North Central College is a private liberal arts college
located in historic downtown Naperville, Illinois, United States.
History
North Central College was founded in 1861 as Plainfield College
in Plainfield, Illinois. Classes were first
held on Nov. 11 of that year. On Feb. 15, 1864, the Board of
Trustees changed the name of the school to North-Western College.
The college moved to Naperville in 1870. The name was again changed
in 1926 to North Central College.
Campus
The college is located on a 65-acre (24 ha) campus in Downtown
Naperville on Chicago Avenue.
In the Early 1900's College President Herman J. Kiekhoefer and
Judge John S. Goodwin initiated contact with philanthropist
Andrew Carnegie to seek out funds for new
facilities on campus. Carnegie agreed to donate $25,000
(approximately $679,059 in the current consumer price index) to then
North-Western College for a new library building. Carnegie Library,
as it was formerly called, was one of only a few academic libraries
in Illinois that received funding from Carnegie. The building still
exists on campus today and is now known as, "Carnegie Hall."
[2]
NCC Old Main in Spring 2013
Pfeiffer Hall is North Central College's oldest fine arts
building. The 4,500 square foot building was built in 1926 and
seats 1,057. This structure has been historically used by the
college to screen films and host lectures, debates, and theatrical
productions. Today Pfeiffer Hall continues to host events such as
these along with other types of live performances by popular music
artists and comedians.
North Central College in 2008 dedicated the $30 million Wentz Concert
Hall and Fine Arts Center. Designed by the internationally
acclaimed Chicago architectural firm of Loebl, Schlossman and
Hackl, Inc., the 57,000-square-foot (5,300 m2)
facility was planned and sited with the needs of both the College
and the Naperville community in mind. Plans evolved over a 15-year
period, driven by explosive growth in the College’s music,
theatre and art programs, but also a parallel transformation of the
city’s downtown, which has brought more than 50 restaurants,
numerous national stores and the first four- and five-story
buildings within a few blocks of the North Central campus.
The Concert Hall is named in honor of Dr. Myron Wentz, Class of 1963. Nearly $10
million in gifts from Wentz — a scientist, and entrepreneur
and music lover — over the past two years have brought the
facility to center stage. (Plans for a new Fine Arts Center were
put on hold a decade ago when a devastating flood in Naperville
forced the College to turn its attention to its damaged athletic
complex instead.)
Wentz Concert Hall on the campus of North Central College
In addition to Wentz Concert Hall, the Fine Arts Center also
features the Madden
Theatre, which is a 150-seat “black box”
experimental theatre (that can double as a dance studio) as well as
a facility to provide much needed music rehearsal space, practice
rooms and offices. The center also houses a spacious lobby, a
kitchen facility and the Schoenherr Art Gallery (all supportive of
major civic gatherings).[3]
Re-dedication of Meiley-Swallow Hall, the old Grace Evangelical
Church at Ellsworth Street and Van Buren Avenue, was a highlight
during the 2007 Homecoming weekend. In 2005, the College embraced
the opportunity to preserve a part of Naperville and North Central
history by acquiring the former Grace Evangelical Church. The
95-year-old structure was erected by the same denomination that
founded North Central College and an addition to the College's art
and theatre programs. Special features of this building include:
nearly 23,000 square feet (2,100 m2) of space,
much-needed art display area, a 225-seat thrust stage theatre, and
additional office space.
Organization and
administration
The endowment of the college was $79 million as of June 30,
2010.[4]
Academic
profile
Admission
During the 2012-13 academic year, North Central had an overall
acceptance rate of 64.6%.[5]
During the same year, the average high school GPA of admitted
students was 3.6.[6]
As of 2013, U.S. News & World Report lists North Central
College as one of only two regionally ranked colleges in Illinois
with the distinction of being "more selective," the other being
Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.
[7]
Ranking
In the 2007 through 2013 editions of the U.S. News & World
Report Best Colleges Rankings, North Central College is ranked in
the top 20 "Regional Universities (Midwest),"
[2] as well as among "America's Best 20 Colleges."
North Central College was named one of the Colleges of
Distinction
[3], a list of schools emphasizing student engagement, strong
teaching, a vibrant community, and successful outcomes.
North Central also is one of Kaplan's "320 Most Interesting
Colleges."
