At North Central College we believe that learning occurs both inside and outside of the classroom. In fact, our goal is to create an overall campus environment that encourages the engagement, growth and development of all students. The activities and services available on campus provide students with opportunities to practice classroom theories, to sharpen leadership skills and to learn problem-solving techniques.
Office of Student Affairs
The Office of Student Affairs plays a key role in supporting students throughout their experience at North Central College. The staff in Student Affairs coordinate programs designed to help new students make a successful transition to college as well as provide advocacy and referral service to students who may need assistance with personal or academic problems. Students are welcome to visit the Office of Student Affairs on an appointment or walk-in basis.
Office of Residence Life
At North Central College, residence halls are more than a place to sleep. They are extensions of the classroom and develop lifelong friendships. Residents develop an appreciation for diversity by living and working with people different from themselves. Residents learn decision-making skills, develop independence, gain self-confidence, and learn to accept responsibility. Residence halls are staffed by full-time professional hall directors and a team of resident assistants who are students trained to provide support to their peers living on campus. Student involvement and community engagement are key components in the Residence Life program.
All residence hall rooms are furnished with a bed, dresser, desk, chair and closet space for each resident. Some upper class residence hall rooms have private bathrooms, sofas and kitchens. Residence halls provide public computers and printers, drink and snack machines, free laundry facilities, and lounges available to the residents. All residence halls include air conditioning and wireless internet access.
Faith and Action
The Office of Faith and Action provides resources and opportunities for students as they cultivate ethical worldviews, act purposefully and change the world for good. For more than 150 years, North Central College students from different beliefs have united as a campus community where mutual respect produces vibrant discussion and collective action. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church and historically rooted in a strong ecumenical Christian tradition, North Central encourages students to ask questions and develop their personal faith during this spiritually pivotal time in their lives. Staff members include the chaplain of the college and an assistant director.
The team oversees and advises several student organizations that provide a breadth of opportunities for students to grow spiritually. Focus, a student-led, Christian interdenominational worship service fills Koten Chapel every Wednesday night with music, prayer and guest speakers. Focus also organizes numerous Bible studies, retreats and special events throughout the year. Other groups meet during the week for spiritual encouragement and outreach, including Catholic Cardinals, Voices of Praise gospel choir, Young Life, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Muslim Student Association. Strong partnerships with local churches and houses of worship also provide outlets for students to connect to a faith community in the area.
The Office of Faith and Action coordinates regular and annual worship services for the college community as well. 12:5 is bi-weekly campus-wide worship gathering - an encouraging time of Christian worship and community for students, faculty and staff. The brief, 20-minute service includes lively music, a devotional message from other Cardinals and some time to be the NCC family with one another. Lunch is provided after each service. Special annual events include the Advent Devotional, Ash Wednesday service, Seder Passover dinner and the Ramadan Iftar.
Our College’s faith roots and our humanitarian concerns push us to engage the world in service and advocacy. Following that ethos, our office helps to develop students for the transformation of the world through social engagement in spiritual and service opportunities. Among those opportunities, is our annual Feed the Need mobile pack event, in partnership with Feed My Starving Children. It is our largest service event, drawing over 5,000 participants annually, with over 100,000 meals being prepared. In addition, there are various opportunities to travel and serve domestically and internationally during breaks each semester. Throughout the year in our organizations and events, Faith and Action leaders and students work for justice recognizing the historic harm perpetrated in the name of religion. Caring for creation, abolishing racism, empowering people and calling out injustice are part of living out our faith in action.
Multicultural Affairs
The Office of Multicultural Affairs supports the success and achievement of students from underrepresented backgrounds. The office seeks to educate and inspire the North Central College community to discover and experience the value of cultivating cross-cultural relationships. Driven by the Strategic Plan, North Central College is committed to thrive as a diverse, inclusive and globally engaged community, preparing students for action and leadership in a complex world.
The office provides a variety of programs and resources to best support the needs of our underrepresented students, as well as to encourage all students, faculty and staff to engage in dialogue across differences. Students are encouraged to get involved with the many multicultural student organizations and annual events sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, such as Latinx Heritage Month, Anti-Hate Week, Martin Luther King, Jr. Week and Black History Month. Initiatives like Cardinal Operation Hope & Help and the Emergency Book Fund are also ways the office works to support students.
