Davis & Elkins College

What is the history of Davis & Elkins College?

Davis & Elkins College was founded in 1904 in Elkins, West Virginia, as a Presbyterian college. It takes its name from Henry Gassaway Davis and Stephen Benton Elkins, two U.S. senators whose families were closely connected to the institution and the surrounding community.

The college's historic campus includes estates associated with those families, notably Halliehurst and Graceland. Their continued presence helps explain why a small liberal arts college has a campus shaped partly by Elkins's late-19th-century history. Today, Davis & Elkins combines liberal arts study with professional programs, including nursing, education and business.

What are the faculties and departments at Davis & Elkins College?

Davis & Elkins College is a small institution offering liberal arts and professional study rather than a large university organized around numerous separate colleges. Prospective students can explore programs in the humanities, natural and social sciences, business, education, the arts and health-related fields.

Examples of fields represented in its academic offerings include biology, computer science, English, psychology, business administration, teacher education and nursing. The college offers undergraduate pathways, and students should check the current academic catalog for the precise credential, course sequence and availability of a particular major. That distinction matters especially for nursing and teacher preparation, where completing a degree and meeting professional eligibility requirements are related but separate steps.

Reported enrollment of 661 students and a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 suggest a smaller-scale academic setting. The ratio describes staffing across the institution; it is not a promise about the size of every class or the availability of every course each semester.

What is the location of Davis & Elkins College?

Davis & Elkins College is in Elkins, a small city in north-central West Virginia. Its campus setting differs substantially from that of a college in a major metropolitan area: students can reach services in town, but regional travel generally requires more planning.

Elkins sits near the Allegheny Mountains, making the surrounding area relevant to students interested in outdoor activities and environmental study. For applicants deciding whether to live on campus or commute, the practical questions are travel time, winter driving conditions and access to a vehicle. First-year students are permitted to register or park a car on campus, subject to the college's current parking rules.

What is the mission and vision of Davis & Elkins College?

Davis & Elkins College describes its purpose in terms of liberal arts learning, preparation for work and service, and students' personal development. It has an affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA), a part of its institutional identity that prospective students may wish to consider alongside its academic programs.

A mission statement expresses what the college intends to do; it does not, by itself, establish any particular student outcome. Applicants comparing colleges can look for evidence of how these priorities appear in degree requirements, advising, campus activities and support for students with different backgrounds or beliefs.