ALVERNO COLLEGE
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The College
Alverno College is a college like no other. Its creative hands-on learning style has gained national and worldwide praise and emulation. More than 1,500 educators representing over 200 institutionsfrom the United States and abroadvisit Alverno each year to study Alvernos teaching methods. The Colleges unique approach to evaluation and assessment provides students with a comprehensive education that takes them from the classroom to the community to a career where they can make their mark. Students receive individual attention and demonstrate what they have learned through assessments, not traditional examinations. Classes are small, and projects are student centered.
Internationally known for its innovative, abilities-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, Alverno College is an award-winning, four-year, independent liberal arts college for women. Founded in 1887 by the School Sisters of St. Francis, Alverno has one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation. Currently, there are more than 2,200 students enrolled. The College offers bachelor's degree programs in both weekday and weekend time frames, initial teacher certification programs for postgraduates, and a Master of Arts in education for teachers and business professionals. Alverno also offers educational licensure programs and a new licensure-to-masters program. The Colleges future goals include expanding offerings available within the masters program, such as graduate degrees in nursing and business.
Alverno College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Board of Nursing, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and National Association of Schools of Music. In U.S. News & World Reports 2005 edition of Americas Best Colleges, Alverno ranked higher than any other college or university in the nation in six of eight categories under "Programs to Look For."
Alvernos mission is to promote the personal and professional development of women through four areas: creating a community of learning, creating a curriculum, creating ties to the community, and creating relationships with higher education. Alverno accomplishes this by remaining focused on the student and higher education. The hallmark of an Alverno education is to prepare students for real life, not just for finals. Faculty members develop curricula that meet todays challenges.
In every class, students learn to analyze issues from a variety of perspectives, make value decisions, engage in meaningful discussion, and apply creative solutions in problem solving, abilities needed in todays changing world. Students are able to follow their own progress through Alvernos newly patented Diagnostic Digital Portfolio (DDP), the first-of-its-kind Web-based system. It enables each student to access feedback from faculty members, external assessors, and peers, thus developing a more reflective and autonomous learner.
Each student is required to complete one off-campus professional internship. These internships are designed to complement the classroom experience and expose each student to real-life work situations by providing insight into career options. Alvernos Career Education Center is fully integrated into the learning process, providing students with numerous services, resources, training opportunities, and tools to assist them with their career planning. Nearly 90 percent of Alverno graduates report that they are working in their chosen fields within six months of graduation.
Students take advantage of a wide variety of athletic, social, cultural, and cocurricular academic activities on- and off-campus. There are more than thirty student organizations, including service, professional, musical, cultural, and other interest groups. The Student Activities Planning Team gives students an active voice and leadership role in what happens on campus. Programming opportunities include events such as the Metropolitan Milwaukee Leadership Conference and the National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week.
The Colleges NCAA Division III athletics program provides students with five competitive sports: basketball, cross-country, soccer, softball, and volleyball. Intramural sports are also available. Alverno Presents is one of the longest-running performing arts series in the Midwest, offering such top-notch performers as Dianne Reeves, Mariza, Irma Thomas, Wynton Marsalis, and others. The campus center features the Mug Coffeehouse, run by students for students, as a place to relax and study with a latte and enjoy live music, lively discussions, large-screen TVs, and movie nights.
Alverno College features several extracurricular and cocurricular facilities on campus. Pitman Theatre is a beautiful art decostyle theater with seating for 930. The theater is the home of Alverno Presents and numerous concerts and functions each season. Wehr Hall, with seating for 375, is a state-of-the-art presentation hall designed for multimedia presentations as well as smaller performances. Alvernos Conference Center can accommodate seated dinners for up to 300 and is host to countless alumnae weddings and other celebrations each year.
The residence hall features high-speed Internet access and cable television capability in each room.
Location
Alvernos 46-acre campus is nestled in the residential Jackson Park area of Milwaukee, just minutes from downtown and the parks and beaches along the beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline. Students are only minutes away from the world-famous Milwaukee Art Museum and its Calatrava addition as well as the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts and Summerfest grounds, the gallery and theater districts, and Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers. The city offers a mix of trendy nightspots and chic coffee bars and has a highly eclectic dining scene.
Majors and Degrees
Alverno College is a fully accredited four-year baccalaureate institution conferring Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Master of Arts degrees. Alverno offers more than sixty majors and minors, including accounting, art, art therapy, behavioral science, biology, business, chemistry, computer science, education, English, environmental studies, global studies, history, international business, liberal studies, management, marketing, mathematics, music therapy, natural science, nursing, philosophy, political science, professional communication, psychology, religious studies, secondary education, sociology, Spanish, and a host of preprofessional training programs.
