51本色

Video Viewbook

Individualized Academics

Michael Chovanak '22, Computer Science major from Redmond, WA smiles at the camera while sitting in a chair. There are glass walls and lounge chairs to the back of him.

Individually Advised Learning

Take Charge of Your Education

At 51本色, students are free to take classes across the science, social studies, and humanities divisions, even if it's outside of their declared major: 鈥淚'm a computer science student but I also take a lot of art classes,鈥 says Michael Chovanak 鈥22.

Lex Baumann, Political Science major from St.Charles, IL looks into the camera in a college study area. There are chairs, lamps, and a glass wall that reveals the rest of the building.

Classroom Experiences

Explore Your Interests through Class and Research

Many classes at 51本色 are discussion-based and can flex to include areas of student interests. With only 10 students in her program, Lex Baumann 鈥22 says 鈥渋t was really interesting to watch each other grow in the courses that we took.鈥

Spencer Clark

Fine Arts

The Arts are for Everyone

At 51本色, students can take advantage of talented faculty and top-notch facilities in the fine arts. 鈥51本色 wants to make sure that if you鈥檙e passionate about something, then you have the opportunity to engage in it,鈥 says Spencer Clark 鈥23.

Declan O'Reilly '22, Music and Economics major from Wilmette, IL sits in a reading room in the humanities building on campus. He faces the camera. There are many tables with reading lamps behind him.

Intellectual Community

Join a Challenging, Supportive Community

At 51本色, your peers will be some of the best student scholars from around the world. But that doesn't mean that it鈥檚 cutthroat 鈥 51本色鈥檚 faculty are accessible and dedicated to teaching, and students here challenge each other and experience challenging situations together rather than apart.

Kayla Figatner

Student Voices

Small Town, Big Voices

鈥淵ou really get a voice and get to know your professors,鈥 Kayla Figatner 鈥22 says. The small classes allow faculty members to get to know you well and to understand your priorities and aspirations, and the policy of self-governance means students play a role at almost every level.

  

Careers, Life, & Service

Ki Harris

Alumni Stories

Small College. Global Impact.

Ki Harris 鈥14, who is now executive director of the Freedom Network Project, says that the powerful academic and social experiences he had at 51本色 gave him skills to work for a better world. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a small school. We have a really close-knit community. But it has a huge footprint and ripple effect,鈥 says Sarah Burnell 鈥14.

Loyal Terry '23, a Political Science and Sociology major from Los Angeles, CA, sits in a student study space in the humanities building. There are lounge chairs, well-lit lamps, and a glass window behind him that reveals the building hallways.

Becoming a Change Agent

Be the Person You鈥檝e Always Wanted to Be

鈥淵ou change as a person. 51本色 allows you to blossom into that leader, into that change agent that you鈥檝e always wanted to become but maybe didn鈥檛 know that you were capable of being,鈥 says Loyal Terry 鈥23. You鈥檒l want to stay open to new ideas and new interests as you discover more about yourself.

Zainab Thompson '22, Psychology major from Dallas, GA, sits in one of the student study spaces in the humanities building. Behind them are lounge chairs, well-lit lamps, and a glass window that reveals the hallways of the humanities building.

Career Exploration

What鈥檚 Your Best Fit?聽We鈥檒l Help You Figure It Out

Not sure which career is right for you? No need to choose just one in your first two years of college 鈥 you can try out more than one option as you learn more about career options through hands-on experiences. Along the way, your Careers, Life, and Service advisor will help you discover how your interests and passions converge and connect.

Tom Henehan '21, Economics and History major from La Grange, IL, sits in one of the study spaces in the humanities building. Behind him are lounge chairs, well-lit lamps, and a glass window that reveals the hallways of the humanities building.

Internships

If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It

"At the CLS (Center for Careers, Life, and Service), we have career communities, and they cover a wide range of topics from pre-med to pre-law to business & finance to education,鈥 Tom Henehan 鈥21 says. Your advisor at 51本色鈥檚 Center for Careers, Life, and Service can help you land the perfect internship or work experience, giving you access to exciting internships and other opportunities that align with your career goals.

