THE
ELMHURST
EXPERIENCE
It’s About You
HERE IS WHAT
ELMHURST MEANS TO US.
WE INVITE
YOU
TO DISCOVER WHAT IT CAN
MEAN TO YOU.
How You’ll
Learn Page 4
THE ELMHURST
2
How You’ll
Grow Page 44
EXPERIENCE How You’ll
Live Page 24
3
HOW YOU’LL LEARN The Elmhurst Experience will enable you to change, grow, think, act and encounter the world in a whole new way. It will expand your horizons—intellectually, professionally, creatively, morally and spiritually. It will challenge you to develop your talents and make a difference. It’s a special kind of college education, and we know it’s not for everybody. Are you up for it?
4
5
You learn best from people who know you well. Who makes the best teachers? People you trust. People who listen, and are worth listening to. People who have their subject down cold, down to the details, and who know you well enough that they can help you realize your personal and professional goals. This is what makes the Elmhurst Experience so appealing. You learn from professors who love to teach, who encourage you to take the time to discover who you are, what you love, and how to apply your knowledge for the good of others.
6
7
12:1
Student : Faculty ratio
Among the Best in the Midwest That’s the verdict on Elmhurst from the most prestigious college guides, including U.S. News and The Princeton Review.
8
Intellectual and Personal Mentors You’ll be energized by approachable faculty who studied at some of the nation’s best colleges and universities.
A Unique Chance to Show Your Stuff You’ll participate in our annual Research and Performance Showcase, which celebrates intellectual and creative achievement.
9
It all adds up to a great college education.
2,819 Undergraduates
2,819 Points of view
15
Preprofessional programs
10
44
Countries where students study abroad (on 7 continents)
59 Majors
2,000+ Internships and other preprofessional experiences
17
357
Students in a class (on average)
Full and part-time faculty
83%
Students who complete a preprofessional experience
100% 25
Courses taught by Elmhurst faculty (no graduate students teaching around here)
Buildings on 48 acres
8% Top
‘Excellent’ The Princeton Review on our internship program
Elmhurst’s rank in its U.S. News category
11
You’ll find yourself at the intersection of the liberal arts and the real world.
The Elmhurst Experience is built around a powerful, seamless blend of liberal learning and professional preparation. The result? You get a deep view of culture, philosophy and history that prepares you for work and life in global society. You learn to read, write and analyze data at a whole new level. At the same time, we work with you to thoughtfully identify your talents, interests and goals—and challenge you to achieve your full potential, in college and well beyond. It’s an unbeatable preparation for life in a complex, interconnected, change-driven world.
12
34%
Of Elmhurst students major in math or the sciences
13
Looking ahead to your career? Our Center for Professional Excellence will prepare you for your first job, and for a whole lifetime of professional fulfillment. It will take you far afield in pursuit of purposeful learning and professional experience. You’ll complete internships, make contacts, meet mentors and explore careers. You’ll develop the skills, insights and relationships that will enable you to step with confidence into a life of expanding achievement.
So you want to be a doctor… or a nurse, dentist, pharmacist, veterinarian, or any one of the dozens of outstanding career options in the health-care field. The Patterson Center for the Health Professions is the place for you. It brings together students with complementary career interests for internships, international experiences and much more. Our faculty and staff will guide you through the application process for graduate school or through your first big job hunt.
14
In the Information Age, you need to learn every day how to learn. The team at our nationally recognized Buehler Library will teach you how to test the reliability of data on the Internet, and how to effectively organize information in presentations and on the web. And our Learning Center will work with you one-on-one to develop your math, writing and study skills and to prepare for the exams that will get you into graduate or professional school.
Are you more about a calling than a career? Our Niebuhr Center for Faith and Action is designed for students motivated by faith, whatever their particular religious background or beliefs. On campus and beyond, you’ll explore the links between faith and work, between the values you’ve chosen to embrace and the profession you’re preparing to pursue. You’ll work to answer the question, “What am I meant to do with my life?”
15
We have an academic program that’s perfect for you.
