fall 2008 - Northwestern College

AROUND THE GREEN
ANITA CIRulIS
Sprucing Up
More park benches, trees and shrubs now grace Northwestern’s
campus, thanks to landscaping improvements completed this summer.
The college’s maintenance department worked with a local contractor
on the design and implementation of the landscaping. A paved area with
benches was added to the north side of Van Peursem Hall. On the east
side, flowering plants fill an edged bed bordered on one side by a low
retaining wall. In front of the bed, a seating area is composed of chair-sized
boulders arranged in a paved patio.
landscaping around the DeWitt Center introduced more plants,
another paved seating area with benches, and several rock formations—
one with a water feature in the form of a bubbling fountain.
Funding for the landscaping improvements came through a restricted
gift from leonard and Marjorie Maas of Holland, Mich.
Number Crunch
like many private colleges in today’s economy, Northwestern
experienced a drop in enrollment this fall. A total of 1,225 students are
attending classes, compared to 1,315 in 2007.
In response, college administrators are evaluating the effectiveness of
current admissions strategies and exploring new ways to recruit students.
Counselors are expanding their efforts to reach high school students
through digital marketing, launching an admissions Facebook webpage,
and posting the college’s new promotional video on YouTube.
Northwestern is also encouraging alumni to boost the college’s
recruitment efforts by giving Red Recruiter Scholarships to teens in their
communities (see the Classic’s inside back cover for details).
Cooperative agreements are being developed with community
colleges—including Western Iowa Tech in Sioux City—in response to
research that shows more students are starting at two-year colleges.
In addition, the Northwestern Tuition Guarantee will be optional in
2009.
The guarantee locks in tuition, room and board costs while students
earn their degrees. By averaging anticipated costs during a four-year
period, the guarantee helps families plan for their long-term college
expenses. Because the guaranteed cost is based on averages, however,
initial-year expenses are higher than they would be under a traditional
pricing structure that includes unpredictable tuition increases.
“The guarantee tested well with parents when we researched the
program before the current economic downturn,” says Ron De Jong, vice
president for external relations. “But while the benefits are clear, in reality,
families right now are focused on paying for college one year at a time.”
RSC Design
Award Winning
The renovated Rowenhorst Student
Center raked in design awards over the
summer. Among them, the project was
named the only citation winner in the
modernization category of the American
School & University Architectural Portfolio.
“The design team used one simple gesture to achieve
many things. This building gives hope to campuses
that there is an opportunity for regeneration.”
Jury member, Architectural Portfolio
Honors
• American School & University Architectural
Portfolio, Citation
• American School & University Educational
Interiors Showcase, Outstanding Design
• School Planning & Management and College
Planning & Management’s Education
Design Showcase, Honorable Mention
• Featured in Design Cost Data
magazine’s May-June 2008 issue
PAul BROKERINg
8
FAll 2008