catalog2015-16

Intensely Personal and Deeply Engaging
A Centre education is intensely personal and deeply engaging. It enables students to excel as undergraduates and to
go on to achieve extraordinary success in advanced study, careers, and life. Many elements contribute to Centre's
outstanding education: talented students; challenging and supportive teachers; excellent facilities; financial strength;
an alumni body known for national leadership, achievement, and loyalty; the friendly, family-like atmosphere; a
living sense of connection with the past; and a vision of new levels of achievement for the future. Our combination
of first-quality academics and a supportive, stimulating environment gives students the intellectual and social skills
they need to succeed—while at Centre and later in graduate and professional schools and in their careers. One sign
that our alumni appreciate the educational advantages they received at Centre: the Alumni Factor ranks Centre
graduates “the happiest group of graduates in the country.” U.S. News regularly names Centre to lists for "best
undergraduate teaching" and "best value."
Centre People
Students. Centre students are an unusually talented, energetic, and diverse group. They come from throughout the
United States and several foreign countries. And they have far-ranging interests—from thermodynamics to dance,
philosophy to computers. They're enthusiastic and good at what they do: more than half were in the top 10 percent
of their high school class. And they like to win, from national academic awards (such as the Rhodes, Fulbright, and
Goldwater) to Division III athletics.
Faculty. In addition to their top-notch credentials, Centre’s faculty members are dedicated teachers who are active
in research. At Centre, there are no teaching assistants; classes are taught by members of the regular faculty.
Graduates. Centre graduates are extremely successful in gaining admission to graduate school, and about one-third
go on to earn advanced degrees. (Medicine, law, and business are popular.) Our alumni have risen to positions of
leadership in virtually every field, and they're willing and eager to share their experience and knowledge with current
students. Alumni frequently come back to campus to participate in “career conversations,” and “career days,” and
they also sponsor internships and other work-related experiences designed to help students identify and reach their
goals.
Centre Facilities
Centre offers outstanding facilities that reflect and reinforce the quality of a Centre education. Old Centre, our main
administration building, was begun in 1819 and is an outstanding example of Greek Revival architecture (white
columns and brick construction). Our contemporary Norton Center for the Arts has been widely acclaimed as one
of America's best performance centers. In addition, our residence halls are varied and appealing, and our classroom
buildings are convenient and contain the latest equipment and instrumentation. But Centre never stands still, and
we continue to enhance our 158-acre campus. The College's master plan for building and renovation guides a
program of physical improvements into the coming decade. The South Fields first opened in 2013 with an
expansion begun in 2015. Brockman Residential Commons, a 124-bed concept in student living built around five
clusters of buildings, opened in 2012. A major addition and renovation to Young Hall, one of two science
buildings, was dedicated in 2011.
The following list describes some of the major buildings on campus.
Old Centre
The first building of the College, Old Centre is listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places. The
six-column Greek Revival front portico and wings were added to the original Federal building in 1841. During the
Civil War, Confederate and later Union troops used the building as a hospital before and after the nearby Battle of
Perryville. Old Centre now houses the offices of the president, vice president for academic affairs, and vice
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