:Cedar Crest College

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Following discussions in the Zion Reformed Church in 1866 to establish a seminary for women, the church appointed a committee of five members to investigate the matter. At the annual meeting of the East Pennsylvania Classis at the Zion Reformed Church the following year, members discussed a proposal set forth by neighboring Muhlenberg College recommending the need to establish an institution to serve women.{{Cite book |last=Nuwer |first=Hank |title=At the Crest: A History of Cedar Crest College from 1867-1988 |publisher=Cedar Crest College Alumnae Association |year=2004 |isbn=0-9754630-0-4 |edition=1st |location=Allentown, Pennsylvania |pages=13-17 |language=English}}

A decision was made at the meeting to start the school, and the resulting institution became known as the Lehigh Female Academy.

The building was first constructed by Attorney Robert E. Wright, who named it Clover Nook, Wright's summer home that had been built in the 1850s. Parts of that earlier building were incorporated into the college. In 1867, it was donated to the Allentown Female College, and was occupied in 1868 as Allentown's first institution of higher education for women under the direction of the Reformed Church, now the United Church of Christ. In 1869, it was enlarged with three stories being added to the original structure. In addition, a 58x40 second addition was constructed. A continuous porch of over 300 feet in length was constructed around the entire building.

Wright, who had a number of daughters, felt strongly that young women in the city should have an education. The school's first classes were held in the basement of Zion's Reformed Church, but its first permanent quarters opened Nov. 3, 1869, at Fourth and Turner streets. In 1884, another wing was added. From 1869 to 1913 it was the college's main building. In 1893, the school received a new charter and was renamed the Allentown College for Women (ACW). It was operating under that name at the same location in 1908 when the Rev. Charles Curtis took over as president.

Classes started on September 5, 1867 in the basement of the Zion Reformed Church with just 5 students that grew to 14 by the end of the inaugural semester.{{cite web |title=A Legacy of Leadership |url=https://www.cedarcrest.edu/about/history-traditions/ |website=cedarcrest.edu |access-date=13 December 2024}}

In 1913, Cedar Crest College moved to far west Allentown and became known as Cedar Crest College after the new location was dedicated on June 4th, 1913. After the college moved out, the building was vacant for several years. In May 1917, the building on 4th street was purchased and remodeled as a hotel, being renamed as the "College Hotel". It had 65 rooms, with running hot and cold water in each room. It was also equipped with separate room telephones. Guests in its heyday in the 1920s were stage and screen star Al Jolson and a young military pilot, Curtis LeMay, who later became a general.

On 26 January 1939, a fire broke out in a chimney and severely damaged the upper floors, which had to be demolished. In the years after, the hotel began go go to seed, and slowly deteriorated. By June 1964, the hotel had become a long-term low-rent residential home for about 40 residents. Its condition had seriously deteriorated to the point that the City of Allentown ordered the property vacated and closed. It was subsequently condemned on 18 July. was ordered closed and the property condemned as unsafe.

The hotel was raised in October/November 1964. Plans to build a large apartment complex never materialized and today the property consists as a parking lot.

File:Allentown College for Women Logo.jpg

The college moved to its current location in 1868 after having outgrown its former location. The academy bought Robert Emmett Wright's Clover Nook Estate in Allentown and changed its name to the Allentown Female College.

In 1872, the Cedar Crest Alumnae Association was founded; it later registered as a non-profit in 1933. In 1884, the campus was expanded to include 25 rooms, a gym, library, art room, and a chapel. The school was renamed to the "Allentown College for Women" in 1893.

File:Cedar Crest College, Allenstown, Pennsylvania (75639).jpg

On June 4, 1913, the school would move again, this time to its present location. It again changed its name, this time to Cedar Crest College. Classes began on the new campus on September 29, 1915.

In 1927, the Allen House was built as the president's residence. The building was later transformed into a library and administrative building. The Allen House was named in honor of college supporters and alumnae William and Roberta Ritter Allen, class of 1936.{{Cite web |title=History & Traditions |url=https://www.cedarcrest.edu/about/history-traditions/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=Cedar Crest College |language=en-US}}

In 2001, the school picked the falcon as its mascot, replacing the old team name the "Classics". Two years later, Cedar Crest began offering graduate courses and degrees with an MBA program that would be expanded to include doctoral-level degrees in nursing that later grew into an entire school of nursing.

