Atlantic College
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- This article is about a college in the United Kingdom. For the university in Puerto Rico see Atlantic College of Puerto Rico.
The United World College of the Atlantic, more commonly referred to simply as Atlantic College, is a private boarding school in Wales, United Kingdom. Founded in 1962 by the German educationalist Kurt Hahn who also set up Gordonstoun School in Scotland. The school is a member of the United World College movement and was the first of the United World Colleges to be established. Its current presidents are Nelson Mandela, Queen Noor of Jordan and Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
Atlantic College is located at St Donat's Castle, a 12th century castle near the town of Llantwit Major on the South Wales coast, overlooking the Bristol Channel.
The extensive grounds also include the 12th century St Donat's Chapel and the historic terraced gardens, as well as preserved woodland, farmland and heritage coastline. St Donat's Castle is the impressive main building of the school housing the Gothic Dining Hall, The Great (Bradenstoke) Hall, the Tudor Hall, extensive Library and certain academic departments.
Students live in 7 accommodation houses named after Welsh counties and benefactors:
- Dyfed
- Morgannwg
- Powys
- Gwynedd
- Whittaker
- Tice
- Sunley
Lessons take place in modern academic blocks and converted Mediaval estate buildings. Next to the castle are the 12th Century converted Tithe barn (used as the college theatre, arts centre and cinema) and the Social/Gymnasium blocks.
The school's mission is to enable students "to become positive agents of change through action and life choice, fulfilling individual potential and recognising individual responsibilities as global citizens".
Students from over 80-90 countries participate in Atlantic College's rigorous two-year programme in which they combine academic studies with activities and service.
At the beginning of the two years, students are obliged to select a service that they will carry out for at least four hours a week. At present, there are nine services offered: Inshore Lifeboat, Lifeguards, CAVRA, Extramural Centre, Community Education Partnership, Social Service, Estate Service, Arts Centre Service and Visual Rescue (Photography). At the beginning of each term, students also select three activities, and these must each be carried out for at least two hours a week.
The College is unusual in having an active RNLI Lifeboat Station within its grounds, and its Atlantic 75 class boat is manned by staff and students from the College. Much of the development of the Atlantic 21, 75 and 85 classes took place here.
Since 1972 the sole academic programme has been the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Students are selected on merit for the 160 places available each year, and many receive high levels of financial support.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Pentti Kouri, Finnish economist and venture capitalist,
- Jorma Ollila, former chairman and CEO of Nokia Corporation,
- Edoardo Agnelli, (1954 – 2000), heir apparent of FIAT,
- Willem-Alexander, crown prince of the Netherlands,
- Julie Payette, Canadian astronaut (1982)
- Louise Leakey, Palaeontologist
- Aernout Van Lynden, war correspondent and jounalist in the Middle East
- Felicitas von Lovenberg, a German journalist and author
- Princess Raiyah Bint Al-Hussein, (2002 - 2004), daughter of King Hussein and Queen Noor of Jordan.
- Hakeem Belo-Osagie, Chairman of the United Bank for Africa
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