Northwestern College (Iowa)

For other universities with a similar name, see Northwestern University (disambiguation).

Coordinates: 42°59′56″N 96°03′25″W / 42.999°N 96.057°W / 42.999; -96.057

Northwestern College (Iowa)
Motto	"God Is Light" (Deus Est Lux)
Established	1882
Type	Private
Religious affiliation	Reformed Church in America
Endowment	$31.4 million USD [1]
President	Greg Christy
Provost	Jasper Lesage
Academic staff	131
Admin. staff	174
Undergraduates	1,206 (fall 2009)
Location	Orange City, Iowa, U.S.
Campus	Rural, 100 acres (0.4 km2)
Former names	Northwestern Junior College, Northwestern Classical Academy
Colors	Red and White
Website	http://www.nwciowa.edu

Northwestern College is a private Christian liberal arts college located in Orange City, Iowa. It is also known as Northwestern IA. It is affiliated with the Reformed Church in America (RCA). Northwestern began as an academy in 1882. It was then upgraded to junior college status in 1928. Then in 1961, it became the four-year institution it is today.

Community

Northwestern occupies 100 acres (0.40 km²) in the middle of Orange City, a town with 5,589 residents.^[2] The campus' 24 buildings are centered on the Highway 10 and Albany Avenue intersection.

Culture

Northwestern works to integrate "faith and learning" as the main goal of the college education.^[3] The liberal arts are to be taught, not as self-contained disciplines, but as part of a greater whole. Another motto of the academic culture is "a whole education for your whole life".^[4] "Vocare: Find Your Place" is a project funded by a Lilly Endowment grant that aims to help students find their life's calling and follow it earnestly.^[5] These goals and projects take form in many ways, both student and faculty-initiated.

Student residences

Colenbrander Hall - Men West Hall - Men North Suite - Men Fern Smith Hall - Women Stegenga Hall - Women Hospers Hall - Women

Bolks Apartments - Uni-gender units Courtyard Village Apartments - Uni-gender units Vanderhill Cottage Mission House Spanish House - Women

Student groups and clubs on campus

• Student Government Association [1](SGA)- A group of 13 students and 2 faculty gather weekly to discuss issues on campus and how to improve campus life. Students on campus elect the officials of this group. In 2009, the group voted to remove trays from the cafeteria in order to save food and liquid waste.
• The Beacon [2]- This group of students puts together a weekly newspaper featuring sports highlights, topics on campus, opinion articles, some world news, fine arts events, etc. The paper is distributed most Fridays.
• International Club [3] (I-Club)- Many students at Northwestern are from other countries. Any one interested in participating in planning multicultural events or want to learn about other cultures are able to join. There are about 175 students in the club this year.

Events and traditions

• RUSH: A Student Dance Concert performs each year at Northwestern College. RUSH is a completely student-led, student-initiated, student-choreographed dance concert with a cast of close to 200 dancers with experience ranging from 0–20 years. RUSH holds the belief that anyone can dance, so long as they are committed and determined. All who try out are cast, and since its founding in 2004, RUSH has quickly become one of the most anticipated and most popular events at Northwestern.
• As residence life is a big part of campus life at Northwestern College, each residence hall boasts a number of hall specific traditions.

Academic buildings

• Bultman Center for Health, Physical Education and Intercollegiate Athletics, opened in 1995
• Christ Chapel and DeWitt Music Hall, opened in 1987
• DeWitt Theatre Arts Center, opened in 2004
• Korver Visual Arts Center, opened in 2003
• Rowenhorst Student Center, renovated in 2007
• Van Peursem Hall

This is Zwemer Hall, the oldest building on campus. It contains offices for the registrar, admissions, financial aid, president, and other administrative departments.

• Ramaker Library

Administrative facilities

• Zwemer Hall, built in 1894 and restored in 1997 (listed in the National Register of Historic Places)
• Franken Center for Faith, Learning and Living

Notable people

Presidential leadership

• President Greg Christy [4] began his leadership in January 2008. His inauguration [5] took place on Oct. 10, 2008. His previous work was at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota, as the vice president for institutional advancement.

