about 3,900 undergraduate students and about 900 graduate students, the college is known for its programs in the liberal arts and sciences. Founded in 1917, Providence College has been ranked by US News and World Report as one of the top two Regional Colleges in the Northeast for the past nine consecutive years. Furthermore, it is the only college or university in North America administered by the Dominican Order of Friars (Dominican College of California, Aquinas College of Michigan, and St. Thomas Aquinas College in New York all have Dominican heritage, but none is administered on a day-to-day basis by the Dominicans).
The Providence College campus is located near River Avenue, about two miles (3.3 km) northwest of downtown Providence.
Providence College offers fifty majors and twenty-four minors and is one of the few schools in the country that requires all its students to complete 20 credits in the Development of Western Civilization, which serves as a major part of the college's core curriculum. As put forth on the college website:
"Widely hailed by educators as one of the finest and most academically ambitious programs in the country, the Development of Western Civilization Program is the cornerstone of the Providence College Core Curriculum. The required two-year interdisciplinary program is taken during the freshman and sophomore years.
Civ is taught chronologically and each course covers the areas of history, philosophy, literature, theology, and the fine arts, throughout all of the most prominent Civilizations in History. It is team-taught by four faculty members from each of these disciplines sharing their thoughts and perspective on the events, art, literature, thoughts, and religious ideals of the time.
Setting high academic standards and featuring intense discussions and frequent writing assignments, the program has become an intellectual rite of passage for Providence College students."

History
The school lies on 105 acres atop Smith Hill, the highest point in the city of Providence, in the city's Elmhurst neighborhood. The school consists of forty-four buildings on campus. There are twenty-one academic and administrative buildings, nine dormitories, six suite-style apartment buildings, five Dominican residences (including the St. Thomas Aquinas Priory, a residential tower near the main gate) and three athletic buildings, as well as six outdoor athletic facilities, including a new "turf field." The buildings are as follows:

Campus
The site of the chapel is the former site of the War Memorial Grotto of Our Lady of the Rosary, a large grotto which was built in 1948 as a site for worship and a memorial to the seventy-nine alumni who died in World War II. It served for many years as the site of commencement exercises and ROTC commissionings, but was closed to make way for the chapel. There is a smaller grotto on the side of the chapel which was built with some of the materials from the original.

Harkins Hall (administration, classrooms, and the Blackfriars Theatre)
Moore Hall (the former Antoninus Hall, the home of the DWC program)
Albertus Magnus Hall, Hickey Laboratory, and Sowa Hall (the science complex)
The Feinstein Academic Center (the former Stephens Hall, home to the Feinstein Institute)
Phillips Memorial Library
Slavin Center (the school's student union, which includes the school bookstore, McPhails Bar, a large meeting hall, the studios of WDOM, 91.3FM, the school's radio station, the offices for the Board of Programmers, BMSA, Friars Club, Veritas, the Cowl, Student Congress and other various student organizations.)
Accinno Hall (computer science building, constructed on the site of a former maintenance shed)
Smith Center for the Performing Arts (the brand-new home of the music and theatre programs)
Hunt-Cavanaugh Hall (visual arts and art history)
Ceramics Building (visual arts annex)
St. Catherine Of Siena Hall (formerly used for music department classrooms and performance space, now serves as the office building for the Theology and Philosophy departments. Includes a library, chapel, and classroom space.)
Howley, Koffler, Sullivan, and the Service Building (used mostly for office space for the school, all located on the former Chapin property)
St. Dominic Chapel (the school's main chapel, dedicated in 2001, and also the home of the school's Campus Ministry and Pastoral Service Organization.
Physical plant and power plant
Student Health complex Facilities

Aquinas Hall (the oldest continuously used dorm on campus, contains the former main chapel and cafeteria of the campus)
Meagher and McDermott Halls (located perpendicular to the ends of Aquinas, which makes up the residential quad)
McVinney Hall (located to the north of Meagher Hall, a ten-story building on the summit of Smith Hill which has the highest view in the city)
St. Joseph Hall (also houses the Residence Life offices, well known as the home to the men's basketball team)
Raymond Hall (also contains the school's main cafeteria)
Guzman Hall (the second building to carry the name, also contains a small chapel)
Dore Hall and Fennell Hall (located on the Chapin property)
Cunningham, Mal Brown and DiTraglia Halls (the three original apartment towers, located near the corner of Huxley Avenue and Eaton Street)
Davis and Bedford Halls (located on the Chapin property and opened in 1994, the two largest campus apartment buildings)
Suites Hall (the newest on-campus residences) Residential halls and apartments

