Resources for Students
APEX (Advising, Planning, Experiential Learning)
APEX integrates and coordinates the resources and activities that help students develop intentional educational plans and thoughtful career paths. APEX complements our one-on-one faculty advising system by providing a centralized location for programs and resources. By combining the offices of Academic Resource Center, the Registrar, Experiential Learning & Community Engagement, Entrepreneurship, Career Planning, and Global Engagement, APEX fosters the cultivation of self-reflective and purposeful learning throughout students’ four years at Wooster and prepares them to be lifelong learners and responsible global citizens. One of the goals of APEX is to enable students to translate the durable skills they have developed through their liberal arts education at Wooster to life after college through experiential learning programs that foster the integration of theory and practice.
Academic Resource Center
The Academic Resource Center offers academic support to any student on campus. The Academic Resource Center is staffed by professional consultants who work with individual students in scheduled sessions. The sessions focus on time management, organizational skills, and effective study strategies tailored to meet students’ academic needs in specific courses. Students may also take advantage of quiet space for study.
The Academic Resource Center offers academic advising which complements our faculty advising program and provides additional resources to students to help them develop intentional and comprehensive educational plans. Staff offer individual appointments and provide programming to meet the challenges of college life.
The Academic Resource Center is also the office providing support for students with disabilities. The College recognizes that students with disabilities may have certain needs that require specific accommodations. To ensure equal access to all courses and programs at the College, students are required to submit professional documentation of the disability to the Academic Resource Center. Reasonable and appropriate accommodations will be arranged after students meet with Academic Resource Center staff to review their documentation.
An additional support that the Academic Resource Center offers is Multilingual Learning. Students can receive instruction or support with English grammar, sentence structure, writing, reading comprehension and speed, vocabulary, listening comprehension, speaking fluency, pronunciation, and American culture through one-on-one meetings with the Academic Resource Center staff.
The Academic Resource Center also offers students support in Academic Life Coaching. Academic Life Coaching is a program for students who are committed to their personal growth, ready for change, and who are eager to achieve their goals. Students can partner with an Academic Life Coach to establish and fulfill their academic, social, professional, and personal goals.
A final support the Academic Resource Center offers in Peer Tutoring. Students can work with trained peer tutors in twenty (20) academic departments as well as in English Language Learning. These sessions are one-on-one and focus on the student’s understanding of course content and the development of academic skills for the course.
The Academic Resource Center is open Monday through Friday. There is no fee for this service and students are encouraged to schedule appointments with the Center early in the semester. The Director of the Academic Resource Center is Amber Larson (alarson@wooster.edu). For more information, please call 330-263-2595.
Entrepreneurship
The Center for Entrepreneurship takes a broad view toward the definition and benefits of entrepreneurship that goes beyond starting new ventures to include leadership development and the search for finding solutions to complex problems. The focus is on empowering individuals to make a difference in the world through the creation of an entrepreneurial mindset and skillset. The Center supports academic courses, the Entrepreneurship Pathway, and connects students to experiential opportunities across Northeast Ohio.
The Center has offices in APEX. Please consult the Entrepreneurship website for more information. You can reach the Director of Entrepreneurship, Peter Abramo, Ph.D. at pabramo@wooster.edu.
Registrar
The Registrar’s Office maintains the academic records of current and former students. The office plays an integral part in academic advising, registering, and working with students toward the goal of degree completion. A complete list of provided services is available on the website.
Office hours are M-F 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. For additional information, please contact Nicholas Szymanski, Registrar (registrar@wooster.edu) at 330-263-2366.
Experiential Learning & Community Engagement
To learn experientially is to make meaning out of direct experience. Wooster expresses experiential learning in a three-tiered model (Exploration, Investigation, and Immersion) incorporating a range of activities including credentialed courses and co-curricular experiences, internships, volunteering, field experiences, job shadowing, mentored consulting projects and collaborative research in our local community and around the world. These opportunities provide students with a situation in which they can employ knowledge, creativity, and judgment to solve real-world problems. Students are expected to link prior knowledge and academic experience to practical situations in a manner which exhibits a high degree of autonomy and responsibility. In addition, effective integration of theory and practice also requires students to utilize a variety of concepts, skills, and problem- solving techniques in an intentional and self-reflective manner. For more information about experiential learning opportunities, please contact Cathy McConnell, Director of Experiential Learning and Community Engagement (cmcconnell@wooster.edu), at 330-287-2301.
Career Planning
Career Planning guides students by offering a wide variety of career development activities, programs, and networking opportunities that foster a seamless student transition from college to the professional world. Our main goal is to help students develop their career readiness and create a career plan that integrates their academic, personal, and professional goals.
We serve students from the time they register for their first fall classes through their senior year and beyond. We provide resources, tools, and programs to help students develop a professional skill set tailored to their career path. We offer information about careers and majors, access to internships and summer jobs, the opportunity to practice interviewing, attendance at networking events on and off campus, assistance with creating a resume, and implementation of a job search and/or graduate school plan.
For more information, please contact Ashleigh Best, Director, or Jackie Sanchez, Administrative Coordinator, at 330-263-2496 or email career@wooster.edu.
Global Engagement Office
The Global Engagement Office (GEO) provides College of Wooster students with the opportunity to participate in over 150 compelling off-campus study experiences that are academically challenging, professionally relevant, and personally engaging. Programs are designed to enable students to enrich their general education, acquire discipline-specific global competencies, acquire foreign language skills, and understand and respect the beliefs and perspectives held by others. Students can obtain an appreciation for cultural diversity and develop cultural intelligence. Through reflection, students may also gain clarity about personal values and future goals.
Our short-term programs are known as TREKs - Think, Re/search, Engage, Know. TREKs are led by Wooster faculty and vary by theme and location. Some TREKs are embedded in a semester long course at Wooster with the experience abroad taking place during a school break; others are stand-alone programs that combine the entire course and the experience abroad. The time spent abroad on a TREK program varies from 2-6 weeks, and TREK offerings change each academic year.
