King's College was founded in 1946 by Congregation of Holy Cross priests and brothers from the University of Notre Dame.[The original mission of the college was to educate the sons of local miners and mill workers who lived in the Northeastern Pennsylvania region.The college's Administration Building indicates the links to the coal mining industry: Built in 1913, it was designed by Daniel Burnham of Chicago to serve as the [headquarters ] of the Lehigh Valley Coal Company.
The college's chapel, Christ the King, is located at the corner of Franklin and Jackson Streets, features a 4,200-pound anthracite altar, highlighting the relationship between the coal industry and the college. It was created for King's in 1954 by renowned African-American sculptor and Wilkes-Barre resident, C. Edgar Patience.
In June 1972, massive flooding occurred in downtown Wilkes-Barre. Rains from Tropical Storm Agnes caused the neighboring Susquehanna River to overflow and flood most of the campus.
Mission
King’s College is a Catholic institution of higher education animated and guided by the Congregation of Holy Cross. King’s pursues excellence in teaching, learning, and scholarship through a rigorous core curriculum, major programs across the liberal arts and sciences, nationally accredited professional programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and personal attention to student formation in a nurturing community.
Vision
Since its founding in 1946, King’s has been dedicated to the Holy Cross ideal of transforming minds and hearts with zeal in communities of hope. The College’s commitment to students is expressed in both the curriculum and in co-curricular programs encouraging service, fostering reflection, and cultivating leadership skills. Inspired by the teaching and example of its namesake, Christ the King, who taught by example and ruled by love, King’s forms graduates who will champion the inherent dignity of every person and will mobilize their talents and professional skills to serve the common good. In the words of its founding president, “King’s teaches its students not only how to make a living, but how to live.
Ranking
- #63 in Regional Universities North (tie)
- #49 in Best Colleges for Veterans
- #33 in Best Value Schools
- #121 in Top Performers on Social Mobility (tie)
