University of Montevallo

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Hallmarks and Quirks

Things I'm Good At:

Musical Theater. That whole Purple/Gold dynamic? Yeah, it's a big deal here. The plays are student led in every capacity, which can be academically painful for midterms.
Elementary Education. We have teachers who teach the people teaching kids to teach better.
Justifying a liberal arts education. I'm not going to lie; I'm pretty big on myself. I require a lot of general education and will use Aristotle to justify it.

My Top 5 Must-Haves:

Clothing that prepares you for the heat and humidity of Alabama. T-shirts and shorts. If you show up unprepared, you may be forced to look like Kid Rock, walking around shirtless with cut up jeans just trying to get air.
An allegiance to Purple or Gold. Picking a side sets your participation in a four year long war into motion.
Rain boots. The campus is built on a hill and the dorms are at the bottom of that hill...yeah. Be prepared to trek uphill against slick bricks.
An open mind. Come on, this is college and I'm a diverse school, so be prepared to broaden your horizons.
People to hang out with during weekends. I can sometimes turn into a ghost town if you're living on campus. Make sure to find friends who live in town.

Why You Might Have Heard of Me:

College night. The longest running college homecoming tradition in the United States.
The Life Raft Debate. A debate amongst select faculty members as to whose discipline will be chosen to survive after fallout has occurred. For a preview of how nuts this is, you can check out This American Life.

On a regular Saturday night, you can find me...

Saturday nights you can find plenty of students huddled up at Eclipse where, for those of age, students will have a drink and relax. Students can also take in a free concert at Eclipse or, if they're feeling bold, put forth their own musical talents at an open mic night.

My students may also be found taking a stroll through Orr Park, where most Art Walks are held, staring at the dozens of faces carved into trees. If it's late, these carvings can be unnerving to say the least.

When in doubt, though, search the dorm lobbies and group areas where there are bound to be students watching movies and playing games.

Favorite Hangouts:

If you're looking to relax with friends, Eclipse is where you'll want to head to catch a few bands and visit with the always chill Eclipse cats.
The Tavern plays host to a healthy mix of students and townies if you're looking to get a better feel for the town. Also, grab one of their gargantuan burgers while you're at it.
El Agave is home to any student on a fixed income, with cheap, filling menu options that are also tasty. For those of age, margarita night is every night except Sunday.
If you need to escape the dorms for a couple hours, head over to Orr Park and take a stroll. While you're there, try to spot all the tree carvings as you circle the park.
If you're up for an adventure, and know the right people, take a day to find the hidden waterfall in Montevallo. I would give you more info but I'm afraid I've already said too much.

Quirks:

The James Wylie Shepherd Observatory. What? You didn't expect a public liberal arts college to have one of the only observatories to be accessible to all those with disabilities? Totally understandable...but I have one.
Ebenezer Swamp. A few miles away from the university is a wetland ecological center dedicated to researching the Cahaba River. While amazing, if it's not associated with your department, it's easy to forget about. Make sure to make a visit.
I'm a liberal arts college, so one thing you might need a heads up on: I'm going to make you take a lot of general education classes. I know, I know, you're a biology major and don't need four English classes. I'm sorry, but you have to.

Famous Alumni:

Rebecca Luker, an actress who's been on Boardwalk Empire
Jim Dunaway, the talk show host
Jo Kittenger, an author of tons of children's books
Polly Holliday, an actress your parents probably know about
Rusty Greer, the baseball player