Student
life
Arts and
media
North Central College has a very strong theatre program. The
2000 production of "The Pirates of Penzance" was selected to
perform at Kennedy Center American College Theatre's Region III
Festival. Productions of Ken Ludwig's "Moon Over Buffalo" and
Schmidt and Jones' musical "Philemon" were both selected to perform
at the festival's "Evening of Scenes" in 2004 and 2005. The 2007
production of "Thoroughly Modern
Millie" was selected as a Regional Finalist from more than
1,300 productions. The 2009 season featured a stunning production
of "Cats," and in 2010 North Central became one of the first
college theaters in the nation to stage a production of Andrew
Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the
Opera.[8]
North Central College is home to WONC-FM 89.1,
one of the nation's premier college radio stations. At a count of
20, no other college radio station has garnered more Marconi
College Radio Awards than WONC. The Chronicle is the
student newspaper of North Central College.
Sports
North Central College's mascot is the Cardinal, in tradition of the bird's
habitance in Illinois. The school competes in NCAA Division III and the College
Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). It sponsors 22
sports and has won 30 team national championships - 26 NCAA and 4
NAIA - and North Central athletes have won 115 individual national
championships [4]. The total of
number national championships puts the college eighth on the all
time list for most national championships. North Central is the
only school in the CCIW to win a national championship in four (4)
different sports. And since joining the CCIW, North Central has won
164 conference titles along with 14 CCIW postseason tournament
titles.[9]
North Central College was a member of the Illinois
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1927-1937.
The college is best known for its Men's Track and Field and
Cross Country teams, which have won 25 national championships. For
the 2009-2010 school year, the men's cross country and
indoor/outdoor track teams swept the NCAA Division III
Championships. North Central is only the second school in Division
III history to accomplish this feat
[5]. During the 2011-2012 school year, the men's indoor track
team three-peated as national champions, and the cross country team
repeated as national champions. The campus has also hosted past
NCAA Division
III national events.
Men's Varsity Sports
Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Football
Golf
Soccer
Swimming
Tennis
Track and Field (Indoor/Outdoor)
Wrestling
Women's Varsity Sports
Basketball
Cross Country
Golf
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Tennis
Track and Field (Indoor/Outdoor)
Volleyball
Athletic Facilities
Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, which seats 5,500, was
completed in 1999, while the Jay and Dot Buikema track was
resurfaced in 1997 and a Safeplay Plus artificial playing surface
was installed in 2011.
The Stadium has hosted numerous high-profile events, including
the Illinois high school boys and girls soccer state finals and the
Wes Spencer Crosstown Classic, the annual showdown between
Naperville North and Naperville Central high schools. It also
served as the temporary home of the Chicago Fire for two seasons
while Chicago's Soldier Field was reconstructed. In summer 2009,
the stadium hosted an outdoor concert by the band Lifehouse.
North Central College’s baseball facility, Zimmerman
Stadium, which includes Alumni Field, was dedicated in 1999.
The home of Cardinal baseball resembles a professional minor league
facility, with permanent seating for 750 fans and a fully enclosed
and wireless pressbox. The facility has hosted the Illinois High
School Baseball Coaches Association summer state tournament and
Major League Baseball’s RBI World Series and Area Code
tryouts.
Cardinal softball plays at Shanower Family Field. In April 2002,
the field was dedicated to honor the family of Don Shanower,
beloved professor emeritus of speech communication and theatre and
enthusiastic softball fan. The dedication took on added meaning
after the Shanower’s son Dan, a commander in the U.S. Navy,
was among the victims of the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. The
field has been host to an NCAA III regional tournament and was part
of Major League Baseball’s RBI World Series.
Merner Field House is home to Cardinal indoor sports except
track and field, with 2,000 seats in Gregory Arena for the
basketball and volleyball teams. On the second floor of Merner
Field House is Nichols Gymnasium, home to the North Central College
wrestling team. The College’s swimming pool is also located
in the Field House.
The Residence Hall/Recreation Center opened in fall 2009. This
combination residential hall and 91,000-square-foot
(8,500 m2) recreational center also contains a
regulation NCAA 200-meter running track and is home to the Cardinal
indoor track team. The Res/Rec Center has won national acclaim due
to its environmentally conscious design. The facility, with its
innovative geothermal heating and cooling system and other
sustainability features, has been awarded LEED Silver Certification
[6].