Alumni Hall (the original on-campus gymnasium, also contains a popular cafeteria)
Schneider Arena (the home of Friars hockey)
Peterson Recreation Center (includes an indoor track and the school's natatorium, currently being expanded)
In addition, the school has several outdoor fields and tennis courts. Athletic facilities

St Thomas Aquinas Priory (a Dominican residence)
Dominic Hall (the President's residence)
Martin Hall (the former Guzman Hall, now an executive residence)
Thomas Hall and Antoninus Hall (on-campus guest residences; Thomas Hall is traditionally where the Commencement speaker stays) Other buildings
In the spring of 2006, Providence College began construction on a 23,000-square-foot, two-level fitness center addition to the Peterson Recreation Center and Alumni Hall. The fitness center will feature a three-story glass atrium and a new, unified main entrance to the Slavin Center (student union building), Alumni Hall (athletic offices and Mullaney Gymnasium), the Peterson Recreation Center (field house), and the center itself.

DWC program
The school's men's and women's sports teams are called the Friars, after the Dominican Catholic order that runs the school. They are the only collegiate team to use the name. All teams participate in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big East Conference, except for the Men's and Women's Hockey program, which competes in Hockey East and the Men's Lacrosse program, which competes in the MAAC.
Providence College teams which participate in the Big East Conference:
PC has one national championship, the 1996 Cross Country championship. The school has won several Big East, Hockey East, ECAC and MAAC titles. Individual team honors include:
The school formerly also sponsored football and baseball, both of which played at Hendricken Field to the north of Harkins Hall. The football team was disbanded in the early 1970s due to dwindling attendance and budget. Baseball met the same fate in 1999, amid controversy, as it fell victim to the budget constraints and the limitations put in place due to Title IX. At the time, the student ratios for men's to women's athletes versus the same ratio for overall students was skewed towards the men. Rather than attempt to sponsor another women's sport, the school opted to eliminate baseball, the school's original sport (1920). They would later drop men's golf and men's tennis as well for the same reasons, and the incident indirectly lead to the resignation of former athletic director John Marinatto.
The school's current athletic director is Robert Driscoll. The team colors are black and white, the same as the Dominicans, with silver as an accent color. The school's current logos and identity marks were released in 2002, and feature the profile of a friar wearing the black cappa (hood) of the Dominicans, above the word mark. All teams use the primary logo except the hockey teams, which have used the famous "skating Friar" logo since 1973. In addition to the Friar mascot, the school's animal mascot was a dog named "Friar Boy." The school's biggest rivalries are Boston University and Boston College as major hockey rivals while UConn and URI are major rivals for the school's other sports, especially in soccer, swimming, and basketball.

Men's and Women's Basketball
Men's and Women's Cross Country
Field Hockey
Men's and Women's Soccer
Softball
Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving
Women's Tennis
Men's and Women's Track and Field
Women's Volleyball
The men's basketball team won the 1961 and 1963 NIT championship, arguably the national championship in those years, and participated in the 1973 and 1987 Final Four. Overall, the team has 15 NCAA basketball tournament berths and 16 NIT berths, as well as twenty four basketball All-Americans. Notable coaches of the team have included Joe Mullaney (the creator of the zone defense), Dave Gavitt, and Rick Pitino.
The women's basketball team won the first-ever Big East Tournament in 1983. Notable alumni include Doris Burke, current ESPN basketball commentator.
The men's hockey team has won two Hockey East (including the inaugural 1985 title) and two ECAC titles, and has been in the NCAA Division I hockey tournament ten times, most recently in 2000. Their best finish in the tournament was as national runner-up in 1985.
The women's hockey team has consistently been one of the best in the country. In 1998, seven members of the gold-medal winning U.S. Women's Ice Hockey team were alumni or current students.
The school's cross country team has been a consistently successful team. In fact, they have participated in the NCAA championships 17 straight years (as of 2005). The women's team won the 1996 Cross Country championship. Keith Kelley '00 was the first Friar to win the individual national cross country championship. Kim Smith '05 was the first Friar woman to win the individual national championship in the sport.
The men's swimming and diving team looks very strong as its class of 2010 is the one of the best in the programs history. They look to make a strong showing at the Big East Championship Meet in February. The women's swimming and diving team also looks strong led by the class of 2007. They will also look to have a strong showing at the BIg East Championship Meet. Athletics
The college's graphic identity represents the shape of a window in Harkins Hall with a flame inside, representing Veritas, or Truth, the official College Motto.
The official seal of Providence College is an ornate triangle, representing the Trinity, with the flame of learning and a scroll with the College Motto, Veritas, superimposed on it. The seal is surrounded by a ring with the words Sigillum Collegii Providentiensis ("Seal of Providence College") inside it.

