NWC at a glance

Mission

Northwestern College is a Christian academic community engaging students in courageous and faithful learning that empowers them to follow Christ and pursue God’s redeeming work in the world.

History

Northwestern College had its start in 1882 when residents of northwest Iowa founded Northwestern Classical Academy to prepare students for college and ultimately the ministry. In 1928 a junior college was established, and in 1960 Northwestern became a four-year college. A year later, the academy closed.

Today Northwestern offers a Christian liberal arts education in the Reformed tradition to more than 1,200 students through an undergraduate, intercultural and residential learning community.

General Information

Degrees and Programs

Accreditations

Northwestern is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. NWC also holds accreditations for these program areas: athletic training, business, education, nursing and social work.

Quick Facts

• 170 students at 15 national and international Spring Service Project sites
• 88% of students live on campus
• 80+ academic programs, including majors, minors, pre-professional programs and career concentrations
• 60 athletic conference championships (regular-season and post-season)
• 36 semester-long study abroad and off-campus learning programs, in addition to summer study abroad courses
• 22 clubs and student-led organizations
• 18 students in 14 countries for Northwestern’s Summer of Service program
• 16 intercollegiate athletic teams
• 13 ministry and service opportunities
• 11 intramural sports
• 10 music performance groups
• 6 theatrical shows each year
• 6 NAIA national championships since 2001
• 4 weekly chapel options
• 2 faculty named an Iowa Professor of the Year

Nationally Recognized

• U.S. News & World Report ranks Northwestern College as a top-10 Midwestern college.
• Washington Monthly places Northwestern 3rd in the nation in its listing of the country’s top baccalaureate colleges.
• Forbes.com includes Northwestern among the top 15% of the nation’s colleges and universities.
• Princeton Review lists Northwestern among 153 institutions selected for its “Best in the Midwest” designation.
• The President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll cites Northwestern for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement. NWC was one of just 114 colleges in the U.S.—and only 3 from Iowa—that achieved  “with distinction” honors.
• Rugg’s Recommendations on the Colleges touts 18 Northwestern academic programs as “quality departments at a quality college.”
• The Groundwater Foundation named Northwestern a Groundwater Guardian Green Site in recognition of the college’s care for the environment. NWC is one of only 5 colleges nationwide to receive the designation.

Library Resources

Northwestern’s Ramaker Library houses more than 129,000 print and media resources, provides access to more than 70 online journal databases, and offers a place where students can study and conduct research, receive assistance from librarians, or socialize with other members of Northwestern's learning community.

Faculty

Northwestern professors are committed Christians devoted to high-quality teaching, scholarship, mentoring and service.

Staff

Student Body Profile (2011-12)

Study Abroad/Off-Campus Studies

Northwestern has established its own study abroad programs in two countries:

• Oman Semester
• Romania Semester

Students also have their choice of 12 semester-long programs offered through the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, annual summer study abroad courses offered by NWC, and numerous other options thanks to cooperative arrangements with other colleges.

Scholar-Athletes

• 35% of Northwestern students participate in 16 intercollegiate sports:
  Men: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, track & field, wrestling
  Women: basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, volleyball
• An intramural program for all students offers a choice of 11 sports.
• Northwestern holds 8 national NAIA team titles—6 since 2001.
• 330 Northwestern athletes have been named All-Americans.
• 430 Northwestern students have been named NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
• 23 Raider teams have been named NAIA Scholar Teams.

Financial Aid (for full-time students)

Finances

Fundraising

Connect with NWC

• Northwestern’s alumni magazine, the Classic, is available online at classic.nwciowa.edu.
• Follow the Raiders by listing to live audio or video webcasts of select Northwestern football, volleyball, soccer and basketball games.
• Become a fan of Northwestern College on Facebook and connect with former classmates while getting the latest scoop on your alma mater.
• Want to know—now—what’s happening at Northwestern? Subscribe to nwciowa on Twitter to receive the latest news and events. To sign up, visit twitter.com/nwciowa.