Staff and faculty

• James Bultman - former college president, later president of Hope College in Holland, Michigan
• B. D. Dykstra - former professor, pacifist, pastor, and poet
• A. J. Muste - former professor, pacifist, labor and civil rights activist
• Piet Koene - professor of Spanish who received the "2004 Iowa Professor of the Year" award
• Jeff Barker - professor of Theatre and Speech who received the "2006 Iowa Professor of the Year" award
• Dr. Luke Dahn- assistant professor of Music is an active composer whose compositions have been heard throughout the United States and abroad, with recent performances given by groups and soloists such as the Moscow Conservatory Studio for New Music, the NODUS Ensemble, the NEXTET Ensemble, Composers Inc., the University of Iowa Center for New Music, and saxophonist Kenneth Tse. Several of his works have been recorded on the Albany label, included his quintet "Penumbrae," winner of the 2010 League Composers/ISCM Composers Competition.

Students in the news

• Deb Remmerde, a 2008 Northwestern College graduate (who was named the NAIA women's basketball Player of the Year in 2006 and 2008) holds the record for most consecutive in-game free throws in organized basketball. She ended her 133-shot free-throw streak in February 2006. Remmerde later appeared on "The Early Show" where she completed 580 of 585 free-throws, live, in front of a CBS television crew.^[6]
• In May 2007 several Northwestern students organized the first annual "Red Letter Festival," which was held in Northwestern's Bultman Center. They used this festival as a support-raising tool for "The Bridge," a shelter for homeless women and children as well as victims of domestic abuse in the Orange City area. The festivities included an art auction, various children's activities, and musical performances by local bands. Also, former student Jim Ellis organized a long distance run as part of the festival. For both the 2008 and 2009 festivals, he ran 61.05 miles from Sioux City, IA to Orange City, IA. Many others joined him off and on along the way. This festival happens once a year during the fall semester, however the festival is no longer associated with Northwestern College.

Recognition

• U.S. News and World Report ranked Northwestern fourth among Midwest baccalaureate colleges in its 2009 America's Best Colleges guidebook.^[7]
• In 2008, Northwestern became only the second college to be honored as a Groundwater Guardian Green Site in recognition of its environmental stewardship.^[8]
• The President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll has recognized Northwestern two years in a row for being a leader in local, national and international service efforts.^[9]

Missions opportunities

Spring service projects

For college students all over the country, spring break means road trips to big cities and balmy beaches. Northwestern students do that too, but some of them pack a hammer. Northwestern College annually sends more than 200 students, faculty and staff in teams to serve with ministries in the U.S. and around the world. SSP teams have traveled to Nicaragua and the Netherlands, to California, New York, Oklahoma and Florida. Since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans and other Gulf Coast communities have been frequent destinations. SSP teams build and repair homes, minister in prisons, tutor at youth centers, serve in soup kitchens, live with residents in homeless shelters and more.

Spring Service Projects integrate faith, service and cross-cultural learning within a team setting that also allows for the involvement of faculty and staff. The SSP program benefits both the ministries and the students who serve: The efforts of a variety of ministries are encouraged, supported and helped in tangible ways. In addition, Northwestern students are challenged and strengthened in their faith as they see and experience the gospel being lived out in cultures different than the one in which they live.

Spring Service Projects provide students opportunities to participate in mission work taking place domestically and abroad during annual spring breaks in early March. Students have spent their ten-day breaks serving in city missions, youth hostels, construction sites, disaster relief zones, and low-income schools.^[10]

Sites for Spring 2011^[11]

Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Shelter Youth Hostels Bluefields, Nicaragua - The Moravian Church Dominican Republic - Hope International Jonesboro, Arkansas - City Youth Ministries Denver, Colorado - First Reformed Church Annville, Kentucky - Jackson County Ministries Opelousas, Louisiana - Hope for Opelousas Ministries Minneapolis, Minnesota - Crescent Project

