It has been a busy year for the Gettysburg College community, and we're pretty tired from hoisting the national championship trophy, traveling the world, schmoozing with the D.C. elite, and studying beauty with Chanel researchers, so we thought we'd take a few minutes to sit back, relax, and reflect on the biggest stories from 2011.

With more than 4.3 million visits this year, the Gettysburg College website is a popular place to be, so without further ado, and in no particular order, here are our top stories from 2011.

**And don't forget -- cast a vote for your favorite story at the bottom of this page!

Bullets bombard competition, bring home championships

• Women's lax captures national title, receives honors
• Women's golf on par; wins conference
• Swimming makes a splash; men & women win conference

Profs shine on and off campus

• Newly tenured profs bring wealth of knowledge
• Psych prof works with Chanel researcher

Historic careers: Students intern at Civil War sites

Eight Gettysburg College students worked on the front lines of American history this summer, completing internships at four National Park Service Civil War sites.

College receives kudos from top organizations and media

• High ratings from news and higher ed groups
• Media outlets crave psych prof's sweet tooth study
• Pres. Riggs pens op-eds in Chronicle, Patriot-News
• Civil War prof. writes for Christian Science Monitor, National Review
• Eisenhower Institute Fellows earn media attention
     o Jennifer Donahue on Hardball, Andrea Mitchell Reports
     o Kasey Pipes writes for Foxnews.com, Dallas Morning News
     o Sean Kay in Huffington Post

Bullets abroad

• Hannah Frantz '13 studies in Rwanda
• Louis Gorst '15 backpacks through Costa Rica
• Nick Boire '07 completes Peace Corps assignment in Namibia
• Students complete service-learning experiences in Uganda and Nicaragua

Gettysburg wins March Mania fundraising effort

Current seniors and alumni in the classes of 2001-2010 put Gettysburg over the top in the final days of March Mania, a three-way fundraising challenge among Gettysburg, Franklin & Marshall, and Dickinson colleges.

Snow, sunshine, and seasons...oh my! Photo galleries abound

• OctSNOWber and fall foliage
• Blossoming trees and blooming flowers: spring beauty
• There's snow place like Gettysburg in January

View on Flickr

Gettysburg College prospers in social media universe

Popular Facebook and Twitter posts this year included "Best Thing I Ever Ate at SERVO," a commencement set-up photo, and more.

Gettysburgians come out in droves for events in D.C., on campus

• 50th anniversary of Ike's farewell address at the Newseum in Washington D.C.
• Homecoming and Parents Weekend combine for One Great Weekend

Familiar campus sight in a new light: Penn Hall's cupola in photos & video

Pennsylvania Hall's cupola has always been a high-visibility symbol of Gettysburg College, but few have seen its interior or enjoyed the view from the top. A video and a photo gallery, both shot this summer, provide total access.

View on YouTube

Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a highly selective four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences with a strong academic tradition. Alumni include Rhodes Scholars, a Nobel laureate, and other distinguished scholars. The college enrolls 2,600 undergraduate students and is located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.