Augustana College: A Premier Liberal Arts Institution

Augustana College: Academic Excellence and Student Success

Augustana College stands as a premier liberal arts institution located along the scenic Mississippi River in Rock Island, Illinois. Founded in 1860 by Swedish university graduates, the college has maintained a commitment to providing transformative education that develops intellectual sophistication, interpersonal maturity, and intrapersonal conviction in its students. With approximately 2,500 students and more than 300 faculty members, Augustana creates an intimate learning environment where personal connections between students and faculty thrive, fostering academic excellence and personal growth.

Campus Overview and Facilities

The college occupies 115 acres of hilly, wooded land that provides a picturesque setting for academic pursuits and student life. The adjacent Mississippi River offers breathtaking views and enhances the natural beauty of the campus. Beyond the main campus, Augustana operates Collinson Ecological Preserve and the Green Wing Environmental Laboratory, comprising nearly 500 acres of research and teaching land that supports hands-on learning experiences across multiple disciplines.

One of the most impressive facilities is the Hanson Hall of Science, which was dedicated in 1998 and enlarged in 2019 to become the largest academic building on campus. This state-of-the-art facility serves approximately 700 students enrolled in 17 majors, minors, and concentrations. The science building features seven classrooms, 35 laboratories including a cadaver lab, a 400 MHz liquid-and solid-state NMR spectrometer, a scanning electron microscope, instrumentation for X-ray powder crystallography, and a fully functioning 40-foot greenhouse. Additional campus resources include the Fryxell Geology Museum, the John Deere Planetarium, and the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center, all designed to enhance student learning and research opportunities.

Academic Programs and Curriculum

Augustana offers nearly 100 academic programs spanning diverse fields including accounting, applied mathematics, art, computer science, journalism, theatre studies, international business, and graphic design. The college maintains a strong commitment to liberal arts education, offering exclusively bachelor of arts degrees with a comprehensive curriculum covering education, business, pre-medicine studies, and the liberal arts and sciences.

The college’s curriculum has been carefully developed over decades to ensure graduates possess strong competencies. In 2012, the faculty approved nine college-wide student-learning outcomes grouped within three broad categories that emphasize intellectual sophistication, interpersonal maturity, and intrapersonal conviction. Every Augustana graduate is expected to demonstrate high levels of competency in disciplinary knowledge, critical thinking, information literacy, quantitative literacy, collaborative leadership, intercultural competency, communication competency, creative thinking, ethical citizenship, and intellectual curiosity.

The general education requirements reflect the college’s ongoing commitment to liberal arts education, with students taking courses across broad ranges of fields including writing, quantitative reasoning, foreign languages, fine arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. Each student must complete at least one major field of study within the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, or pre-professional categories. As a capstone experience, all Augustana seniors create and complete a Senior Inquiry project, working directly with faculty mentors in their major fields.

Study Abroad and Global Learning

Augustana recognizes the importance of global perspectives in liberal arts education and operates comprehensive study-abroad programs in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Israel. The college provides each student with funding through the Augie Choice initiative, which grants $2,000 to support internships, research projects, creative endeavors, or study abroad experiences that align with individual student interests and career goals.

Career Services and Professional Outcomes

One of Augustana’s most impressive achievements is its exceptional career placement record. The college consistently achieves a 99% career placement rate for new graduates, with 93% of graduate students from the most recent surveyed class (2024) gaining acceptance into one of their top two graduate schools. This outstanding success reflects the college’s proactive approach to career development and comprehensive support services.

The Career Center at Augustana provides robust opportunities for internships and real-world experience, with career services professionals actively helping students find positions locally and internationally. The college’s commitment to experiential learning ensures that students gain valuable practical experience that directly contributes to their professional development and career readiness.

Student Support and Academic Resources

Augustana College provides a comprehensive range of student support services designed to help students overcome academic challenges and thrive in their studies. The college operates a dedicated reading and writing center, a well-equipped career center, and tutoring services through the C.O.R.E. program, which assists students in developing skills including writing, speaking, and presentation abilities. These resources are designed to prepare students for real-world demands and foster academic success.

Faculty at Augustana are widely recognized for their accessibility and commitment to student success. The college maintains a dedicated Success Team focused on students’ academics, well-being, and career goals, creating a supportive environment where professors genuinely care about student development. The challenging but rewarding academic environment encourages students to be proactive in seeking help and engaging with faculty, fostering meaningful relationships that extend beyond the classroom.

