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 they 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 students 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 an ethical worldview, 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 rooted in 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, an assistant director and a part-time Catholic campus minister.
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.
Faith and Action coordinates regular and annual worship services. 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 Ramadan Iftar.
Our faith roots and our humanitarian concerns push us to engage the world in service and advocacy. Students and the community get involved with our annual Feed the Need mobile pack event, in partnership with Feed My Starving Children. 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 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. Services include determining eligibility, coordinating accommodation requests, and consulting and coordinating with faculty and other college/community services. Reasonable accomodations are determined by individual need.
Students must self-identify to the disability services office and complete the process of requesting/registering for accommodations before they are eligible for accommodations. While a student may request accommodations at any time, it is recommended that they do so as early in their academic career as possible as accommodations are not retroactive. Students should contact the Coordinator of Student Disability Services for further information.
Library Services
The mission of North Central College library services is to provide resources and services to meet the College community’s information needs and to assist members of that community in developing skills for lifelong learning. To teach patrons how to access information, the library offers orientations, workshops and course specific instruction sessions.
In addition to books, periodicals, media and reference resources housed in Oesterle Library, the library’s webpage (https://library.noctrl.edu) offers access to many online databases,streaming media platforms, and online reference sources. Members of the College community may also borrow materials from more than 89 other academic libraries in Illinois through the I-Share service.
The North Central College Archives seeks to identify, preserve and make available the permanent records of the College and provide students with opportunities to use primary documents in their research. Housed in Oesterle Library, the Archives are open to the public. Three additional collections include the Shimer College Archives, the Suburban Studies Archives 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.
Career Development
Career Development supports career readiness in students of all years and majors with identifying career goals and creating meaningful opportunities to succeed in academic, personal and professional goals. Students have access to a robust job/internship board, online tools, recruiting events, preparation workshops and individual appointments to support career readiness. Students can also work with Career Development to take on internships for real-world learning experiences.
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
The college dining facility, Kaufman Dining Hall, is operated cafeteria style so that students may have a choice in food selection. Several flexible meal plans which offer varying increments of snack money are available. 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 the new Science Center, in the Res/Rec Center and at the Roland Center Boiler House Café. All students living in college-owned residence halls or auxiliary housing units are automatically included in the meal plan. Students living off-campus may purchase a meal plan or pay cash 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, 143 North Central student-athletes and relays have won national titles through the years along with 1,225 All-Americans, 220 Team Conference Championships and 743 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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