The Christ College Experience

Whatever their majors or career paths, Christ College students share the pleasure of intense engagement with thought and a commitment to understanding what they can accomplish in the world.

LEARNING AT CHRIST COLLEGE

The Christ College curriculum is carefully structured to develop independent critical thinking and to encourage a sense of vocation and service. Christ College courses, which fulfill many of Valparaiso University’s general education requirements, are conducted as small, seminar-style classes of 16 students or fewer that teach students to engage in serious dialogue about challenging topics. By developing the capacity for independent, critical thinking and self-examination, Christ College prepares its students to meet life’s challenges with thoughtful confidence.

INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH

Each academic discipline or major offers its own ways of looking at the world. Although these specialized disciplinary perspectives are useful in advancing human knowledge, too narrow a focus on a single discipline can block off other paths to understanding. The Christ College curriculum embraces conversation across disciplines, offering students a variety of approaches to topics that interest them. Christ College students benefit from close relationships with professors and students whose academic pursuits and backgrounds differ from their own.

SPEAKING FREELY

Passionate discussions and debates are a hallmark of Christ College courses. Small class sizes and professors who excel at facilitating discussion allow students to test and refine their ideas in collaboration with a group of motivated, perceptive peers. This supportive but rigorous environment prepares students to clarify their opinions and ideas and present them to others — critical skills in any field of endeavor.

COMMUNITY BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

A lasting sense of community among Christ College students, faculty, and staff is fostered by intense discussion in the classroom, supportive and approachable professors, social events that provide frequent opportunities to meet in an informal context, and opportunities to learn through service. Lifelong relationships and friendships form through the many traditions of Christ College, as the co-curricular programs and Christ College traditions are a critical component of academic life at Christ College. Christ College students and alumni recall the First-Year Production and the Oxford Debates as powerful learning experiences that develop the ability to work collaboratively, resolve conflict, and discover new inner resources. The sense of achievement students feel upon completing these projects confers lasting confidence and inspires a lifelong commitment to building communities.

STUDY SPACES

Mueller Hall offers many atmospheric study spaces for students of all colleges, from the cozy armchairs in the Commons and the couches near the fireplace, to the popular Egg Chair and the peaceful stone benches by the fountain in the central courtyard. Mueller’s spaces are perfect for studying, relaxing, and socializing with peers, and provide comfortable areas to read or catch up with friends between classes.

PAY IT FORWARD LIBRARY

Thanks to contributions from alumni and creative ideas from students, Mueller Hall also boasts the new Pay It Forward Community Library. This includes several bookshelves free in the Commons where students can take and leave used books from the CC curriculum, making the scholarship and education of CC classes more accessible to everyone.

LIFE AFTER CHRIST COLLEGE

Thanks to excellent undergraduate preparation and a remarkably effective advising program, Christ College graduates achieve exceptional success. Our graduates often receive prestigious awards such as Fulbright Fellowships or are selected to serve in organizations such as Peace Corps, Americorps, and Young Adults in Global Missions. Many go on to graduate study at top-ranked institutions including MIT, Harvard, the University of Chicago, and Yale. Others immediately begin their professional lives in business, engineering, healthcare, ministry, or education.

Joining Christ College means becoming part of the worldwide network of Christ College alumni — a community that values intellectual achievement and a commitment to making the world a better place.