Campus Life and Community

Augustana offers a vibrant campus environment characterized by a close-knit community and inclusive atmosphere where students from diverse backgrounds feel welcomed and supported. The college emphasizes a strong sense of community through orientation programs, campus activities, and residential life experiences that help students build lasting connections and feel integrated into the Augustana family.

Living on campus provides students with spacious accommodations and close proximity to academic buildings, enhancing the overall educational experience. The college continues to upgrade residence halls and introduce themed housing options to improve living conditions and create specialized community spaces. Extracurricular activities abound on campus, offering numerous opportunities for student involvement and personal growth across athletics, clubs, and student organizations.

Mental Health and Wellness Support

Recognizing the importance of comprehensive student well-being, Augustana College maintains a mental health and wellness program that makes counseling, referral, and well-being services available to all students. This commitment ensures that students have access to professional support services to address mental health challenges and promote overall wellness during their college years.

Mission and Values

Deeply rooted in the liberal arts and sciences, Augustana College is related to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and committed to providing a challenging education that develops the qualities of mind, spirit, and body necessary for students to discern their life’s calling of leadership and service in a diverse and changing world. As a community dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion, the college prizes interfaith engagement, commitment to justice, spiritual exploration, reasoned examination, and vocational discernment.

Freedom of academic inquiry and expression is assured throughout the institution, reflecting the liberal arts tradition of rigorous intellectual engagement. The college’s goals emphasize developing students’ characteristics as liberally educated persons, cultivating expertise in chosen major fields, encouraging confrontation with fundamental spiritual issues, and promoting personal and social growth through residential life and extracurricular activities.

Institutional Recognition and Notable Achievements

Augustana College has earned recognition as a top-tier institution among American liberal arts colleges, with rankings in the top tier of U.S. News assessments. The college’s reputation for academic excellence attracts students from diverse backgrounds and has produced notable alumni, including Daniel C. Tsui, who shared the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1998.

Campus Setting and Location

Located in Rock Island, Illinois, in a suburban setting, Augustana College functions primarily as a residential campus where students engage deeply with college life. The Mississippi River location provides stunning natural scenery and opportunities for outdoor recreation, while proximity to larger metropolitan areas ensures access to cultural, professional, and entertainment opportunities. The college’s location in the Midwest positions it strategically for students seeking regional connections and career opportunities.

Admission and Student Profile

Augustana College is a small, four-year, private coeducational institution that attracts students from diverse backgrounds interested in rigorous liberal arts education. The college offers Viking Visits and Instant Decision Day events to help prospective students explore campus, learn about admissions and financial aid processes, and connect with current students and campus organizations like CORE, which helps students achieve their career goals.

Frequently Asked Questions About Augustana College

Q: What is Augustana College’s religious affiliation?

A: Augustana College is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and was founded in 1860 by Swedish university graduates. The college maintains Lutheran values while welcoming students of all faith traditions.

Q: What is the student population at Augustana College?

A: Augustana enrolls approximately 2,500 students with a faculty of more than 300, creating favorable student-to-faculty ratios and opportunities for personalized education.

Q: What academic degrees does Augustana offer?

A: Augustana offers only bachelor of arts degrees with nearly 100 majors and areas of study spanning the liberal arts and sciences, business, and pre-professional fields.

Q: What career placement support does Augustana provide?

A: Augustana achieves a 99% career placement rate for new graduates and maintains comprehensive career services including internship support, job placement assistance, and the Augie Choice funding program providing $2,000 per student for career-related experiences.

Q: Does Augustana offer study abroad opportunities?

A: Yes, Augustana operates study-abroad programs in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Israel, with each student receiving funding through the college’s Augie Choice initiative to support these global learning experiences.

Q: What support services are available to students?

A: Augustana provides reading and writing centers, career counseling, tutoring through the C.O.R.E. program, mental health and wellness services, and a dedicated Success Team focused on academics, well-being, and career development.

Q: What makes Augustana’s science facilities notable?

A: The Hanson Hall of Science features 35 laboratories including a cadaver lab, a 400 MHz NMR spectrometer, scanning electron microscope, X-ray powder crystallography equipment, and a 40-foot greenhouse serving 700 students.

Q: Is Augustana a residential campus?

A: Yes, Augustana functions primarily as a residential campus with spacious dorm accommodations, themed housing options, and a strong residential life program that builds community and supports student development.

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