Bluffton University
Hallmarks and Quirks
Things I'm Good At:
- Even though I'm a Division III school, I still excel at sports. Coach Chad Shutler was recently named the Great Lakes Regional Coach of the Year. I also love to support good causes through my sports. Every year, my baseball team shaves their heads to raise money and awareness for cancer research.
- Charity is my jam, so naturally, I'm involved in a lot of different causes. Every year, my students put together Cabaret for a Cause to raise money for a variety of non-profit organizations, including the Mennonite Central Committee, Lima Rescue Mission, The Jamii Project, Community Mennonite Church of Chicago, Vs. Cancer Foundation, and Open Arms of Findlay.
- Social experiments are encouraged. This year some students did the $2 a day challenge and spent some cold, rainy nights camping outside.
- My business and education departments are huge, and my music department isn't too shabby, either. The Camerata Singers go on tour every spring and have even performed in England.
My Top 5 Must-Haves:
- Good winter gear. It can get super cold out here and a few extra layers never hurt anybody.
- Good walking shoes. Everything is close enough that you'll rarely need to drive anywhere.
- A decent camera and an Instagram account. Beauty like mine needs to be shared with the world.
- Hobbies and/or extracurricular activities. Town is great, but that doesn't mean you can't have fun on campus. Bring something you enjoy or something you want to learn. Bonus points if it can be a group activity.
- Verizon. No other service provider seems to work out here. I'm working on that.
Why You Might Have Heard of Me:
- I've been in the top third of Midwest regional colleges, according to the U.S. News & World Report, for the past seventeen years.
On a regular Saturday night, you can find me...
While there is a bar in town, I'm not much of a drinker. I like to spend my Saturday evenings at one of the gaming tournaments in the dorms or catching a movie with all my friends. It's nice to kick back after a fun day of volunteering on campus or in town.
After raking leaves for the neighbors or playing with the animals at the local shelter in the morning, and then going for a hike in the nearby nature preserve in the afternoon, I'm usually ready to relax with some friends.
Favorite Hangouts:
- You can pretty much always find me in one of the dorm lobbies. If there isn't a gaming tournament on one of my televisions, or if someone isn't playing pool, then there's something wrong.
- Bob's Place—the café in the Student Union building—is a great place to meet up for a bite or a quick game of carpet ball.
- Any one of the beautiful parks around Bluffton. I really love exploring the great outdoors.
- Bluffton's roller rink is a great place to go for some Friday night fun. You just can't put a price tag on watching your friends fall on their butts.
Quirks:
- I never cancel classes unless there is a very good reason (and weather almost never is); best to put all that tuition to good use, right?
- I require all students to earn Arts and Lecture credits by attending forum lectures, professor colloquiums, and other events throughout the semester. I know it sounds like a pain, but it's important to me that my students expand their horizons.
- Everyone is expected to follow an honor code, which means the professors aren't in the room during tests. Everyone is "on their honor" and is expected to report cheating.
- There are more squirrels here than parking spaces. I'd encourage walking whenever you can.
Famous Alumni:
- Tobias Buckell, author of the science fiction Xenowealth series
- Jack Earl, ceramics artist
- Baldemar Velasquez, American labor union activist
- Phillis Diller, comedian and actress
- Elbert Dubenion, wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills