Guilford College
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Guilford College is a small, private, four-year liberal arts college in Greensboro, North Carolina affiliated with the Religious Society of Friends (the Quakers). Originally founded in 1837 as the New Garden Boarding School; the name was changed to Guilford College in 1888 when the academic program expanded considerably.
Only about ten percent of the student body are Quakers; however, the institution is governed by Quaker principles. It is the oldest co-educational institution of higher learning in the Southeast. Its academic atmosphere, like that of many Quaker colleges, is open and informal; for example, students are encouraged to call professors by their first names.
The college is also noted for its left-leaning, liberal student body and faculty. Views on campus tend to be progressive and the student body is actively vocal in protesting the current social and political climate. They organize in peaceful protests on campus and around the country to bring about social change. Political activism is immensely popular at Guilford. It is considered one of the most progressive schools in the South thanks to its Quaker heritage. Its current president is Kent John Chabotar.
Athletically, Guilford competes as an NCAA Division III and Old Dominion Athletic Conference member. The school has won five national championships, including the 1973 NAIA men's basketball title, an NAIA women's tennis title and the 1989 (NAIA), 2002 and 2005 (NCAA Division III) men's golf titles.
Notable alumni
- Tony Womack: '92, current major league baseball player
- William Queen: '81, author of New York Times bestseller Under and Alone
- World B. Free: '76, former player for the San Diego Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets
- Keith Holliday: '75, mayor of Greensboro, North Carolina
- Rick Elmore: '74, Judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals
- M.L. Carr: '73, former Boston Celtics head coach
- Penelope W. Kyle: '69, president of Radford University
- Mary Ann Akers: '91, reporter for National Public Radio
- Howard Coble: '58, 6th District (NC) member of US House of Representatives
Notable students
- Nathaniel Heatwole, a Guilford student, was convicted in 2003 of placing box cutters (UK - Stanley Knives) and other banned items in commercial aircraft. In e-mail to the Transportation Security Administration, he stated his "public disobedience" was intended to highlight flaws in airport security.
- On January 31, 2005, sophomore Jordan Snipes, a guard on the Guilford basketball team, made an 87-foot cross-court shot to win the game against Randolph-Macon College with 0.6 seconds remaining. Video footage was caught by WRIC-TV, the ABC affiliate in Richmond, Virginia, and was widely broadcast, including on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays and Marv Albert's Sports Bloopers on "The Late Show with David Letterman."
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