Central College
Encyclopedia
Central College is a private liberal arts
college located in Pella, Iowa
. It is a four-year school affiliated with the Reformed Church in America
. Central has a student body of approximately 1,600 undergraduates and a 130 acres (52.6 ha) main campus. The college is noted for its study abroad
program.
founded Central University of Iowa in 1853 and it officially opened on October 8, 1854. The first class totaled 37 people. Central was a Baptist
institution until 1916, when it was transferred to the control of the Reformed Church in America
. Since 1886, Iowa Baptists had shifted their post-secondary education interests to Des Moines College
, and hoped to reduce Central to a feeder school.
The college was called Central University of Iowa (CUI), at least until 1991. It renamed itself "Central College" in the mid 1994.
It is home to local radio station 89.1 KCUI-FM
.
Central has a history of interesting architectural features. The first buildings of the new college in 1853 are Dutch Colonial and part of what was recently known as Strawtown Inn. The first dormitory, Cotton Hall, is noted for its ornate Victorian
porch and stained glass windows. Building innovation continues with the addition of "green" buildings. The main feature of the campus is a pond in the center of campus. Central is also one of few schools with a public history major, and part of this focuses on architecture history.
The athletics facility is housed within the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex.
. All of them participate in Central's "Greek Council" in which at least three representatives from each group meet to discuss issues pertaining to Greek life (such as pledging and housing), and plan campus-wide activities and service projects.
All of Central's Greek organizations are local and have no chapters at other colleges.
Central College has a policy of "deferred recruitment" regarding Greek organizations; first-year students must be enrolled for at least one semester before they are allowed to pledge.
Beta Kappa Epsilon
Beta Kappa Epsilon (ΒΚΕ) is Central's oldest fraternity and was founded in 1947. Both the group and its members are usually referred to as "the Beakes".
Phi Delta Tau
Phi Delta Tau (ΦΔΤ) which stands for Brotherhood Power and Honor became Central's second fraternity in 1961. Their colors are yellow and gold and its members are referred to as "Phi Delts" and they have traditionally hosted the annual gallon challenge (milk) and also the King of Hearts Dance every Valentine's Day. They have a rich tradition with many faculty members once being active Phi Delts in their day.
Theta Kappa Alpha
Theta Kappa Alpha (ΘΚA) was the third fraternity to be founded at Central in 1967. Commonly known as the "Thetas," the fraternity prides itself on its longstanding principles of service, academic excellence, and unity through diversity. The members of Theta Kappa Alpha host Central's annual Lemming Race (see "Traditions") as well as the root-beer kegger on is island.
Sigma Phi Omega
Sigma Phi Omega (ΣΦΩ) became Central's first sorority in 1969. The Sigmas are best known for their work with the blood drives that are brought to campus each semester by the Blood Center of Iowa. They help with advertising, recruiting donors, and assisting at the donation site.
Alpha Delta Epsilon
Alpha Delta Epsilon sorority (AΔЕ) was founded in 1971. The Alpha Delts' colors are maroon, gold, white and violet. The sorority's motto is "Sisterhood, Sincerity, and Service to All" and their flower is the yellow rose. The sister's creed is "Working together, We are Sisters."
Alpha Zeta Chi
Alpha Zeta Chi (AZX) was founded as an all-male fraternity in 1988, on the principles of looking beyond people's differences and respecting each individual's dignity, and with the goal of improving the social climate at Central College. In 1998, AZX began accepting female members, thus becoming Central's first co-ed fraternity. Furthermore, Alpha Zeta Chi does not deny membership on the basis of race, color, creed, nationality, physical ability, gender identity, or sexual orientation. They are known for hosting the "Virgin Mixer" every fall at which students can mingle and enjoy non-alcoholic ("virgin") drinks.
Zeta Upsilon
Zeta Upsilon (ZY) is a sorority that was founded in 1995 and established in 1996. They are the second youngest sorority on campus. They have been known for having a fall dinner at their house, and a spring semester tug-o-war on study day.
Psi Sigma Tau
Psi Sigma Tau (ΨΣΤ) is Central's newest group, having been tentatively approved by Greek Council in the spring of 2006. It is the first group to be founded as a co-ed fraternity.
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
college located in Pella, Iowa
Pella, Iowa
Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,832 at the 2000 census. Pella is the home of Central College as well as several manufacturing companies, including Pella Corporation and Vermeer Manufacturing Company.- History :...
. It is a four-year school affiliated with the Reformed Church in America
Reformed Church in America
The Reformed Church in America is a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States. It has about 170,000 members, with the total declining in recent decades. From its beginning in 1628 until 1819, it was the North American branch of the Dutch Reformed Church. In 1819, it...
