150 Years of Excellence
For over 150 years, Simpson’s highly regarded academic programs have been preparing students for coveted careers, competitive research programs and prestigious graduate schools. Backed by a rich liberal arts tradition, today’s Simpson experiences is defined by the many exceptional opportunities for learning both in the classroom and in the community.
Simpson’s internship program gives students the opportunity to gain practical experience before they graduate while Simpson’s multitude of school-sponsored clubs and organizations allow students to be actively involved on campus while developing valuable leadership skills. Nearly half of Simpson students study in fantastic locations around the globe through Simpson’s May Term and semester-long study abroad courses, and Simpson’s volunteer programs help students make a difference locally and abroad, with nearly 30,000 hours of service contributed to the community last year alone.
Most importantly, the Simpson experience gives students plentiful choices that encourage them to explore their passions, so when they graduate, they will be ready to go out and impact the world.
A Liberal Arts Tradition
Simpson’s curriculum is guided by five principals that will help students develop the skills and mindset needed to succeed in the ever-changing work environment of the 21st century. These principals encourage academic rigor but also place an emphasis on quality experiences outside of the classroom, an increased global awareness and a sense of civic responsibility.
Integrative Learning: At Simpson, many important learning experiences take place through internships, research projects, service learning, volunteerism and involvement with community partnerships. These opportunities enhance course work by allowing students to take what they’ve studied at the college and apply it to real-world situations.
Intellectual and Practical Skills: Simpson helps students acquire the tools necessary to face challenges in and out of the workplace. Simpson’s curriculum prepares students to think critically and communicate effectively by encouraging inquiry, analysis and teamwork, along with the concrete application of knowledge.
Living and Working in a Global Context: Simpson assists students in recognizing their roles as citizens in a diverse world by giving them chances to discover and understand cultures and backgrounds different from their own, such as school-sponsored semesters abroad, international and domestic May Term trips and service-learning projects.
Leadership: Developing graduates who can serve as responsible leaders in their work environments as well as their communities is at the heart of what a Simpson education is about. Students develop their leadership skills through significant contributions to campus groups, classroom activities and off- campus organizations.
Personal and Social Responsibility: Simpson prepares students to become responsible and contributing members of society through the cultivation of character, citizenship and a commitment to social justice. Particularly, Simpson emphasizes service to the greater good through First-Year Service Day, the Wesley Service Scholar program and a variety of other volunteer opportunities.
A Liberal Arts Tradition in a Graduate Setting
The Graduate curriculum is guided by the expectation that students become “masters” in their field, leaders in their profession and experts in research.
Graduate classes integrate theory and practical issue areas and provide the student opportunity to become well versed in research methdologies and the evaluation of research outcomes. Classes develop an advanced capacity for critcally analyzing issue areas within the discipline.
For parallel graduate and undergraduate courses, there are significant differences clearly articulated in areas such as course content, grading practices, learning outcomes, readings and assignments, exams and performance Syllabi for courses that are cross-listed at the undergraduate and graduate levels clearly specify how the nature of the work expected of students and the criteria for evaluation are commensurate with degree level. The nature of work and work products may vary by quality and/or quantity. Graduate level work products are required to have a greater degree of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of knowledge and be the result of greater independence than undergraduate-level work products.
Quality Academics
With a full time student population of approximately 1,100, Simpson’s quality liberal arts education emphasizes academic excellence, community engagement, international experiences and success beyond the classroom. The college offers more than 80 majors, minors and pre-professional programs, which provide students with the skills they need to succeed in a given field. Simpson professors are dedicated to their fields of study and equally dedicated to teaching. It shows in the classroom. In addition, many opportunities exist for students to work with their professors outside of the classroom through research opportunities, volunteer experiences and trips locally and abroad.
Beyond the Classroom May Term
With Simpson’s 4-4-1 academic calendar, the college offers two four month semesters and one three- week term in May. During May Term, Simpson students take just one class, allowing them to examine one issue or topic in a new and complex way. May Term makes it possible for students to travel, hold an internship, develop new skills or learn about a specific interest in-depth. Course offerings vary from year to year, but May Term always provides a multitude of exciting choices. Each year, over a hundred Simpson students go abroad during May Term. In the past, courses have taken students to many unique and diverse locations, such as Namibia, Peru, Madagascar, and Ecuador. Courses have also taken students to destinations like England, France, China, Germany, New Zealand, Spain and Greece.