Academic Programs
Alvernos learning process prepares students for success. The curriculum includes academic course work as well as external experiences and develops the students abilities in eight specific core areas: communication, analysis, problem solving, valuing in decision making, social interaction, developing a global perspective, effective citizenship, and aesthetic engagement. Each student acquires the knowledge that is needed to demonstrate learning in each of these areas, tying her studies to her personal and professional goals.
Alverno is home to Wisconsins original Weekend College program, one of the first in the nation. The program, which began in 1977, allows students to earn their degrees in professional communication, communication management and technology, community leadership and development, international business, management, management accounting, marketing management, and nursing (RN to B.S.N.) by attending classes on alternate weekends.
Off-Campus Programs
Alvernos travel-abroad program provides students with the opportunity to study for a semester or a shorter term in such places as England, France, Japan, Mexico, Northern Ireland, and South Korea. International internship programs are continually being developed to accommodate Alvernos diverse student body. Travel courses that culminate in a trip are also available.
The students' learning experiences are enhanced by opportunities in the community and abroad through internships and international-studies programs. Students are able to apply their knowledge to real-life situations by working with mentors on site. Local organizations that regularly participate include Harley-Davidson, Miller Brewing, Milwaukee Art Museum, the mayors office, and scores of others.
Academic Facilities
Alverno College remains one of the most technologically advanced campuses in the region, featuring a state-of-the-art Center for Instructional Communication, a videoconferencing center that allows for long-distance learning, and multiple computer labs and "smart" classrooms. Smart rooms are equipped with a computer, TV, VCR, DVD player, document camera, overhead projector, and electronic projector screen. Portable equipment is also available.
Alvernos library provides on-site and remote access to its print, audiovisual, and electronic collection of more than 250,000 items, as well as access to worldwide resources available through technology. The librarys resources and services are further enhanced through a consortium of seven local college and university libraries.
The Teaching, Learning and Technology Center is a 73,000-square-foot facility that features cutting-edge science labs, computer and multimedia centers, and an on-campus digital production facility. The center houses hundreds of networked high-tech computers plus writing devices, the latest software, digital cameras, scanners, laptops, and more. The production facility houses nonlinear digital editing equipment, allowing students to produce and edit their own projects. All of these service areas are staff supported to assist students.
The Nursing Education Building provides resources dedicated to meeting the needs of nursing students, including a library and a clinical nursing resource center. The center allows students to practice their nursing therapeutic skills and to participate in simulated clinical experiences. Computers are equipped with interactive nursing software and registered nurses serve as mentors and assessors.
Costs
For 200405, the tuition was $7080 per semester ($7452 for nursing), and the room and board rate was $2700 per semester for first-year students. Books vary by course load but average $300 per semester for full-time students. Personal expenses vary greatly by student.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is readily available based on student need, academic performance, and other criteria. Aid can take the form of scholarships, grants, loans, and campus work-study programs. Approximately 85 percent of Alverno students receive some form of financial assistance, with an average award of $11,075 per student per year. More than 100 Alverno-sponsored scholarships are available.
The newly established Alverno Scholars of Wisconsin program offers a years tuition to 1 young high school woman from each of Wisconsins seventy-two counties. The program is designed to draw the best and brightest from around the state and provides financial assistance to some families who may not otherwise be able to afford the college of their choice.
Faculty
Alverno's coed faculty is made up of 102 full-time members, more than 88 percent of whom have earned the highest degree available in their field. Faculty members also serve as academic advisers to students in their major areas of concentration. Class sizes average 2025 students.
Admission Requirements
Candidates applying for admission to Alverno College directly after high school must have completed at least 17 academic units. These units should include at least 4 units in English, with the rest distributed among foreign languages, history and the social sciences, mathematics, and natural sciences. All students must have satisfactory scores on the ACT or SAT and complete an evaluation of their abilities through the Communication Placement Assessment before beginning classes.
Application and Information
Students who wish to apply for admission can apply online, or they can write, call, or e-mail the Admission Office for the necessary forms. An application is considered complete upon receipt of the application form, the application fee (waived if students apply online), a high school transcript, and ACT scores. Students may submit any additional evidence that they believe might help the College determine their capacity to benefit from an Alverno education. Alverno's admission policy permits notification of acceptance within three weeks of receipt of all credentials. Acceptance is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the secondary school courses.
For more information about Alverno College, interested students should contact:
