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
The Office of Residence Life exists to foster safe, student-centered communities that focus on individual student needs. We empower residents to maximize their potential in order to achieve both academic and personal success. Through intentional student development within a living and learning environment, we teach skills relevant for a lifetime. Recognizing and valuing diversity within our community, we promote an atmosphere of appreciation and respect. We are committed to being personally involved in our students’ success. 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 and kitchens. Residence halls provide public computers and printers, drink and snack machines, free laundry facilities, and common gathering spaces available to the residents. All residence halls include air conditioning and wireless internet access.
Office of the Chaplain
The Office of the Chaplain serves the whole North Central community by extending radical kindness, fostering human interconnection, inspiring bold action, and cultivating intentional lives. Building on our roots within the United Methodist faith tradition, we strive to embody our shared beliefs through intentional action: Do no harm. Do good. Stay connected.
Chaplain Eric Doolittle is a confidential resource for our whole campus. He and his office provide ongoing programs focused on spiritual wellness, religious understanding, and the personal exploration of meaning and purpose.
The office of the chaplain maintains and coordinates use of several spaces for prayer, mediation and reflection on campus, including Koten Chapel, and the Multifaith Prayer Room in Schneller Hall.
The chaplain advocates for justice, equity, inclusion and belonging for all people. If you have a specific religious or spiritual concern or requirement, contact him directly. The chaplain also serves as the IBHE HOUSE liaison for students experiencing or facing homelessness.
The Office of the Chaplain is located in Kiekhofer Hall 110 beside Koten Chapel.
First-Generation College Student Initiatives
The Office of First-generation Student Initiatives provides programming and support for first-generation college students (defined at NC as neither parent/guardian having completed a four-year college degree). Cardinal First provides a supportive and welcoming community, a campus culture that recognizes and celebrates first-gen identity as an asset, and a program that provides an intentional connection to peers, faculty and opportunities to promote personal and academic success from enrollment through graduation. Cohort programming is offered through monthly one-hour workshops offered at multiple times.
First-gen Academic Groups, facilitated by faculty mentors and student liaisons, meet once/semester and are designed to provide discipline-specific mentoring and networking for students with similar academic interests.
The First-gen Center and staff offices are located on the first floor of Seybert Hall.
Veteran & Military-Affiliated Student Services
Student Veterans:
North Central College recognizes and appreciates the many assets student veterans bring to our campus and classrooms – including global perspective, self-discipline, maturity, work ethic, critical thinking, goal-focused approach, teamwork, leadership skills and life experiences.
The Veterans Resource Center in Larrance Academic Center Rm 15 provides a place for student veterans to study, socialize, enjoy a snack or coffee, and/or attend the monthly Veterans Lunch.
North Central’s Veteran Success Team consists of 18 staff members serving as points of contact for various offices/programs; each is committed to responding to veteran inquiries in a timely manner and through full resolution. Veteran Appreciation Month is celebrated each November and includes a Veterans Lunch with the President. The Hail & Farewell Banquet, our end-of-year celebration, is for our student, faculty and staff veterans and ROTC cadets.
ROTC Cadets:
North Central students may apply to participate in Army ROTC through Rolling Thunder Battalion (housed at Wheaton College) or Air Force ROTC Detachment 195 (housed at University of Chicago).
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 of Multicultural Affairs offers a variety of programs and resources to best support the needs of our underrepresented students, as well as to invite all students, faculty, and staff to expand cultural humility and engage in dialogue across differences. Students are encouraged to get involved with the many multicultural student organizations and attend annual events sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, such as Latin American Heritage Month, National Coming Out Day, Black History Month, Disability Awareness Week, and more.
As a way to work towards building an inclusive and welcoming campus, the office serves on the 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 located on the second floor of 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. Following completion of the interactive process, 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 can contact Student Disability Services at 630-637-5264 or email sds@noctrl.edu. 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
The Center for Global Education (CGE) serves and supports a diverse community of learners by fostering equitable opportunities for international education and supporting programs that offer meaningful cross-cultural engagement. For students, an education at North Central College includes many opportunities to add a global dimension to their degree program such as selecting a globally-oriented major or minor; studying one of five foreign languages (Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish); joining an internationally focused student organization; involvement in the international living and learning community or participating in one of our 36 semester-long education abroad programs and/or a Cardinal Destination Course Abroad. 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 – Education Abroad, the English Language Institute, International Admissions and Recruitment, and International Student Services and Engagement– 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 DWC is an integrated health center that provides both in-person and telehealth, confidential medical, counseling and interpersonal violence support services as well as health education to all full-time registered students. There is no cost for a visit with a provider. Visit the DWC Hub page to see a detailed description of services, upcoming events eligibility and to meet our team. Call or stop by to schedule in-person or telehealth appointments.
All DWC services are available to registered students. Medical and advocacy for interpersonal violence services are available to faculty and staff, and medical services are also available to spouses and children/dependents of faculty and staff, ages 3-26. While mental health counseling is offered to students only, DWC staff members do provide referrals in addition to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided through Human Resources. Everyone is encouraged to consult with DWC staff to promote collaborative care.
The Dyson Wellness Center is located on the 2nd floor of the Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, 455 S. Brainard Street, Naperville, Illinois 60540. We are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm and can be contacted at 630-637-5550 or DysonWellness@noctrl.edu. After-hours resources can be found on the DWC Hub page.
If unable to be physically located in Illinois at the time of your appointment, which is the state in which the DWC providers are licensed, eligible students can use TimelyCare 24/7/365 telehealth medical, counseling and emotional support services. Whether you are out-of-state or in-state, if you prefer to use TimelyCare 24/7/365 telehealth services for any reason, you may do so. Just use your NC email address to access and register.
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.
Title IX Office
North Central College is committed to creating a safe learning environment for all members of our community, free from gender and sex-based discrimination, including sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
The Title IX Office offers support and resources to those impacted by interpersonal violence, while also overseeing both formal and informal grievance processes. Privacy in these cases is of the utmost importance and services are provides in a trauma-informed and compassionate manner. Additionally, the Title IX Office works closely to monitor and address other forms of sex and gender-based discrimination, such as protecting the rights of pregnant students and evaluating climate and inequity reviews. Title IX works closely with prevention, training, and compliance efforts and welcomes all campus members to visit the Title IX Coordinator’s Office in Old Main, Room 524 with any questions or to simply have a discussion. Title IX violations can be reported at titleixreport.northcentralcollege.edu.
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 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. Unique to the program is our proximity to the Chicago industry and the numerous opportunities for students to perform, design, direct, and dramaturg. Our shows are led by Chicago-based professional directors and designers, including our professional faculty. A typical season will include two musicals, a dance production, and a range of dramas or comedies, including two fully produced student directed pieces mounted as part of the advertised public season. The student clubs produce a cappella concerts, choreography and dance, experimental theatre and musical tributes, and sponsor social events throughout the year. While students go on to a variety of successful careers, all majors build a portfolio of work across their area/s, with a prestigious industry showcase for graduating performers. Designers and directors further build networking in production with extended individual collaboration with guest artists: https://www.northcentralcollege.edu/theatre-guest-artists. 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 26 intercollegiate sports offered by the College for men and women.
North Central women compete in basketball, 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 44 national championships including championships in football, men’s track and field (indoor and outdoor), men’s cross country, women’s basketball, women’s triathlon, men’s swimming, and women’s wrestling.
Individually, 152 North Central student-athletes and relays have won national titles through the years along with 1,307 All-Americans, 245 Team Conference Championships and 895 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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