MAJORS & MINORS
Art Business
Chemistry
Computer Game and Entertainment Technology
Accounting
Art Education
Coaching*
American Studies
Art History*
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Creative Writing*
Communication Studies
Criminal Justice
Computer Science
Applied Geospatial Technologies
Biology
Art
Business Administration
16
Dance*
Journalism*
Early Childhood Education
Literature*
Economics
Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Elementary Education Management Elementary School Mathematics Education*
Marketing
English
Mathematics
Exercise Science
Middle School Mathematics Education*
Finance Multi-Language French Music Geography Music Business German Music Education Graphic Design Music Performance
Political Science
Sport Management
Music Production*
Professional and Multimedia Writing*
Theatre
Health Education* History Music Theory and Composition Psychology
Human Geography*
Theology and Church Music for Music Majors*
Musical Theatre Religion and Service
Information Systems Nursing
Religious Studies
Intercultural Studies
Urban Studies
Organizational Communication Rhetoric and Theory*
Interdepartmental
*Minor only
Philosophy Interdisciplinary Communication Studies
Theological Studies and Christian Ministry
Secondary Education Physical Education Sociology
International Business
Physical Geography*
Jazz Studies
Physics
Special Education Spanish 17
Want to see the world? You’re in the right place. Elmhurst offers international experiences in 44 countries on all seven continents. About one student in four spends time studying abroad. Here are a few of the places you might experience.
18
19
Gotta sing? Gotta dance? We hear you! You’ll find a lively creative scene on campus. It starts in the classroom, with great programs in music, art, theatre, English and communications. But even if you major in physical education or French, you’ll enjoy plenty of opportunities to express your ideas and develop your talents in first-rate co-curricular activities in the arts and media.
January is hot around here. In the heart of the academic year, our January Term is a time for students to experiment. Off campus, you might stroll the boulevards of Paris, take in the museums in Washington, D.C., or enjoy the bright lights on Nashville’s Music Row. On campus, you might star in a workshop performance of a Broadway musical or take a theology course on The Movies and God.
20
You still want more? Try the Honors Program. Honors students meet in small groups with visiting artists and scholars, explore intellectual issues in particular depth, and attend world-class opera, theatre and concert productions in Chicago. It’s a way for the most ambitious students to achieve their academic and professional goals and engage particularly rigorous and stimulating challenges in the classroom and beyond.
21
My Elmhurst Experience
Zach Lentino Major/Minor Business/Theatre Clubs/Organizations Late Night Blues Jazz Group, Concert Choir, Jazz Lab Band (Section Leader), Lambda Alpha Chi (Vice President), Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society Internship Site The Foxhole (a recording, rehearsal and performance space) Elmhurst Experience The thing I value most about Elmhurst is how real it is. Almost all of the music department teachers are gigging musicians. They know the skills it takes—both musical skills and business skills—to land jobs and make a living. The faculty aren’t just teachers, they’re role models. They are the real-world professionals you want to become. And you don’t have to wait until you graduate to become a professional yourself. Next year I’ll be planning the national tour for our choir. It’s not like the real world, it is the real world.
22
Nena Delgado Major/Minor Nursing/Psychology Clubs/Organizations Niebuhr Hall Council, Black Student Union, HABLAMOS, Alpha Epsilon Delta Honor Society, Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority (President), Orientation Student Leader, Student Government Association Study Abroad Site Tanzania Research Topics Diabetic adults in the U.S. Latino community; culturally competent nursing care
Elmhurst Experience I’d always dreamed of going to Africa, but never thought I’d do it. Then I learned about a J-Term course in Tanzania from a classmate who was planning a trip to Italy. I raced to get my application in. The purpose was to compare Tanzania’s medical system with our own. They’re way more developed than I expected. They need more resources, but the science and standard of care are first rate. I used the experience to co-write a paper with my professor and a classmate on culturally appropriate nursing care. We’re working to get it published in a nursing journal this year.
23
HOW YOU’LL LIVE 24
Our robust academic environment is just the start of the Elmhurst Experience. Beyond the classroom, you’ll get plenty of opportunities to identify your passions and put your talents into action. Whether performing a solo, going for the tiebreaker or just hanging out with old friends and new, you’ll learn a lot about yourself. And you’ll become part of the Elmhurst family, a supportive campus community that respects you for yourself and enables you to excel. 25
You’ll discover a community and build one of your own.