As a way to work towards building an inclusive and welcoming campus, the office oversees Bias Incident Reporting and has a Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) that reviews all bias incident reports and promotes the reporting of bias-related incidents to help reduce incidents of bias on campus. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to visit the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Multicultural Student Center in the Harold & Eva White Activities Center to learn more about the office’s resources and how to get involved.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Student Disability Services has been designated by North Central College to coordinate reasonable accommodations in compliance with Section 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. Student Disability Services provides accommodations to students with verified physical, psychological, and/or learning disabilities, as well as chronic health conditions. The goal of these services is to provide equal access and support to allow students to pursue their educational goals and participate in the activities of the College.
Student Disability Services engages in an interactive process with each student on an individual, case-by-case basis to determine reasonable accommodations. The interactive process includes, but may not be limited to:
Accommodations do not guarantee success and will not be assigned based solely on verification recommendations. Students will then request their Notice of Accommodation (NOA). Student Disability Services will provide the NOA within 3 business days to the student via NC email. Students may not use academic accommodations until they email their NOA to each professor. While a student may request accommodations at any time, it is recommended that they do so early in their academic career as most accommodations are not retroactive.
Students registered with Student Disability Services are eligible for accommodations at internships/clinical sites. Student should submit a Request for Clinical/Internship Accommodations form to begin the process to establish off-site accommodations as soon as possible. The student will engage in an interactive process with the Student Disability Services Coordinator and the cooperating supervisor at the internship/clinical site to determine reasonable accommodations. Accommodations approved for academics may not be appropriate at an internship/clinical site.
Students should contact the Coordinator of Student Disability Services for further information. Also visit the Student Disability Services HUB page for the most up to date information.
Library Services
The Oesterle Library at North Central College is a place where new ideas are formed and where campus finds a place to relax, study, learn, and create. The goal of the Library is for every student to graduate with the information seeking behaviors that will make them valuable, productive citizens of the world. The Library does this with carefully curated print and digital collections that meet the educational and research needs of our campus community. The library also provides access to resources from across the state of Illinois and beyond through sharing partnerships with other academic libraries.
The North Central College Archives seeks to identify, preserve and make available the permanent records of the College and provides students with opportunities to use primary documents in their research. Housed in Oesterle Library, the Archives are open to the public. Four additional collections include the Shimer College Archives, the Suburban Studies Archives, the Illinois Prairie Path Papers, and the Harris W. Fawell Congressional Papers.
Center for Global Education
North Central College has a firm commitment to ensuring that the College community develops knowledge and appreciation of cultural differences in both domestic and international settings. For students, an education at North Central includes many opportunities to add a global dimension to their degree program such as selecting a globally oriented major or minor; studying one of six foreign languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish); joining an internationally focused student organization; involvement in the international living and learning community or another signature international program; or participating in an education abroad program. These opportunities support North Central’s goal to graduate students who are curious and engaged leaders and global citizens.
The Center for Global Education (CGE) houses four distinct areas – International Admissions and Recruitment, The English Language Institute, International Student Services and Engagement, and Education Abroad – each strategically focused on the important international efforts and priorities of the College. The CGE Executive Director provides leadership and vision for the College’s international efforts through the students we serve and the important work we do through the Center for Global Education.
Center for Career and Professional Development
The Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) guides, supports, and empowers North Central students of all years and majors in their exploration, preparation, and pursuit of their chosen career journey. Housed in Oesterle Library, students will find that the CCPD’s physical space includes various resources such as the CCPD Drop-In Center, one-on-one appointments, workshops, and career-related recruiting events. The CCPD offers many tools and resources to students via on-demand online resources including Handshake, What Can I Do With This Major?, and Big Interview.
The Center for Career and Professional Development serves as students’ “GPS” in their career journey by guiding them through the various steps of career and professional development. The CCPD team is equipped to connect with students about a variety of topics, especially the following: career exploration, resumes & cover letters, interview prep, offer evaluation, internship & job search, online presence (Handshake & LinkedIn), and graduate school planning.
Center for Social Impact
Housed in the Leadership, Ethics & Values Program, the Center for Social Impact provides opportunities for students to grow as leaders as they explore, experience and influence the causes they care about most. Through five “Pathways to Social Impact” (Civic Engagement, Social Entrepreneurship, Advocacy, Service and Scholarship) students can find academic and co-curricular offerings, student organizations, major campus events, funding opportunities and mentorship that will prepare them to enter any community and career with a deep commitment to the common good and skills to lead change.
