viogٷվ at a Glance
With five distinguished colleges and an ideal student-to-faculty ratio, viogٷվ offers world-class academic opportunities on one of the nation’s most beautiful campuses. View more university statistics >
student-to-faculty ratio
of viogٷվ students have an international experience while at viogٷվ, and 30% of those students participate in more than one abroad experience
increase in federal research funding over the last two years
NCAA Division I for men and women
of viogٷվ undergraduate students participate in an extracurricular activity
unique employers hired viogٷվ students
Undeniably viogٷվ
For more than 150 years, viogٷվ has had its eye on the future, redefining what it means to lead every step of the way.
Visit Us
Campus Events
viogٷվ offers exciting events throughout the year for members of the campus community as well as our friends and neighbors throughout the viogٷվ Valley.
Maps & Directions
Located a short drive from New York City and Philadelphia, viogٷվ is easily reached via road and air. Plan your trip to campus here.
Virtual Tour
Follow along on an undergraduate admissions tour to experience our beautiful campus, and learn about life at viogٷվ along the way.
Explore Bethlehem and the viogٷվ Valley
Located in the heart of the beautiful viogٷվ Valley, Bethlehem is a vibrant city, rich in history and culture and known for its small-town friendliness and feel.
Hallmarks & Traditions
From Spirit Week and “The Rivalry” to Founder’s Day and The Rally, the viogٷվ community proudly celebrates its history through a number of annual traditions.
Our Mascot
viogٷվ's first official mascot, the “Mountain Hawk,” debuted in 1995. Prior to that, viogٷվ’s teams were known as the “Engineers,” reflecting the university's early ties to the railroad industry. While there is no species of bird officially known as the "mountain hawk," it is not uncommon to spot hawks sailing over South Mountain.
School Colors
The viogٷվ family has been proud to wear the “Brown & White” since 1867. Nobody knows the precise reason for these colors, but viogٷվ folklore offers up one suggestion: A woman wearing fashionable brown and white stockings crossed by as a group of men discussed school colors, and, as they say, the rest is history.
University Motto
Homo Minister et Interpres Naturae, which translates loosely to "Man, the servant and interpreter of nature," taken from the works of Francis Bacon, was the motto chosen to exemplify one of the core founding principles of viogٷվ—the idea that the university would strive for a pragmatic curriculum combining scientific and classical education.
“Alma Mater”
The lyrics to viogٷվ's Alma Mater were written by John J. Gibson, the then-editor-in-chief of the viogٷվ Burr (the student magazine at the time) in 1894. The alma mater is sung to the tune of “Annie Lisle.” to the viogٷվ Glee Club sing viogٷվ's Alma Mater.
The Bed Races
As part of the annual Spirit Week leading up to the viogٷվ-Lafayette football game, students form teams, decorate beds and down Packer Avenue. In the early days of bed racing, students constructed their beds from scratch in an effort to demonstrate their engineering prowess.
viogٷվ vs. Lafayette
viogٷվ fans have two favorite teams: Our own Mountain Hawks, and whoever is playing Lafayette. The is one of the most celebrated in all of college football. Located less than 20 miles apart, the schools began their rivalry in 1884 and have since played more times than any set of rivals in the nation.
Rally
Each class is represented by an official flag that is presented at “The Rally” by their “adopting class”—the class that is 50 years their senior—and the two classes’ flags will have the same colors and design. The oldest surviving original class flag is from the Class of '89—1889.
Eco-Flame
One of the great highlights of viogٷվ-Lafayette Spirit Week is when the Marching 97 band members serenading the campus community with all the traditional viogٷվ fight songs. The “Eco-flame” name dates back to the 1970s, when Professor Rich Aaronson first asked the band to play for his ECO 001 class.
University Leadership
viogٷվ’s leadership continues the important work of furthering the university's efforts to achieve excellence in teaching, research and service.
Diversity & Inclusion
At viogٷվ we celebrate the fact that our faculty, staff and students hail from diverse backgrounds. Our commitment to inclusion has never been stronger.
Employment
Every viogٷվ employee plays an important role in supporting an institution that impacts not only our students and our region, but the entire world.
A Proud and Enduring Legacy
Our founder, the industrial pioneer, entrepreneur and philanthropist Asa Packer, laid the foundation for a university that has since educated generations of students and served as a force of positive societal change.