The College believes that every student should have the opportunity to study off-campus, regardless of academic interest or financial situation. GEO advises students with their academic and professional goals and interests in mind to find the best match for each individual student. For more information, contact Candace Chenoweth, Director of Global Engagement (geo@wooster.edu) at 330-263-2074.
Math Center
The Math Center in Taylor Hall, Room 301, supports students in introductory level math courses. Staffed by a math professional and/or peer tutors, the Math Center provides walk-in tutoring (no appointment required). Math Center users typically ask for assistance understanding concepts and examples from the text and/or class lectures, preparing for exams, or completing homework assignments. Some students choose to complete all of their math homework at the Center to have immediate access to the Center’s resources, while others bring in problems after attempting an assignment. While the Math Center cannot explain economics, physics, astronomy, chemistry, etc., it can help students from non-math courses solve an equation or complete an integral.
For more information, please contact Ronda Kirsch, Director of the Math Center, at 330-263-2490.
Writing Center
Two ideals figure prominently in a Wooster education: successful writing and independent students. The Writing Center is essential to both. From First-Year Seminar to Senior Independent Study, from receiving a writing assignment to final editing of a paper, from constructing an argument to documenting sources, from process to product, the College Writing Center provides one-on-one guidance, resources, and support for student writers as they work through their academic careers. We strive to enable student writers to make informed, successful, and independent decisions about their writing. The staff includes experienced student writers, knowledgeable professional staff, and professionals in the field of writing. Regular appointments for many Sr. I.S. students and most students working repeatedly with the Writing Center are the best indicators of its importance. The Writing Center also offers a range of programs and writing retreats for First-Year and Senior I.S. students. There is no charge for working in the Writing Center.
Writing is a process that moves from generating ideas for writing to proofreading, and the Writing Center can help at any stage of that process. The Writing Center strives to provide educated readers who ask common-sense questions and point out issues of focus, organization, and tone, as well as mechanics. The staff works from the ideal that repairing one paper is productive, but helping writers to better understand and take control of successful writing provides much greater benefit. Our goal is to help students learn to look at their writing more critically through their identifying writing strengths and our guiding their improvement elsewhere. The Writing Center is located on the first floor of Andrews Library adjacent to CoRE. Appointments are not required, but they are recommended.
Students are encouraged to call Alicia Brazeau, Director of the Writing Center, at 330- 263-2205 or to visit the Writing Center’s website.
CoRE (Collaborative Research Environment)
The Collaborative Research Environment (CoRE), located on the first floor of Andrews Library, is a vibrant and creative environment geared toward collaborative work by students and faculty. The CoRE is a place to brainstorm ideas, develop collaborative projects using digital and traditional media, sketch out a new concept, or practice a presentation. Students can consult the Research Help desk in Gault Library, work with consultants at the Writing Center on a script, visit the Digital Studio to create green-screen footage, and then move to the Digital Media Bar to have a Student Technology Associate help with the editing of your dynamic video presentation. Students are encouraged to bring group projects to the CoRE, as it is equipped with multimedia tools for sharing work, along with individual collaboration rooms for a more private collaborative setting. The Cube, a multipurpose room in the center of the CoRE, provides a space where students and faculty discuss proposals, present research, and explore new teaching techniques.
For more information, email core@wooster.edu or call the Interim Director of CoRE, Zach Sharrow at 330-263-2204.
Center for Diversity and Inclusion
The Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) is a network of branches coordinated to support underrepresented and historically marginalized communities on campus as well as to encourage and foster development of intercultural competency among all campus community members. Merging student life and curricular development with programming and outreach, the CDI advances the College’s commitment to building a truly inclusive institution, which supports community members from all intersectional identities and backgrounds, including socio-economic status, race/ethnicity, nationality/citizenship status, religious/spiritual affiliations/beliefs, as well as all gender, sexuality, and romantic identities. A liberal arts education demands a diverse, inclusive, and global perspective, an understanding of the local situated in a broader world context. The CDI works to foster that perspective across a range of fields on campus and beyond. The CDI staff, who work in partnership with the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, are located in Babcock Hall. For more information, please visit the CDI website.
The College of Wooster Art Museum (CWAM) in Ebert Art Center
The College of Wooster Art Museum (CWAM) supports and enhances the College’s goals of teaching, research, and service through exhibitions, scholarship, collection preservation, and public engagement. Because artists play a crucial role in all aspects of culture and society, direct experiences with original works of art actively support the teaching of critical thinking and visual literacy through engagement with art-from ancient to contemporary-presented within a social and historical context. The museum program promotes campus-wide collaborations and interdisciplinary dialogue and acts as a catalyst for creative engagement both on campus and between the College and regional and national audiences.
Located in the Ebert Art Center, the CWAM presents four to six exhibitions each academic year in its two galleries-the Sussel Gallery and the Burton D. Morgan Gallery. These exhibitions include those by national and internationally renowned artists, course-embedded student-curated projects, the annual Studio Art Senior Independent Study group exhibition, and faculty sabbatical exhibitions. With a permanent collection of over 8,500 objects, the CWAM organizes at least one collection exhibition annually and collection materials are available for faculty, student, and classroom study.
For more information about The College of Wooster Art Museum visit: wooster.edu/cwam or contact Kitty McManus Zurko, Director/Curator at 330-263-2290.
Information Technology
Information Technology (IT) at Wooster facilitates the use of information, individual technologies, and collaboration technologies by faculty, students and staff. IT provides technology resources that are appropriate in the context of Wooster’s liberal arts tradition, mission, and core values. The use of technology resources is integral to students’ development in each of Wooster’s Graduate Qualities.
