William Jewell College

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School Says - General Information
Among the oldest colleges west of the Mississippi, William Jewell College is one of a select group of 265 national liberal arts colleges named by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Distinctive programs include the internationally renowned Oxbridge Honors and Pryor Leadership programs. The Harriman-Jewell Series is considered one of the great performing arts series in the country. More than 700 world-class performances and 17 American recital debuts, including that of Luciano Pavarotti in 1973, have come to Kansas City by way of this program. Jewell offers a recognized major in Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry, allowing students to graduate with double majors and some with triple majors in just four years.

The new Journey Grants program allows every student who successfully completes the sophomore year to be eligible to receive a Journey Grant to fund a transformative, hands-on experience. Journey Grants will be a minimum of $2,000, with the possibility for additional funding based on the quality and type of proposal. Journey Grants can support self-designed research projects, study-away opportunities, internships, civic engagement initiatives or service projects at home or abroad. Students may use a Journey Grant to start their own business or pool grants together to create substantive collaborative projects.

Growing out of the institution's strategic planning process is a transition of the College's athletic programs from the Heart of America Athletic Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics to the Great Lakes Valley Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The College was approved by the NCAA to begin the three-year candidacy process in the summer of 2009 and was invited to join the Great Lakes Valley Conference in the fall of 2009. William Jewell was approved to move to candidacy year two status in July 2010 as part of a three-year membership candidacy period. Under the membership timeline, Jewell will move to provisional year status in the 2011-2012 academic year after completing candidacy year two. Upon successful completion of the provisional year, the College would be invited to active membership in the NCAA Division II during the 2012-2013 academic year. Athletic competition includes swimming (M,W), baseball, basketball (M, W), cross country (M,W), football, golf (M,W), soccer (M,W), softball, Spirit Team (M,W), tennis (M,W), track and field (M,W), volleyball (W).

School Says - Student Body
We prepare students to excel academically, professionally and personally, and to develop as leaders who will have a tremendous impact on their world. At William Jewell, students have always been our first priority, and they are the heart of the institution. Student organizations are relevant to nearly every discipline and special interest. Campus organizations include (among many others) intercollegiate athletics, fraternities and sororities, Unity (a multicultural organization), a nationally-ranked debate team, the Hilltop Monitor newspaper, the Pryor Leadership Program, Christian Student Ministries, student government, Amnesty International, and WhoÂ's Who. Activities are available to meet their spiritual, social, service and academic needs. William JewellÂ's Debate Team captured the National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence championship in 2007, defeating top-seeded University of California-Berkeley to win the national team title. In 2006 and 2007, we claimed a Fulbright Scholar, a Goldwater Scholar, two Rhodes Scholar national finalists, a Truman Scholar, a National Institute of Health Fellow, a George J. Mitchell Scholarship, a Council of Independent Colleges American Graduate Fellowship finalist and a Point Foundation Scholar. William Jewell was among a select group of colleges and universities nationwide recognized for extraordinary community service as part of the first-ever PresidentÂ's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Students contributed more than 25,000 hours of service learning and community service in 2006-07. JewellÂ's student athletes excel in the classroom as well as in athletic competition. In 2007 the menÂ's teams notched the highest grade point average in the conference for the fifth consecutive year.

School Says - Academics
The William Jewell College experience focuses on enhancing the student's ability to apply learning to complex ethical, scientific and cultural problems. The College places a high value on experiential learning and gives students the opportunity to "live what they learn." Students who complete the College's 38-hour liberal arts core plus three applied learning experiences receive a second major in Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry (ACT-In). As a result, all students can graduate with double majors in four years. The ACT-In option is a reflection of the College's philosophy that education must take students beyond thinking and inquiring, and to action. William Jewell prepares students to spend their lives playing an active role in their communities by creating opportunities to apply what they have learned through critical thought and inquiry.

In addition to ACT-In, a number of other distinctive programs are available to Jewell students. The internationally recognized Oxbridge Honors Program, supported by the Hall Family Foundation, combines British tutorial methods of instruction with a year of study in Oxford or Cambridge. It is the only program of its kind in the nation. Jewell's undergraduate Nonprofit Leadership major is one of only 13 nationwide and ranks among the top three in academic rigor. Students will fulfill all of the nonprofit competencies established by American Humanics and meet the guidelines for graduate study in philanthropy, the nonprofit sector and nonprofit leadership established by the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC). The Pryor Leadership Studies Program includes course work, community service projects and internships that help students enhance their leadership skills in a variety of settings. The College offers more than 55 majors, 22 minors and 12 pre-professional programs, with a student-faculty ratio of 11:1 and an average class size of 16. Eighty-eight percent of the faculty hold a doctorate or the equivalent highest degree in their field.

William Jewell has created an intentional progression of courses and experiences designed to prepare students for a lifetime of growth and change. Jewell students graduate equipped with deep content knowledge in their major(s), a host of social and real-world experiences, personal maturity and the intellectual habits of mind for success in a world of change and challenge. Each student's educational and personal development journey is shaped by the College's commitment to the following:
- Immersing students in a community of talented peers with high expectations;
- Top faculty who personally engage, challenge, and mentor students;
- A rigorous and intentional curriculum that is both competency and issues based;
- An ideal location that offers exceptional opportunities for students;
- Personal development: ethics, faith, service, and leadership.

