FrequentlyAskedQuestionswhenTalkingwithProspectiveStudents
Whatareyourmostpopularacademicprograms?
Asasmallliberalartsandsciencesuniversityourmostpopularmajorsare
economics,English,history,foreignlanguages,politicalscience,psychology,and
internationalandglobalstudies.Ourfastestgrowingmajorisenvironmental
studies,whichprovidesstudentswithanopportunitytopursuefivedifferentpaths
ofstudyincluding:policy,eco‐bio,artsandhumanities,environmentalchemistry,
andnaturalresources.
Doyouofferanypre‐professionalprograms?
Weofferfivecategoriesofpre‐professionalprograms:business,education,
engineering,law,andmedicalandhealthprofessionsincluding(dentistry,medicine,
veterinarymedicine,andnursing).Studentsinterestedinapre‐professional
programwillmeetwithanadvisorsoonaftermatriculationtoplanappropriate
coursesofstudyandofferadviceaboutgraduateschooladmission.
CanyoudescribetheSewaneeclassroomexperience?
Sewaneeoffersauniqueclassroomenvironmentwherestudentshavean
opportunitytoworkone‐on‐onewithprofessors.Ouraverageclasssizeis15
studentsandourstudenttoprofessorratiois10to1.Thisenvironmentfacilitates
thedevelopmentofstudent’scriticalthinking,communication,andwritingskills.
Thisenvironmentisfurtherencouragedbyourseminarstyleclassroomformatas
opposedtothemoretraditionallecturehallvenue.
Whattypesofcommunityengagedlearning(CEL)andserviceopportunities
doyouofferatSewanee?
Studentcommitmenttosocialresponsibilityhasalwaysbeenalargepartofthe
university’shistoryandtraditionanditisourhopetocontinuethatresponsibility.
AtSewaneeweunderstandthattherearewaystolearnthathavenothingtodowith
sittingatadesk.Weencourageourstudentstoleavetheclassroomandgetinvolved
directlyinthecommunity,bothlocallyandglobally.Gettinginvolvedincommunity
engagedlearningmeansputtingtheliberalartsintopracticeandteachingstudents
thattheyarepartofamuchlargerworld.Sewanee’sOutreachMinistriesoffers
venuesforcommunityengagementtoencouragestudentstousetheirpassionsand
talentstoserveothersindomestic,national,andinternationallocationswhere
studentsareprovidedopportunitiestoengageinoutreach.
Doyouhaveastudyabroadprogram?
Yes,morethanhalfofourstudentbodystudiesabroadatsomepointduringtheir
timeatSewanee.Programsareavailableforasummer,semesterorentireschool
year(oursummerandsemesterprogramsareourmostpopular).Sewaneehas
establishedrelationshipswithanumberofuniversitiesandprogramsaroundthe
world.Studentsarealsoencouragedtotaketheinitiativetocreatetheirownstudy
abroadprogramorparticipateinapprovedprogramsatotheraccredited
universities.Ourmostpopularstudyabroadopportunitiesinclude:European
Studies,BritishStudies,andsummerprogramsofferedthroughtheacademic
departmentsatSewanee.
DoesSewaneeoffersummerprogramsforhighschoolstudents?
Yes.ThereisnothinglikesummerinSewanee.Studentsofallagescometothe
Mountaintorelax,exploreour13,000acresoftrails,lakes,andforests,andtake
advantageofthemanyopportunitiesofferedfromlateMaytoearlyAugust.
Examplesofsummerprogramsinclude:
—TheSewaneeEnvironmentalInstitute(SEI)isavailableforrisinghighschool
juniorsandseniorswhoarepassionateabouttheoutdoorsandwanttoadvance
theirknowledgeandskillsinthestudyoftheenvironment.
—TheSewaneeYoungWriters’Conference,offersseriousyoungwritersfromall
overtheU.S.opportunitiestopolishtheircraftwiththehelpofinstructors,whoare
writersofsignificantaccomplishment,withinsmallworkshopsdevotedtofiction,
poetry,creativenonfiction,andplaywriting.
—TheSewaneeSummerMusicFestivalisaninternationallyacclaimedfestival,
whichcombinesafour‐weekprogramforadvancedmusicstudentsanda
professionalconcertseries.
WhattraditionsmakeSewaneespecial?
OrderoftheGownsmen
Sincethe1870s,facultymembersandstudentshavebeensportingtheacademic
gownaroundcampustosignifytheirmembershipintheOrderoftheGownsmen.
StudentscanfirstbeinductedintotheOGaftertheirfreshmanyeariftheyhave
achievedasetgradepointaverage.BelongingtotheOGoffersstudentsmanyperks
suchaspriorityroomdrawandclassregistrationjusttonameafew.
PassingHello
“ThePassingHello”tracesitshistorybacktoGeneralJosiahGorgas,thesecondVice‐
ChancelloroftheUniversity,whoapparentlysalutedeverystudenthemetandlifted
hishatingreetingladies.NowSewaneestudents,facultymembers,andresidents
tendtogreetoneanotheronthestreeteveniftheyarecompletestrangers!You
wouldbehardpressedtomakeitfromyourdormtothedininghallwithout
exchangingatleastafewpassinghellos.
TheDressTradition
Youcan’tbeoncampuslongerthanafewminutesbeforeyounoticethatSewanee
studentsaredressedupforclass,whichisatypicalformostAmericancollegesor
universities.AtSewanee,studentselecttoparticipateintheclassdresstraditionin
ordertoshowrespectfortheirprofessorsandtheeducationtheyarereceiving.
