Upcoming Alumni Events

20th Anniversary Fall Kickoff

August 8

Homecoming Weekend

October 8-10

Blairsville Fall

Festival

October 30-31

As the temperature cools and mountain leaves begin to change, a

new generation of Ridgeview College students begin their educa-

tional journey. As we begin our twentieth year as an institution,

the campus is electric as it celebrates its past and looks excitedly

toward its future. This volume of The Overlook will chronicle

some of the historic traditions of the institution, as well as high-

lighting some of the exciting changes happening on our campus.

Hopefully, it will bring back fond memories to you and inspire you

about Ridgeview College’s promising future.

Presidential Welcome

Fall 2010: Change Is In The Air

Ridgeview College Alumni Magazine

The Overlook F A L L 2 0 1 0

Since our founding in 1990, Ridgeview College has

maintained its position on the cutting edge of higher education

policy and practice. These past twenty years Ridgeview has

produced competent and confi-dent alumni who embrace the concept of a living education. In

honor of the 20th Anniversary of Ridgeview’s Founding, sev-

eral large donations have been made to the college. Through

these generous gifts, Ridgeview College has finally been able to make the necessary changes to

realize the full potential of its educational mission. Join with

me as we celebrate this monumental time in the history

of our beloved college.

Your President,

Ruth Armstrong

Reconnect with

friends and faculty

over an action-

packed weekend.

Celebrate with the

town of Blairsville

at the 50th Annual

Fall Festival.

Come explore our

newly completed

residential and library

facilities.

THE OVERLOOK

FALL 2010

2

Welcome Back to Blairsville, GA

A Beautiful Place To Learn

You would be hard pressed to find a more se-

rene and scenic physical environment than

Blairsville, GA. From the breathtaking moun-

tains and waterways, to the picturesque city

landscape, Blairsville provides the perfect back-

drop for Ridgeview College. Since our found-

ing, the students, faculty, and staff of Ridge-

view have worked hard to maintain close rela-

tionships with members of the surrounding

community. Our faculty, staff, and students are

encouraged to live in Blairsville and be active

participants in the community. Ridgeview

backs up this claim by offering housing dis-

counts to any university affiliates who choose

to live in Blairsville.

As the county seat of Union County1, Blairs-

ville represents an important source of cultural

and political influence. Every October, com-

munity members showcase local arts and mu-

sic at the Annual Fall Festival. As with other

community events, Ridgeview students contrib-

ute by volunteering their time and talents. As

time passes and Ridgeview grows, we will re-

main committed to the community. The next

time you visit Ridgeview, make sure you stop

by your favorite Blairsville shop or restaurant.

The stunning physical environment surrounding Ridgeview is

rich with enriching opportunities for our students. Weather-

permitting, professors regularly hold classes on the slopes of the

mountains and the banks of the lakes. In the science curricu-

lum, students get hands-on experience studying the sprawling

terrain and abundant wildlife. Outside the classroom, students

find numerous of ways to have fun outdoors. Our outdoors

club is always taking hiking and water trips, as well as more

intense activities such as dirt biking, mountain biking, rock

climbing, and paintball competitions. The alumni association is

planning several outdoor activities during homecoming week-

end, so bring your hiking shoes and keep your calendars open.

THE OVERLOOK

FALL 2010

3

The Ridgeview Promise

Values and Beliefs

Skills

Knowledge Principal Knowledge: Strong base of general knowledge:

Science, Language, Humanities, Quantitative, & Arts.

Field-Specific Knowledge: Expertise & training in a par-

ticular field of study, or pre-occupational track.

Multicultural Knowledge: Awareness & knowledge of

other cultures, races, & belief systems.

Ethical Knowledge/Reasoning: Understanding of ethics

in business world, as well as personal life & community.

In our nation today, college students find themselves fac-ing a world that is increasingly complex, tumultuous, and

international2. Ridgeview College’s mission is to engage

our students in a holistic educational experience that will prepare them to be well-rounded leaders in society. The

Ridgeview Promise is comprised of a set of learning out-comes that we believe should be mastered and practiced

by all Ridgeview Graduates. These outcomes are divided into three categories: Knowledge, Skills, Values & Beliefs.

Active & Responsible Civic Participation: Become active &

engaged citizens locally, nationally, & internationally4.

Lifelong Learning: Develop a passion and commitment to

lifelong education in personal & professional contexts.

Self-Efficacy: A deeply-rooted belief in personal skills & in

your ability to succeed in any number of tasks or settings.

Health & Wellness: Understand value of health and

wellness, commit to living an active and healthy lifestyle.

