Lebanon Valley College (LVC)

Lebanon Valley College (LVC), a private, co-educational college founded in 1866, offers more than 40 undergraduate majors in the health professions, sciences, business and digital media, arts, humanities, and education. Hands-on learning, internships, and research are emphasized. LVC offers five direct-entry (bachelor's to master's) programs in Accounting/MBA 3+1, Athletic Training 3+2, Clinical Mental Health Counseling 3+2, Engineering 3+2, and Speech-Language Pathology 3+2, and a nationally recognized six-year direct-entry Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. There are more than a dozen graduate programs, including an MBA, M.Ed., and M.S. degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Clinical Exercise Physiology, and Intelligence and Security Studies. Close faculty-student relationships and mentoring are hallmarks of the LVC experience.

The college offers generous financial aid and guaranteed merit scholarships. Career success is integrated into the curriculum through the Edward and Lynn Breen Center for Career and Professional Development beginning in a student's first semester on campus.

Located eight miles from Hershey, Pennsylvania, this college of 1,600 undergraduate and 400+ graduate students educates alumni who attend prestigious graduate and professional schools and are employed by top companies and organizations.

More than 1,600 undergraduate students call LVC home, and more than 400 graduate students take courses online and in-person. Forty percent of undergraduates are recruited student-athletes. The Flying Dutchmen NCAA Division 3 teams play in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC). Students come from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and Virginia, and from as far away as Alaska, Michigan, California, Ireland, and the Ukraine. The campus is welcoming to residential students and commuters.

Musical and performing arts are popular activities among LVC's students whichever their area of study. The College's Pride of the Valley Marching Band is the largest in the MAC. The student-run Wig & Buckle theatre company puts on multiple shows per year. Students also compete in esports and intramurals and join cultural, special interest, academic, and service-focused activities.

At Lebanon Valley College "about half the student population is athletes, and the other half is music and art majors," and "A typical student is friendly and outgoing." Students describe themselves as "dedicated to their school work but also involved in many other activities," and they say "We have a great diversity in our students' personalities hobbies and backgrounds." A freshman says, "Despite the fact that the school isn't very racially diverse, it's certainly a school where you can grasp a sense of appreciation for diversity." Another student adds: "The atmosphere is generally very accepting despite a moderately conservative student population." Students "hang out or party with friends," but they say "If you're looking to constantly party, this school may not be your best choice, though there is an active social life should you seek it out." A communications major says, "The party circuit exists, but it's not like you walk around the corner and smack into one; you have to know where to go," but most agree that "while there are ‘popular' and ‘unpopular' students, generally no one is an ‘outcast.'"

Lebanon Valley College has a "friendly, beautiful campus community" that offers a "welcoming atmosphere" and a plentitude of "opportunities both in and outside the classroom." Students say, "LVC is a supportive family that is willing to help its students with whatever they may need," and many agree "There is a good support staff available, and the college is rich with resources." A senior says, "It's a small school that has many options. It has great activities and clubs on campus, [and] the facilities are nice." Many students "are involved in the wide variety of clubs available on campus or [as] members of a sports team," but some point out that "you will find a variety of clubs and organizations, but there are obviously not as many as in a big school." Regardless, students feel "Lebanon Valley merges academics with activities…there is ALWAYS something to do," and "The atmosphere is relaxed, and the campus is safe." There are complaints that "the student population is growing, and unfortunately the campus needs to be renovated and expanded," and everyone agrees that "the cafeteria is lacking," because "the food is not the greatest."