Students, faculty, and staff have access to information resources, tools, applications, and as appropriate, specialized computing environments. They are supported in their endeavors by a team of professional staff and Student Technology Assistants.
Wooster’s network provides access to campus and Internet resources. A pervasive wireless network makes it possible for students to use their notebook computers in any building on campus for research, study, work, and entertainment.
For additional information about Information Technology at Wooster, please visit the Information Technology section of the College’s website.
Libraries
The College of Wooster Libraries, named one of the top 10 best college libraries by The Princeton Review (2020 Ed.), consist of the Andrews Library (1962), made possible largely through a gift from the late Mabel Shields (Mrs. Matthew) Andrews of Cleveland; the Flo K. Gault Library for Independent Study (1995), made possible by a major gift from Stanley and Flo K. Gault of Wooster; and the Timken Science Library in Frick Hall, the original University of Wooster Library (1900-62), the gift of Henry Clay Frick of Pittsburgh, and renovated in 1998 largely through the gift of the Timken Foundation of Canton, Ohio. The libraries provide seating for nearly 1000 library users, including over 400 carrels for seniors engaged in Independent Study. Sixteen group study rooms allow small groups of students to work collaboratively. All libraries have secure wireless access to the Internet.
The libraries’ holdings are approximately 2.9 million items including physical and electronic books, periodicals, microforms, recorded materials, media, newspapers, and government publications. The libraries are a selective depository for United States government publications. There are several special collections. Most notable is the Wallace Notestein Library of English History; others include the McGregor Collection of Americana, the Homer E. McMaster Lincoln Collection, the Paul O. Peters Collection on rightist American politics, the Gregg D. Wolfe Memorial Library of the Theatre, and the Josephine Long Wishart Collection of women’s advice literature, “Mother, Home, and Heaven.” The extensive microtext collections include the Atlanta University-Bell & Howell Black Culture Collection, the Library of American Civilization, Herstory, and the Greenwood Science Fiction Collection.
Wooster’s library catalog is part of CONSORT, an electronic catalog shared with Denison University, Kenyon College, and Ohio Wesleyan University. CONSORT, in turn, is part of OhioLINK, a network of 120 academic and public libraries throughout the state. Wooster faculty and students may order any of over 43 million books and other materials directly from any CONSORT or OhioLINK library via the online catalog and receive them within 3-5 working days. Interlibrary loan of books from out-of-state libraries or periodical articles is also available but may take more time to receive.
The CONSORT and OhioLINK catalogs, as well as more than 568 other electronic databases, many including full text articles, are available in residence halls and faculty offices via the campus computer network as well as off campus. The libraries also include classrooms, computer labs, a digital curation lab, and the Collaborative Research Environment (CoRE) which houses the Digital Studio (one button video production, podcast studio, and production editing suite), plus the Educational Technology run Media Bar.
Librarians are available to assist users in navigating the research process and creating new information. Aid is given at the Research & Referral Desk, via course-related presentations, or in individual consultations. An active information literacy program equips students at all levels for independent research.
For more information, please contact Makiba Foster, Librarian of the College, at 330-263-2152.
Intercollegiate Athletics and Intramural Sports
The College of Wooster believes that all phases of physical education (instructional classes, intramural sports, and intercollegiate athletics) are integral parts of the total educational program. All intercollegiate athletics are under the direction of the Department of Athletics and Physical Education.
The College is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the North Coast Athletic Conference; its conduct of men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletics is governed by the policies of these organizations. The men’s varsity program includes eleven sports: baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, indoor and outdoor track. The women’s varsity program includes twelve sports: basketball, cross-country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, and volleyball.
Tuition includes free admission for students to all regularly-scheduled intercollegiate contests held in Wooster (excludes NCAA tournament contests).
The Department of Athletics and Physical Education is located in the Scot Center. The centerpiece for Wooster Athletics, the Scot Center, opened in January 2012. This 123,000-square-foot facility includes four intramural courts for basketball, tennis, and volleyball; an NCAA regulation 200 meter running track; indoor long jump, triple jump and pole vault; a fitness center with a full array of circuit training stations, traditional as well as elliptical running machines, rowing machines, and free weights; locker rooms; batting cages and other equipment for indoor baseball practice; an indoor golf simulator; and athletic department offices and meeting rooms. For more information regarding the Department of Athletics and Physical Education facilities please go to: https://www.woosterathletics.com/facilities/index.html.
A varied intramural program is offered for both men and women. Activities include flag football, volleyball, pickleball, badminton, cornhole, dodgeball, soccer, basketball, ultimate frisbee, swimming, and softball, among others. The intramural department encourages individual students as well as student groups to suggest new activities.
A student group desiring to use one of the College’s intercollegiate practice or game fields or facilities should request space using 25Live.
Music
The Scot Marching Band is an organization of about 170 musicians which plays at all home football games and one invitational band festival. The Scot Symphonic Band (about 80 members) gives three home concerts each season and tours during a portion of the spring vacation. The Scot Pipers and Dancers perform with the Marching Band during football season, make appearances around the state during the school year, and tour with the Symphonic Band in the spring. Membership in the Marching Band is open to all students. Symphonic Band membership requires an audition.
Wooster Chorus, the College’s premier choral ensemble, presents several concerts both on and off-campus throughout the academic year, including a week-long domestic tour in the spring. Membership is for the full academic year, and is open to all students by audition.
Wooster Singers is a mixed-voice choir open to all students without audition. This ensemble explores choral music of a wide range of styles and historic periods. At least one performance is scheduled each semester.
Wooster Symphony Orchestra is a college/community ensemble of over 60 musicians made up of students, faculty, and local citizens which plays three subscription concerts each season. Wooster Symphony membership requires an audition.
Jazz Ensemble is an organization of 18-20 players which performs three home concerts per year in addition to occasional outside appearances. A variety of musical styles is included, and there is opportunity for members to contribute original compositions and arrangements. Jazz Ensemble membership requires an audition.