The college's Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science programs span more than 35 majors.{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.cedarcrest.edu/about/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=Cedar Crest College |language=en-US}} The curriculum also includes professional advising programs in Pre-Dentistry,{{Cite web |title=Undergraduate |url=https://www.cedarcrest.edu/program/dentistry/undergraduate/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=Cedar Crest College |language=en-US}} Pre-Medicine,{{Cite web |title=Undergraduate |url=https://www.cedarcrest.edu/program/medicine/undergraduate/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=Cedar Crest College |language=en-US}} and Pre-Veterinary Medicine.{{Cite web |title=Undergraduate |url=https://www.cedarcrest.edu/program/veterinary-pre-professional-advising-program/undergraduate/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=Cedar Crest College |language=en-US}}

In 1974, the college offered its first bachelor’s degree in nursing. The first nursing class graduated in 1978. This program was the first of its kind in the Lehigh Valley.

Cedar Crest College also offers over 15 programs at the graduate level. Its MBA Program offers a focus on Women's Leadership.{{Cite web |title=Master of Business Administration |url=https://cedarcrest.edu/sage/mba/index.shtm |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=cedarcrest.edu}} The Pan-European MFA Program in Creative Writing is the first MFA low-residency program in the United States with entirely international residencies.{{Cite web |date=November 2023 |title=Association of Writers and Writing Programs |url=https://www.awpwriter.org/magazine_media/writers_notebook_view/415}} Cedar Crest College is also home to the first Master of Crime Science degree in the United States.{{Cite web |last=lehighvalleylive.com |first=Sara K. Satullo {{!}} For |date=2019-11-06 |title=New Cedar Crest College program not only a 1st in the nation, but also aims to curb crime |url=https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/2019/11/new-cedar-crest-college-program-not-only-a-1st-in-the-nation-but-also-aims-to-curb-crime.html |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=lehighvalleylive |language=en}}

The College expanded again to offer its first doctorate program in 2017.{{Cite web |last=lehighvalleylive.com |first=Sara K. Satullo {{!}} For |date=2017-01-20 |title=How this all-women college stuck to its roots and flourished |url=https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/allentown/2017/01/cedar_crest_college.html |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=lehighvalleylive |language=en}} Starting with a Doctor of Nursing practice, the college now offers four doctoral degrees in Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nursing Practice, Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nursing Practice, Nurse Anesthesia, and Occupational Therapy.

Started in 2016 by college president Carmen Twillie Ambar, each sophomore class at Cedar Crest is offered a 7- to 10-day study abroad experience in the spring of their second year at no cost to the student, excluding passport and personal spending costs. All full-time, traditional students are eligible for the Sophomore expedition as long as they remain in good academic, social, and financial standing with the college. In 2023, the Sophomore Expedition received the National Association of International Educators (NAFSA) Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award for Campus Internationalization.

Source:{{Cite web |title=Sophomore Expedition - Learn Abroad |url=https://www.cedarcrest.edu/admissions-and-aid/undergraduate-admissions/sophomore-expedition/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=Cedar Crest College |language=en-US}}

• 2018: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• 2019: Athens, Greece
• 2020: San Jose, Costa Rica
• 2021: London, England
• 2022: Marrakesh, Morocco
• 2023: Rome, Italy
• 2024: Dublin Ireland
• 2025: Lisbon, Portugal
• 2026: Belize

{{Further|William F. Curtis Arboretum}}

Cedar Crest is located off Cedar Crest Boulevard at 100 College Drive on the western edge of Allentown, Pennsylvania.{{cite web |title=Cedar Crest College website |url=http://www.cedarcrest.edu/ |access-date=2008-05-27}} The {{convert|84|acre|ha|adj=on}} campus is adjacent to the city's Cedar Beach Park.{{cite web | title = Virtual Campus Tour | publisher = Cedar Crest College | location = Allentown, Pennsylvania | url = http://www.cedarcrest.edu/Redesign/Home%20Page/tour_frameset.asp | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20031119233457/http://www.cedarcrest.edu/Redesign/Home%20Page/tour_frameset.asp | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2003-11-19 | access-date = 2008-05-27 }}