. Central has a student body of approximately 1,600 undergraduates and a 130 acres (52.6 ha) main campus. The college is noted for its study abroad
Study abroad
Studying abroad is the act of a student pursuing educational opportunities in a country other than one's own. This can include primary, secondary and post-secondary students...
program.
History
The Baptist Convention of IowaBaptist Convention of Iowa
The Baptist Convention of Iowa is a group of churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention located in the U.S. state of Iowa. Headquartered in Des Moines, it is made up of about 110 churches and 7 Baptist associations.-Associations:...
founded Central University of Iowa in 1853 and it officially opened on October 8, 1854. The first class totaled 37 people. Central was a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
institution until 1916, when it was transferred to the control of the Reformed Church in America
Reformed Church in America
The Reformed Church in America is a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States. It has about 170,000 members, with the total declining in recent decades. From its beginning in 1628 until 1819, it was the North American branch of the Dutch Reformed Church. In 1819, it...
. Since 1886, Iowa Baptists had shifted their post-secondary education interests to Des Moines College
Des Moines College
Des Moines College was an American college in operation from 1865 to 1929 and located in Des Moines, Iowa.It was originally located in a Lutheran College building, then moved to College Avenue at 9th in 1884. In 1920, it merged with Central College and Highland Park College to become Des Moines...
, and hoped to reduce Central to a feeder school.
The college was called Central University of Iowa (CUI), at least until 1991. It renamed itself "Central College" in the mid 1994.
It is home to local radio station 89.1 KCUI-FM
KCUI
KCUI is a radio station that serves the Pella, Iowa area. The station primarily broadcasts a college format. KCUI is licensed to Central University of Iowa....
.
Central has a history of interesting architectural features. The first buildings of the new college in 1853 are Dutch Colonial and part of what was recently known as Strawtown Inn. The first dormitory, Cotton Hall, is noted for its ornate Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
porch and stained glass windows. Building innovation continues with the addition of "green" buildings. The main feature of the campus is a pond in the center of campus. Central is also one of few schools with a public history major, and part of this focuses on architecture history.
Notable alumni
- Vern Den HerderVern Den HerderVern Wayne Den Herder was an American football player who played twelve seasons for the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. He played in three Super Bowls for the Dolphins. In 1996 he was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame.-High school:Den Herder attended high school in Sioux Center, Iowa...
, defensive end who was part of the Miami Dolphins' "No Name Defense" that won 2 consecutive Super bowls, and member of the College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move... - Harry Smith (television)Harry Smith (television)Harry Smith is an American television journalist. He hosted the CBS News morning programs, The Early Show and its predecessor, CBS This Morning, for 17 years...
, (1973) television reporter - Steve Bell (anchorman)Steve Bell (anchorman)Steve Bell is the former news anchor of ABC News programs "Good Morning America" and "World News This Morning", and professor emeritus of telecommunications at Muncie's Ball State University....
, television reporter and anchor - Bernadette Allen, former United States Ambassador to NigerUnited States Ambassador to NigerThe day before Niger's independence on August 3, 1960, the first American Chargé d'Affaires ad interim, Donald R. Norland, presented his credentials to take effect the following day. The first United States ambassador to Niger, R. Borden Reams was appointed that October 14 and presented his...
- Tom Koos, (1986), president/CEO of Jacuzzi Brands CorporationJacuzziJacuzzi is a company that produces whirlpool bathtubs and spas. Its first product was a bath with massaging jets. The term "jacuzzi" is now often used generically to refer to any bathtub with massaging jets.-History:...
- Brooke Bouma, Co-anchor, WHO-TVWHO-TVWHO-DT is a television station that broadcasts on Channel 13 in Des Moines, Iowa. It is affiliated with the NBC television network and serves most of central Iowa. The station transmits from the WOI Tower in Alleman, Iowa, which is actually owned by WHO-DT's owners. WHO-DT brands itself as WHO-HD...
"Today in Iowa" - Tim Kuhn, BaritoneBaritoneBaritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
, New York City OperaNew York City OperaThe New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and... - Nicholas Turner, (2001), Marine Helicopter Squadron, HMX-1 NighthawksHMX-1Marine Helicopter Squadron One , is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron responsible for the transportation of the President of the United States, Vice President, Cabinet members and other VIPs...
