Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500. The school's sports teams are called the Britons and the school colors are purple and gold. They participate in NCAA and the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) as well as the Midwest Lacrosse Conference for Men's and Women's Lacrosse. Albion College is a member of the Great Lakes Colleges Association and the Michigan Campus Compact, an organization dedicated to encouraging student volunteerism. As of 2009, Albion College was ranked 97 in US News and World Report's "Top 100" List of Liberal Arts Colleges, and 96th in Forbes magazine's list of "America's Best College Buys." The origin of Albion College lies not in the city of Albion, but about 10 miles (16 km) southeast of the present location of the college. On March 23, 1835, Methodist Episcopal settlers in Spring Arbor Township obtained a charter for the Spring Arbor Seminary from the Michigan Territorial Legislature.