Background Information: Since its founding in 1830 by the Lutheran Church, Capital has earned a reputation for academic excellence ... a reputation for being one of the top colleges and universities in the country. Data gathered recently by the Lutheran Educational Council of North America shows that Capital and its sister church institutions deliver a quality, personalized and affordable education better than what you can get at many flagship public schools. By drawing on its Lutheran heritage, Capital provides an environment that emphasizes strong values and ethics and prepares graduates for lives of giving back to the communities in which they live and work. (Capital website)
Initial Thoughts: At Capital, we are asked “Will You?” Will we ask big questions, think up new ventures, and lead others towards the future. Capital seeks to create leaders, professionals, people who are committed to their future and what it may hold. I wonder how this commitment will translate to the design of the campus and what it holds for students.
Notable site features: a virtual tour (campus in pictures), Will You? video (click on the bolded links to view it!)
Lacking: Appropriate links -- some of the links on the website do not work and takes you to an error page.
The Campus
- Layout: Capital’s campus is about 50 acres in size, but there is a lot to see within these 50 acres. Capital is home to 6 residence halls, 2 on-campus apartments, 9 academic buildings, and a handful of others serving various purposes. It is surrounded by Bexley, OH which is an affluent suburb that is located minutes away from downtown Columbus. There are quite a few cute shops located in Bexley that caters especially to “Cap students,” and even a small movie theater that is just across the street from the campus gates. University and community relations appear to be quite good since Bexley residents have been known to frequent Capital’s stadium grounds and even the school’s work out facility.
- Architecture: Every building at Capital is red-bricked and appears to follow the same style of architecture. In terms of aesthetics, Capital’s campus isn’t one that I would rave about, nor is it one I would look unkindly on either. If I had to describe Capital’s campus in one word, I would have to use the word “professional” – which is well suited for the many of its pre-professional major students. Capital’s campus looks very structured and uniform. The drawback of the uniformity of its architectural style makes it’s a bit confusing for first year students to distinguish them at first, but rest assured, Capital’s campus is quite small. Its small size will allow you to learn the campus layout relatively quickly.
- Scale: You can go from one end of Capital’s campus to the other end in a 5 minute walk. This makes it very convenient for those who want to sleep a bit longer and still make it to class on time – a luxury, I assure you! My tour guide was also quite enthusiastic about this perk, and I would have to agree. Aside from having the residence halls and academic buildings, the grocery stores are also just down the street from the campus.
- The Student Center: Capital’s Campus Center is home to the following: two dining halls with a variety of choices, the Cabaret Theater, a multi-purpose room, a student affairs office, the campus bookstore, and the career services office. The Campus Center has many places for students to lounge and hang out in; in fact, in the lower level of the Campus Center is the Rec Center, where you can watch shows on the big screen TV, play air hockey and billiards, and even bowl a few games.
- Student Living: Capital has 5 co-ed residence halls and 2 on-campus apartments. The dorms themselves are pretty standard and are co-ed, separated by floors. Students can be paired up with their room mates in two ways – either they can take a survey and wait for the office of residence life to pair them up, or meet and “connect” with someone during orientation. Most students actually choose to live on campus because it’s much more convenient.
- Notable Attractions: One of the most interesting things I saw during my visit at Capital was a piece of the Berlin Wall inside the library. It was such an incredible sight, and definitely a must see if you’re ever on Capital’s campus. Aside from the Berlin Wall relic, Capital also has a space outside of a academic building called an “outdoor classroom.” What the outdoor classroom basically is is a space encircled by benches that professors can use to conduct class. Many professors choose to use this space in order to get out of the monotony of the classroom.
Final Conclusions: Overall, I had a really positive experience at Capital. My tour guide was very nice and helpful, and I felt incredibly welcomed during my visit. With the vibe that I received from Capital’s campus, I think those who are looking for a welcoming place to start their professional and corporate careers would find a great home there. The architecture is not stunning, and those who wish to have a "now this feels like a college campus" kind of moment should probably look elsewhere. Instead of inspiring a wide-eye awe within its visitors (or even students), Capital's campus serves a different purpose -- it makes us feel professional, "corporate," and like we can really stake our own claim within the working world while still sheltered behind its walls.
Photostream of Capital University: see the campus in pictures!
Still not convinced? Experience it for yourself! Schedule a visit today!
No comments:
Post a Comment