William Jewell College believes that graduation in four years should be an expectation for all students. Our Four-Year Graduation Guarantee makes the cost of a great liberal arts education even more affordable and provides students with the momentum they need to transition into graduate school or career choices. Students who follow academic advising guidelines are guaranteed to graduate four years (eight consecutive semesters) from the date of their original matriculation. Students following these basic guidelines who do not meet graduation requirements after four years may take up to an additional 16 credit hours required for graduation within one year of the originally projected graduation date, free of tuition and fees.

School Says - Admissions
Students interested in admission to William Jewell must complete a secondary school curriculum that includes at least 15 credits in college-preparatory courses; four additional academic electives are recommended as well. Required credits include 4 years of English, 3 years of math, 3 years of social science, 3 years of science, and 2 years of foreign language. Applicants must complete either the William Jewell College application or the Common Application and provide an official secondary school transcript, standardized test scores (SAT I or ACT, writing sections recommended), a writing sample, and a secondary school report form. Students interested in Oxbridge Honors must also submit two academic letters of recommendation. Home-schooled students must submit one letter of recommendation and complete the homeschool supplement. Applicants to the direct-entry nursing program must submit the nursing supplement form. The $25 application fee is waived for online applications. Priority consideration for merit scholarships is given to applications postmarked by Dec. 1. Additional application materials are required for consideration for the Jewell Scholarship.

School Says - Campus Life
Just 20 minutes from downtown Kansas City, Missouri, Jewell offers 1,100 students all the amenities of a beautiful liberal arts campus setting. The 200-acre campus is perched above the town of Liberty and its historic town square. With more than 900 students living on campus and 70 clubs and organizations, life at Jewell is vibrant. Students have the opportunity to learn and apply practical life and business skills while making friends and participating in the life of the College.

School Says - Cost Aid
For the 2010-2011 academic year, the comprehensive cost for first-year students including tuition, room and board is $35,650.The College offers both need-based and merit-based assistance to our students. Merit-based scholarships include both academic and talent-based awards. Talent awards are available in art, athletics, Christian ministry, debate, journalism, music, and theatre. We require the FAFSA for need-based consideration, and encourage students to file no later than March 1. In 2007-08, ninety-nine percent of all full-time, first-year students received financial assistance. A total of over $10 million was awarded in college scholarships and grants last year, to supplement federal, state and other external awards. The average first-year student's award totaled $19,622, of which $11,957 was in the form of scholarships and grant assistance.

Students Say - Academics
Often called "the Harvard of the Midwest," William Jewell College is a prestigious small school with a strong sense of community. In both philosophy and practice, "Jewell is the quintessential liberal arts college, thoroughly engaging students in critical study of both the self and the world as a whole." Undergraduate programs are "extremely academically challenging" and the workload is heavy. However, students assure us that Jewell offers "an incredible learning opportunity, available to all who are willing to put in the work." Jewell students have the opportunity to shape their education in a way they couldn't do at larger schools; "If you want something to be changed in the cafe they'll do it; if you want to design your own major they'll do it." More importantly, the school's "incredibly brilliant" professors are accessible and supportive; "Most teachers will work with you personally should you have a problem with the class, or even on a personal level." Through internships and service projects, "Jewell is big on getting [its] students into real-world situations as soon as possible," and the career counseling office excels at "getting students a job in their field of study directly after graduating." While most are highly satisfied with the Jewell experience, students admit that, "there have been rough patches for the administration," who aren't always responsive to student concerns. Fortunately, the winds of change are in the air, as "President Sallee is a very competent and popular administrator."

Students Say - Campus Life
At Jewell, life never slows down. In addition to keeping up with academic demands, "The typical student is involved in a bazillion activities, from sports to Greek life and clubs." "Participation in school functions is pretty high" and there is always something going on, "whether it's bowling, or Sundae night on Sunday, or free movie night, worship jams, pool, study groups, or just hanging out with your friends." Friendships blossom in this unique environment, and students say "It's amazing how well we all get to know each other in such a short amount of time." Chats in the cafeteria "range from very deep, philosophical inquiries to lighthearted bantering." Socially, "Lots of students are involved in Greek life and enjoy Greek-related activities." On the weekends, "it is easy to find a party"; however, "If you like to stay in and have fun, there are always people to hang out with." Under any circumstance, academics come first: "When Monday hits, we know how to stop partying and start studying." All students (except seniors) are required to live on campus, yet "the weekends are pretty dead" because most students go home or travel to a nearby city. A student explains, "After spending five days stuck in what we call the 'bubble,' we want to get away and do something different."

Students Say - Student Body
At this competitive, small college, students are "incredibly bright," and most "were in the top 25 percent of the class" in high school. Ambitious by nature, academics are first priority for most of Jewell's "hardworking" students, who are "here to succeed." You'll meet a largely "Midwestern, middle-class" crowd at this college, yet one that encompasses "various personalities, interests, [and] communication skills." Recently, the school community has become even more open: "Since our split with the Baptist church, Jewell has been making efforts to attract students of other ethnicities and sexual orientations, and such students seem to feel welcome." In fact, "We have a strong group that supports the GLBT community and a group called Unity that promotes understanding of people from other cultures and colors." Most students are "extremely busy and involved" with campus activities, and the school community is often described as "close-knit." At Jewell, "everyone says hi, even if you don't know them," and "even the freshmen feel that they can just go sit down at an all-senior table and fit in just fine."

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