, responsible for direct helicopter support for the White House - Kyle Munson, Iowa columnist, The Des Moines Register
- Jack Lindine, Actor
Areas of study
Central offers majors in the following areas of study:- Accounting
- Actuarial Science
- Anthropology
- Art
- Athletic Training
- Biology
- Biochemistry
- Business Management
- Chemistry
- Communication Studies
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Elementary Education
- Secondary Education
- English
- Environmental Studies
- Exercise Science
- French
- General Studies
- German Studies
- History
- Information Systems
- International Management
- International Studies
- Linguistics
- Mathematics
- Mathematics/Computer Science
- Music
- Music Education
- Natural Science
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Religion
- Social Science
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Theatre
- Undecided/Exploring
Fine arts
Central College offers several fine art activities for its students including:- Visual arts facilities and gallery
- 18 musical ensembles:
- A Cappella Choir
- Brass Ensemble
- Chamber Singers
- Clarinet Ensemble
- College-Community Band
- College-Community Chorus
- College-Community Orchestra
- Flute Choir
- Handbell Choir
- Jazz Band
- Flying Pans Steel Drum Band
- Pep Band
- Percussion Ensemble
- Piano Ensemble
- String Ensemble
- Symphonic Wind Ensemble
- Vocal/Instrumental Jazz and Pop Combo
- Wood-Wind Ensemble
- Theatre Central
Athletics
Central College's athletic teams include:- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
(Men's and Women's) - Cross countryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
(Men's and Women's) - FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
(Men's and Women's) - Soccer (Men's and Women's)
- SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
(Men's and Women's) - Track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
(Men's and Women's) - VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
- WrestlingCollegiate wrestlingCollegiate wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the collegiate and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling emerged from the folk wrestling styles practised in the early history of the United States...
- Central College also offers Cheerleading and the Central College Dance Team who won two first place titles at the 2008 ISDTA Competition at Veterans Memorial in Des Moines.
The athletics facility is housed within the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex.
Study abroad programs
Central College students can study abroad in nine locations:- Vienna, Austria
- Hangzhou, ChinaHangzhouHangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
- London, England
- Paris, France
- Accra, Ghana (Central's newest program, announced in October 2009)
- Merida, Mexico
- Leiden, the Netherlands
- Granada, Spain
- Bangor, WalesBangor, WalesBangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
Greek life
Central is currently home to eight local fraternities and sororitiesFraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
. All of them participate in Central's "Greek Council" in which at least three representatives from each group meet to discuss issues pertaining to Greek life (such as pledging and housing), and plan campus-wide activities and service projects.
All of Central's Greek organizations are local and have no chapters at other colleges.
Central College has a policy of "deferred recruitment" regarding Greek organizations; first-year students must be enrolled for at least one semester before they are allowed to pledge.
Beta Kappa Epsilon
Beta Kappa Epsilon (ΒΚΕ) is Central's oldest fraternity and was founded in 1947. Both the group and its members are usually referred to as "the Beakes".
Phi Delta Tau
Phi Delta Tau (ΦΔΤ) which stands for Brotherhood Power and Honor became Central's second fraternity in 1961. Their colors are yellow and gold and its members are referred to as "Phi Delts" and they have traditionally hosted the annual gallon challenge (milk) and also the King of Hearts Dance every Valentine's Day. They have a rich tradition with many faculty members once being active Phi Delts in their day.
Theta Kappa Alpha
Theta Kappa Alpha (ΘΚA) was the third fraternity to be founded at Central in 1967. Commonly known as the "Thetas," the fraternity prides itself on its longstanding principles of service, academic excellence, and unity through diversity. The members of Theta Kappa Alpha host Central's annual Lemming Race (see "Traditions") as well as the root-beer kegger on is island.
Sigma Phi Omega
Sigma Phi Omega (ΣΦΩ) became Central's first sorority in 1969. The Sigmas are best known for their work with the blood drives that are brought to campus each semester by the Blood Center of Iowa. They help with advertising, recruiting donors, and assisting at the donation site.
Alpha Delta Epsilon
Alpha Delta Epsilon sorority (AΔЕ) was founded in 1971. The Alpha Delts' colors are maroon, gold, white and violet. The sorority's motto is "Sisterhood, Sincerity, and Service to All" and their flower is the yellow rose. The sister's creed is "Working together, We are Sisters."
Alpha Zeta Chi
Alpha Zeta Chi (AZX) was founded as an all-male fraternity in 1988, on the principles of looking beyond people's differences and respecting each individual's dignity, and with the goal of improving the social climate at Central College. In 1998, AZX began accepting female members, thus becoming Central's first co-ed fraternity. Furthermore, Alpha Zeta Chi does not deny membership on the basis of race, color, creed, nationality, physical ability, gender identity, or sexual orientation. They are known for hosting the "Virgin Mixer" every fall at which students can mingle and enjoy non-alcoholic ("virgin") drinks.
Zeta Upsilon
Zeta Upsilon (ZY) is a sorority that was founded in 1995 and established in 1996. They are the second youngest sorority on campus. They have been known for having a fall dinner at their house, and a spring semester tug-o-war on study day.
Psi Sigma Tau
Psi Sigma Tau (ΨΣΤ) is Central's newest group, having been tentatively approved by Greek Council in the spring of 2006. It is the first group to be founded as a co-ed fraternity.