Our campus is a warm, open, down-to-earth place to learn. No one is lost in the crowd here. Everybody counts. As The Princeton Review reports: “Don’t worry about fitting in, even if you’re shy or uncertain about where you belong. ‘The people are fun, nice and friendly,’ says an Elmhurst student. “You’ll open up.”
26
2,819 Undergraduates
27
‘Gorgeous’ A College Student’s Natural Habitat On this beautiful campus, you’ll be challenged to engage life and learning in a purposeful way and thus to learn and grow.
28
The Princeton Review on Elmhurst’s campus
A Culture of Respect We embrace individual expression and see our differences as a source of strength. It makes for a great community.
An Arboretum Campus The grounds are a model of sustainable design, featuring more than 120 different plant species.
29
It all adds up to a great campus experience.
1,124
1,695
Female undergraduates
Male undergraduates
6
Residence halls
1,775 1,044
Students who live off campus
30
Students who live in college housing
275 Students from other states
74 Students from other countries
35
States represented in the student body
20
Varsity sports
34 24.9%
Countries represented in the student body
475 Student athletes
First-generation college students
8
Sororities and fraternities
2,000+ Community service projects completed by students each year
31
Resident or commuter, our campus is home.
32
What’s your definition of home? A place where you can relax and be yourself? A place that feels like your own? Whether you live on campus (as most first-year students do), in an apartment or in your hometown, Elmhurst has you covered. Our six residence halls have full kitchens, comfy places to study and hang out, and free cable, phone and Internet. And the College offers a range of services and activities expressly for students who live off campus. Of course, everybody eats lunch in the Frick Center or grabs a burger at the Bluejays’ Roost or a cup of coffee at the Founders Lounge— so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to meet friends and make yourself at home.
33
Chicago Is 30 Minutes Away by Train The city offers a lot to amp up your social life, from Michigan Avenue to Greektown, from sports to shopping to music to theatre.
Greek Life Is Special Here Throughout the year, fraternity and sorority members volunteer for service projects and raise plenty of funds for good causes.
34
It’s Easy to Make Friends With 1,044 students living in college housing and 1,775 students living off campus, you’ll have a lot of company.
35
Love jazz? Sing the blues? We have an ensemble for you. Our Jazz Band has taken its act to England, France, Germany, Romania, Belgium, Italy, Greece, Canada, Indonesia, the Bahamas, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain (among other places). Singers can join the Concert Choir, Choral Union, Women’s Chorus, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, or Chamber Singers. Instrumentalists can join the Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, and a variety of smaller groups.
36
Your voice will be heard and your opinion will count. Our award-winning student newspaper, The Leader, is one of the best and liveliest in the state. And the Student Government Association is not just for people who think Roberts Rules of Order should govern all of life. It’s an elected organization that makes policy recommendations to all levels of the administration, providing students with a strong voice in shaping the entire Elmhurst Experience.
You may never get another chance to stage a musical in a converted sawmill. Our Mill Theatre may be a long way from Broadway, but it’s a fun place to put on a show. “For some students, the experience of being in a play adds to a professional portfolio,” says Theatre Professor Alan Weiger. “For others, it’s an enjoyable extracurricular. Either way, you develop real friendships being part of a show. It’s like a family.”
37
A winning tradition—in the classroom and on the field.
38
Our Bluejays are impressive as both students and athletes. Each term, most varsity teams earn cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or higher. Three varsity teams have earned conference honors for their academic achievements. Athletes from 12 sports have earned Academic All-America honors. In the last decade, Elmhurst teams have won conference championships in four sports. The volleyball and men’s basketball teams have advanced deep into NCAA post-season play. Individual student-athletes have won NCAA All-America honors in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, soccer, track and field, volleyball and wrestling.
For a full list of varsity sports and much more, go to elmhurst.edu/athletics
39
Work hard, play often. Here’s a peek at some of our campus and off-campus traditions, from the formal to the spontaneous to the vaguely goofy.