Jazz Combos are performing ensembles composed of three to ten instrumentalists devoted to the study and performance of small-group jazz (hot, swing, bebop, cool, progressive, and fusion).
Ensembles are smaller groups, such as string, woodwind, brass, and percussion ensembles, which function in addition to the above groups as there is a demand or requirement.
For more information on student music groups, please contact the Department Chair, or Melissa Puster, Administrative Coordinator, at 330-263-2419.
Religious and Spiritual Life on Campus
The College of Wooster is home to a tremendous amount of religious, secular, and spiritual diversity. Religious & Spiritual Life (RSL) strives to support students, faculty, and staff in their individual and collective journeys of meaning-making by providing opportunities for dialogue, education, reflection, and community. RSL leads a variety of regular programs and services designed for religious expression and spiritual growth, while supporting the many student organizations which offer ways for students to integrate their spiritual and religious development with their intellectual, social, and personal growth.
The Chaplain and RSL team serve as primary resources in supporting students’ religious, secular, and spiritual needs, but work in close partnership with the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) staff and other campus partners to address students’ well-being and wholistic health. The Chaplain and other RSL staff are available for individual conversations with students to provide spiritual or emotional support, and act as resources for religious life and observances across campus. The Chaplain also works with the Religious Studies department to support students’ exploration of seminary, graduate theological education, and service-oriented vocations in life after Wooster as part of the Pre-Ministry Program. To learn more, visit RSL’s webpage available on the college’s website under the CDI.
Worthy Questions is an intergenerational mentoring program inviting students to meet weekly and explore with others the ‘quest’ for purpose and meaning which serves to integrate diverse aspects of one’s life. Mentors from the community are also paired with students and join them in the process of learning to “ask questions worthy of the person they may become.” The program accepts applications in the Fall with the new cohort cycles beginning each Spring.
There are several Sacred Spaces on campus designed to assist with and support the exploration and practice of many spiritual traditions. These spaces include: a new All-Faiths Chapel in the Lowry Student Center (complete with ablution room and multi-media equipment), Muslim Prayer Room, Solemn Prayer Room, Zen Meditation Room with a dry rock garden, The Living Room (designed for small group gatherings and discussion), and an outdoor Prayer Labyrinth. These spaces are equipped with sacred texts from a variety of traditions, prayer rugs and head coverings, and other objects for rituals and celebrations. Swipe access to the Sacred Spaces can be requested with the Chaplain and all are open to the whole campus community for individual or group use.
Wooster Catholic offers services, activities, retreats, social justice programs, and speakers that center on the experience of being Catholic and a college student. These programs are supported by the local Catholic parish, St. Mary’s, as well as the wider Diocese of Cleveland network.
UKirk Wooster is a progressive ecumenical Christian student organization, connected with the UKirk National Ministries organization and supported by Westminster and First Presbyterian Churches. UKirk is explicitly open and affirming to all LGBTQ+ identities and focuses on fellowship, radical hospitality, and service. The group meets weekly for student-led worship and conversations over coffee, monthly dinners, and outings in the Wooster community focused on integrating faith and justice.
Wooster Christian Fellowship (WCF) is affiliated nationally with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. The group meets weekly for worship and fellowship as well as offering occasional retreats, conferences, and camps. The group also sponsors a number of small group Bible studies and affiliated student groups, such as WordUp!-A space for BIPOC Christian students to celebrate and explore the intersections of race, culture, and faith.
YoungLife connects college and high school aged students in fellowship and study, focusing on mentoring relationships, faith, and lived experience. YoungLife also meets regularly for Bible studies with community leaders off-campus and with local churches in the Wooster-area.
Jewish life on campus centers around the Jewish Student Organization. JSO works to increase the appreciation and observance of Judaism-religiously and culturally. They welcome all Jewish, “Jew-ish,” and non-Jewish students-regardless of upbringing or political persuasion-to participate, learn, and build community. The group sponsors activities for the entire campus, including traditional Jewish religious celebrations (such as the campus wide Passover Seder), guest lectures, and panel discussions with other faith-based student organizations. JSO also has a programming space and house for students to live in community with one another. The activities of the Jewish community are supported, in part, by the Lottie Kornfeld Endowment and the nearby synagogue, Knesseth Israel Temple (KIT).
Muslim Life at Wooster is expansive, diverse, and continues to grow each year. With the support of the Islamic Center of Wooster (ICW), Jummah prayer takes place every Friday afternoon on campus at the All Faiths Chapel. In partnership with RSL, Muslim students collaborate to share their Islamic traditions and heritage through community events and celebtrations, welcoming anyone who is interested in learning more about Islam. Students also self-organize periodic trips to Cleveland to visit mosques and cultural centers, Ifter dinners during Ramadan, and share about observances of other major religious holidays.
While not an explicitly faith-based group, the South Asia Community (SAC) works closely with RSL to provide support for the holy days and festivals observed by Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, Baha’í, and other communities in South Asia. SAC and RSL collaborate in planning Diwali and Holi events, as well as other pooja services throughout the year.
One of the newest student groups is home to many Pagan students, the Wooster Coven. The Coven affirms all Pagan traditions and nature-based spiritualities, providing a space to learn, engage, and coexist on a religiously diverse campus. Students gather to celebrate festivals and lunar cycles, share rituals, and learn from each other in a supportive environment.
Mindfulness and meditation opportunities are plentiful on the College of Wooster campus. Collaborations with staff in the Wellness Center, faculty, and Peer Health Educators focus on yoga practice, meditation, and mindfulness, which are popular all year round.
Other student groups that have existed in the recent past or are currently reforming are: Darshan (Hindu student group), Christians in STEM, Wooster Unitarian Universalists, Wooster Quakers, and Queer Spirit (an LGBTQIA+ focused community supportive of all religious expressions).
