Delaware Valley College is a small private college located in Doylestown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. First established in 1896, the college was at one point known as the National Farm School.
While still retaining its farm heritage by offering majors such as dairy science and crop science, Delaware Valley College has
since grown to offer degrees in majors such as business administration and biochemistry. The college prides itself on its unique
“hands on” policy, where students receive both a classroom and practical education.
History
The college was originally founded in 1896 by Dr. Joseph Krauskopf to educate young men into becoming scientific and practical
agriculturists. The National Farm School, as it was then called, initially occupied 100 acres, with only a small classroom
building for instruction. After WWII, the college expanded and began offering bachelor degrees in 1948, also becoming known as
the National Agricultural College. Then, in 1960, the institution changed its name to Delaware Valley College of Science and
Agriculture to reflect its incorporation of new programs such as Food Industry (1951), Biology and Chemistry (1958), and Business
Administration (1965). In the late 1960’s the college became co-educational, admitting its first female students. In 1989 the
college’s trustees approved an abbreviated name, finally deeming the institution Delaware Valley College. In 1998 the college
offered its first Master of Science Degree in Educational Leadership.
Mission Statement
The mission of Delaware Valley College is to provide students with an opportunity to reach their highest potential and to
acquire, in an intellectually stimulating environment, a quality education emphasizing hands-on experiential learning in
agriculture, arts and sciences, business, and graduate studies. The college prepares students for meaningful personal and
professional lives and leadership roles in service to the community, the state, the nation and the world by emphasizing
scholarship with good citizenship, and appreciation of our cultural heritage and the importance and necessity of lifelong
learning. Students are selected without regard to race, color, creed, ethnic origin, gender, age, disability, or economic
status.
Campus
DVC horses outside equine facility
The school currently occupies 571 acres, and is divided by the rail line passing through it into the east "urban" side and the
west "rural" side. Located on the urban side are most of the classrooms, including two fully equipped animal teaching labs,
several biology and chemistry labs, and a newly built luxury dormitory. The rural side, also know as Farm 3, is dedicated to the
practical work of agriculture. Farm 3 contains extensive equine facilities on campus which include the breeding facility and the
training facility, a diary barn, a swine barn, beef cattle herd, and an apiary, among other animal facilities. There also are a
variety of crop fields including peach, apple, and corn. The entire campus is also the Henry Schmieder Arboretum. DelVal, as it is widely known, also owns approximately 120 acres in
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; a farm at the intersection of
Routes 202 and 63.
Enrollment
The school currently enrolls about 1612 full-time undergraduates and more than 375 part-time students in the college's evening
college and weekend college. Approximately 1000 of these students live in residence halls on campus. The average class size is
17. The most popular programs the college offers include Business Administration, Small Animal Science, Criminal Justice, and
Equine Studies.
Alumni
Since its founding on February 27, 1910, the Alumni Association has been an active and positive force for the School and the
College. Its members are located throughout the world and fill prominent positions in industry, education and government. Alumni
have played a significant role in supporting annual giving, an endowment fund and awarding scholarships. Throughout the years,
alumni have given generously of their income and time to further the advancement of their alma mater. The various alumni funds
are sources of financial support that help to insure a sound future for the College.
There are numerous facilities that stand as examples of the loyalty of our graduates. Alumni have enthusiastically supported
the construction of James Work Memorial Stadium, Alumni Field, Alumni House, Feldstein Horticulture Science Center, and Arthur
Poley Greenhouse Complex. Many other contributions are of a material nature and indicate the feelings of the graduates.
All Alumni activities and meetings of the Alumni Association, such as class reunions, class agents, regional chapters, events,
and Homecoming are coordinated by the College's Director of Alumni Relations.
The College publishes Horizons, a magazine for alumni and friends of the College family.
The Executive Committee of the Alumni Association meets three times a year to develop and discuss alumni programs. Each year
the annual business meeting is held during Homecoming Weekend.
Points of interest
External links
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