Through the Leadership, Ethics and Values curriculum students can enroll in interdisciplinary courses, a leadership concentration, academic minors and majors focused on ethical leadership, social entrepreneurship, social innovation and conflict resolution. Students gain leadership skills through student groups including Design for America (designing solutions with community partners), Break Away (alternative break immersion trips) and the Blue Key Leadership Honor Society (leadership and service). Students as well as the wider community benefit from events such as the annual Changemaker Challenge (a social venture pitch competition), workshops, conferences, and more. Through the Change Fund, students who want to take their social impact ideas to the next level can apply for funds for the purpose of exploration, project implementation or to support the launch of a social enterprise or non-profit organization.
Dyson Wellness Center
The Dyson Wellness Center offers free and confidential medical, counseling and interpersonal violence advocacy services as well as health education and prevention.
Medical services offered at the Dyson Wellness Center are provided by licensed healthcare providers. Services include evaluation and treatment of acute illnesses and injuries; medical consultation and referral to community resources; health education; and information regarding and administration of immunizations.
Counseling services are provided by licensed mental health counselors. Services include individual, group and couples counseling services, as well as referrals to off-campus resources and other professionals.
Advocacy services are available for students who have experienced sexual violence, dating or domestic violence and stalking. Services include reviews of available resources on campus and in the community, assistance in making formal or confidential reports and accompaniment to any medical, counseling, legal or law enforcement proceedings.
Dispute Resolution Program
The North Central College Dispute Resolution Center provides services, training and development opportunities to students in a variety of contexts. A comprehensive program provides the following services: resolution of non-disciplinary student disputes through peer mediation; training of students to mediate disputes; a variety of community service programs; and course work and academic minors in dispute resolution through the Leadership, Ethics and Values Program.
Food Service
Kaufman Dining Hall, the college’s all-you-care-to-eat facility, features several stations with a variety of foods so that students may choose a meal that best fits their dietary needs. Program highlights include self-serve entrees, salad bar and deli. Additional food service is available in The Cage at the Harold and Eva White Activities Center, in Wentz Science Center, and at the Rolland Center Boilerhouse Café. There are 4 flexible meal plans available for students to choose from, which offer a varying increments of meals and bonus bucks. All students living in college-owned residence halls are automatically defaulted into a meal plan, but have until the 1st Friday of each semester to choose a different meal plan based on their dietary and budgetary needs. Students living off-campus may purchase a commuter meal plan or use cash or card at each of the food service venues.
Commuter Assistants (CAs)
Commuting students are an important part of the North Central College community and the College is committed to helping them be successful. Commuter Assistants (CAs) work with students who live off campus, maintain office hours on campus and work to keep students informed of academic and social programs on campus. CAs also plan events to build a sense of community among commuter students.
Student Involvement
The Office of Student Involvement encourages students to gain valuable skills and experiences through participation in one or more of the many clubs and student organizations or co-curricular activities offered on campus. Student activities are planned and implemented through collaborative efforts of students and staff. In addition to working with registered student organizations, the Office of Student Involvement sponsors leadership programs, workshops and conferences.
Campus Organizations
Student Governing Association (SGA) — Students at North Central assist in the governance of the College community through elected representation to various committees within the governance structure. Through these elected officers and representatives, SGA shares student attitudes and opinions on issues that affect the quality of student life with faculty and administrators.
Weekend Programming Board (WPB) — WPB is a student-directed organization which is responsible for meeting the programming needs of students by providing a variety of social, educational and cultural programs. Included among these programs are Homecoming, Springfest, various popular singers and comedians, dances and off-campus outings to sporting events and theatre performances.
Black Student Association (BSA), Latinx, Asian Student Konnection (ASK), and OUTreach (GLBTQIA and Allies) — These organizations provide support to students from underrepresented and/or ethnic minority backgrounds and opportunities for majority students to learn about other identities and cultures. Much of their work is accomplished through social events, guest speakers and student leadership conferences.
Publications — The Chronicle (campus student newspaper), 30 N. (literary magazine) and The Kindling (humor magazine) are the major publications on campus. Students are encouraged to create pieces for inclusion in all student publications, and a full-time instructor is assigned to each as an advisor.
WONC-FM (89.1) — North Central’s powerful, student-staffed radio station broadcasts to a potential audience of more than 3.5 million listeners. Formatted as an album-oriented rock station, WONC offers four state-of-the-art studios for on-air and audio production work. WONC has been honored with 20 Marconi Awards; no other college or university radio station in the country has won more. WONC has also been honored by the Collegiate Broadcasters Inc., the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System, the Society of Professional Journalists, the Illinois Broadcasters Association, and in 2015, the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System named WONC The Best College Radio Station in the Country. Students who staff the station are supervised by a professional general manager.
