Rochester College
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rochester College | |
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| Established: | 1959 |
| Type: | Private |
| President: | Dr. Rubel Shelly |
| Undergraduates: | 1001 |
| Location: | Rochester Hills, MI, USA |
| Campus: | Urban, 77.25 acres |
| Nickname: | Warriors |
| Affiliations: | Churches of Christ |
| Website: | www.rc.edu |
Rochester College is a private four-year college located in Rochester Hills, Michigan and affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The college was founded in 1959.
Rochester College is primarily undergraduate and is split between commuting and resident student populations. The college also offers a developed continuing education and degree completion program for adult students. The college is governed by a board of trustees who are members of the churches of Christ. The college is composed of a College of Arts and Sciences, a College of Business and Professional Studies, a College of Education, and a College of Extended Learning. The Ennis and Nancy Ham Library provides service to students, faculty, staff, and others.
Rochester College was founded in 1959 as Michigan Christian College and in 1997, the board of trustees adopted the name Rochester College in order to more clearly portray the institution's nature as a liberal arts college in a Christian setting.
In 2005 Rochester College added a two year Masters of Religious Education degree that is designed to provide advanced preparation for men and women for full time ministry in church and para-church service, preparation for a life of scholarship and teaching, and personal spiritual enrichment.
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[edit] Mission statement
The mission of Rochester College is to engage students in a vigorous liberal arts education within a Christian community for a life of study and service.
Through its mission Rochester College affirms:
- A quality education stresses excellence and trains students to perform scholarly research, to write and speak with elegant simplicity, and to think critically and creatively.
- An educated person reveres God and is committed to truth and justice.
- An educated person is able to connect coherently the spiritual truths of God with the wisdom of humanity embodied in the arts and the sciences.
- A Christian education demonstrates that a vibrant faith compels a life of private virtue and of social responsibility.
- An educated person possesses a lifelong desire to grow intellectually and spiritually.
- An educated person views a vocation as an opportunity for service and stewardship, rather than a passport to privilege.
- This community and its professors nurture and incarnate a Christian world view sufficient for the challenges of postmodern thought and encourage the forging of relationships with others dedicated to that view.
[edit] Statement of purpose
Every college has unique characteristics. It knows who it is, why it exists, what are its foremost goals, and what are the core influences on its culture. This statement presents those characteristics of Rochester College.
Since 1959, Rochester College has been serving students from all over the world. Also since 1959, thousands of benefactors have made investments in the lives of these students. Both the students and the benefactors have chosen Rochester College because they identify with its vision of producing for the community and the world capable leaders who have integrity and Christian character.
From inception of the college, this vision has engaged individuals, foundations, and corporations.
[edit] History
In 1954, members of the churches of Christ formed a Board of Trustees to establish an educational institution in the North Central region of the United States. After months of consideration, the board decided to establish a liberal arts college and purchased a beautiful country estate in rural Rochester, Michigan, for a campus site. In September 1959, the college opened as North Central Christian College, retaining that name until 1961.
In the years that followed, the institution operated under the name of Michigan Christian College. In 1997, the board adopted the name Rochester College in order to more clearly portray the institution's nature as a liberal arts college in a Christian setting. In the initial college catalog, leaders affirmed their dedication “to the task of leading students toward higher academic achievement.” The founders also stated their belief “that the development of Christian ideals in the life of an individual is highly important.” Leaders of Rochester College remain firmly committed to those ideals.
The campus of Rochester College has grown to exceed eighty acres, assuring space for continued expansion. During the same time, college leaders have continued to develop and modify programs to meet the needs of students and a changing society.