Simpson also gives students many options for travel within the United States with trips to places such as Denver, Chicago, Dallas, New York City and Washington, D.C.
Overseas with Simpson
Simpson offers a semester-long study abroad programs that allow Simpson students to learn together under the guidance of a Simpson faculty member. Students also have the option of participating in an affiliated study abroad program through another university or institution.
Partnerships
Simpson has several partnerships and on-campus centers that give students outstanding experiences outside of the normal classroom environment.
EMERGE@Simpson: EMERGE@Simpson is a unique opportunity for students of Simpson College to learn and practice entrepreneurship skills working with start-up companies from around the United States. In some cases, students will have an opportunity to build equity in a budding business. Students may receive credit for their participation in EMERGE@Simpson, or volunteer their time.
Iowa History Center: The Iowa History Center connects the state’s historians, authors and students in an effort to capture and preserve Iowa’s history through many statewide initiatives. The center brings many prominent speakers to campus and also helps place Simpson students in internships with various state historical associations.
The John C Culver Center for Public Policy: The Culver Center was established at Simpson College in 2010 to honor the service of John C. Culver, who served the people of Iowa for 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The Center’s nonpartisan programs seek to educate and inspire young people to actively participate in our democracy and encourage them to consider public service as their life’s work. The Center hosts nonpartisan voter registration drives, dialogue and civil discourse programs, panel discussion, policy forums, film screenings, candidate visits, and student trips to national conferences. The Culver Fellowship is awarded annually to incoming students with strong interests and aptitudes in politics, public policy, government, law, and related fields.
Professional Development
According to the National Survey of Student Engagement, more than 70 percent of Simpson students take advantage of internships or field experiences before graduation, putting them ahead of students at similar schools.
The Des Moines metro area provides countless internships for Simpson students. Des Moines-which was named the number one city in the nation for business and careers by Forbes magazine-is home to media outlets and publishing firms, research facilities, insurance and financial institutions, entertainment and cultural venues, the state legislature, and numerous nonprofit organizations.
In addition to Des Moines’ extensive array of jobs and internships, students often seek positions across the country and abroad. Whether it’s navigating the halls of the White House, performing research at Johns Hopkins University, or standing on the sidelines with the Green Bay Packers-a few recent experiences of Simpson students-internships are a great way to learn beyond the classroom and provide a solid foundation for the future.
Though many students chose to do internships independently, Simpson also offers courses that allow students to gain job experience while receiving college credit.
Co-Op 119 Career Observation
This May Term class is open to first-year students and sophomores and gives them the opportunity to job shadow in a specific work environment for three weeks. (EL)
Co-Op 219 Career and Internship Preparation
As part of this course, students will research internship options, prepare a cover letter, resume, and references sheet, and practice interview skills. Students will also learn the process to register for an internship and professional expectations for the experience. Students should plan to register at least one semester prior to completing their internship.
Co-Op 319 Internship Experience
During this course, students receive hands-on job experience for credit through a semester-long or summer internship. A total of 16 credits of Co-Op 319 may be applied to graduation.
Academic Support
The Center for Academic Resources: The Center for Academic Resources provides academic support services to all Simpson students. Our goal is to help all students become active learners who achieve success in their classes and in their future aspirations.
When you come to The Center, we listen to your individual needs and treat you with respect. Whether you are looking for guidance in academic advising, accessibility services, writing, research, studying for tests, or tutoring in a specific subject, our staff is ready to assist you. Students from all majors, with all grade points, first years through seniors take advantage of our services. We work hard to make sure you have the resources and support you need to succeed.
Student Support Services (SSS): SSS helps students take positive steps forward in their college careers with a wide variety of programs developed for first generation, low income, and/or disable students. SSS helps students reach their fullest potential by providing opportunities for academic, personal, financial and career development. Programs include holistic advising with staff members, peer mentoring, educational workshops, priority registration, Grant Aid scholarship (for eligible participants), and social and cultural activities.
Career Services
Simpson College’s Career Development provides resources to help students with career and graduate school planning from the moment they arrive on campus, with the goal for all students to graduate with a sense of purpose and to be competitive candidates for their first destinations following Simpson. Services and programs offered include:
- Personalized consultation to assist in determining possible fields of study and career goals based on values, strengths, personality, interests, and skills.