Critical Thinking Skills: Ability to think deeply & logi-

cally, obtaining & evaluating evidence in disciplined way.3

Written/Oral Communication Skills: Ability to read &

express ideas proficiently through written & spoken word.

Teamwork: Ability to collaborate, create, solve problems,

& demonstrate leadership in a team setting.

THE OVERLOOK

FALL 2010

4

The Ridgeview Curriculum

Since our founding, Ridgeview College’s mission has been to engage our students in a holistic educa-

tional experience that will prepare them to be well-rounded leaders in society. However, our current

generation of college students find themselves fac-ing a world that is increasingly complex, tumultu-

ous, and international2. To effectively prepare our

students for future success, we must be willing to change with the times. As a result of several years of thoughtful work by faculty, students, administra-

tion, and alumni, Ridgeview has developed a new curriculum model, which will be implemented in

the 2011-2012 academic year. This curriculum model, aptly titled Pathways to Learning, is largely

based on the principles of liberal education. Accord-ing to the Association of American Colleges & Uni-

versities4, “Liberal Education is an approach to

learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change. It provides students with broad knowledge

of the wider world (e.g., science, culture, and soci-ety) as well as in-depth study in a specific area of

interest.” In the Pathways to Learning curriculum, each of the four years is intentionally designed to

provide challenge and support for students in their academic and personal development. One piece of

this puzzle is the Student Development Seminars (SDS), which help students adjust to college, think

critically, grow as leaders, & prepare for the “real world.” Additionally, communication and critical thinking skills, which are essential learning out-

comes at Ridgeview, will be heavily emphasized in all Curricular Exploration (General Education)

courses. Another noteworthy component of the cur-riculum is the addition of two required internships

or faculty research projects. We will close with the

words of David Kearns5 former CEO of Xerox Cor-

poration. “The only education that prepares us for change is a liberal education. In periods of change,

narrow specialization condemns us to inflexibility— precisely what we do not need. We need the flexible

intellectual tools to be problem solvers, to be able to continue learning over time.”

— David Kearns, former CEO of Xerox

Liberal Education At Ridgeview College

Total Credits for Graduation: 125 credits

Curricular Exploration & Intellectual Engagement: 48 credits

- 6 credits of Quantitative Reasoning/Analysis

- 6 credits of Literary Analysis and Composition (Writing Intensive)

- 6 credits of Foreign Language

- 6 credits of History/Philosophy (Writing Intensive)

- 6 credits of Communications Studies

- 6 credits of Cultural Studies (Writing Intensive)

- 6 credits of Natural Science (With Lab Component)

- 6 credits of Ethical Inquiry & Reasoning

Major Coursework: 36-45 credits (Major Dependent)

Student Development Seminars (SDS): 7 credits (1 credit per semester, )

Service Learning: 6 credits (1st Year: 3 credits; 4th Year: 3 credits)

Internship Experience or Faculty Research: 6 credits (2nd Year: 3 credits; 3rd Year: 3 credits)

Physical Education/Wellness: 7 credits (1 credit per semester until 2nd Semester of 4th Year)

Senior Research Capstone: 3 credits

Elective Courses: 12 credits

Pathways to Learning Curriculum Requirements: 2011-2012

THE OVERLOOK

FALL 2010

5

Pathways To Learning Ridgeview’s 4-year liberal education curriculum

track will prepare students for a life of excellence.

Year One: Engage & Explore The first year of college is a critical time for student

learning, development, and educational persistence7.

Student Development Seminar (SDS) #1: Intro-

duction to College Life helps students transition to

college life, socially and academically. SDS #2: In-

troduction to Critical Thinking is a problem-based

course that helps students develop critical thinking skills. At Ridgeview, our Year One academic focus

is academic engagement and exploration. Students

are required to take ten half-semester Exploration

Courses. These courses allow them to try out differ-

ent academic disciplines before declaring a major in

their second year. The required winter-term Service

Trip teaches the value of local/international service.

Year Three: Holistic Transitions The third year of the Ridgeview curriculum fo-cuses on honing field-specific expertise and prepar-

ing for life after college. SDS #5: The Art of Liv-

ing teaches students important life skills such as

food preparation. This class is coupled with pro-grams in the Residence Life Transitions Model.

Taught by professional financial advisors, SDS #5:

Financial Management helps students understand

the importance of effective financial management.

During the Year Three winter term, students are

required to complete their second Internship or

Faculty Research Project. In addition to these re-

quirements, the third year is when the bulk of stu-dents’ major courses are taken. Through these

courses and practical internship or research experi-ence, student develop commitment to their field.

