Randolph-Macon College

Randolph-Macon is a private, coeducational liberal arts and sciences college located 15 minutes north of Richmond in the scenic town of Ashland, Virginia.

In the rapidly changing world of the 21st century, critical thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to find, synthesize and apply information will be the essential tools for success.

Randolph-Macon has a longstanding reputation for giving our students an “edge.” R-MC integrates an outstanding liberal arts education and success strategies taught by extraordinary faculty mentors with a four-year career preparation program called the EDGE. Dedicated staff in the EDGE Career Center, in concert with our faculty, work with students to develop a personalized Career Roadmap that provides them with a competitive advantage with their careers and when applying to graduate school.

The following is the mission statement for Randolph-Macon College:

A Randolph-Macon College liberal arts education develops the mind and character of each student.

The mission of Randolph-Macon College—to develop the mind and the character of its students—underlies the college’s ultimate purpose: to prepare undergraduates for successful lives.

History of Randolph-Macon

As a member of the Randolph-Macon family, you become part of our two-century history of educating young people to successfully tackle the challenges of an ever-changing world.

R-MC's History of Success
Founded in 1830 by the Methodist Church, Virginia statesman John Randolph and North Carolina statesman Nathaniel Macon gave their names to the college. Though neither gentleman was a Methodist, their names were adopted to send a message that students of all denominations were welcome. This tradition of openness flourishes today in the religious and ethnic diversity of our student body.

Originally located in Boydton, Virginia, the college moved to Ashland in 1868 to escape the ravages of the Civil War. The move challenged the college's spirit and stimulated new growth. A new era of vitality ensued with students raising most of the money for Washington and Franklin Hall, the first major building on the “new” campus.

A lot has changed since those early days. The handful of male students who once attended classes has now blossomed into a student body of more than 1,500 men and women from all across the United States and all over the world. Our beautiful 116-acre campus has developed around Washington and Franklin Hall and now boasts 60 major buildings, with more on the way.

R-MC Today
What remains the same is our commitment to preparing students to build their own extraordinary futures through a rigorous academic program that exposes students to all areas of artistic and scientific inquiry as well as mentoring from caring professors. Like generations of previous R-MC graduates, incoming students benefit from small classes taught by professors—never teaching assistants.

Alumni have a proud history of giving back to R-MC so that new students of all financial backgrounds can afford the Randolph-Macon experience. As a result, the college offers numerous financial aid options to students, including scholarships.

Athletics have always been an integral part of R-MC life. In fact, the college still participates in the oldest football rivalry in the south. Every year “the game” pitting Randolph-Macon against Hampden-Sydney draws hundreds of fans. This commitment to athletics continues with R-MC as a proud member of the NCAA Division III and Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The college sponsors 17 intercollegiate sports, and many of our teams are nationally ranked and have won national championships.

True to its traditions of sociability and public service, the college maintains a healthy Greek Life system and provides dozens of student organizations from which to choose. Most students are actively engaged in community service and outreach programs. Collectively, Yellow Jackets have raised thousands of dollars for local and national organizations.