Welcome to Centre College

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Old Centre

A large red-brick building with six white pillars, surrounded by leaf-covered lawns.

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Welcome to Centre College! Here 1,400 students earn an extraordinary liberal arts and sciences education, put that education into practice in real-world settings and explore their future in our Career Readiness programs. Come pursue your interests, make a difference, and explore beyond your expectations. Old Centre is home to the President's office, academic affairs, and the Admission Welcome Center. In front of the Old Centre porch, you will find the Centre seal. Campus tradition says students should avoid stepping on the seal or they may fail a class. A happier tradition notes that any couple who kiss over the seal at midnight will get married.

Franklin W. Olin Hall

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Olin Hall, with its state-of-the-art classrooms and labs, is one of two campus buildings devoted to the STEM fields. It includes spaces for chemistry, computer science, data science, environmental studies, mathematics, and physics. A recent multi-million-dollar renovation added a food-safe lab, an optics lab, and more collaborative and study spaces. It is also home to a Foucault pendulum, which demonstrates the Earth's rotation and is used in physics classes. From the front steps of Olin Hall, you can see Palace of Memory, a granite and earth mound sculpture, commissioned to mark the 21st century.

The Quad

A quad with two outdoor classrooms and multiple red-brick buildings.

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The Quad is home to three residence halls, Stevenson-Vinson House, Cooper-Ganfield House, and Lamotte-Tyler House. Co-ed by floor, with shared kitchens and laundry areas, these 3-story residences are located close to all classroom buildings, the Library, and athletic facilities. In the Quad, you will also find two outdoor classrooms that take advantage of Centre's great weather in the spring and fall. Nearby are Nevin Hall, a first-year residence hall that also houses the Residence Life Office, as well as Breckinridge Hall, which houses sophomores through seniors. The lawn of Breckinridge is often called Breck Beach and is a popular spot for student games and outdoor activities.

Young Hall

Several dozen students working at individual stations in a science lab.

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Young Hall houses programs in behavioral neuroscience, biochemistry & molecular biology, chemistry, psychology, and biology. It also hosts an enormous fossil and natural history collection. This LEED gold-certified building has study and collaborative space and is home to opportunities for students to participate in mentored research. Each year Centre students participate in faculty research projects and independent study. John C. Young scholars complete a year-long independent study, research, or artistic project. And the annual Rice symposium provides students in all disciplines and class years to present the results of their research in a presentation, poster, gallery display, or performance.

Crounse Hall

A red-brick, three-story building with four white front pillars. A statue of Abraham Lincoln reading a book on a plinth in front of the building.

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Crounse Hall is home to the Grace Doherty Library, as well as classrooms, faculty offices, a Media Lab and the Vahlkamp Theater, a movie theater and lecture hall. It also houses Einstein's Bagels, the Center for Teaching and Learning, which supports faculty instruction, as well as the Centre Learning Commons which provides study and learning resources to students. Out front a sculpture of President Lincoln has yielded a widely practiced campus tradition of placing a penny on Abe's foot to bring luck for big tests and final exams.

Sutcliffe Hall

A red-brick building with brick pathways.

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Sutcliffe Hall is the central hub for Centre's varsity athletics programs and campus social and physical wellness. The building includes a three-court multipurpose gym for campus recreation and intramurals, two practice and competition gyms, a three-lane indoor track, the Buck Fitness Center with over 5000 square feet for cardio and strength training, racquetball courts, athletic training rooms, locker rooms, the Hall of Fame Café, and multiple meeting and classroom spaces. Sutcliffe also houses the Parsons Center for Student Health Counseling.

Old Carnegie

A red-brick, two-story building with two white pillars.

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Old Carnegie houses the Center for Global Citizenship, home of Centre's extraordinary study abroad and study away programs. More than 85 percent of Centre students study off-campus during their time at the College in locations as diverse as London, Bhutan, or New York City. The Center for Career and Professional Development is also in Old Carnegie. Here, staff work with you in career exploration communities to find meaningful internships and career opportunities, host events with alumni and industry leaders, and help you create resumes and graduate school applications to find your future after Centre.

Norton Center for the Arts

A large theatre with an orchestra on stage.

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The Norton Center for the Arts is a state of the art 85,000 square foot complex designed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. It includes the 1,470-seat Newlin Hall and a more intimate 370 seat Weisiger Theatre. It is also home to Grant Hall, with classrooms, studios, and offices for theater and music faculty. In addition to student performances, each year the Norton Center hosts a variety of events including Broadway shows, symphony orchestras, and international speakers. On the grounds, you will find the Stephen Powell Memorial Garden and Classroom, dedicated to the memory of the founder of Centre's glass-blowing program.

Roush Campus Center

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The two-story, silver LEED certified, 50,000 square foot Roush Campus Center includes the campus dining hall, the Cowan Dining Commons. It is also home to the Flame Cafe which has after-hours online ordering and a grab and go shop for food. Events like campus-wide karaoke and roller-skating also happen late-night at the Campus Center. On the second floor, you will find the Student Life Office, space for student organizations to meet, a game room, fireplaces, and the Intercultural Suite, created to facilitate inclusion and understanding. With more than 100 student organizations and activities, there are many ways to get involved in something you are passionate about.