Spartanburg, South Carolina - Miracle Hill Rescue Mission Minneapolis, Minnesota - Crescent Project Cary, Mississippi - Cary Christian Center Jackson, Mississippi - Voices of Calvary Ministries Mendenhall, Mississippi - The Mendenhall Ministries San Antonio, Texas - Mission Road Developmental Center Lindale, Texas - Calvary Commission An Area of Greatest Need - Christian Reformed World Relief Committee

Sites for Spring 2010^[12]

Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Shelter Youth Hostels Bluefields, Nicaragua - The Moravian Church Jonesboro, Arkansas - City Youth Ministries Annville, Kentucky - Jackson County Ministries New Orleans - Urban Impact Opelousas, Louisiana - Hope for Opelousas Ministries Spartanburg, South Carolina - Miracle Hill Ministries

Grand Portage, Minnesota - Mt. Rose Community Church Minneapolis, Minnesota - Crescent Project Cary, Mississippi - Cary Christian Center Jackson Mississippi - Voices of Calvary Ministries Mendenhall, Mississippi - The Mendenhall Ministries New York, New York - Fordham Manor and Highbridge Reformed Churches Lindale Texas - Calvary Commission

Summer of Service

The Summer of Service (SOS) program at Northwestern College challenges, prepares and encourages students to be effective Christian servants in the world. It also exists to assist and support missionaries and the communities they work in. Each year, 20 to 25 students serve cross-culturally for at least six weeks in the U.S. or overseas. Past participants have traveled to countries like Croatia, India, Ireland, Jamaica, Malawi, Russia, South Africa and Thailand to serve with mission agencies like The Luke Society, Dublin Christian Mission, Pioneers International and TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission). They have worked in hospitals, orphanages and refugee camps; taught Vacation Bible School and English as a second language; and served in sports and hospitality ministries.

Summer of Service team members return from their summer experiences more aware of the world’s problems and promises and more equipped to wrestle with biblical applications to what they experienced. Often these students remain involved in service and mission, either full- or part-time after graduating from college.^[13]

Sites served during the summer of 2009^[14]

Tokyo, Japan with The Navigators Amsterdam, the Netherlands with Shelter Youth Hostels Manila, The Philippines with International Teams India with Audio Scripture Ministries Bamenda, Cameroon with The Luke Society Jalapa, Mexico with The Luke Society Madrid, Spain with SEND International Cochabamba, Bolivia with Pioneers

Eastern Australia with Youth with a Mission Zimbabwe with TEAM Haiti with Lifeline Christian Ministries Jinotepe, Nicaragua with The Luke Society Dublin, Ireland with Dublin Christian Mission Derby, United Kingdom with East Midlands Christian Fellowship Moldova and Ukraine with HOPE International Querétaro, Mexico with International Teams Tecete, Mexico with Across Cultural Encounters

Sites served during the summer of 2010^[15]

San Lucas, Guatemala with CAM International Accra, Ghana with Every Child Ministries India with Pioneers Rundu, Namibia with Africa Inland Mission Johannesburg, South Africa with Door of Hope Harare, Zimbabwe with TEAM Visakhapatnam, India with Christian Missions in Many Lands

Togo with Pioneers Ghana with Pioneers Mexico City, Mexico with CAM International Quito, Ecuador with Inca Link Soroti, Uganda with International Teams Kazakhstan with Pioneers Spain with International Teams

Musical opportunities

Northwestern offers ten unique musical opportunities for students. Three of these are vocal ensembles and seven are instrumental.

