Academics
Lincoln University brings a hallowed history to the education of the free and enslaved African American community. Set on the hills of southern Chester County in Pennsylvania, the revered institution has produced some of the most prominent Black figures and leaders in the country and beyond. The rigorous liberal arts education provides 30 bachelor’s degree programs, as well as additional minor and certificate areas. All students must fulfill General Education requirements across disciplines, including a First Year Experience course, African American Experience course, and the completion of Writing Proficiency. The Sophomore Year Experience is a cornerstone of the Lincoln education, designed to avoid the “sophomore slump” through dedicated workshops, conferences, and interactive experiences; the Get Connected workshops included within the SYE are built-in socialization sessions that also provide guidance for what to do throughout the rest a student’s time at the university. The Pan-Africana Major exemplifies the school’s commitment to a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum in that it allows students to double major, double minor, or select electives outside of the major, and the Center for Undergraduate Research also promotes a similar ideal of interdisciplinary study and research.
Career
Lincoln University has equally high standards for the enriching opportunities provided by extracurriculars, which is why each club and organization needs to maintain a number of “points” in order to remain active. The Campus Activities Board has positions dedicated to providing programming and liaising with the Office of Student Life and Development, including an event coordinator, late night/ weekend chairs, and community engagement chairs. The school regularly hosts events like the Underground Railroad Conference, which brings together historians, scholars, and students to share research (including the role of HBCUs). There are plenty of recurring traditions such as Spring Fling, Homecoming, and Pump Handle, when the school welcomes its students back for the new school year through games, events, and a university cookout. For the creatively inclined, the Radio & TV Operations houses the school’s radio station and studios, and streams the four closed-circuit channels on which students can showcase their projects programs.
Culture
The majority of students at Lincoln plan to pursue further study after graduation, with a high number going on to seek doctorate degrees. The Career Development Office sets high goals, expecting each student to have either two job offers or acceptance into two graduate programs (or one of each) at least three months prior to graduation. Services offered by the office include an annual career fair, personalized résumé consultations, and employer field trips; there is a separate Office of Internship Services to help students arrange for internships, externships, and professional experiences. Pay scale.com says Lincoln University graduates make an average salary of $70,000 per year. Notable alumni include former supreme court justice Thurgood Marshall, poet Gil Scott-Heron, and award-winning author Langston Hughes
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