The Pre-Ministry Program is a way for RSL to support any and all students interested in attending seminary/divinity school, pursuing graduate theological education, or exploring faith and justice service-oriented vocations after college. In partnership with the Religious Studies department, the Chaplain offers guidance, support, and resources to assist with students’ discernment of their values and passions. There are no formal curricular requirements to join or participate, and the program is open to all students of any class year, background/tradition (or no tradition), or area of study. Students are encouraged to attend monthly gatherings for conversation, food, reflection, and opportunities to engage with a variety of “ministry practitioners” in different vocational paths/careers. Funding is available through RSL, thanks to the DeRose Endowment, to support students interested in taking visits to seminaries/divinity/rabbinic schools or graduate religious studies programs as a part of their discernment for life after Wooster.
Westminster Presbyterian Church is the Congregation-in-Residence of The College of Wooster. As a Presbyterian-affiliated college, Wooster maintains close relationships with area PC(USA) faith communities, the Muskingum Valley Presbytery, and the Synod of the Covenant. Westminster meets for worship on Sundays at 10 a.m. in The Westminster Church House, located at 353 E. Pine St., directly across from the Admissions Building and Morgan Hall. Students are invited to participate in the congregation as full or associate members, as well as in any/all ministries or leadership opportunities. Westminster also sponsors various campus programs in conjunction with Religious & Spiritual Life and the Religious Studies department, such as monthly Vegan Dinners, guest speakers, and service projects in the Wooster community.
Faith Communities and congregations in the Wooster area welcome students to their services and activities in the wider Wooster area. A number of these communities welcome student participation in their choirs or offer employment opportunities with child-care, technology, or other forms of leadership. A directory of area faith communities can be found on the RSL webpage.
For more information, please contact Rev. Erin Guzmán, Director of Religious & Spiritual Life, at 330-263-2558.
Office of Student Engagement
The Office of Student Engagement is committed to engaging students through involvement and leadership opportunities outside of the classroom that allows them to explore their strengths, talents, identities, values, and interests. We offer a variety of programs, activities, workshops, resources, and other co-curricular experiences. We work directly with approximately one hundred student organizations, including fraternity & sorority life (FSL) and club sports. The Office of Student Engagement serves as the advisors for Wooster Activities Crew (W.A.C.), Common Grounds, Inter-Greek Council (IGC), Scot Council, and Wooster Volunteer Network (WVN). As a department, we offer campus wide programming such as Scot Spirit Day, Fantastic Fridays, off-campus trips, trivia, karaoke, game nights, destress events, and so much more!
The development of our student organization leaders is an integral part of the mission of the Office of Student Engagement. Through our Elevate Leadership Series and Base Camp, a one (1) day leadership institute, we are able to offer student leaders various workshops and trainings to help them gain knowledge, develop, and grow as a leader within their organization. Student organization leaders are also required to participate in hazing prevention training, equity, inclusion, & diversity (EID) training, and various financial trainings.
The Office of Student Engagement is also responsible for the College Underground (UG), the on-campus bar and programming space in the basement of Kittredge Hall. The UG is open to all students 18 years old or over with a valid state ID and COW card. Students must be 21 years of age or older to purchase and consume alcohol responsibly. However, the UG is more than just a bar. It is a place for students to gather and take a break from academics. The UG is open several days a week and offers events like karaoke, live bands, student performers, and themed nights. Students can also play pool on one (1) of the two (2) pool tables while enjoying free popcorn and soda pop. Student organizations and departments may also reserve the UG for events through 25Live. The UG is staffed by student employees trained and supervised by a professional staff member in the Office of Student Engagement.
Through our programs, opportunities, and other co-curricular experiences, the Office of Student Engagement helps to enhance student’s academic and personal development throughout their college experience, allowing students to explore, connect and engage within a vibrant campus community and develop a true sense of belonging at Wooster.
For more information, please contact the Office of Student Engagement at studentactivities@wooster.edu or follow Student Engagement on Instagram @engagementwoo.
Scot Council
In the spring of 1969, Campus Council was created, which joined in its membership students, faculty, staff, and administration to legislate in the areas of student life and extracurricular affairs. Campus Council also served to issue advisory opinions and make recommendations to the President of the College, the Board of Trustees, as well as departments and student organizations. One of the Council’s responsibilities is to charter all student organizations and allocate their budgets through the student activities fee.
Since its creation, the Council has become an increasingly effective forum in which ideas are heard, exchanged, and coordinated into action. A contribution of major significance was the Council’s sponsorship of the drafting and its continued oversight of the Code of Academic Integrity and the Code of Social Responsibility in the Scot’s Key.
The Student Government Association (SGA) worked alongside Campus Council to serve as an advocate and voice for students. They participated in the allocation process for the student activities fee, organized student meetings with the Board of Trustees, provide the student opinion on various aspects of Wooster, met with various offices to address student concerns, and offered numerous services to students such as airport shuttles and storage.
In Spring of 2020, Campus Council and the Student Government Association (SGA) worked with various departments to create a new student government at Wooster called Scot Council. The goal of the emerger was to create a more effective and accountable system of student government. Scot Council’s membership was now completely made up of students with faculty or staff serving in an advisory capacity on specific committees or for the organization.
Scot Council (SC), the College of Wooster’s student government, exists to serve as the collective voice of the student body to the faculty, staff, administration, and the Board of Trustees. It is the unwavering purpose of Scot Council to ensure and protect the welfare, well-being, and best interests of all students at The College of Wooster. Scot Council is a body of twenty-nine (29) student leaders elected to serve as leaders and representatives of the student body. There are twelve (12) class representatives (3 elected class representatives for each class year), twelve (12) constituency representatives (2 representatives for each of the six constituencies), and five (5) executive board members. Scot Council representatives are elected by the student body during the spring semester for the following academic year. Scot Council is advised by the Dean of Students and Office of Student Engagement.
