Ursinus, like most of higher education, uses an array of acronyms and unique terms. Here is a cheat sheet to help you navigate your new home.
AAAS
African American and Africana Studies. Students in this major and minor explore the experiences of people of African descent in the African Diaspora, including the United States, Africa, Caribbean, Latin America and Europe.
ALMA
Association of Latinos Motivated to Achieve. This organization strives to educate students on the issues affecting the Latino community.
APEX
In Fall 2025, Ursinus College implemented the first components of its transformative APEX: Applied. Professional. Experiential learning ecosystem. Learn more
APEX Connect
Innovative platform to collect, organize and highlight acquired skills and competencies with future employers. Powered by Suitable, APEXConnect is an app and offers students a virtual roadmap that tracks experiential learning and co-curricular involvement and links it to various career pathways. Our students earn digital badges and get LinkedIn ready starting in their first year.
ASD
Admitted Students Day. This spring event is an opportunity for accepted students to visit campus.
ASE
Annual Student Exhibition. A monthlong exhibition in the Berman Museum of Art that showcases the work of our student artists.
BAPS
Brodbeck Anders Pre-health Society. This group focuses on educating students about health-care professions and preparing them to succeed in medical and graduate studies.
BCMB
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. These sciences—offered as a major and a minor—investigate how cells and molecules function to make life possible. Growth, development, reproduction, genetics, sensory function, memory, immunological defenses, diseases, and every biological response can be explained in terms of the structures and interactions of cells and molecules.
Bears’ Den
Large meeting room located outside of the entrance to the dining hall in Upper Wismer.
BPS
Beardwood, Paisley, Stauffer. This connected trio of residence halls for first-year students is located between Wismer Center and Facilities, behind “Getting Involved VIII,” our famous sculpture of a woman knitting on a bench.
BWC
Brodbeck, Wilkinson, Curtis. This connected trio of residence halls for first-year students is located between Reimert Hall and Myrin Library.
CEDC
Collegeville Economic Development Corporation. This local non-profit helps shape Collegeville to be an appealing destination for businesses and a great community for families.
CIE
Common Intellectual Experience. A two-semester course for first-year students that brings academic inquiry to the central questions of a liberal arts.
CTCL
Colleges That Change Lives. This nonprofit organization recognizes colleges for their ability to help students succeed. Ursinus has the distinction of being one of only 45 colleges featured in the nation.
CoSA
Celebration of Student Achievement. Every April, classes are rescheduled for a day and the entire Ursinus community comes together to attend talks, poster sessions and performances presented by students from every discipline.
CPD
Career and Professional Development. This office seeks to ensure that students and graduates are strongly positioned to succeed. They arrange internships and externships; handle student employment; run workshops focusing on resumes and graduate school; and host our annual job fair.
CPPC
Campus Planning and Priorities Committee. A committee that focuses on strategic-plan formation and oversight and review of requests for tenure-track positions.
ENVS
Environmental and Sustainability Studies. This major with 5 optional minors studies human interaction with the environment in the interests of solving complex problems.
EV
Escape Velocity. Our student-run dance company hosts a show every semester.
F/S Dining Room
Faculty/Staff Dining Room. This space, located in the dining hall in Upper Wismer, is reserved for faculty and staff.
FLB
Floy Lewis Bakes Center. This athletic building houses a fitness center, dance room, pool, field house, classrooms, Natural juice bar and the Helfferich Gymnasium.
GOLD
Graduates of the Last Decade. This terms refers to students who have graduated in the last 10 years.
Grizzly
Our weekly school newspaper is produced by and for the students of the college.
HaMM Lab
Heart and Muscle Metabolism Lab. This laboratory provides opportunities for students interested in pursuing research on metabolic adaptations that occur in both cardiac and skeletal muscle.
HS
Health Sciences. This major and minor prepare students for graduate-school opportunities in exercise physiology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, public health, gerontology, wellness management, sports medicine, and health and physical education teacher certification.