You can: Grab a bite at the Bluejays’ Roost Hang out with friends on the Brune Patio
Order a pizza from Two Brothers from Italy Catch a movie at the historic York Theater
Behold ‘Mud Man’ Go to a concert at the Chicago Theater Meet a historymaking Supreme Court justice Practice your curveball at the annual all-campus snowball fight Spend January Term in another country Walk around the College Mall with someone special Treat yourself and your date to dinner at Francesca’s 40
Go on a service trip with a professor Celebrate the season at the Festival of Lessons and Carols Get some latenight pancakes during finals week Watch the Bluejays in action at home or on the road Check out the Spring Fling barbeque Rock-the-U Join the annual Turkey Toss
Check out the rings of Saturn at the Bates Observatory
Work out at the Tyrrell Fitness Center
Take the shuttle to Yorktown Mall
Take a quiet time in Hammerschmidt Chapel
Take the train and the L to Michigan Avenue Catch the Jazz Band at Silverado Grill Enjoy vast quantities of cheap food at Fitz’s Bowl in style at Fitz’s Spare Keys Take in a Cubs or a Sox game (never both) Catch seven games at once at Buffalo Wild Wings Attend an art opening at the Frick Center
Try out as a d.j. on WRSE-FM Write a poem for MiddleWestern Voice Take photos for the yearbook and the newspaper Hear Dan Savage or Bill Nye the Science Guy (or both) Travel to L.A. with the vocal jazz ensemble Teach music to students in Jamaica Build a home with Habitat for Humanity 41
My Elmhurst Experience
Tyler Espino Double Mayor Accounting /Economics Sport Wrestling Clubs/Organizations Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity, Orientation Student Leader Elmhurst Experience Wrestling has the best elements of team and individual sports. You and your teammates challenge and support one another— but when it comes time to compete, it’s just you and your opponent. It’s really built my character and taught me to persevere. My wrestling skills have improved at Elmhurst, but my real development has been off the mat. Coach Marianetti helped me figure out what college was for. He encouraged me to get involved on campus beyond the wrestling team. In the process, I’ve become much more confident and outgoing. That’s made me a better athlete, and a better person. 42
Endya Clark Major/Minor Psychology/Communications Clubs/Organizations Student Government Association, Orientation Student Leader, Black Student Union (President), NAACP (Treasurer) Study Abroad Site Israel and the Palestinian Territories Research Topic Published a paper in the journal Investigations on whether men prefer women who are uncertain or confident Internship Site Elmhurst College Office of Conferences and Guest Services Elmhurst Experience It’s very easy to get involved at Elmhurst. You join one organization—just one, it doesn’t matter which one. You meet other people who are doing things you’re interested in, and you start going to their meetings and joining their organizations. Then they nominate you for this office or that one. The next thing you know you’re running the place. What you learn in the process is surprising. You learn how to really communicate, how to run a meeting, how to collaborate with different kinds of people, how to get things done. You learn to be ready for anything. 43
HOW YOU’LL GROW 44
So what’s it all about, all these courses and internships and activities and service? It’s about more than the degree, more than the good times and great memories, more even than the career you’ll establish for yourself. It’s about growing into the best human being you can be. And while that certainly includes learning enough to continue learning for the rest of your life and developing the professional skills you’ll need to succeed, the Elmhurst Experience also includes figuring out what your values are and developing a sense of your place in the world, so that no matter where life leads you, you’ll be strong and centered and ready. 45
This is a campus with a conscience.
46
2,000+ Annual community service projects
The campus’s social action activities are varied and impressive enough to catch the attention of The New York Times. “Nursing students work with the poor during clinical rotations,” the paper reports. “Education majors teach in schools with a high number of poor students. Students help needy youths in Jamaica learn how to play musical instruments. A Global Poverty Club tries to fight poverty elsewhere.” So as you pursue the Elmhurst Experience, you’ll not only be at home on a beautiful campus—you’ll also be one with the world around you.
47
We know what we stand for. Elmhurst is a place of values and conviction. We were founded by 19thcentury reformers who believed in human potential, loved learning and had standards. More than 143 years later, we still do. We still attract students and teachers who think for themselves and act on their principles, who challenge and respect one another, who engage, serve and celebrate our diverse, dynamic, interdependent world. To be clear about things, we wrote down and published our core values. Here they are.
Intellectual Excellence We value intellectual freedom, curiosity, and engagement; critical and creative inquiry; rigorous debate; and intellectual integrity in all endeavors. We are committed to the meaningful integration of liberal learning and professional preparation and to learning as a lifelong pursuit.