Some of Scot Council’s responsibilities include but not limited to the recognize student organizations at the College through a formal process, the allocation of student organization budgets from the student activities fee based on a set of guidelines for the use of the fee and works closely on the Scots Key and conduct process. They organize meetings with the Board of Trustees for students to bring various topics to their attention. Scot Council collaborates with the Dean of Students, Office of Student Engagement, and Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) to address their various responsibilities and meet their mission.
For more information, please contact Scot Council at scot-council@wooster.edu or follow them on Instagram @scotcouncil_woo.
Student Organizations
Approximately one hundred active student organizations are recognized by Scot Council and supported by the Office of Student Engagement. These organizations are open to any interested enrolled students and provide various activities for them to participate in outside the classroom. Students are strongly encouraged to explore and engage in a variety of different student organizations. Student organizations include academic, art & culture, club sports, religious and spiritual, fraternities and sororities, honorary, media, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and intercultural, gender & sexuality, performance, special interest, and service & civic engagement. Students can check out the clubs each year in the fall by attending Scot Spirit Day, the College’s student organization fair.
If a student wants to start a new student organization, that is also an option.
For more information, please contact the Office of Student Engagement at studentactivities@wooster.edu.
Wooster Activities Crew (W.A.C.)
Wooster Activities Crew (W.A.C.) is a student-run organization that provides a variety of programming for College of Wooster students. The group’s purpose is to plan, promote, and produce entertaining and socially engaging events that both provide academic relief and unite the student body. W.A.C. provides opportunities for networking, leadership development, professional opportunities, and experiences in event planning, management, and execution for its members. Their goal is to create inclusive opportunities, build community and have experiences for success and accomplishment through campus events & programs. W.A.C. accomplishes this through events that happen most weekends and evenings of the semester on campus like craft nights, comedians, mentalists, films to name a few, and off campus trips to places like Cedar Point and Cavs Games. It’s through their annual events like Party on the Green (fall concert), Casino Night, and Springfest (spring concert) that the campus is brought together.
For more information, please contact WAC at wac@wooster.edu or follow them on Instagram @WACWooster.
Common Grounds
The student organization Common Grounds is the student-run coffee shop and programming space located inside Gable House, a campus residential house. They strive to provide an atmosphere which allows all students to socialize in a relaxed, substance-free, and welcoming space. Several nights a week, Common Grounds also provides social programming through live entertainment, crafts, games, murder mysteries, and a variety of theme nights. Guests may enjoy coffee, Italian sodas, tea, popcorn, baked goods and more, which are available for purchase.
Limited space is available for members of Common Grounds to live in Gable House on the second floor.
For more information, please contact the Office of Student Engagement at studentactivities@wooster.edu or follow them on Instagram @cgwooster.
Wooster Volunteer Network
The Wooster Volunteer Network (WVN) is a student organization committed to cultivating a culture of service by promoting and organizing volunteer opportunities at the College of Wooster and in the greater Wooster community. We also strive to connect, raise social awareness, and build partnerships with service organizations. Wooster Volunteer Network provides service opportunities to students through monthly service Saturdays, Rake-A-Difference Day, annual West Virginia spring break service trip, a community partner fair, food drives such as Flex for Good, organizing and volunteering at Soup & Bread, and more. Students who are interested in creating service projects, serving others, and civic and social engagement are encouraged to join WVN.
For more information, please contact the WVN at wvn@wooster.edu or follow them on Instagram @wooster_volunteer_network.
Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL)
Fraternities and sororities have been an integral part of student life at the College of Wooster since 1918 and have provided support and belonging to many Wooster students. Involvement in sororities and fraternities provides students with opportunities to develop leadership skills, make new friends, serve the community, and enhance campus life. The fraternities and sororities at Wooster are all local organizations founded on fellowship, leadership, scholarship, and service. Our campus community believes that by being a member of fraternity and sorority life, students will have a higher level of engagement and feel more connected to their peers and the institution. The College of Wooster is home to ten (10) local fraternity and sororities and one (1) governing council, Inter-Greek Council (IGC).
Inter-Greek Council (IGC)
The Inter-Greek Council (IGC) is a representative body of all fraternities and sororities at Wooster. IGC strives to promote a system through which sororities and fraternities can work together. IGC serves as an advocacy group for the FSL organizations at Wooster. Further, IGC aims to promote, sponsor, and participate in social and service activities between fraternities and sororities, the College of Wooster, and the greater Wooster community. This includes things like planning a yearly Greek Week and raising money for charities to unite the FSL community in a positive way.
For more information, please contact the Office of Student Engagement at studentactivities@wooster.edu or follow IGC on Instagram @woostergreekcouncil.
Club Sports
Club Sports are athletic student organizations recognized by Scot Council. They promote and develop student participation in a variety of athletic and physical activities. Student members play at various skill levels from the first time playing to the seasoned player. Many of our club sports compete against other colleges but many simply play against their fellow Wooster students in a less formal manner. The College of Wooster has approximately seventeen active club sports.
For more information, please email the Office of Student Engagement at studentactivities@wooster.edu.
Woo-91 Radio Station
Located on the lower level of the newly renovated Lowry Center, Woo-91, Wooster’s Sound Alternative, is the College’s student-run radio station. The radio station was once known as WCWS-FM and could be heard on 90.9 FM. In April 2019, the radio station moved to an online only station, allowing the radio station to become a student organization. As a student organization, WOO91 allows students to gain experience in music and sports broadcasting and serves as a creative outlet for students on campus. Student DJs can create and produce their own radio shows that are broadcasted via iHeart Radio and partake in experiential learning through access to professional radio equipment.
For more information, please contact Woo-91 at woo91@wooster.edu or follow Woo-91 on Instagram @woo91radio.