Buildings include Blaney Hall, The Narrows, Curtis Hall, and Hamilton Boulevard Building.{{cite web|title=Campus Facilities |work=2007-2008 Catalog |publisher=Cedar Crest College |url=http://www.cedarcrest.edu/Redesign/catalog/HTML/campus_facilities.html |access-date=2008-05-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120031937/http://www.cedarcrest.edu/Redesign/catalog/HTML/campus_facilities.html |archive-date=November 20, 2008 }}{{cite web | title = Cedar Crest College Celebrates Official Opening of New Facility | work = News Release | publisher = Cedar Crest College | date = October 8, 2007 | url = http://www.cedarcrest.edu/Redesign/Home%20Page/press_frameset.asp | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040302063851/http://www.cedarcrest.edu/Redesign/Home%20Page/press_frameset.asp | url-status = dead | archive-date = March 2, 2004 | access-date = 2007-05-27 }} The college also has four residence halls: Butz Hall, Moore Hall, Steinbright Hall, and the upper level of Curtis Hall.{{cite web | title = Housing lottery nears: Residence halls revealed | work = The Crestiad | date = March 29, 2007 | pages = 3–4 | url = http://www2.cedarcrest.edu/crestiad/pdf/March%2029%20reduced.pdf | access-date = 2008-05-27 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110522092312/http://www2.cedarcrest.edu/crestiad/pdf/March%2029%20reduced.pdf | archive-date = 2011-05-22 | url-status = dead }}

Cedar Crest's collection of 140 species of trees is designated as the William F. Curtis Arboretum, which is registered with the American Public Gardens Association. The arboretum is named for the college's seventh president, who after purchasing the property in 1915, beautified the campus by planting flowers, shrubs and trees from all over the world.{{cite web | title = William F. Curtis Arboretum: Mission/History | publisher = Cedar Crest College | url = http://cedarcrest.edu/Redesign/arboretum/history.asp | access-date = 2008-05-27 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080502143115/http://www.cedarcrest.edu/Redesign/arboretum/history.asp |archive-date = 2008-05-02}}

File:Cedar Crest College (6).JPG|Blaney Hall

File:Cressman Library Cedar Crest College.JPG|Cressman Library

file:Hamilton Building.jpg|Hamilton Building

file:Cedar Crest College south gate.JPG|South gate

File:Cedar crest falcons wmark.png

Cedar Crest, known athletically as the Falcons, competes in NCAA Division III athletics. The college fields teams in basketball, cross country running, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, swimming and diving, track and field, wrestling, and volleyball.

The Rodale Aquatic Center on campus is home to the college's swimming and diving team.

• Jane Amsterdam, editor of Manhattan, inc. and the New York Post{{cite magazine|title=The Amsterdam News|first=Jeanie|last=Kasindorf|magazine=New York|date=May 30, 1988|pages=40–44|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=teMCAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA40}}
• Rita Kogler Carver, theater and lighting designer
• Jane Dyer, illustrator of children's books
• Judy McGrath, CEO of MTV{{cite web|title=Cedar Crest College Profile|url=http://www.collegeprofiles.com/cedar.html|access-date=25 March 2013}}
• Dorothy Page, actress
• John Pressman, member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
• Suzanne Fisher Staples, author and international news reporter{{cite web |url=http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Staples__Suzanne_Fisher.html |title=Suzanne Fisher Staples |access-date=2015-07-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515234806/http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Staples__Suzanne_Fisher.html |archive-date=2013-05-15 }}
• Blenda Wilson, university administrator{{cite web|url=http://achievingthedream.org/people/289/blenda-j-wilson-phd|title=Blenda J. Wilson, Ph.D.|access-date=17 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030952/http://achievingthedream.org/people/289/blenda-j-wilson-phd|archive-date=2016-03-04|url-status=dead}}

• Chrystelle Trump Bond, former American dancer, choreographer, and dance historian
• Anthony S. Caprio, former president, Western New England University
• Richard Druckenbrod, former theology professor and Pennsylvania German language scholar
• Fred Benjamin Gernerd, former Congressman and former Cedar Crest trustee
• Frank Reed Horton, first national president of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity
• Diane Moyer, former Olympic field hockey player and current associate professor in the psychology department
• Barton C. Shaw, historian
• Pauline Tompkins, former president of Cedar Crest College

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• [https://cedarcrestathletics.com/ Athletics website]

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