About Me

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Intro

I'm the collegiate version of Mighty Mouse: small but powerful. (Also, I look really good in a cape and tights.)

Superhero mouse jokes aside, though, I pack a strong punch for such a small school. I offer students a broad liberal arts curriculum, numerous professional and social organizations, and I'm chock-full of opportunities for community engagement.

But hey, I don't like to get cocky about it. I'm here to positively influence the lives of my students and the world at large. I've got my roots as a Christian institution to thank for that. I'll help broaden your perspective, deepen your faith, and open your heart to the world around you.

After all, getting a good postgrad job is only half the goal. I seek to nurture leaders who are committed to serving the communities they become a part of. I may be small, but that means I've got that much more time and resources to give to each of my students. I was the first college to start offering every single student a free Macbook upon admission after all.

Oh...should I have started with that?

Name

Wally the Warrior

Hometown

Rochester Hills, MI (So don't drive all around New York State trying to find me.)

Birthdate

1959

Body Type

I'm petite, but it looks good on me. With an 80-acre campus and slightly over 1,000 students, you may find that I'm smaller than the high school you graduated from.

Don't sweat it, though, my small size is actually one of my biggest strengths. I love building a campus community, so within your first semester you'll feel like you're going to school with the cast of Cheers: where everybody knows your name.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1, you'll also have ample opportunity to get to know your professors. I find that this personal approach to education makes students feel supported in the classroom. Plus, my small classes help keep you academically accountable...it's hard to get away with skipping that 8:00AM class when there are only four other people in it.

Current Living Situation

I'm located in the metro Detroit 'burbs, so many students commute from home. However, some of the best relationships you'll find in college are fostered outside of the classroom, so my students are encouraged to live on campus. 

All dorms, with the exception of Palmer (where the married folk live), have separate sides for men and women. Dorms are also suite style and double occupancy. Huzzah for private bathrooms.

Freshmen stay in Alma Gatewood Hall, which is named after the wife of my first president. Legend has it that her ghost still roams the halls of her building, occasionally tampering with the Wi-Fi and locking students out of their rooms.

Most upperclassmen live in Ferndale and Hoggatt Halls. Some men stay in Barbier, my notorious all-male residence. (They're called "Barbierians"…it's a term of endearment, I promise.)

Relationship Status

I'm the Midwestern option for students who want a Church of Christ-based education. Many prospective students also tour my religious buds like Pepperdine University, Abilene Christian University, and Lipscomb University before realizing that they can't resist the siren call of crazy Michigan winters. 

As far as enemies, though, my ACHA hockey team has a fierce rivalry with neighboring Oakland University that culminates every year in the Battle for the Jug. 

Religion

Here's some trivia for you: I was originally founded by members of the Churches of Christ as Michigan Christian College. In 1997, my name was changed to Rochester College as a gesture of inclusion. 

While most of my student body is Christian, they also come from a diverse array of denominational backgrounds. If you're not Christian, that's cool too. I just ask that you play by house rules: all full-time students have to attend chapel and take a couple introductory Christian heritage classes.

Regardless of background, if you're passionate about God and love singing a cappella, you'll fit right in.

Politics

While I don't have any political activism groups, that doesn't mean I'm apathetic. In fact, you'll encounter students whose political beliefs fall across the spectrum.

So if you're looking for a college where you can wear a "Right to Life" T-shirt without getting apprehensive looks, then you'll be comfortable with me. However, you'll also find that "act like a Christian, vote like a liberal" is another common perspective.

Whatever your leanings may be, respectful dialogue is valued. Bring your beliefs, but also be ready to listen to the other side.

You should apply to me if...

you always dreamed of attending college in your own version of High School Musical: friendly faces, cute romances, and spontaneous musical numbers abound.

Website

http://www.rc.edu/