• Symphonic Band [6] is a 60 member wind and percussion ensemble directed by Dr. Timothy McGarvey. Members of this ensemble hail from across the United States and from as far away as Taiwan. This group plays a diverse repertoire and goes on an annual tour. Previous tours have taken the group to Mexico, the Pacific Northwest, Southern California, Venezuela, and Ukraine.
• A cappella Choir [7] is a 65 member vocal ensemble directed by Dr. Thomas Holm. Members of this ensemble come from a variety of majors as well as backgrounds. Music is selected from all musical time periods ranging from works by Palestrina to modern pieces by Eric Whitacre. This group has also participated in a performance of Mozart's Requiem. This ensemble's annual tour has taken it to Czech Republic, Southern California, New York State, and Austria.
• Heritage Singers [8] is a select group of taken from the A cappella Choir directed by Dr. Thomas Holm. This elite group has recently performed a full madrigal dinner as well as the comic operetta Die Fledermaus and evening opera showcase. In addition to these larger productions, the ensemble also performs character pieces and tours with the A cappella Choir each spring. This group has also recently performed with the Northwest Iowa Oratorio Chorus in the Messiah (Handel), Haydn's Missa in tempore belli, and J.S. Bach's St John Passion.
• Jazz Band [9] is a select ensemble consisting of 18 instrumentalists that is directed by Dr. Timothy McGarvey. This group features a variety of jazz styles and composers. This group has been involved in 'Battle of the Bands' with neighboring colleges as well as providing the music for Northwestern's Ballroom Dance each spring.
• Chamber Ensembles (Brass Quintet, String Quartet, and Woodwind Quintet) [10] are select groups that involve Northwestern's best musicians in their respective areas. Each ensemble performs at a joint concert each semester as well as special events on campus. These events have included the dedication of campus buildings and for the inauguration of President Greg Christy.
• Percussion Ensemble [11] is a select group of percussion players. This group includes individuals whose primary instrument is percussion as well as wind players, string players, and vocalists who have experience with percussion. This group performs a variety of music ranging from minimalist music to phase music and a variety of other genres.
• Chamber Orchestra [12] is a group of 25 string players that is directed by Dr. Kimberly Utke-Svanoe. This group performs several times each year. Music is chosen from earlier periods as well as the 20th century. This group also includes wind players for a occasional performances when the music calls for them.
• Women's Choir [13] is a group of 40 musicians directed by Dr. Linell Moss. This ensemble performs music from the Renaissance through the 20th century. This group also took part in the chorus of Northwestern's Award-Winning Original Musical "Terror Texts".

Athletics

Northwestern College is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Great Plains Athletic Conference. The college's athletes compete as the Red Raiders on eight men's teams and eight women's teams.

Club sport teams include Dance and in years past Men's Lacrosse

National championships

• 2001 - Men's Basketball - NAIA Division II
• 2001 - Women's Basketball - NAIA Division II
• 2003 - Men's Basketball - NAIA Division II
• 2008 - Women's Basketball - NAIA Division II
• 2010 - Women's Basketball - NAIA Division II
• 2011 - Women's Basketball - NAIA Division II

The 2001 "double" (men's and women's basketball titles) was the first time that an NAIA school accomplished the feat, and at the time only the second in collegiate history (Central Missouri State previously accomplished the feat in 1984; the University of Connecticut would later accomplish the feat in 2004).

National runners-up

• 1992 - Men's Basketball - NAIA Division II
• 2000 - Women's Basketball - NAIA Division II

References

1. ^ http://www.nwciowa.edu/about/quickfacts/
2. ^ Iowa Data Center
3. ^ "Faith and learning". Northwestern College. Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. http://web.archive.org/web/20080612193702/http://www.nwciowa.edu/academics/faithandlearning/. Retrieved 2008-07-16. 
4. ^ "Faith". Northwestern College. http://www.nwciowa.edu/faith/. Retrieved 2008-07-16. 
5. ^ "Find Your Place". Northwestern College. Archived from the original on 2008-06-14. http://web.archive.org/web/20080614040855/http://www.nwciowa.edu/vocare/. Retrieved 2008-07-16. 
6. ^ www.cbsnews.com
7. ^ www.usnews.com
8. ^ www.groundwater.org
9. ^ Learn and Serve America
10. ^ http://www.nwciowa.edu/faith/missions/ssp/
11. ^ http://www.nwciowa.edu/faith/missions/ssp
12. ^ http://www.nwciowa.edu/ministry/ssp/sites.aspx
13. ^ http://www.nwciowa.edu/spiritual-life/mission-opportunities/sos-team
14. ^ http://www.nwciowa.edu/ministry/sos/team.aspx
15. ^ http://www.nwciowa.edu/spiritual-life/mission-opportunities/sos-team

External links

• Official website