Student Publications
The College of Wooster supports a variety of student publications. These publications enrich the cultural life at Wooster and provide students with a range of avenues to engage in the creative and thoughtful expression of ideas. They also offer students hands-on experience in managing, editing, and publishing.
The Goliard is the College literary and art magazine since 1989. This student organization publishes the magazine annually both in physical and online formats and features various types of work from the student body. For more information, contact The Goliard at goliard@wooster.edu or follow them on Instagram @goliard.lit.mag.
The Wooster Voice is the College’s weekly newspaper, run by students since 1883. They strive to provide the student body with weekly campus news as well as entertainment, arts and science, sports, and world news. The Wooster Voice also has an editorial and opinion section. For more information, contact The Voice at voice@wooster.edu or follow on Instagram @the.wooster.voice.
Theatre and Dance
Each year auditions for two faculty directed theatre and two faculty directed dance productions are open to all College of Wooster students regardless of major or year of study. Additional opportunities often include I.S. productions, staged readings of new works, and Directing class projects. Actors and dancers are selected based on their talent/ability and appropriateness for the specific role or dance piece. It is not uncommon for first-year and sophomore students to be cast in major roles or selected for concert pieces alongside upper class students since juniors and seniors are immersed in their Independent Study projects. For more information, please contact the Department Chair.
Campus Dining
Food is provided to College of Wooster students on a meal plan by the College owned-and-operated Campus Dining and Conference Services department. Students may select the meal plan that best suits their lifestyle and their dining habits. The meal plan choices incorporate a mix of traditional, all-you-care-to-eat meals in Lowry dining hall and Flex Dollars that can be spent like cash to purchase food and drinks at campus food locations.
Meal counts are expressed in number of meals per semester, and are not limited to number of times per day or week they can be used. Neither the unused dining hall meals nor the unused Flex Dollars will roll over from semester to semester or year to year. Students must present their College I.D. card in order to utilize their meal plan. Students approved to live off-campus are welcome to subscribe separately to the meal plan contract. Students may also utilize any balances they may have in their COW Card Debit account for food purchases at Lowry, MacLeod’s, Knowlton Cafe, Mom’s, Old Main Café, Pop’s, and vending machines.
Lowry Center Dining Hall is located on the main floor of Lowry Center and features an all-you-care-to-eat food-court style meal contract service for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Dining hours and menus can be viewed online.
MacLeod’s Coffee Bar and Convenience Store is located in the Lowry Center main lounge and offers freshly brewed Erie Island drip coffee, espresso-based drinks, and a host of convenience store products. Hours of operation can be viewed online.
Mom’s is located on the ground floor of Lowry Center and features ala carte grill foods, cold salads, coffee, fruit smoothies, sandwiches, soups, fountain drinks, and milkshakes. Mom’s accepts cash, COW Card Debit, Credit/Debit Cards, and meal plan Flex Dollars. Hours of operation can be viewed online.
Old Main Café, located on the “Garden Level” of Kauke Hall, provides students, faculty and staff with a relaxing oasis, whether they are seeking a break between classes or a comfortable coffee-house atmosphere. The Old Main Café offers an extensive menu of coffee, featuring Erie Island espresso-based drinks as well as drip coffee, teas, hot chocolate and bottled beverages. Treat yourself to muffins, dessert bars and cheesecakes. Freshly-prepared salads and sandwiches are available daily and include vegan and vegetarian specialties. Cash, COW card, department charges, Credit/Debit cards, and meal plan Flex dollars are accepted as forms of payment. Sorry, we do not accept meal plan swipes.
Pop’s Sub-Stop is located on the ground floor of Lowry Center and offers quick, grab-n-go convenience for lunch, Monday through Friday. Gluten-free and vegan options are available. Cash, COW card, department charges, Credit/Debit cards, meal plan Flex dollars, and meal plan swipes are accepted as forms of payment. Hours of operation can be viewed online.
The Knowlton Café, located in the Ruth W. Williams Hall of Life Science, offers locally roasted Erie Island coffee and espresso-based drinks, bottled beverages as well as muffins, whole fruit smoothies, freshly-prepared salads and sandwiches, and two hot soup options. Gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options are available. Cash, COW card, personal/department charges and Flex dollars on meal plan are accepted as forms of payment. We also accept credit and debit cards. Sorry, we do not accept meal plan swipes.
Campus Dining and Conference Services can provide Catering services and on location catering in any campus building or on the campus grounds at a reasonable cost. The Campus Dining Services Customer Service Office processes all catering requests, and administers all meal plans. The Customer Service Office can answer questions and resolve problems with regards to the meal plan. More information about catering can be viewed online. The Campus Dining Services Customer Service is located on the lower level of Lowry and may be reached by calling 330-263-2358.
Housing and Residence Life
The College of Wooster is a residential college; all students live on campus for their entire College career. Students must be enrolled full-time (three full course credits or more) to reside in College housing. Students must live in College housing unless they are granted off-campus living permission by the Dean of Students or their designee.
When a student’s course registration drops to fewer than three full course credits or a student’s status is changed to “Leave of Absence” or “Withdrawn,” then the student must immediately vacate the College’s residence hall or program house. Written exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the Dean of Students or their designee. Exceptions will be granted only for compelling reasons.
The College reserves the right to remove or relocate students living in College housing when circumstances warrant such action.
A variety of housing options for individuals and groups are available, including coeducational and single-gender floors, and program-oriented halls. Housing options include the Senior Specialized Housing, and Club and Section Housing among many others. All College residence halls and program houses have access to the computer network.
Residence hall rooms vary in size, configuration, and styles of the furnishings. Rooms have a study desk, chair, bed, mattress, dresser, and window shades. Bedding, pillows, rugs, and other equipment are provided by the resident(s). Students provide and care for their own bed linen. Washers and dryers are provided for all College housing.
