On the road with the Independent Colleges of Indiana

DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana

Undeterred by sudden downpours and blazing hot temperatures, the Independent Colleges of Indiana (ICI) hit the road last week for its annual counselor tour of colleges.

Starting at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana, the tour took 81 school-based and independent counselors on a whirlwind tour of six additional Hoosier State colleges, all of which opened their doors for a closer look at facilities and programs.

While the campuses seemed relatively quiet, admissions offices were working feverishly behind the scenes to put finishing touches on new financial aid policies and deadlines, as well as student recruitment programs scheduled for the fall. Several campuses were taken over by summer campers, while others were organizing transition programs for newly-minted freshmen.

Here is a little more of what the 81 counselors learned about each school:

• Indiana Wesleyan University takes great pride in its mission as a “Christ-centered” institution committed to liberal arts and professional education.  In the business of “creating world changers,” IWU is the largest member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, the largest private college in Indiana (based on enrollment) and offers more than 80 undergraduate degrees. In addition to 3,000 undergrads on campus, over 10,000 adult learners attend classes at education centers in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio as well as online.  The Ott Hall of Sciences and Nursing opened in the spring of 2014, which includes a nursing school with no cap on the number of students accepted to the program. As long as prospective nurses meet academic requirements, they’re in! Next year, IWU will be adding football and women’s swim and dive. And IWU is a StrengthsQuest school. The admissions office will pay the cost for any applicant—whether he or she actually matriculates or not—to take the assessment and discover their top five themes of talent.  The test is free and with no strings attached.
  
• Founded in 1832, Wabash College is an independent, liberal arts college for men, enrolling 900 students in a traditional liberal arts curriculum.  One of several “Liberal Arts Plus” co-curricular initiatives designed to support cross-disciplinary education, the Center for Innovation Business & Entrepreneurship (CIBE) prepares over 200 students each year from all majors to develop business and entrepreneurial knowledge and skills.  Outside of the classroom, the CIBE offers a variety of learning experiences including internships, immersive experiences, entrepreneurship and management opportunities.
  
• The academic program at DePauw University encourages students to gain broad exposure to multiple disciplines before narrowing their focus. Toward this end, DePauw offers a wide range of majors and minors, a number of honors and fellows programs, as well as a variety of experiential learning opportunities designed to challenge students both within and beyond the classroom. The Hubbard Center for Student Engagement works closely with students pursuing experiences such as off-campus study programs and internships.  Every DePauw student must complete at least two Extended Studies opportunities, which may include credit-bearing Winter Term or May Term courses;  approved non-credit-bearing courses, externship, travel experience or service learning program; semester-long off-campus study opportunity or internship; or independent study, research or creative project.  New initiatives include a Global Health Major and a Neuroscience Major.
  
• The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is home to about 2100 undergraduate and 100 graduate students majoring in engineering, science or mathematics.  All male until 1995, Rose-Hulman is pleased to report that the incoming class is about 30 percent female—25 percent over all four years. Students are not admitted to majors and there are no enrollment “caps” on any programs.  The 16,200 square-foot Branam Innovation Center (BIC) provides open workspace designed to promote multidisciplinary collaboration with easy access to tools, spare parts, a machine shop, welding room, paint booth and conference room. This is where you find students working on projects for the Concrete Canoe, FIRST Robotics, Human-powered Vehicle, Steel Bridge, and Team Rose Motorsports competitions.  Rose-Hulman Ventures, located on south campus, is a successful product design, rapid prototyping and development firm serving a diverse mix of clients. The facility includes professional-level laboratories, equipment, tools, and work suites open to participation from 25 to 27 percent of each graduating class who will get hands-on experience developing innovative technology-solutions for a wide range of business partners.
  
• Founded in 1834, Franklin College is a residential, liberal arts institution located on a 207-acre campus including athletic fields and a 31-acre biology woodland.  The college offers its more than 1000 students Bachelor of Arts degrees in 51 majors from 25 academic disciplines. In 1842, Franklin began admitting women, becoming the first coeducational institution in Indiana and the seventh in the nation.  All out-of-state students receive a $4000 grant, which may be stacked on top of whatever merit scholarships are given and these scholarships tend to be very generous.  The Franklin First Scholars program is a FREE overnight opportunity specifically for first-generation college students and their families to learn more about the college experience and expectations.
  
• Situated on 650 acres of wooded campus featuring 15 waterfalls and located on the banks of the Ohio River just west of historic Madison, Indiana, Hanover College is a private, liberal arts institution offering a rigorous interdisciplinary academic program featuring 32 majors. Hanover’s Business Scholars Program provides a unique opportunity for students to learn business skills while pursuing their academic passions. The goal is to take any major and make a business of it.  Business Scholars combine a major in their area of interest with practical preparation in business and management. In addition to coursework, they complete an internship, analyze business cases, do a consulting project for a real business, meet with community leaders and take workshops in areas such as resume writing, interviewing and creative problem-solving. Beginning in fall of 2017, Hanover will offer majors in engineering and engineering science for incoming students. The curriculum will require a liberal arts foundation as well as offer tracks in general, mechanical, electrical, electromechanical, computer and geological engineering.
  
• Five miles from downtown Indianapolis, Butler University is subdivided into six schools: Liberal Arts and Sciences, Lacy School of Business, College of Communication, College of Education, Jordan College of the Arts, and the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.  Within the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Butler offers a direct pathway to a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Following two pre-pharmacy years, undergrads complete four years of in-depth pharmacy studies and field experiences.  Also offered are both a PharmD/MBA Dual Degree and a PharmD/Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences Dual Degree.  No longer direct entry for physician assistants, Butler has created a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences specifically designed to prepare student for entry into healthcare related graduate programs such as physician assistant, physical or occupational therapy, optometry, dentistry, medicine, etc. And you have to love Butler’s bulldog mascot, Blue AKA Tripp, who has his very own book, Good Boy, Blue!