- One-on-one appointments to create and review resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and graduate school application materials, and to practice interview skills and search for opportunities.
- Simpson Handshake is an online database used to search for full-time and part-time jobs and internships.
- Career-related events throughout the year. Examples include career fairs, networking events, mock interviews, and etiquette dinners.
- Workshops and class presentations covering topics, such as resume writing, interviewing techniques, professionalism, and more.
- For-credit courses related to career observation and internship preparation.
Extracurricular Activities
Simpson offers many opportunities that provide great leadership experiences for Simpson students. Some of the options for involvement include:
- Student club and organizations that encourage engagement around hobbies, academic pursuits, and other areas of personal interest.
- Campus Activities Board, which brings national and local acts to campus and sponsors free entertainment throughout the week.
- Student publications, including an award-winning newspaper, literary magazine and radio station.
- Performance opportunities in theater productions and music groups.
- 23 Division III athletic teams.
- Student government.
- Religious Life Community, which provides chances for vocational exploration, service trips, and worship in many faiths.
- Multicultural and internationl organizations that highlight new cultures and enhance diversity on campus.
- Intramurals provide 75 different recreational opportunities for students, staff & faculty such as traditional games like flag football, basketball, volleyball and pickleball and many other nontraditional activities such as card & board games, Easter Egg Hunt and other toss games.
- Cheer and dance teams.
- Local and nationally affiliated fraternities and sororities.
Athletics
The Simpson College athletics program has a strong tradition of success at the NCAA Division III level. As a member of the American Rivers Conference, Simpson’s 25 varsity teams compete for conference, regional and national championships each year. Simpson athletics also offers non-NCAA varsity competition in the sports of Cheer, Dance and Shooting Sports.
Simpson is committed to helping students become well-rounded athletes, and our student-athletes excel in the classroom and beyond. Simpson student-athletes have received prestigious NCAA postgraduate scholarships, and hundreds of athletes have been named to A-R-C All-Academic teams.
Men’s Athletic Teams
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Indoor Track and Field
- Outdoor Track and Field
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Women’s Athletic Teams
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Indoor Track and Field
- Outdoor Track and Field
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Non-NCAA Teams
- Cheer
- Dance
- Shooting Sports
Fine Arts
Simpson makes art, theatre and music available to all students, whether they are interested in performing or just want to catch a show or see an exhibit.
Create
Simpson College Gallery of Art and Design provides opportunities for students to share design work with a general audience, such as in the Senior Exhibition. Students also experience work created by established artists and designers and enjoy artists’ presentations.
Harmonize
Simpson’s nationally recognized music program offers a variety of vocal and instrumental ensembles as well as musical and opera performances that allow students to show off their talents. Simpson has one of the largest college opera programs in the nation and is home to the Des Moines Metro Opera in the summer.
Perform
Simpson Productions performs four faculty-directed shows, and a festival of student-directed one acts each year, giving students plenty of opportunities to perform on stage. Performances range from classical to contemporary as well as musicals and operas.
Living on Campus
Simpson prides itself on having some of the best housing options around, and the college provides students with a variety of choices for campus living. First-year students are assigned to one of two first- year residence halls while upper-class students can choose among living in one of two additional residence halls, a theme house, Greek housing or one of seven college-owned apartment buildings.
All college housing is air-conditioned, fully furnished, carpeted and smoke-free. Each residence hall contains a computer lab, laundry facilities, cable, vending machines and a kitchenette. Every room, apartment or house is equipped with computer data jacks for connecting personal computers to the campus computer network and Internet. The entire campus (including campus housing) is also completely wireless.
Best of Both Worlds
Simpson’s location gives students the best of both worlds: the friendly atmosphere of a college town with the benefit of living near an exciting metropolitan area. Indianola is host to many nationally known events, including the Des Moines Metro Opera and the National Balloon Classic. The vibrant, small-town community also has a multitude of choices for entertainment including state parks and trails for recreation, a golf course and many unique restaurants, shops and movie theatres within walking distance of campus.
Indianola is just 12 miles south of Iowa’s capital city, Des Moines, which gives students plenty of opportunities to attend cultural events and festivals, see professional sports teams in action, catch concerts or Broadway musicals, shop in the trendy East Village or the upscale Jordan Creek Mall and more.
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