Marks and seals
Business and Law
Entertainment and Communications
Athletics
Men's Basketball
Hockey
Track
Baseball

Patrick J. Kennedy, '91, member of the U.S. House of Representatives for the state of Rhode Island
Arthur F. Ryan, '63, Chairman & CEO, Prudential Insurance Company of America
Elizabeth Flynn Lott, '82, Executive Vice President, JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Raymond Flynn, '63, former PC basketball star, mayor of Boston and ambassador to the Vatican City
Hon. William J. Sullivan, '62, former Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court
Christopher Dodd, United States Senator, candidate for President (2008) (D-CT)
Charles J. Fogarty, Lieutant Governor(D-RI)
Rich Gotham, President of the Boston Celtics
John O'Hurley, '76, best known for his role on the television show "Seinfeld"
Janeane Garofalo, '86, comedienne
Doris Burke, '87, former basketball star, first female color commentator for a NBA team (the New York Knicks)
David A. Duffy, '61, president of the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority
Mike Leonard, '70, NBC news feature correspondent
Peter Farrelly, director, screenwriter, producer: There's Something About Mary, Outside Providence
Lenny Wilkens, '60, the all-time winningest coach in NBA history, Hall-of-Famer as both a player and a coach.
John Thompson, '63, longtime Georgetown coach.
Jim Larranaga, 5th leading scorer in school history and current coach at George Mason University.
Jimmy Walker, '67, considered the greatest in school history; father of Jalen Rose
Marvin Barnes, '74, 1974 ABA Rookie of the Year
Otis Thorpe, '84, longtime NBA player
Billy Donovan, '87, hero of the 1987 Final Four Run, current head coach of the Florida Gators, coached 2006 and 2007 NCAA championship team, brief stint as head coach of the Orlando Magic
Eric Murdock, '91, All-American and former all-time steals leader
Michael Smith, '94, former all-conference player
Eric Williams, '95, longtime NBA player
Austin Croshere, '97, current NBA player and hero of the 1997 Elite Eight run
God Shammgod, '97, former NBA player and teammate of Croshere. Most notably known for his unusual name.
Ryan Gomes, '05, the school's leading scorer and current NBA player on the Minnesota Timberwolves
Lou Lamoriello, '63, first director of Hockey East, current President & General Manager of the New Jersey Devils, and former team coach
Chris Terreri, '86, longtime NHL goalie
Ron Wilson, '77, current coach of the San Jose Sharks
Hal Gill, '97, current NHL defenseman with the Toronto Maple Leafs
Fernando Pisani, '00, current NHL player with the Edmonton Oilers
Cammi Granato, captain of the 1998 Gold Medal Women's Olympic team and NBC hockey commentator
Brian Burke, current NHL General Manager of the Anaheim Ducks
John Ferguson Jr., current President and General manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs
Randy Velischek, former New Jersey Devils player
Kurt Kleinendorst, formerly ranked #1 hockey player in North America
John Treacy,'78 1984 Silver Medal Winner at LA Olympic Marathon
Geoff Smith,'84 Won Boston Marathon in 1984 and 1985
Birdie Tebbetts, former All-Star with the Tigers, Indians and Red Sox.
Lou Merloni, current member of the Oakland Athletics
John McDonald, current member of the Toronto Blue Jays Trivia

Providence College alumni
Providence College Special Guest

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