Campus
Housing
North Central College has nearly 12 residential buildings
Geiger Hall is a co-ed residence hall housing 75 first-year
students, with men and women on alternate floors. It's conveniently
located between Kaufman Dining Hall and the Wentz Concert Hall and
Fine Arts Center. Within seconds, students can walk right to the
energetic atmosphere of downtown Naperville or take
a stroll or jog along the tranquil River Walk. Close to both
academic and athletic facilities, Geiger residents find it easy to
get around campus.Geiger Hall features very spacious double-rooms,
accessible laundry rooms on each floor, and a newly renovated
lounge that turns into extra seating for Kaufman Dining Hall during
meal times. The lounge has high-top tables and booths, computers
that are accessible to students, and a brand new flat-panel TV.
This beautiful lounge, equipped with Wi-Fi Internet, offers
students a neutral area to study, eat or just spend time with
friends.[10]
Patterson Hall is a traditional-style residence hall, Patterson
is home to approximately 180 students living in double- and
triple-occupancy rooms and offers something for everyone. Residents
need only open their doors to experience the best their busy
community has to offer.And as they say, location is everything.
Nestled on the south side of campus, Patterson is only steps away
from Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, across the street from Kaufman
Dining Hall, and only a block away from downtown
Naperville shopping and eateries. Additionally, Patterson Hall
is connected to Ward Hall on the first floor with access to an
additional kitchen, Ward's front desk and computer lab.
Peter and Paul Hall houses a close-knit community of
40 first-year women in air-conditioned, double-occupancy
rooms. Located in the center of campus, Peter and Paul Hall is
close to the Harold and Eva White Activities Center, Pfeiffer Hall
and most classrooms.
Rall Hall is home to 150 first-year women. This three story
L-shaped building is centrally located on campus, just a few short
blocks away from academic buildings and the athletic facilities.
Directly across the street in Jefferson Plaza, many students sit
and study, play different sports, or just enjoy the great outdoors.
Rall is also connected to Kaufman Dining Hall, which is convenient
for residents on bad weather days. Otherwise, Rall is walking
distance from the center of lively downtown Naperville, where
students can grab a bite to eat, shop, or enjoy a stroll along the
River Walk.Rall Hall is known for its creative hallway
murals painted by the previous year's residents. Residents
are encouraged to express their personalities and leave a part
of themselves for the next year’s students to enjoy. The
lounges are located in the center of each floor. They provide a
location where students can study, watch movies or just relax with
friends. For hundreds of first-year women, Rall Hall has been the
beginning of a great residential experience at North Central
College.
Seager Hall is home to 150 lively and energetic first-year
students who are eager to begin the next stage of their lives.
Seager’s first floor is all women who form a close-knit group
known as the “Seager Sisters” around campus.
Seager’s top three floors house men who are involved in
anything and everything from student organizations, academic
groups, student government committees, intramurals, and athletics.
The diversity among students here means that you will find students
with similar interests, while gaining perspective into other
cultures and aspects of life.Seager Hall is conveniently located
across the street from Kaufman Dining Hall, and only a block away
from downtown Naperville shopping and eateries.
Seybert Hall once served as a residence hall for the Evangelical
Theological Seminary. This charming historic building houses 67 men
and women. Rooms in Seybert come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Located at the north end of campus, Seybert is close to classrooms,
the library and the Rolland Center Boilerhouse Cafe and directly
across from the beautifully renovated Kiekhofer Hall and Koten
Chapel. Because the hall is surrounded by historic homes, residents
enjoy the feeling of getting away from campus without leaving
campus.
Student Village houses first year men and women in
traditional triple rooms in a uniquely built building. With three
towers, three floors in each tower, and three rooms on each of the
floors, Student Village allows its residents to connect and
interact daily in a multitude of ways. Whether studying in the
lounge, hanging out in their rooms, or painting the large windows
on the first floor, the residents of Student Village bring the
walls and halls of their small, but mighty community to life.
Kimmel Hall - Located on the north end of campus, Kimmel Hall
offers an ambiance that is historic and residential. Kimmel houses
118 men and women in air-conditioned, triple-occupancy rooms with
kitchenettes and bathrooms. Kimmel is close to classrooms, the
library and the Rolland Center Boilerhouse Café. Because the
hall is surrounded by historic homes, residents of Kimmel enjoy the
feeling of getting away from campus without leaving campus. In the
basement of Kimmel is a quaint lounge students use for various
activities, like studying, playing games or watching movies. The
basement also houses a computer lounge and an area for laundry.