Community We are committed to cultural diversity, mutual respect among all persons, compassion for others, honest and open communication, and fairness and integrity in all that we do.
48
Social Responsibility Mindful of humanity’s interdependence and the dignity of every individual, we are committed to social justice on local, national and global levels. We will act on our social responsibilities and call others to do the same.
Stewardship We are committed stewards of the human, fiscal and physical resources entrusted to us. We are accountable to one another for the quality of our community, the strength of our finances and the utility and beauty of our campus as a place of intellectual engagement and personal growth. We pursue innovations that respect the environment and foster sustainability in the management of our resources.
Faith, Meaning and Values We value the development of the human spirit in its many forms and the exploration of life’s ultimate questions through dialogue and service. We value religious freedom and its expressions on campus. Grounded in our own commitments and traditions as well as those of the United Church of Christ, we cherish values that create lives of intellectual excellence, strong community, social responsibility and committed stewardship.
49
We’ll ask you, “What will you stand for?”
The Elmhurst Experience starts with this question. You’ll hear it expressed in different ways throughout your Elmhurst career. The question suggests a whole philosophy of education that informs the Elmhurst Experience. We take you seriously. And we take college seriously. Our goal is to educate the entire student for life in a global society. That means that we seek to graduate individuals who think and act for themselves, who understand and meet their obligations to others, and who continue their self-formation as intellectual and moral persons over the course of long and useful lives. So let’s get a head start: What will you stand for?
50
100+
Student organizations: academic, professional, arts, leadership, social action and much more
51
You want practical, real-world results from your college experience. We do, too. We know that one of the reasons you’re going to college is to prepare for your first job—and for a whole lifetime of professional achievement. From your first day on campus, the Elmhurst Experience will prepare you to make informed choices that will lead you to a satisfying future. You’ll meet top professionals from a wide range of fields. You’ll study cutting-edge theory and examine how it actually works in practice. You’ll choose from among hundreds of internships with leading employers in the Chicago area and beyond (including the ones listed on these pages). The result: a rigorously intellectual, intensely practical preparation for work and life.
Abbott Laboratories
Archdiocese of
Central DuPage
Coldwell Banker
Accenture
Chicago
Hospital
Addison Trail High
Argonne National
Charter One Bank
School
Laboratory
Adventist Health
Arrowstream
Partners Advocate Lutheran
Flossmoor School
Harcourt Publishing
ComEd
Hyde Park Chamber
Computer Systems
Ford Motor Company
Chicago Board of
Institute
General Motors
IBM
Trade
Concordia Publishing
Genesis Health
IC Catholic Prep
Aspen Marketing
Chicago Mercantile
House
System
Illinois Institute of
AT&T
Exchange
Downers Grove
Glenbard High
Technology
Baird & Warner
Chicago Public
Inland Bank
Alexian Brothers
Bank of America
Schools
Duke University
Great Lakes
Institute for Defense
General Hospital Medical Center
School District 99
District 161
School District 87
of Commerce
Blistex
Chicago Symphony
Elmhurst College
Environmental
Analyses
Allstate Insurance
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Orchestra
Elmhurst Memorial
Law Center
Interfaith Youth Core
American Airlines
BMO Harris Bank
Circuit Court of Cook
Healthcare
H&R Block
Johnson & Johnson
American Cancer
Boeing Company
County
Federal Reserve
Hinsdale Hospital
JP Morgan Chase
Society
B-96 FM
Citizen Advocacy
Hinsdale School
Kellogg
American Eagle
BP
Center
First American Bank
KPMG LLP
Amway 52
City of Chicago
Bank of Chicago
District 86
Houghton Mifflin
Kraft
LensCrafters
Nike
Salvation Army
Willowbrook High
Loyola University
Nolan Law Group
Sears Holding
School
Medical Center
Northern Trust Bank
State of Illinois
Wood Dale Public
Lurie Children’s
Northwestern Mutual
Stepan Company
Library
Hospital
Financial
Social Security
World Trade Center
Madden
NovaCare
Administration
Chicago
Communications
Rehabilitation
Target
WXRT-FM
Marist High School
Nuveen
TD Ameritrade
Wyandot Community
Marriott
Opportunity
Theater Historical
MB Financial
International
McDonald’s
Orbitz
Township of Oak Park
McMaster Carr
Patten Industries
UBS
Menards
Pitney Bowes
Underwriters
Merck
Proviso Township
Laboratories
MetLife
Microsoft
Ravinia Festival
United Church of
Morgan Stanley
Regis Technologies
Christ
Rush University
University of Illinois
Motorola
University of Chicago
Nabisco
PACE
University of
Nalco Chemical
Saint Charles
Navistar
USG Corporation
Nazareth Academy
Saint Joseph County
Nicor
Smith Barney
District 209
Medical Center
Consulting Group
Society of America
Behavioral Health
Center Zuri
United Airlines
Chicago Hospitals
Walgreens
Area Plan
Commission 53
An education with lasting values…and value.