ClassdresssymbolizesthatduringyourfouryearsatSewanee,academicsareyour
toppriority.Afterall,youwouldn’tgotoworkinyourpajamasnowwouldyou?
Classdressvarieswiththeseasonsbuttypicallymencanbeseenwearingkhakis,a
collaredshirtorcoatandtie;femalestudentstypicallywearslacksoraskirtanda
nicetoporadress.
TheHonorCode
UponyourmatriculationasastudentatSewanee,youwillbechargedwithsigning
andupholdingthehonorcode.Sewanee’shonorcodehasbeeninexistencesincethe
1870sandhasalwaysbeenmaintainedandadministeredbythestudentbody.One
especiallyuniqueaspectoftheSewaneehonorcodeisthatitappliestoallaspectsof
studentlifeoncampus,notjustacademics.Insigningthehonorcode,youare
pledgingonyourhonornottolie,cheatorstealormoresimplyput,tolive
honorablyasapartoftheSewaneecommunity.
TheSewaneeAngel
InafolkstoryitissaidthattheDomainoftheUniversityoftheSouthisaplaceso
beautifulthatangelsdwellwithinitsthegates.Theseangelsprotectallinhabitants
andvisitorsontheDomain.Sewaneeangelsaremorethanhappytobecomeyour
guardianangelandprotectyouofftheDomainaswell.Inordertopickupyour
angelyoumusttaptheroofofyourcarasyoudrivethroughthegateswhen
departingcampus.Uponyourreturn,youtaptheroofofyourcartoreleaseyour
angel.
TheSeal
Asanundergraduate,itisconsideredbadlucktosteponthesealoftheUniversityof
theSouth,whichislocatedinconvenientlyinthemainentrywayofAllSaints’
Chapel.Itissaidthatstudentswhosteponthesealwillnotgraduatewithinfour
years.Tothisend,studentswillgooutoftheirwaytoavoidthesealevenwhile
processingintothechapelforcommencement.Thereis,ofcourse,awaytobreak
thecursebutyouwillhavetocometoSewaneetofindoutthatsecret!
WhatisreligiouslifelikeatSewanee?
Spirituality,faith,religion,andcommunityarevibrantaspectsoftheDomain.All
Saints'Chapel,locatedatthecenterofthecampus,offersstudentsavarietyof
programsforexploringreligiousfaithandservingothers.Thechapelalsoservesas
ourformalgatheringspaceforConvocations,Commencementandother
celebrations.Beingcentrallylocatedisnotcoincidental.Itisanexpressionof
Sewanee'sidentityasanEpiscopaluniversity.About22%ofstudentsare
Episcopalianandtherearemanyotheropportunitiesforspiritualgrowthand
worshipbothonandofftheDomain.
WhatistheSewaneeOutingProgram(SOP)?
TheSewaneeOutingProgram(SOP)offersstudents,faculty,andstaffatthe
UniversityoftheSouththechancetoexplorethesplendidoutdoorenvironmentof
Sewanee'sDomain,theTennesseeregionandwildernessareasacrosstheU.S.
Whetheritisclimbing,caving,canoeing,kayaking,cycling,hiking,orbackpacking,
weloanequipmentandofferstudentsthechancetodevelopasoutdoortrip
leaders.
WheredoIliveinSewanee?
Becausemorethan95percentofundergraduatesliveoncampus,residential
facilitieshavebeenconsistentlyfillednearcapacityforthepastfewyears.Housing
optionsforundergraduatestudentscurrentlyinclude10coeddorms,threeall‐male
dorms,fourall‐femaledorms,thewomen’scenter,fourlanguagehouses,andtwo
specialhallsforstudentemergencypersonnel(studentEMTsandfirefighters),a
varietyofthemedhousing,andsorority/fraternityhouses.Thedormsrangefrom
traditionaldoublesandsinglestoanassortmentofsuitesetups.
HowdoIdecidewhereIwilllive?
Freshmenareassignedtodormsaccordingtotheiracademicinterestsand
participationinourLivingLearningCommunities.Thesetheme‐basedresidence
groupsprovideanopportunitytointroduceallfirstyearstudentstobroad
intellectualthemesinawaythatenhancestheiracademicexperience.Onceenrolled
youcanrespondtoourroommatequestionnaire.
WhendoIfindoutwhereIwilllive?
Roommateandhousingassignmentsaremadeindividuallybyhandtomatchyou
withthebestroommateanddormitorypossible.Becauseofthetime‐intensive
natureofthisprocess,youwillreceiveyourhousingandroommateassignmentsin
lateJuly.
CanIbringacartoSewanee?
Yes.Allstudentsareallowedtobringcarstocampus,althoughallstudentswalkor
ridetheirbikestoclass.Manycarswillstayparkedoncampusforweeksonend!
WhendoIapplytoSewanee?
TherearefourdifferentdeadlinesforAdmissiontoSewanee.
—EarlyDecisionI(binding):Nov.15
—EarlyAction(nonbinding):Dec.1
—EarlyDecisionII(binding):Jan.15
—RegularDecision(nonbinding):Feb.1
WhattypesofscholarshipsandfinancialaidareofferedatSewanee?
Forinformationregardingfinancialaidandscholarships,pleasecalltheFinancial
AidOfficebydialing931‐598‐1312orcontactyouradmissioncounselor.