Year Four: Demonstrate Mastery As Alumni will attest, the fourth year curriculum at does not allow any time for Senioritis. Students

in their fourth year continue to develop and dem-onstrate their skills, knowledge, and values. In

their Senior Research Project, students demon-

strate mastery by writing a thesis paper and pre-

senting on a topic of their choosing within their field. During their final winter term, fourth year

students plan and lead a Service Trip for first year

students. This allows them to showcase their lead-ership abilities and commitment to service. In the

first semester of their fourth year, students com-plete their series of Student Development Semi-

nars with SDS #7: Career Development Boot

Camp. In this class, students work closely with

professionals in the career development center to

prepare for their upcoming job, internship, or graduate school search.

Year Two: Commit to Leadership

In students’ second year at Ridgeview, the focus is

on refining academic interests and developing a life-

long commitment to leadership. SDS #3: Leader-

ship Foundations & SDS #4: Leadership in Ac-

tion give students the tools and experience to de-

velop their leadership abilities. At Ridgeview, stu-dents must wait until their second year to declare an

academic major. During the Year Two winter term,

students are required to complete an Internship or

Faculty Research Project in their chosen field of

study. These experiences allow students to network with full-time faculty and professionals, gaining

hands-on experience and insight into their field.

THE OVERLOOK

FALL 2010

6

Ridgeview College has always had a reputation of

challenging our students academically. Building

off this tradition, our new curriculum is designed

to provide a serious academic test for all students.

As we looked at other successful academic pro-

grams around the country, we found that the suc-

cessful institutions “balance academic challenge

with various types of support so that students are

not left to fend on their own”8. Ridgeview’s con-

tinued commitment to supporting student success

is evident in the newly completed Gilmore Li-

brary. In addition to extensive print and online ref-

erences, this facility is home to our Academic Suc-

cess Center. The Academic Success Center pro-

vides a wide array of resources for all levels of abil-

ity and need. Our peer educators program is com-

prised of paraprofessional student staff members

who have recently completed the courses in which

students need assistance. We find that students feel

more comfortable working with their peers and

ultimately get more out of this form of assistance.

Another support service offered through our Aca-

demic Success Center is our writing center. Staffed

primarily by faculty members, the writing center

challenges students of all writing levels to improve

their writing abilities. Dedicated academic advis-

ing is the final primary academic support service

we provide for our students. Our academic advi-

sors help students design an academic program

that fit their interests and abilities. We found that

students perform much better when they are pas-

sionate about their studies. Through these services,

Ridgeview is able to provide students a proper bal-

ance of challenge and support.

Academic Support Services

Career Services Center The Career Services Center is dedicated to providing helpful

career advice and resources to Students and Alumni.

Career Resource Library: Composed of both online and print

materials, this library covers an extensive range of career topics.

Career Specialists: Our professional staff provides personal ca-

reer advice: resume critiques, mock interviews, career counseling.

Career Connections Database: Students & Alumni can search

for internships, job listings, and networking opportunities.

Innovative Programs: Students and alumni are encouraged to

attend our workshops or special events, such as etiquette dinner.

THE OVERLOOK

FALL 2010

7

Campus Events: Enrich & Entertain In the past five years, Ridgeview’s Campus Activity Board

(CAB) has won eight awards from the National Association of

Campus Activities (NACA) for outstanding programming. The

student-led organization has earned its reputation by developing

innovative programs and bringing in famous musicians and co-

medians, like Zac Brown Band and Aziz Ansari. This year, CAB

is hosting a series of speakers & workshops on diversity issues.

Athletics: Choose Your Arena Despite our small size, Ridgeview has consistently competed at a

high level in our first five years of NCAA Division II Athletics.

We have twenty-two intercollegiate sports and in this past year,

we finished in 7th Place in the Division II Directors Cup Stand-

ings. In addition to intercollegiate sports, our students participate

in a wide range of Intramural Leagues and Club Sports Teams.

Whether it is under the bright lights of Alexander Stadium, or

against a group of friends, Ridgeview students love to play.

Community Service: Give Back One of Ridgeview’s core values is active and responsible civic

participation. All students are required to attend and lead two

separate service trips around the country or world. However, our

students’ passion for giving back is more evident in the fact that

ninety-five percent of our students engage in service to the local

community. Service involvement includes American Cancer So-

ciety, Habitat For Humanity Adopt-a-Grandparent, & CROP.

Organizations: Lead With Passion

At Ridgeview, student organizations are the pulse of our campus.