$26,675 Average financial aid award to Elmhurst students
$1
million
94%
Of employers surveyed endorse internships and other practices that involve students in active work
The added lifetime value of a bachelor’s degree in today’s economy
93%
Of employers say that “a job candidate’s capacity to think critically, communicate clearly and solve problems” is most important in hiring decisions
54
91%
Of employers are seeking candidates who demonstrate ethical judgment, intercultural skills and a capacity for ongoing learning
98%
Full-time students at Elmhurst who receive financial aid
The Elmhurst Experience is a uniquely valuable investment in yourself. You’ll gain an education of great quality, rigor and variety. You’ll take the time to discover who you are, what you love, and how best to apply your knowledge. You’ll gain an understanding of the world—its problems and promise, cultures and ideas. This combination of intellectual discovery, self-formation and professional preparation is the essence of the Elmhurst Experience. It’s what prepares our graduates for enduring success in a changing world. Moreover, we work to ensure that academic talent and potential opens our doors to a wide range of students. We admit applicants who show evidence of their ability to complete the academic work here—based on their high-school performance, good standing at another college or university, or both. Our generous financial aid program helps many students and their families to meet the costs of a great college education.
93.3%
Recent Elmhurst graduates who were active in a full-time job or graduate school within a year of graduation
30,694
Elmhurst graduates in the world (you’ll find a friend and ally in every one)
55
My Elmhurst Experience
Richard Stanton Double Major Economics/Business Administration Clubs/Organizations Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity (Social Chair), Student Government Association (VP of Marketing), Relay for Life (Steering Committee), Habitat for Humanity (Co-coordinator of Development) Elmhurst Experience When I first came to Elmhurst, a friend in the senior class recommended I apply for First LEAP, a week-long internship experience especially for first-year students. It started with a day in the classroom learning how to get the most out of an internship and ended with another day processing the experience. In between I shadowed account executives at Marketing Resources, a company that runs promotions for clients like Pepsi and ESPN. I got to see how promotions work behind the scenes. It made me more confident that I wanted a future in business.
56
Meredithe Mimlitz Double Major Communication Studies/Religion and Service Minor Intercultural Studies Clubs/Organizations Student Government Association (President), Sigma Kappa Sorority (Executive Vice President), Orientation Student Leader (Coordinator), Spiritual Life Council (Director of Worship), First Year Orientation Program Internship Site United Church of Christ Elmhurst Experience The faculty and staff at this College believe that if you really understand who you are and what you want to do with your life, you will pursue your goals with great passion and success. They encourage you to find your true calling. For me, it was a long journey. At first I thought I wanted to be a teacher, then a minister, like my dad. But by completing internships and going to conferences and enjoying other opportunities, I realized that student affairs at the college level was where I personally could make the biggest difference in peoples’ lives. 57
58
YOUR YEARS AT ELMHURST COLLEGE WILL SHAPE THE PERSON YOU BECOME. YOU’LL OPEN YOUR MIND, FORM YOUR CHARACTER, AND BUILD A COMMUNITY OF FRIENDS THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME. YOU’LL ENGAGE LIFE AND LEARNING IN A PURPOSEFUL WAY. YOU’LL CHANGE, AND YOU’LL GROW. 59
ARE YOU
UP FOR IT? 6
Office of Admission 190 Prospect Avenue Elmhurst, Illinois 60126 (630) 617-3400 (800) 697-1871 www.elmhurst.edu