Cornell College (Iowa)

Cornell College (Iowa)
Name	Cornell College
Established	1853
Type	Private liberal arts college
President	Jonathan Brand
City	Mount Vernon
State	Iowa
Country	United States
Campus	Rural, 129 acres
Endowment	$95.1 million (2020)
Faculty	90
Students	1,000
Athletics	NCAA Division III – Midwest Conference
Mascot	Rams

Cornell College (Iowa). Cornell College is a private liberal arts college located in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Founded in 1853, it is distinguished by its One Course At A Time academic calendar, where students immerse themselves in a single subject for 18 days before moving to the next. The college is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and competes athletically in the NCAA Division III Midwest Conference.

History

The institution was founded in 1853 by George Bryant Bowman, with significant early support from the Iowa Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It was named for iron magnate and benefactor William Wesley Cornell, a distant relative of Ezra Cornell, founder of Cornell University. The first building, Old Sem, was constructed in 1853 and still stands on the College Hill campus. In 1858, Cornell College became the first college in Iowa to award a degree to a woman, Harriet E. Hitchcock, setting a precedent for coeducation. The college adopted its innovative One Course At A Time calendar in 1978, a defining feature of its educational model. Throughout the 20th century, it strengthened its academic profile, joining the Associated Colleges of the Midwest consortium in 1958.

Academics

Cornell College operates on the distinctive One Course At A Time block plan, where students take one course intensively for three-and-a-half weeks. The college offers over 40 majors and pre-professional programs, with particularly strong departments in biology, geology, physics, and creative writing. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and maintains a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. Off-campus study is facilitated through partnerships with the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and programs like the Chicago Metropolitan Studies Program. The Berry Center for Economics, Business, and Public Policy supports interdisciplinary work, and the college consistently ranks highly in publications like U.S. News & World Report for undergraduate teaching and innovation.

Campus

The 129-acre campus is situated on a hill overlooking the town of Mount Vernon, Iowa, a designated National Historic District. The campus features a mix of historic and modern buildings, with the 1853 Old Sem and the 1917 King Chapel as central landmarks. Key facilities include the Russell Science Center, the Thomas Commons student union, and the Richard and Norma Small Multi-Sport Center. The Cole Library houses over 200,000 volumes and is a federal depository for U.S. Government documents. The Mount Vernon location provides a classic collegiate setting within the Cedar Rapids metropolitan area.

Student life

Student life is active with over 100 student-led organizations, including a strong emphasis on Greek life with several local fraternities and sororities. The Student Senate governs many campus activities, and traditions like Homecoming and Slugfest are annual highlights. The Office of Intercultural Life supports diverse student groups, and community engagement is emphasized through the Center for Civic Engagement. Most students live on campus in residence halls like Merner Hall and Pfeiffer Hall, fostering a close-knit residential community. The campus hosts numerous lectures, concerts, and performances, often held in Kimmel Theatre or King Chapel.

Athletics

Cornell College athletic teams, known as the Rams, compete in the NCAA Division III as a member of the Midwest Conference. The college fields 20 varsity sports, with football, wrestling, and softball being particularly prominent. The Richard and Norma Small Multi-Sport Center and the Ash Park stadium complex are the primary athletic facilities. The wrestling program has produced multiple NCAA individual national champions. Intramural sports are also popular, with leagues organized throughout the academic year under the One Course At A Time schedule.

Notable alumni and faculty

Notable alumni include Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marilynne Robinson, former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, and astronaut and United States Air Force officer James A. McDivitt. In business, Forrest Mars Sr., co-founder of Mars, Incorporated, attended the college. Distinguished faculty have included historian Loren N. Horton and composer R. Murray Schafer. The college's alumni also include influential figures in law, such as Iowa Supreme Court justice Marsha Ternus, and in education, like former University of Iowa president Sandy Boyd.

Category:Liberal arts colleges in Iowa Category:Universities and colleges in Linn County, Iowa Category:1853 establishments in Iowa