Cultural Events — The mission of Cultural Events is to provide the campus community with a variety of speakers and programs that will enrich their academic experience and broaden their cultural outlook. The Cultural Events committee invites speakers like ethicist and novelist Lori Andrews, NBC journalist Ron Allen and Lincoln scholar Douglas Wilson. In addition, Cultural Events works with Anderson’s Bookshop to bring authors to the North Central campus, and Pfeiffer Hall has seen journalists Tom Brokaw and Tim Russert, Life of Pi author Yann Martel, The View’s Barbara Walters and former Happy Days star Henry Winkler, now a children’s book author. Cultural Events also partners with Multicultural Affairs to sponsor the Martin Luther King Day speaker and International Programs to sponsor a Film Festival.
Some of the many other organizations which are active on campus are the American Marketing Association, Impressions (art club), International Club, Math Club, NAfME (student chapter of The National Association for Music Education), Residence Hall Association, Enactus, the United Methodist Student Organization and the Cardinal Cheerleading and Dance Team. In addition, many academic departments have active honor societies.
Performing Ensembles
The Department of Music features several large and small, instrumental, jazz and choral performing ensembles. Choral ensembles include: Concert Choir, Cardinal Chorus, Women’s Chorale, Chamber Singers, Opera Workshop, Naperville Chorus and various smaller chamber ensembles. Instrumental ensembles include: Concert Winds, Symphonic Band, Chamber Winds, Cardinal Athletic Band (marching and basketball band), Percussion Ensemble, Chamber String Ensemble, Flute Choir, Woodwind Quintet, Brass Quintet, Small Brass Ensemble and Saxophone Quartet. Jazz Ensembles include: Big Band, Vocal Jazz Ensemble and several combos. Ensembles perform regularly on and off campus and some tour regionally, nationally and internationally. Explore the Department of Music website (www.northcentralcollege.edu/music) for director names and contact information.
Theatrical Productions
The North Central College Department of Theatre presents an ambitious theatre season every year, providing students with creative and leadership opportunities through valuable production experience. A typical season will include two to three musicals (one of which is student-directed) along with a slate of dramas and student-directed plays, with productions mounted in any of our three campus theatres. Many of our shows are led by Chicago-based professional directors and designers. The student theatre group, The Company, organizes trips to see Chicago theatre, produces sketch comedy shows and sponsors events throughout the year. Many students find work and internships at such prestigious theatres as the Goodman, Steppenwolf, American Theatre Company, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre on Navy Pier, and About Face Theatre.
Recent guest artists include: Jess Hutchinson, JC Clementz, Larry Yando, Caroline Neff, Leah Karpel, Jacob Harvey, Jason Gerace, Becca McCracken, Carrie Lee Patterson, Sheri Sanders, Kieran Campion, Noelle Humbert and Will Allan. Explore the Department of Theatre website (https://www.northcentralcollege.edu/college-arts-sciences/theatre) for more information.
Intercollegiate Athletics
Athletics play an important role in campus life at North Central College and in the personal development of the student-athletes who participate in the 27 intercollegiate sports offered by the College for men and women.
North Central women compete in basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor), triathlon, volleyball and wrestling. The men’s athletic program includes baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor), volleyball and wrestling.
North Central athletic teams, known as the Cardinals, compete as members of Division III in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and as members of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, considered by many sportswriters to be the best small college conference in the country. The athletic teams have won 40 national championships including championships in men’s track and field, men’s cross country, women’s basketball, women’s triathlon, men’s swimming and most recently football.
Individually, 146 North Central student-athletes and relays have won national titles through the years along with 1,234 All-Americans, 228 Team Conference Championships and 792 National Academic Awards.
Recreational Sports
RecSports has a variety of recreational opportunities and we strive to offer something for everyone. Our program areas include intramural sports, group fitness classes, informal recreation opportunities, outdoor adventure programming and club sports. Besides our weekly programming of intramural contests and group fitness classes, like Zumba or yoga, we offer equipment that can be checked out at the Res/Rec front desk for your pickup game needs. Our office also facilitates adventure programming throughout the semester like rock climbing, heading to the Great Smoky Mountains for a back packing trip, learning how to build a fire in a fire pit on campus or kayaking down the DuPage River with friends.
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