This past year, students were involved in over one hundred dif-

ferent campus organizations, ranging from Fraternities & Sorori-

ties, Academic Honoraries, Religious Life, and Student Govern-

ment. Students have the opportunity to explore all these different

groups at the annual Involvement Fair. If students see an interest

not represented, they are encouraged to start their own group.

Student Life At Ridgeview As Alumni, our fondest memories and closest friendships often came

from campus involvement. Check out what’s happening on campus.

THE OVERLOOK

FALL 2010

8

Policy: Challenge & Support At Ridgeview, the consistent theme that guides our student conduct

policies is student responsibility. We believe that placing too many

behavioral limitations on students takes away from their ability to

learn responsible social behaviors. By allowing students freedom in

their residential experience, we give students the chance to make

their own mistakes and successes, supporting and challenging them

at every impasse11

. Our emphasis on student responsibility is evident

is in our alcohol/party policy. Students can consume alcohol in any

residential facilities, provided that they are of legal drinking age. Ad-

ditionally, students can host parties in their rooms or apartments, as

long as they register the event with our housing office. This strength-

ens the community by setting reasonable boundaries and maintaining

a well-rounded living environment12

.

Ridgeview College believes that student learning

and development are constant and can not be lim-

ited to just the classroom. Consequently, as we im-

plement significant changes to our curriculum, we

must also keep pace with this development in other

areas. One way this change is present is in our

newly-established three-year on-campus housing

requirement. The research of Longerbeam, Inkelas,

and Brower9 has shown that residence life programs

have a significant impact on facilitating supportive

peer and faculty interactions. “Recent empirical

work noted that students: (a) are more involved

with their college environments, (b) partake in

greater numbers and richer types of interactions, (c)

have stronger academic outcomes, and (d) overall,

experience a better adjustment to college” (p. 21).

In order to maximize these benefits for our students,

we are implementing a four-year Residence Life

plan for our students. The Residential Transitions

Model is intentionally designed to teach students

important life skills and facilitate positive peer and

faculty interactions. Each year, students will experi-

ence a different type of living environment that pro-

gressively transitions them to life after college. Each

hall will be staffed with residence life professionals

and student paraprofessionals, who are responsible for

community building, educational programming, and

facility management. As we spoke with students about

the newly implemented housing requirement, one con-

cern that consistently came up was cost. In addressing

this concern, we have made every effort to make it on-

campus housing an affordable and attractive option for

students. The cost of living on campus at Ridgeview

College is $6,800, which is $2,900 less than the na-

tional average for & board fees at private institutions10.

Living On Campus: Transitions To Independence

THE OVERLOOK

FALL 2010

9

Year Two: Suite-Style Housing In their second year, all students move into the newly-renovated Hickson Hall. The suite-style setup of this beautiful

residence hall provides students with the opportunity to fur-ther develop their social skills by living additional roommates.

All rooms are equipped with their own bathrooms and living room areas, providing plenty of opportunity for social interac-

tions and independence. Additionally, the gender-neutral lay-out of Hickson Hall gives students in their second year the option of living with members of the opposite sex. This setup

creates additional opportunities for growth and development.

The Residential Transitions Model

Year One: Residential Colleges During students’ first year at Ridgeview, they are assigned a roommate and placed in one of our three Residential Colleges:

Magnolia, Longleaf, & Cedar. Within these Residential Col-leges, first-year students learn the importance of relationships,

community, and academic excellence. Each floor is assigned a dedicated faculty mentor and a Residential Advisor to guide stu-

dents through their first year. Every year, Magnolia, Longleaf, and Cedar compete in a series of mental and physical challenge for the right to claim bragging rights and the vaunted Peach Cup.

Year Three: On-Campus Apartments In the third year of the Residential Transitions Model, stu-dents take up residence in on-campus apartments. Each apart-

ment unit houses up to four students and is equipped with a full kitchen, laundry facilities, and individual bedrooms for

each student. Each apartment complex is staffed by a fourth-year student, who serves as a Community Advisor. In addition

to facility management, this person is responsible for planning educational programs that complement The Art of Living Stu-dent Development Seminar. Students in apartments must stay

on a limited option meal plan (4 meals/week).

Year Four: Townhouses, Off-Campus Students are only required to live on campus for four years. However, some students find that it is more affordable and

convenient to continue to live on campus. For students who desire this option, we have our brand-new townhouses that

function as completely independent living options. Students in the townhouses are not required to have a meal plan. If stu-

dents want to live off campus in Blairsville, we will help them secure housing in local apartment complexes or houses.