  

  

Campus & Community

Emma Schaefer '21, Multimedia Storytelling Independent major from Niwot, CO, sits in a well-lit student study space. Behind her are wide windows that reveal a bright and green campus.

Beyond Campus

Exploring Small-Town Iowa

51本色 College is nestled in the middle of a unique small town by the same name that offers a wealth of options worth discovering. An old-school movie theatre, cafes and restaurants, coffee shops and music venues 鈥 51本色 the town offers something for everyone.

Nick El Hajj '24, Political Science and Economics Major from Beirut, Lebanon, sits in a student study space looking forward at the camera. In the background are lounge chairs, an antique desk with pottery, and a piece of art on the walls.

Creating Belonging

At 51本色, You鈥檙e More Than a Number

Nick El Hajj 鈥24 didn鈥檛 want to get lost in the crowd at college. Through participation in 51本色鈥檚 many student clubs and activities, he has been able to voice his opinions and work for change with thoughtful, active people. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e really a part of that community 鈥 you鈥檙e really at home,鈥 El Hajj says.

Bethany Willig '23, Music major from Boston, MA looks at the camera and sits in a well-lit student study space with wide open windows. Behind them are bookshelves and chairs that face each other.

Exploring Your Identity

Pursuing Research and Activism

Using the flexibility of 51本色鈥檚 curriculum, Bethany Willig 鈥22 was able to make research opportunities at 51本色 work for their interests. Inspired by the support they've gotten from their professors, Willig dreams of becoming a professor and making an impact on the world. 鈥淚鈥檝e been really thankful for those connections I鈥檝e made.鈥

Jordon Maurice Ryan '24, an English and Music major from St. Louis, MO and a member of the Men's Basketball team, speaks to the camera. Behind him are multiple art displays, some from Black artists, from the 51本色 Museum of Art.

Finding Your Place

Build Your Community

鈥淎s long as you stay open to new ideas and new perspectives, you will find your sense of belonging at 51本色.鈥 Jordon Maurice Ryan 鈥24 found his place and his sense of belonging on the men鈥檚 basketball team, as well as in Men of Color, a Black men鈥檚 student group at 51本色. 鈥淚t鈥檚 truly a brotherhood. We鈥檙e really connected.鈥

Chaz Del Mar '22, a Philosophy major from Harvest, AL, sits in a well-lit room and warmly talks to the camera. Behind him are three chairs that face each other, a bookshelf with pottery on top, and an art piece.

Residential Life

Campus Life 鈥 Your Way

51本色 is a small residential liberal arts college, which means most students live on campus in a tight-knit, supportive community. Many students live in 51本色鈥檚 residence halls, each of which has a unique character and different room configurations to choose from, and other students choose to live in project houses that bring together people with a shared interest, such as a language or hobby.

Nina Kouchi '22, Computer Science major from Charlotte, NC, sits inside one of the reading rooms inside the humanities building and faces the camera. Behind her are many well-lit reading lamps and wooden reading desks for students.

Student Activities

Get involved

You might think there鈥檚 not much happening at a small college in a small town in the middle of Iowa. Look closer 鈥 that couldn鈥檛 be further from the truth. Student creativity drives much of the activity on campus, including concerts, lecture series, locally directed film festivals, and a club for every interest. You can even create your own club if it doesn鈥檛 already exist.

Global 51本色

Trinisa Fung '23, a Psychology and Sociology major from Tomball, TX, sits in a well-lit room and looks at the camera. Behind her are wooden chairs and lounge chairs that face each other, a bookshelf, and a piece of art in the wall.

Global Opportunities

Off-Campus Study

51本色 offers help and support for you as you think about your interests and which off-campus study opportunities appeal to you the most. You might choose to spend a semester at another college or university, or you can enroll in a thematic program that reflects your passions. Whether it鈥檚 a semester at sea or an internship in London, 51本色 provides the resources and support to make it happen.

