Randolph College Randolph College is a private liberal arts and sciences college located in Lynchburg , Virginia , United States . Founded in 1891 as Randolph - Macon Woman ' s College , it was renamed on July 1 , 2007 , when it became coeducational . The college offers 29 majors , 30 minors , pre - professional programs in law , medicine , veterinary medicine , engineering , and teaching , and dual degree programs in engineering and nursing . Bachelor of arts , bachelor of science and bachelor of fine arts degrees are offered . Randolph offers master of arts in teaching and master of education degrees . The College , which has always been known for preparing its alumnae and alumni to succeed in a global environment with study abroad programs , recently announced Bridges Not Walls , a Quality Enhancement Program ( QEP ) required by its regional accrediting agency ( Southern Association of Colleges and Schools ) . Bridges Not Walls , approved by the College ' s faculty during 2010 , is designed to enhance students ' intercultural competence . Randolph is one of only 240 colleges and universities in the United States with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter . Randolph operates a study abroad program , Randolph College Abroad : The World in Britain at the University of Reading , England . Randolph is an NCAA Division III school competing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference ( ODAC ) . The college fields varsity teams in six men ' s and eight women ' s sports . The coed riding team competes in both the ODAC and the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association . Notable alumni include author Pearl S . Buck , who won the Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize , former U . S . Senator Blanche Lincoln , and CNN senior political correspondent Candy Crowley . Randolph is a member of The Annapolis Group of colleges in the United States , the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia , and the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges . History . The college was founded by William Waugh Smith , then - president of Randolph - Macon College , under Randolph - Macon ' s charter after he failed to convince R - MC to become co - education al . Randolph - Macon Woman ' s College has historic ties to the United Methodist Church . After many attempts to find a location for Randolph - Macon Woman ' s College , the city of Lynchburg donated 50 acres for the purpose of establishing a women ' s college . In 1916 , it became the first women ' s college in the South to earn a Phi Beta Kappa charter . Beginning in 1953 , the two colleges were governed by separate boards of trustees . Main Hall , built in 1891 , was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 . In August 2006 , only a few weeks into the academic year , Randolph - Macon Woman ' s College announced that it would adopt coeducation and change its name . Former Interim president Ginger H . Worden argued ( in a 17 September 2006 editorial for the " Washington Post " ) that , " today , the college is embarking on a new future , one that will include men . Yet that original mission , that dedication to women ' s values and education , remains . The fact of the marketplace is that only 3 percent of college - age women say they will consider a women ' s college . The majority of our own students say they weren ' t looking for a single - sex college specifically . Most come despite the fact that we are a single - sex college . Our enrollment problems are not going away , and we compete with both coed and single - sex schools . Of the top 10 colleges to which our applicants also apply , seven are coed . Virtually all who transfer from R - MWC do so to a coed school . These market factors affect our financial realities . " The decision to go co - ed was not welcomed by everyone . Alumnae and students organized protests which were covered by local and national media . Many students accused the school of having recruited them under false pretenses , as the administration did not warn new or current students that they were considering admitting men . Lawsuits were filed against the school by both students and alumnae . It was renamed " Randolph College " on July 1 , 2007 , when it became coeducational . The last class to have the option to receive diplomas from Randolph Macon Woman ' s College graduated on 16 May 2010 . Traditions . One of the college ' s oldest traditions is the Even / Odd rivalry . The year the student graduates denotes whether they are an Even or an Odd . The two staircases in Main Hall lobby are known as the " Even Stairs " on the left and " Odd Stairs " on the right . According to superstition , a student who uses the wrong set of stairs will not graduate . The class of 1903 unofficially established the Odd / Even tradition by adopting the class of 1905 as " little sisters . " The campus symbol of the Odd classes is the " Odd Tree " , located on the college ' s front lawn . Legend has it that the original Odd Tree was burned down by Evens . A large cement replica of the trunk now stands on the site of the original tree . The Odd symbols are the witch and the devil . Their colors are red , grey and blue . Their spirit organization is the Gamma 13 founded by the class of 1913 . The " Even Post " in front of Main Hall serves as a symbol of the Even classes . Dr . William Waugh Smith tied his horse , Mr . Buttons , to this hitching post every day . The Evens also adopted Dr . Smith ' s dog , Mr . Bones , as a mascot . Symbols of the Even classes are buttons ( after the horse ) and bones ( after the dog ) . Their colors are green , white and tan . Their spirit organization is called the Etas . Members of the Odd and Even classes attempt to keep their respective tree and post clean and white , while striving to spraypaint or otherwise deface the symbol of their rival class . Throughout the semester Skeller Sings are held between the Odd and Even classes . The senior spirit group stands on the stage in the Student Center to lead their sister class with class songs . The junior spirit group is sent to the stairs to lead their class respectively . At the end of the Skeller Sing , both the Etas and the Gammas come together to sing the Song of Syncopation and the school song . Even or Odd Day is celebrated during the spring term . Members of First Year Board secretly decorate the campus the night of Even / Odd Day to surprise their sister class . The Evens and the Odds then face off at dinner time with a water balloon fight . " Bury the Hatchet " is celebrated at the end of the spring semester before graduation . A senior presents a hatchet to the most spirited junior to symbolize the Odds and Evens coming together in friendship at the end of the academic year . Ring Week . Ring Week , held in November , is celebrated by juniors and their sister class , the first - years . The week begins with junior draw , when the juniors are picked by members of the first - year class . Throughout the week , the first - year will leave the junior gifts anonymously , and decorate their door . At the end of the week the juniors have a class dinner before taking part in a campus - wide scavenger hunt created by their first - years . The juniors are then presented with their class ring . Sometimes the first - year will have the junior complete a final task before receiving her ring such as breaking open a piñata , digging through Jell - O , or dancing outrageously . Pumpkin Parade . Pumpkin Parade is celebrated by seniors and sophomores in October . Sophomores select a senior to secretly leave presents for during the week leading up to Pumpkin Parade . At the end of the week , the sophomore presents a carved pumpkin to her senior . The seniors , dressed in their graduation robes , carry their lighted pumpkins on a parade along the Crush Path across front campus . The parade ends on the steps of Moore Hall . There the senior and sophomore classes serenade one another with class and school songs . Other Traditions . Never Ending Weekend is celebrated during the fall semester . The weekend begins on Friday with Tacky Party , a dance party where the attendants aspire to dress in the tackiest outfits possible . The Fall Formal dance follows on Saturday night . Holiday dinner is celebrated during the last week of the fall semester . Sister classes dine together in dining hall , which is decorated for the occasion . At the end of the meal , students stand on their chairs and sing holiday songs . The evening is closed with the singing of the school song . The Greek Play has been a college tradition since 1909 . Every other year a traditional Greek Play is performed in the outdoor Mabel K . Whiteside Greek Theatre , called The Dell . The Greek Play is unique to Randolph College and is run by Dr . Amy R . Cohen of the Classics department . In addition to the traditions described above the college is host to many others including : Senior Dinner Dance , Founder ’ s Day , and Christmas Vespers . Maier Museum of Art . Randolph College ’ s nationally - recognized Maier Museum of Art features works by outstanding American artists of the 19 and 20 centuries . The College has been collecting American art since 1920 and now holds a collection of several thousand paintings , prints , drawings , and photographs in the Maier ’ s permanent collection . The Museum hosts an active schedule of special exhibitions and education programs throughout the year . Through its programs , internships , museum studies practicums , and class visits , the Maier Museum of Art provides valuable learning opportunities for Randolph students and the community at large . Art controversies . In the spring of 2011 , Randolph College was censured by the Association of Art Museum Directors for its proposed deaccessioning of four centerpieces within its collection . The college , which had already sold Rufino Tamayo ' s " Trovador " for a record - breaking $ 7 . 2 million , responded by asserting that its art collection is a college asset held for the purpose of enhancing student learning . The four other paintings slated for sale at a later date are George Wesley Bellows ' " Men of the Docks " , Edward Hicks ' " Peaceable Kingdom " , and Ernest Hennings ' " Through the Arroyo " . Student protests ensued in conjunction with the censure given by the Association of Art Museum Directors . The original announcement of the sale of the artwork resulted in injunctions filed to stop the sales as well as numerous protests from art associations , including the Virginia Association of Museums , the Association of Art Museum Directors and the College Art Association . Special programs . Randolph College Abroad : The World in Britain . Since 1968 , the college has hosted a study abroad program at the University of Reading , England . Each year as many as 35 students are selected for the program . Commonly taken during the junior year , students may choose to enroll for the full academic year or for the fall or spring semester only . Students live in one of three Randolph - owned houses across the street from the University of Reading campus . the American Culture program . A minor in American Culture offers Randolph College students the opportunity to study American society and culture by drawing upon resources , techniques , and approaches from a variety of disciplines . The American Culture program also accepts visiting students from other American colleges and universities for a one - semester intensive study of a particular theme or region , including literature , art , history , and travel components . 3 / 2 Nursing program . Randolph College has an agreement with Vanderbilt University School of Nursing . The student will stay at Randolph for their first three years , then transfer to Vanderbilt for another two years . The student will receive a B . A . in Health Services from Randolph College and a M . S . N . from Vanderbilt .