The College is not responsible for loss or damage to clothing and personal effects in student rooms. Consequently, students are encouraged to carry their own insurance on personal property and to lock their room doors when out of the room.
In addition to living in traditional residence halls, a number of students are housed in program houses located throughout campus. These houses accommodate groups of four to thirty people. Students are required to complete a special application to be considered for residence in these units. Groups living in Wooster Volunteer Network houses participate in volunteer activities that serve the campus and local community. All housing options are administered by the Office of Residence Life.
In each residence hall, Resident Assistants are available for the support of the students in these communities. RAs are second semester first-year, sophomores, juniors, or seniors who are trained to provide guidance, peer advising, and referral to campus services for students. Professional staff also live within the residential community to aid the residents and provide support to our houses.
For new students, a room reservation is made when an applicant has been accepted for admission, paid the enrollment and security deposit, and submitted the appropriate housing materials. New students must maintain a residence in College housing unless they apply for an exception. Housing assignments for new students will be completed and mailed in late July/early August by the Residence Life staff.
College residential facilities are open to students through the entire academic year, with the exception of winter break. Students who do not have special permission to engage in a special College activity (graduation, sporting events, etc.) are asked to vacate their rooms at the close of a semester, no later than twenty-four hours after their last examination. During the second semester, those who are graduating may remain on campus until commencement ceremonies have concluded.
Information on fees may be found in the Catalogue section entitled Expenses. Information on housing may be acquired by calling the Office of Residence Life at 330- 263-2498.
Lowry Center
Lowry Center, the College’s student union, opened in the fall of 1968 as a memorial to Howard Lowry, President of Wooster from 1944 to 1967. In the “Role of the College Union”, the Association of College Unions International states the following:
The union is an integral part of the educational mission of the College. As the center of the college community life, the union complements the academic experience through an extensive variety of cultural, educational, social, and recreational programs. These programs provide the opportunity to balance course work and free time as cooperative factors in education.
Lowry Center provides students with a range of services and contains a variety of multi-purpose areas including the bookstore, mail and package center, information desk, MacLeod’s convenience store, game area, lounges, meeting rooms, student organization collaboration space and storage, the gallery of international flags, dining facilities, and Woo-91 radio station. The newly renovated facility is also a hub for student support. Students can find the offices for the Dean of Students (DoS), Student Engagement, Residence Life, and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion located on the upper level. Also located in the building are offices for the student newspaper, The Voice, Scot Council, and Wooster Activities Crew (WAC).
Campus Safety Department
The Campus Safety Department provides law enforcement-related response, crime prevention education, and security services to the campus community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The department also works closely with the Wooster Police Department, Wooster Fire Department and other College and City offices to provide such services and resources to the Wooster community. Primary duties include the safety and security of students, grounds and facilities. The department also monitors the College’s 911 system, fire safety systems, and campus access system. The Campus Safety Department is responsible for upholding the College policies found within The Scot’s Key as well as local, state and federal laws.
The office is located on Wayne Ave., just east of the Longbrake Student Wellness Center, and is staffed 24 hours a day. The Department seeks to promote and preserve the security and safety of the College community. Our philosophy is based on the concept that officers and members of the College community work together in creative ways to help solve problems related to crime and fear of crime. Our goal is to have a positive presence here on campus based on mutual understanding and respect. Foot patrols inside buildings and bike patrols around campus are opportunities to become closer to our community. Establishing and maintaining a mutual trust within the College community is used to improve our ability to prevent crime and solve problems. Policy enforcement and intervention activities will be conducted in such a way as to provide a positive learning experience when possible.
The Campus Safety Department also provides numerous services to the campus community including safety escorts, property engraving, residential education programs, fire safety programs, vehicle and bicycle registration, student security patrols, CPR/First-Aid, academic and administrative building safety trainings, and other programs. The Campus Safety Department is also responsible for the enforcement of parking regulations on campus. All vehicles parked on the College of Wooster campus must display a valid permit. Permits can be obtained at the Security office 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For information on parking, visit https://wooster.edu/offices/security/. Requests for services can be made by contacting the Security and Protective Services Department at 330-263-2590. In the event of an emergency, dial 911 or 330-287-3333.
Student Wellness Center
The Longbrake Student Wellness Center (LSWC) provides health and wellness services for College of Wooster students. The staff consists of physicians contracted from the Cleveland Clinic Wooster, licensed professional counselors, a certified health educator, an office administrator, and registered nursing staff to maintain 24-hour service during the academic year. Services include physician appointments, GYN appointments, nurse evaluations, blood draws, medications, EKGs, allergy injections, counseling appointments, cold care and first aid center, overnight beds, and health Education programs.
Physicians are available to students by appointment Monday through Friday 8:30am to 11:30am. Free and confidential counseling services are available at the Wellness Center. An athletic trainer evaluates non-varsity student athletes at the Wellness Center by appointment. The Cold Care Center within Wellness is stocked with free items and information for evaluation and treatment of respiratory infections (colds) with over the counter medications. The First Aid section is available for treatment of minor injuries, with bandages and anti-bacterial ointments. There is also a Sexual Health Care section with condoms and dental dams. The Cold Care Center is accessible 24/7 on a walk in basis at Door D (at the back of the building, facing the parking lot and the Campus Safety Department).
Programing out of the Health Education office includes educational and preventive strategies to help students achieve wellbeing in mind, body, and spirit. The Office of Health Education hosts workshops, classes, tabling, and small group sessions on the following topics: alcohol abuse prevention and safety, mental health promotion, sleep health, nutrition, fitness, sexual wellness, and suicide prevention.
The student is required to have health insurance coverage through a parent or individual plan. Insurance is necessary if a student needs treatment from the doctors at the Wellness Center and beyond the LSWC.
For more information, please contact the Longbrake Student Wellness Center at 330-263-2319.
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