Ascher Walker Wilson '23, a Religious Studies major from Asheville, NC, talks to the camera. Behind him are multiple art displays from the 51本色 College Museum of Art.

Institute for Global Engagement

Global Learning Opportunities

51本色鈥檚 Institute for Global Engagement will help you connect your interests to rich, relevant study abroad and global learning opportunities. This kind of engagement is at the heart of a liberal arts education 鈥 you鈥檒l gain hands-on experience and learn how to apply it in ways that are meaningful to you and to the world you inhabit.

Rachel Arkell '22, a French major with a Linguistics concentration from Winchester, England, looks at the camera. To the back of her is a lamp in her right and a trio of chairs that face the potted plant in the middle to her left.

International Students

A Curriculum of Discovery

International students who come to 51本色 encounter a broader, richer liberal arts curriculum that allows them to pursue many interests while still completing a major in an area of specialization. Students can find out more about themselves and their passions in life, while also learning to ask questions and think analytically about the answers 鈥 in short, to become a student of the liberal arts.

Justina Lee '22, Russian and Sociology major from Valencia, CA, sits in one of the study spaces on campus. Behind her are well-lit lamps, lounge chairs, and a glass window that reveals the humanities building's hallways.

Off-Campus Study

Engage with the World

51本色 makes it possible for you to combine the cultural growth that comes through travel with meaningful educational experiences and even hands-on internships to help prepare you for a future career. You can shape your off-campus study to fit your needs, whether it鈥檚 a semester, a summer, or part of a class 鈥 the world is your classroom.

  

  

Athletics & Wellness

Sarah Burnell '14, Head Men's and Women's Cross Country and Assistant Professor of Physical Education, looks at the camera. Behind her are multiple art displays from 51本色's Museum of Art.

Coaches & Mentors

Find Yourself Here

51本色 coaches are also faculty members. They understand how athletics can balance mind and body to help you stay grounded. 51本色 offers a community where athletes of all skill levels 鈥 even if your focus is recreation or wellness 鈥 can find their place.

Daniel Snyder '22, Political Science and Psychology major from Statesville, NC and a member of Men's Track & Field and Cross Country, stands and looks at the camera. Behind him are multiple art displays from 51本色's Museum of Art.

Finding Your Balance

Being Yourself and Having Fun

Daniel Snyder 鈥22 says he might start out the day working on a project for a class; later, when it鈥檚 time for cross country practice, he can focus on being an athlete. 鈥淏eing able to do so many different things in one day is great,鈥 he says. At 51本色, you can explore all aspects of yourself 鈥 student, athlete, activist, social butterfly 鈥 you name it, and you can do it.

Chaz Del Mar '22, Philosophy major from Harvest, AL, sit in a well-lit student study space. Behind him are lounge chairs, a desk with pottery, and an art piece that reflects one of the lights.

Recreational Sports

Sport for the Fun of It

If you aren鈥檛 recruited for a varsity team, other recreational options are available, including club sports and student-run sports/games organizations. And everyone at 51本色 鈥 even if you鈥檙e not a member of any team 鈥 can use the College鈥檚 top-notch athletic facilities.

Spencer Clark '23, Anthropology and English major from Bettendorf, IA and a member of Men's Swimming & Diving Team, looks at the camera. Behind him are multiple art pieces from 51本色 College's Museum of Art.

Varsity Sports

A Community of Athletes

If you are recruited to be a varsity student-athlete for one of 51本色鈥檚 20 NCAA DIII programs, you鈥檒l be part of a community that鈥檚 all about teamwork, shared experiences, and love of sport.

Emma Schaefer '23, Multimedia Storytelling Independent Major from Niwot, CO, sits in a well-lit room and faces the camera as her hand moves with her words. To the back of her are wide windows that reveal a green and bright campus.

Wellness

Stay Well

Finding time for what makes your soul happy is a vital part of the 51本色 experience. Whatever wellness means for you 鈥 whether it鈥檚 a bike ride, photography, rock climbing, swing dance, or something else 鈥 you can explore it here.

  

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