Northside

A large three-story brick building with students sitting at picnic tables in front.

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Designed with the help of students, Northside has large, double rooms arranged in suites, super-suites, or pods, offering individual gender-neutral restrooms. The energy-efficient building also features study rooms, kitchens, lounge space, laundry facilities, social space, and low loft-style furnishings, as well as outdoor social and study spaces. Northside has five student resident assistants and one student residence director.

Pearl Hall

Students sitting on couches and at a table in a large common space.

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Pearl Hall includes suites as well as traditional double-rooms. Each suite has a "convenience kitchen," with sink, microwave, and refrigerator. Each floor houses a community kitchen with major kitchen appliances. Suites are furnished with lofted beds, desks, bookshelves, roomy closets, and comfortable living room furniture. The building also includes study spaces, lounges, laundry facilities, and Wi-Fi, and outside you will find a large patio area with a fire pit and grill. Pearl Hall is LEED gold certified for its environmentally friendly design and construction, the highest LEED rating for any residential facility in the state.

Office of Diversity & Inclusion

A living room with two students sitting on couches in front of a fireplace.

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517 Main Street is home to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, whose mission is to promote and sustain a diverse and inclusive environment in which everyone thrives and succeeds. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion staff are available to support and advise all members of the Centre community. The staff also provide training sessions on the skills that foster inclusion, belonging and equity. In addition, the location is a space for gathering, community building and enjoying delicious foods at events such as a Thursday Porch Party, Finals Week Study Hall, or Friendsgiving Dinner.

Greek Park

A few students sit in front of two-story houses.

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At the end of Walnut Street, you will find Greek Park, which includes six fraternity and five sorority houses that also serve as event spaces for various Greek activities throughout the year. About 50% of Centre students are members of Greek Life, although their events are open to the whole campus. Recruitment takes place in the spring term to give first-year students time to settle into College and learn about Centre's Greek Life.

Brockman Commons

A courtyard surrounded by red-brick buildings.

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Brockman Commons features townhouse-style units with two bedrooms on the upper level, and a bedroom and shared living room with a small kitchenette on the lower level. The residences include a multi-level courtyard complete with a covered grill and fire pit perfect for roasting marshmallows and socializing. The centerpiece of the student housing community is the one-story Commons Building, which includes a community lounge with high-ceilings and transom windows that fill the space with daylight. Shared amenities include a full-service kitchen and large laundry. The project achieved LEED Silver certification and incorporates sustainable features throughout.

Jones Visual Art Center

A faculty member and students working in a hot glass studio.

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The Jones Visual Arts Center - or J-Vak houses Centre's art program, including studio practice and art history, with major and minor concentrations available in both areas. Media taught include drawing, oil painting, printmaking, ceramics, and hot glass. The building includes a state-of-the-art hot glass studio, a ceramics studio, and the AEGON Gallery to display student and faculty work. As part of Centre's ongoing sustainability efforts, JVAC also has an on-campus solar photovoltaic system on its roof.

Bell Tower

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The Centre Plaza and its bell tower are the setting for everything from casual weekday uses, student life activities and graduation, to tailgating events for the College's varsity sports. The plaza includes seating for studying and class meetings, an outdoor stage, and south entry into Crounse Hall and the library. It connects the heart of the historic campus to Centre's extensive athletics facilities. In the process, this unites the College's science labs, learning commons, library and faculty offices with a world-class field house, stadium, and wellness center.

Andy Frye Stadium

Football players and coaches on a turf football field.

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Named after the winningest football coach in Centre's history, Andy Frye Stadium is home to Centre's football, men's lacrosse, and track and field programs. The stadium features the elite Joe McDaniel turf field, a multi-suite press box, seating for over 3000, a large video scoreboard, locker room complexes for the track and field, cross country, and football programs, and a state of the art 8-lane track and jump pits. The new facilities also host campus and community events like movie nights and graduation.

Baseball

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Gary Wright Field at Fishman Park serves as the home of the Centre Baseball team and is one of the best Division III facilities in the nation. The all-turf field and playing surfaces, press box with Trackman analytic software, and video scoreboard provide an elite training and competition environment. Adjacent to the field, the player development complex includes indoor hitting tunnels, a locker room, players' lounge, training room, and a multi-purpose classroom. This is the baseball team's year-round home, so they can focus on training and team togetherness in one place.

CentreWorks

A large co-working space with students working at tables. The space is ringed by offices.

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Located downtown, and above the Centre Bookstore and the Hub Coffee House & Café, CentreWorks brings members of Centre's campus community and the broader region together to work through complex community issues and new business start-up opportunities. As part of Centre's career readiness and community engagement efforts, and working alongside faculty and staff, students learn about business and entrepreneurship and can help launch new businesses, tackle community challenges, and create social enterprises.

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