Welcome to Augustana College

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It's happening in the Quad

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Welcome to Augustana's campus Quad. Right now we're in the Viking Plaza—the perfect place to start your virtual tour. Scroll around and you'll see the big Augie A here at the heart of campus. A lot of gatherings and events take place here, and it's also a good spot to meet a friend or take a break. If this is your first 360-tour, here's how it works: Each destination has more to explore, so just click on the interactive icons to see videos and more. When you want to change your location, click the forward arrow or the "Next" button to move ahead, or select a destination from the sidebar or map on the left.It's kind of like the Augustana experience: every step leads to so much more. This is an education that lets your curiosity lead the way, so go for it!

Go to the source

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Old Main rises above the rest of campus, with a dome that can be seen for miles and across the Mississippi River. It's our oldest and most revered academic building, and home to many humanities programs, such as philosophy; English and creative writing; women, gender and sexuality studies; and Classics. It also has great resources like the Mac lab used mostly by students in multimedia journalism and graphic design, and headquarters for our student-run radio station WAUG, as well as the student-run newspaper, The Observer. This space used to be a chapel; now it's a good spot for small classes and big conversations.

Let’s eat!

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There are a few places where you can find a snack or lunch, but the Gerber Center dining hall has it all. Plus, it's right upstairs from the Tredway Library, which is super handy. We've been rated by Niche as having some of the best college food in Illinois. Fresh and made-to-order options include Chinese, Indian, Italian, Mexican, burgers, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, Halal foods, and more. Our dining staff is so talented, you might see Old Main carved from a watermelon, and a Thanksgiving turkey made of Rice Krispies! We also use biodegradable containers, compost our waste, and serve food from local farms and our own student-run farm, Augie Acres.

CORE is your career center like no other

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Do you wonder how you'll get from where you are now, to the future you dream about? No surprise it takes more than completing a major. Through CORE, you'll have access to high-impact learning experiences like work for the EDGE entrepreneurial center, internships, study abroad and research—with your $2,000 Augie Choice funding to support your experience. CORE—or Careers, Opportunities, Research, Exploration—also takes advising to the next level. Career coaches in CORE align with areas of interest more than majors. Your career coach will work with you as you build your future through jobs, internships, graduate school and other career-building experiences that spark you.

You belong here

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Diversity and inclusion aren't just seen on Augustana's campus. Diversity and inclusion are infused throughout our campus culture. That's why Augustana has been recognized with the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award three times in recent years. As a diverse community, we continue to gain new perspectives and grow—through academics and residential life, activities and events on campus, and resources such as the Offices of Student Inclusion and Diversity, Disability Services, and International Student and Scholar Services. Students from about 40 countries and more than 30 states call Augustana home. Whatever your experience, whoever you are and want to be, you belong here. This place was made for you.

Time for a quick game?

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Augustana students are busy and like it that way. About 25% are in performing arts ensembles, and more than 50% are athletes at the varsity, club or intramural level. We have 28 NCAA Division III varsity sports—14 each for women and men—and a wickedly competitive all-gender, varsity-level esports team. This is Thorson-Lucken Field for soccer and lacrosse. It's near the PepsiCo Recreation Center and our largest residence for first-year students, Westerlin Residence Center. Because like I said, Augustana students often need quick access to their favorite sport or recreation.

Follow the music!

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This is Hamann Concert Hall, completed during our current $13-million renovation of Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts. Other performance spaces include the beautiful Wallenberg Hall, Brunner Theatre Center for plays and musical theatre, and 1,600-seat Centennial Hall—ideal for Augustana Choir, Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Band concerts. At Augustana, even if you're not a music major you can audition for music scholarships and join ensembles ranging from jazz to opera.

Explore more in Hanson Hall of Science

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Hanson Hall of Science has four floors of classrooms and lecture halls, seminar rooms, and 37 teaching and research labs for biology, biochemistry and chemistry, the health sciences, physics, environmental studies and engineering. One of our amazing laboratories is the human anatomy lab for work with human cadavers, a rare hands-on experience for undergrads in the health sciences. There's also a greenhouse at the very top of this hall, and a three-story polygonal atrium called The Commons.

Lindberg Center: crossroads of academics and athletics

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Augustana is known for innovation. An Augustana education means students are empowered to make the new, uncommon connections that the world needs most. Our Lindberg Center for Health and Human Performance is a great example. Combining academics, athletics and well-being, the center has facilities for our public health and kinesiology programs, and an incredible aquatic center for swimming, diving and water polo. We were one of the first liberal arts colleges to offer a major in public health. Kinesiology is more recent, and a new minor in integrative medicine and the humanities fosters the creative thinking needed for health care challenges today and in the future.

The heart of your community is your res hall

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Augustana has a residential campus, which means most students live here—at least during the first three years. Most of your time is spent outside the classroom, of course. There's a strong sense of community in daily life, starting with your res hall. Three residence halls are for first-year students: Andreen and Seminary are more central, and Westerlin Residence Center is here at the edge of campus near PepsiCo Rec Center and the College Hill District. Programming in residential life follows the stages of your life here: 1) feeling at home and making friends, 2) focusing on life goals, and 3) becoming successfully independent.

