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Briar Cliff University is a four-year, Catholic-Franciscan liberal arts college located in Sioux City, Iowa. Briar Cliff is a community committed to higher education within a liberal arts and Catholic perspective. In the Franciscan tradition of service, caring and openness to all, Briar Cliff emphasizes quality education for its students, combining a broad intellectual background with career development. The University challenges its members to grow in self-awareness and in their relationships to others and to God.

Founded in 1853, Central College is a private, residential four-year liberal arts college located in Pella, Iowa. It is known for its academic rigor, leadership and character development, global experiential learning, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and sustainability education, athletics and service. The Central College Dutch participate in NCAA Division III athletics and the college is a member of the American Rivers Conference. Central is an active part of the Greater Des Moines region and is located just minutes from Lake Red Rock, Iowa’s largest lake.

Coe College is ranked among the top 20 percent of all colleges and universities in the nation, and the #15 school in the nation for internships according to The Princeton Review. Founded in 1851, Coe is dedicated to providing students with a quality liberal arts education while preparing them for success in a global society. All students are provided with opportunities for real-world experience and skill development tailored to their personal goals. Every decision made at Coe is focused on the student experience and preparing students for success.

Dordt University is an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective. Our mission is to equip students, alumni, and the broader community to work effectively toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. As the Founder’s Vision states:

We strive to fulfill our Founders Vision: “An education that is Christian not merely in the sense that devotional exercises are appended to the ordinary work of the college, but in the larger and deeper sense that all the class work, all of the students’ intellectual, emotional, and imaginative activities shall be permeated with the spirit and teaching of Christianity.”

Graceland University is a community dedicated to exceptional higher education. We are grounded in the liberal arts and dedicated to providing the progressive academic needs of the 21^st century student.

Founded in 1895, a private, four-year liberal arts university located in Lamoni, Iowa and features state-of-the-art performing arts and fitness facilities. Graceland University’s main, residential campus is located in Lamoni, Iowa, about an hour south of Des Moines, spanning 170 acres in the rolling hills of southern Iowa.

The Independence, Missouri campus was established in 1998 and offers online and residential programs in our School of Nursing, the Gleazer School of Education, the C.H. Sandage School of Business and the Community of Christ Seminary. The Center for Graduate and Continuing Studies administers these programs.

Grinnell College is a highly selective, four-year residential liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa. Grinnell provides individually advised learning for intellectually engaged students to produce graduates who can think clearly, speak and write persuasively and eloquently, evaluate ideas critically, and acquire new knowledge. Grinnell graduates are prepared for life and work, and they use their knowledge and their abilities to serve the common good.

What’s different about Grinnell?

At Grinnell, you’ll work closely with a faculty adviser to chart your academic path in what we call our “individually advised curriculum.” Here, advisers are trusted mentors who will help you evaluate your interests, values, and skills within the context of a liberal arts approach to learning. Together, you’ll co-create an experience that is broad, deep, and based upon your aspirations. You’ll take only two required courses outside of your major — both components of the First-Year Experience. The rest of your four-year class schedule is up to you and your academic adviser to craft, so you can uncover and explore what you truly care about.

Every Grinnellian has access to study, work, and experiences around the world. Even on our campus, you’ll hear more than 70 languages spoken by students from every state and 85+ countries. Grinnellians come from all over the globe to attend this top-ranked national college.

Thanks to a no-loan financial aid policy and individualized advising, our students graduate with less debt and more direction. And their return on investment is clear, as Grinnellians are hired into impactful jobs and admitted to the world’s top graduate school programs.

Luther College inspires and equips students to courageously serve the common good through a holistic education in the liberal arts. Here, we draw excellence out of every student, preparing them for lives of meaning and purpose. With more than 60 areas of learning, a focus on high-impact learning practices, and many opportunities to learn and grow in the real world, we help students uncover their passion and set them up not only for fulfilling careers but also for fulfilling lives.

Students at Luther quickly become part of its close-knit community, which is committed to academic excellence, the development of whole persons, servant leadership, and the exploration of faith, vocation, and values in an inclusive residential community grounded in the Lutheran (ELCA) tradition. Our student body comes from 77 countries and 35 states; it includes 23% students of color and 21% first-generation students.

With 70 student organizations, 24 varsity athletic teams, and one of the largest undergraduate music programs in the country, students at Luther develop rich social lives and lifelong friendships. All Luther students experience internships, study-away, research projects, creative projects, community projects, work-study projects, job shadow, or fieldwork, plus experiential learning courses. This enriching combination of experiences, grounded in Luther College values, develops graduates who better their communities and the world.

Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mount Mercy University empowers students with a values-based education paired with beyond-the-classroom opportunities to elevate their experience, community, and overall life. Combined with our proud tradition of service started by the Sisters of Mercy, we give our students the strong foundation they need to excel at and beyond Mount Mercy.

Founded in 1882 by the Diocese of Davenport, St. Ambrose University’s commitment to academic excellence, the liberal arts, social justice and service is rooted in its Catholic intellectual tradition. The leading, private university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate programs. 140 years since its inception, a St. Ambrose education remains centered on intentional, holistic and experiential learning, with a vision to be a vibrant, sustainable, and learner-focused model for Catholic higher education, preparing individuals from all walks of life to lead lives characterized by our core values of courage, wisdom, justice, and service.

The University of Dubuque (UD) is a private University affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). It was founded in 1852 by Dutch immigrant Adrian Van Vliet to educate German-speaking ministers who could communicate with incoming immigrants. In 1902, new programs emerged to form what is now the University of Dubuque.

Located in Iowa’s first city, Dubuque is home to the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, the Dubuque Museum of Art, a variety of shops and restaurants, event venues, and more. The city of nearly 60,000 boasts miles of trails for walking, hiking, biking, and many Mississippi waterway and byway activities.

Over the last 20 years, UD initiated a variety of initiatives to help increase enrollment, improve academic programs, and beautify the campus with contemporary building projects. Over the past 20 years, the University has invested over $250 million in new campus construction and renovations.

During this period, UD’s enrollment has grown by over 400% with current student enrollment peaking to nearly 2,300. Representing 43 states and 22 countries, its student population puts UD on the map as one of the most diverse private colleges in Iowa.

Founded in 1852, Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, is internationally recognized for leadership development. The college is dedicated to challenging and nurturing students for lives of leadership and service as a spirited expression of their faith and learning. Together, we create an inclusive community combining diverse curricular and co-curricular experiences to prepare students to be resilient leaders of positive change through service in a complex world.

The college offers undergraduate degrees in more than 60 areas of study in the arts and sciences. Our graduates achieve remarkable success after Wartburg, with exceptional placement rates in graduate programs, including an 82 percent placement rate in medical school — more than twice the national average. Those who go on to begin their careers also find success, with new graduates landing meaningful opportunities at prestigious organizations like the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and John Deere. Since 2021, the college has offered a Master of Arts in Leadership and will continue to pursue innovative undergraduate and graduate programs aligned with our mission and strengths.

Wartburg’s extensive co-curricular offerings include more than 15 music ensembles, 25 Division III athletic teams, and more than 50 student-led organizations. Wartburg’s athletic teams are consistently ranked in the top 5 percent nationally, and the college has a 29-year streak of winning at least one individual or team national title. In addition to frequent performances throughout the United States, eight of the college’s music ensembles perform during the college’s Christmas with Wartburg performances, which are viewed by thousands each year. Touring ensembles travel abroad during May Term, frequently visiting Wartburg Castle, the college’s namesake in Eisenach, Germany.