Berea College

What is the history of Berea College?

Berea College was founded in 1855 in Berea, Kentucky, by abolitionist John G. Fee. Its early commitment to educating women and men, Black and white students, together remains central to its identity.

Kentucky's 1904 Day Law forced the college to stop interracial instruction. Berea challenged the law but lost its case before the U.S. Supreme Court; it resumed interracial education after the law was repealed. The college's present-day emphasis on access, interracial education, and student work reflects both its founding purpose and the barriers it encountered.

What are the faculties and departments at Berea College?

Berea College is a primarily undergraduate liberal arts college that awards bachelor's degrees. Its academic offerings span the arts, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and professional fields rather than separate graduate schools.

Students can explore fields such as biology, computer science, education, nursing, business, agriculture, music, and theater. The curriculum also includes general education requirements, while the college's labor program gives students a separate opportunity to learn through assigned work. A reported student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 describes the institution overall; it does not mean every class has ten students.

Applicants interested in a licensed profession, particularly nursing or teaching, should examine that program's current admission sequence and state licensure requirements in addition to the college's general degree requirements.

What is the location of Berea College?

Berea College is in Berea, a small city in central Kentucky south of Lexington. Its setting combines a residential campus with access to a town known for arts and crafts and to the nearby Berea College Forest.

The location offers outdoor recreation but is less transit-oriented than a large-city campus. Students considering trips home, clinical placements, or off-campus employment should plan transportation accordingly. Lexington's Blue Grass Airport is a regional air-travel option; students should account for the ground trip between the airport and Berea.

What is the mission and vision of Berea College?

Berea College states that its mission is to provide educational opportunity to students with limited financial resources, particularly those from Appalachia, while advancing interracial education, service, and the dignity of labor. These commitments shape its admissions and financial-aid model as well as its required student work program.

The college has Christian roots and describes values informed by that heritage. It is not necessary to treat its stated values as proof of every student's experience: applicants can assess how the mission appears in the curriculum, campus policies, and day-to-day life.