IDC
Innovation and Discovery Center. This building, which connects Pfahler and Thomas Halls, houses classes, labs and collaborative spaces, as well as the Parlee Center for Science and the Common Good and the U-Imagine Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies.
IIE
Institute for Inclusion and Equity. This office, located in Lower Wismer, offers a central space for all students from equity-seeking groups.
ILA Form
Internship Learning Agreement Form. This is completed by the student in collaboration with the faculty internship adviser and the host site supervisor for an internship.
IRB
Institutional Research Board. This group ensures appropriate protection of all research subjects to address specific issues related to research of humans.
IL
Interlibrary Loan. Provides access to resources beyond Myrin Library to support the research and information needs of faculty, students and staff.
IR
International Relations. This interdisciplinary program, which is offered as a major and a minor, encourages students to use the knowledge and skills of anthropology, economics, history and politics to learn about peoples, societies and governments around the world as well as the international organizations that influence cooperation and conflict.
ISS
Institute for Student Success. Responsible for developing persistence, self-awareness and independence in all students. This group handles tutoring, help rooms, disability and access services, advising and more.
MAPS
Minority Association of Pre-medical Students. Provides students (with an emphasis on those underrepresented) with knowledge, skills and experiences that are both prerequisite and in connection with professional participation in health-care fields.
MCS
Media and Communication Studies. This major and minor prepare students for graduate work in media and communication studies; careers in the communication and information industries; and leadership positions in business, law, politics and education.
NIH
National Institute of Health. Government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the medical fields of science and engineering.
NSF
National Science Foundation. Government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering.
Ruby
The name of the Ursinus College former yearbook, which had been published from 1896-20xx and was named for Ursinus English Professor Samuel Vernon Ruby.
SEO
Student Engagement Office (aka student leadership and activities). Offers leadership opportunities through more than 80 student clubs and organizations, which include student government and Greek life, as well as groups related to the arts, community service and more. In addition, the SEO offers programs, resources and services intended to contribute to the social, educational and cultural learning at the college.
SASA
Southeast Asian Student Association. A student group dedicated to increasing diversity by hosting cultural events on and off campus.
SFS
Student Financial Services. This office administers a comprehensive program of aid funded through Ursinus, as well as federal, state, and private sources.
SkM Lab
Skeletal Muscle Lab. Provides opportunities for students interested in pursuing research on cells.
SMART
Sexual Misconduct & Advocacy Resource Team. Group of faculty and staff prepared to appropriately and compassionately support students who are affected by sexual violence.
SMC
Sports Medicine Clinic. Home of the Ursinus College Sports Medicine Department, which is located on the ground floor of the Floy Lewis Bakes Center.
SPTQ
Student Perception of Teaching Questionnaires. Provides schools and teachers with a means of gaining valid and useful feedback about the quality of their teaching.
STAT
Students Today Alumni Tomorrow. Campus organization focused on exposing students to what it means to be proud Ursinus alumni and Bears for Life. It is composed of enthusiastic students dedicated to educating the campus community about philanthropy as it relates to the college, increasing student engagement and school spirit, and advocating on behalf of the office of advancement.
SUN
Sankofa Umoja Nia (Black Student Union). The purpose of this organization is to foster a sense of awareness and promote educational and cultural programs throughout the Ursinus community.
UCARE
Ursinus Center for Advocacy, Responsibility and Engagement. The hub for community engagement and social advocacy at Ursinus College. Through partnerships with more than 30 community agencies, UCARE provides a variety of hands-on service opportunities and trainings for our students.
UCDC
Ursinus College Dance Company. Group of dancers and associated personnel who work together to perform dances as a spectacle or entertainment.
USG
Ursinus Student Government. Seeks to accurately represent the study body in decisions affecting the students and conversations with administration.
UDAC
Ursinus Day Academic Convocation. The official start of the academic year and welcome for the new class of students.
XLP
Experiential Learning Project. 100% of students complete the XLP via an internship, externship, teaching assignment, creative or research project, civic-engagement commitment, or semester studying abroad.