Schneller Hall, houses 95 upper-class men and women in 19
suites. Each two-story suite accommodates between three and seven
students in double- and single-occupancy rooms. Each suite has a
living room, bathroom and kitchenette. The building features
several lounges, study areas and a multi-purpose room with a
kitchen.
Naper Place Apartments - Located in downtown
Naperville just two blocks from campus Naper Place Apartments
is the newest option for upperclass students. Home to 145 students
living in double, triple, and quad apartments, Naper Place is the
perfect living option for independent, mature upper-class students.
The first floor of the building features several study areas and
lounges.
Ward Hall is another great place to call home on the south side
of campus. The building is located steps from Benedetti-Wehrli
Stadium, across the street from Kaufman Dining Hall, and only a
block away from downtown Naperville shopping and
eateries. This suite-style hall has single and double bedrooms
organized around shared living spaces and shared bathrooms.
Generally a quiet building housing 85 upperclass men and women,
Ward is ideal for students looking for a smaller community, but who
still enjoy the benefits of living in a large residence hall.For
those times when students are looking to socialize outside of their
suites, Ward features a multi-purpose room with a large television
and kitchen for a place to relax, study, cook, and much more.
And if that was not enough to make this a great place to live, the
Ward front desk offers students the opportunity to rent movies and
games.[11]
Campus
Dining
At North Central, good food is always a companion to good
conversations, memorable celebrations, and those sometimes-grueling
study sessions. You can eat well at any time, with healthy options,
flexible meal plans and multiple locations across campus.Kaufman
Dining Hall is our traditional buffet-style dining option,
featuring all-you-can-eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. Choose from
a number of hot, fresh entrees and sides, regular cook-to-order
specialties (like stir fry, wraps and omelets), or the
always-available soup, salad and sandwich bars. Top it off—in
moderation, of course—with a dangerously tempting and
delicious spread of sweet treats and ice cream.The Cage,
conveniently located in the vibrant Harold and Eva White Activities
Center, is the perfect place to grab a quick meal between classes
or to relax and share a snack with friends. Choose from burgers,
wraps, soups, salads, sandwiches, wings—even hot pizza from
Papa John’s or a delicious smoothie from Freshens. The
Rolland Center Boilerhouse Café is a popular place
to meet friends over Starbucks coffee and a fresh-baked treat, from
early in the morning until late at night. You can also pick up
snacks and those other dorm-room essentials at our small
convenience store. While you’re at it, study (or hop on
Facebook) with your laptop and Wi-Fi, challenge a friend to
ping-pong in the downstairs lounge, or access commuter resources
and a computer lab in the upstairs loft. Managed
by Chartwells, our dining staff is always soliciting student
feedback, creating innovative solutions, and working to provide
healthy and sustainable options. You’ll always get nutrition
information, vegetarian options and fresh organic produce (in
season) from our campus garden. You’ll also be part of our
environmentally friendly food waste composting program. A
well-rounded education doesn’t stop when you sit down for a
well-rounded meal after class.[12]
Notable
people
Alumni
- F.L. Maytag, appliance company founder
- Joe
Birkett, DuPage County State's Attorney 1996-2010, Illinois
Appellate Court judge
- James Henry Breasted, Egyptologist
- Alvin C. Eurich, First President of the
State University of New
York
- Dick Blick, 1960 Olympic Gold Medalist
in swimming
- Orrin Tucker, American Bandleader
- Harris W. Fawell, Former U.S.
Representative, Illinois' 13th congressional district
- John Giannini, Head Basketball Coach,
La Salle University
- Dennis Hastert, Former U.S. Representative and
Speaker of
the House (attended, but later graduated from Wheaton College). Hastert
spoke at the College's graduation in 2004.
- John S. Stamm, was an American bishop of
the Evangelical Church
- Dr. Myron W. Wentz, Founder and Chairman of
the Board USANA Health Sciences
- Gordon St. Angelo, former State Chairman of
the Indiana Democratic Party.
- Sherrill Milnes, American Opera Baritone.
Attended North Central College before transferring to Drake
University and Northwestern University. Milnes was awarded an
honorary doctorate from North Central College in 2006.
- Corwin C. Guell, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
- Kevin Manno, host of former MTV show
'The Seven',[13]
former on-air personality at WKQX Chicago
(Q101)[14]
- Gordon Mays, on-air
personality at WYSP-FM
Philadelphia (94 WYSP).[14]
Other