THE OVERLOOK

FALL 2010

10

Admissions Process: Redefining Selectivity

Two years ago, our talented admissions team

implemented an innovative admissions selec-

tion process designed to mirror the mission

and culture of Ridgeview College. Tradition-

ally, selective admissions criteria refer primar-

ily to high school GPA and standardized test

scores. While research has consistently shown

a positive correlation between standardized

test scores and student persistence7, we believe

that institutional fit is a more important selec-

tion criteria. Consequently, the primary mis-

sion of our admissions team is to recruit tal-

ented students who are passionate about join-

ing the Ridgeview community. Each student

who applies to Ridgeview College is required

to submit a personal statement about what

they hope to get out of their college experience.

Additionally, each applicant must interview

with an admissions counselor and a current

faculty member. By emphasizing institutional

fit over test scores, we are able to consistently

bring in students who are committed to the

mission and values of Ridgeview College.

Enrollment Snapshot (2010-2011) Total Enrollment (Fall 2010): 1,697 Undergraduate Students

Class of 2014

-Applicants: 4,290 ; Admitted Students: 1000 (23.3% Acceptance)

-Mean GPA: 3.45 ; Mean ACT: 26

-Enrollment (Fall 2010): 526 Students (31% of total enrollment)

Student Demographics: 55% women, 45% men; 30% students of

color; 63% of students from Georgia, 43 States & 14 Countries Rep-

resented; 29% of students are first generation college students.

THE OVERLOOK

FALL 2010

11

Tuition and Fees: $15,200

Room & Board: $6,800

Books & Supplies*: $1,000

Other Expenses**: $2,500

Comprehensive Costs: $25,500

* Includes any applicable course or facility charges

** Transportation, clothing, food, & misc. expenses

Financial Aid: Focusing On College, Not Debt

Alumni Mentor Program Over this past year, Alumni Relations and Finan-cial Aid have collaborated to develop an alumni

mentoring program. Starting this year, each

Ridgeview student will be matched with an

alumni mentor at the beginning of the second year. Mentors will be matched with students

based on academic and professional interests, as well as personal characteristics. Students will meet with their mentor at least twice a semester

for the remainder of their time at Ridgeview and hopefully continue this relationship after gradua-

tion. Our goal with this program is to teach our undergraduates the value of service to the univer-

sity and guide them through college. Please con-sider being a mentor for this upcoming year.

According to The New York Times13 the average

debt for graduating college seniors rose to $23,200 in 2009. When students leave college with signifi-

cant loans and debt, it can have a crippling effect on their financial standing upon graduation. At

Ridgeview College, we understand the stress that comes with high interest student loans and have

developed innovative solutions to assist our stu-dents. The first way we reduce financial pressure for our

students is by keeping our cost of attendance low. For the 2010-2011, our combined cost for tuition

and room and board is $22,000 per year. When you consider that the average total cost at private

institutions is $36,993, it becomes evident that Ridgeview offers one of the best college values in the nation. The only reason we are able to keep our

costs low is because of generous donations from Alumni.

In addition to our low cost of attendance, Ridge-view has also taken an innovative approach to stu-

dent loans. Our Deferred Tuition program allows students to take out loans through the university

for up to 75% of their comprehensive expenses. These are zero-profit loans, which means that they only accrue enough interest to keep up with infla-

tion rates. In addition to alleviating the financial burden for our students, it also familiarizes them

with the idea of giving back to the university. In addition to these programs, Ridgeview contin-

ues to provide significant grant and scholarship money to students. Recently moving up to NCAA Division II athletics also allows us to provide our

student athletes with additional scholarship money.

Student Expenses: 2010-2011)14

Ridgeview College

1990 College Avenue

Blairsville, GA 30512

The Overlook

On behalf of the students, faculty, and staff of Ridgeview College, the office of Alumni Relations would like to thank

all of our alumni for their generous contributions. The in-

novative programs and cutting edge facilities discussed in this newsletter would never have been possible without

your support. As Ridgeview College continues to change,

we will not forget the people or principles that have made our institution what it is today. Reach out today and help

our institution join the ranks of America’s Best Colleges.

Reach Out Today!

THE OVERLOOK

FALL 2010

13

Author: Luke Ahrens

Project: Implementation Plan - Ridgeview College

Course/Professor: CSP 6040 - Dr. Coomes

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20-30.

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13: Cenicola, T. . (2009, December 2). Average debt for graduating college seniors rises to $23,200. The New

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cost/tuition_freshman.html