Take a break, take a breath

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Whether you're taking the scenic route to class from Westerlin or just going for a walk, there's nothing like the Swanie Slough Path. You'll see turtles in the spring, and it's magical to see the fall leaves reflected in the water. It's almost like a nature preserve in the middle of campus. Sometimes the Slough gets pretty active, like the regatta during Homecoming, or when students and professors are gathering samples for research. But mostly it's a great place for a peaceful moment when you need it.

Find your spark in the library

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At Augustana, you'll be surprised by your own ideas all the time, and they'll happen anywhere. But the Tredway Library is where you'll go to think deeply and get your work done. Plus, since the library is part of the Gerber Center, it's easy to take a quick caffeine break in Brew by the Slough. In the library you'll have access to computers, printers, group study rooms and helpful librarians. If you need quiet and minimal distraction, choose the first or third floors. Special Collections is on the ground level, and the fourth floor connects out to support services in the Learning Commons.

Meet me in The Brew

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The Brew is short for Brew by the Slough, but it's actually closer to the library, the Office of Student Life and Leadership, and The Learning Commons. You can get hydrated and caffeinated with Starbuck's while you hang out with a friend, admire student artwork, meet with a professor or finish your homework. If you don't want to go upstairs and eat in the dining center, just grab a bagel in the Brew. You can make all your Brew purchases through your dining plan, and take it all out to the patio if it's nice out.

Shine in the Brunner Theatre Center

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If you crave the spotlight, the Brunner Main Stage is for you. But the Brunner Theatre Center has much more to offer—especially since theatre majors choose an emphasis in performance, design and technology, musical theatre, or theatre history and research. Even if you're not a theatre major, you can be involved in productions and receive theatre scholarships. At Brunner you'll also find the Myhre Black Box, scene shop and costume shop, dressing rooms and a theatre library. Built into the hillside just to the south is the Anderson Pavilion for outdoor performances. And on the ground floor is the Augustana bookstore, Gus' Snack Shop and the Augustana Vikings Esports Center.

Balance your studies and your sport

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A member of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), the Vikings have won more than 200 CCIW team championships and four NCAA Division III championships, and qualified more than 250 teams for national competition. We say "the Vikings win at everything." That's because the Augustana Vikings are true student-athletes who excel at both their studies and their sport. We have evidence: Augustana is in the top 10 in Division III and at the top in Illinois for number of Academic All-Americans. This is a community that knows the mind and body work together, and invests in the lasting success of student-athletes.

We have a dinosaur

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A carnivorous dinosaur discovered in Antarctica by an Augustana geology professor? Yes, please. Cryolophosaurus stalks the entrance to Swenson Hall of Geosciences, where you'll find one of Illinois' largest collections of rocks, minerals and fossils in the Fryxell Museum. The geography and geology departments are both located in Swenson, which also has a GIS lab used by students in geography and the minor in geographic information systems and technology. And by the way, we also have a fleet of drones that students use to develop their geospatial technology skills, and a research boat (Scholar Ship) that takes students and professors out onto the Mississippi River.

College is a good challenge

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College is amazing, eye-opening and transformative, but it's also hard. At Augustana, you'll find the support you need for your best success. Here in the Reading/Writing Center you can work one-one-one with a tutor on your writing, reading and other academic skills. The RWC is part of the Learning Commons in the Gerber Center, along with peer subject and academic coaching and workshops, and the Office of Disability Services. Another great resource is the student counseling office, and the TRIO office in the Olin Center. Students who qualify as TRIO Scholars have personalized support for academic and life challenges of all kinds.

Interfaith community is a home for spirituality

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Augustana welcomes students of all faith traditions, and at the same time Augustana's beautiful Ascension Chapel reflects the college's roots in the Lutheran church. One of 26 colleges and universities affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we are committed to respect for all persons and the spiritual needs of all students. Among the several religious and spiritual groups on campus are Campus Ministries, the Jewish Student Organization Hillel, Muslim Student Organization, Augie Catholic and College Bible Study. A prayer room in the Olin Center serves Muslim students, and the Lindberg Center Meditation Room is used for prayer services, meditation and mindfulness.

Traditions old and new

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The bell tower on campus is a great place to talk about Augustana traditions. Its Swedish architecture symbolizes the college's connections to its Swedish founders. Also, legend has it that if you kiss the one you love below the bell tower, you will be together forever. The bell tower stands uphill from Old Main, and just downhill from the chapel and Founders courtyard, near the Office of Admissions. Maybe this is why Augustana has a new "ringing" tradition related to commitment: When you commit to Augustana with your tuition deposit, you can ring the gong!

Grow into the Quad Cities

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At Augustana you'll have four cities in two states, with three bridges connecting it all across the Mississippi River. Not to mention Here we are in Schwiebert Riverfront Park in Augustana's home of Rock Island, Illinois. It was named after Augustana graduate and former mayor Mark Schwiebert, and it's just one of so many distinctive spaces and places in this community of 400,000. What can we say about the Quad Cities metro area in just a few words? It's an exciting learning laboratory, and it's a lot of fun. It gives you room to grow. What more could you want from your college home?

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