About Me

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Intro

If you're thinking I'm just another nice Minnesotan college, you're kind of right. I am nice—it's the Minnesota way—but that doesn't mean I don't have my own quirky personality that makes me stand out from the polite Midwestern liberal arts crowd.

See, I'm Norwegian-American and super proud of it. A bunch of immigrants founded me way back in the day, and I proudly carry their torch forward, treating my students to one of the only Norwegian departments in the country. Since I'm named after a Norwegian saint, it only seems right that my students can learn Norwegian, travel to Norway, and even major in Nordic studies.

You know what else is cool about me? (No, not my weather…which admittedly is cold.) I don't just have a ridiculously beautiful campus; I have a campus filled with ridiculously beautiful music. My choir and orchestra are some of the best around, performing everywhere from PBS Christmas specials to episodes of A Prairie Home Companion.

So am I nice? You betcha. But I also eat lutefisk for dinner while listening to some of the best student musicians the U.S. of A has to offer.

Name

Ole the ax-wielding lion

Hometown

Northfield, MN. This is no ordinary quaint, historic little river town—it's where Jesse James and his gang were defeated in 1876. Well, sort of...James got away, but we got his gang (or most of them, anyway). These days, excitement takes the form of lots of outdoor recreation opportunities instead of, say, shoot-outs

Birthdate

1874

Body Type

Not to boast, but I'm totally beautiful. In fact, you might go so far as to say I'm a natural beauty: I sprawl over three hundred acres, and I'm surrounded by hundreds more acres of restored woods, wetlands, and more.

A little over 3,000 students call my campus home, and lucky for them, I have some pretty nice dorms to offer them when they aren't too busy blowing minds in the Music Department or visiting a foreign country through my top-notch study abroad program.

Current Living Situation

I look good from any angle. Want to live in a high-rise and see most of southern Minnesota? Done. Want to live in a cozy little room bordering the Norwegian woods? No problem. What I can't give you, unfortunately, is an underground heated tunnel to get from building to building in the middle of February—on the upside, the snow falling on the quads is pretty.

My study abroad program is so expansive that heaps of students say goodbye to my sweet dorms for a semester (or two) to get their study on elsewhere. Students end up resting their heads anywhere from Botswana to Norway. These international experiences are a big part of my culture, and I swear it isn't just because everyone needs a break from my harsh Midwestern winter.

Relationship Status

Think Midwestern colleges don't know how to roll up their sleeves and throw down? Think again. Along with a dozen other schools, I'm part of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. 

That means I regularly tussle with Macalester College, Carleton College, and a whole bunch of other schools with "Saint" in their name. I'm the only truly memorable member of MIAC, though, since I share my hometown with everyone's favorite Golden Girl, Rose.

Religion

I'm proud of my Evangelical Lutheran heritage and I take faith seriously, but I'm not pushy. I'm more the "encourage you in your faith journey, but only if you're interested in it, and then probably only if you ask me" type. 

You'll see me at chapel if you attend, but if you don't, it's totally cool. The only role religion has to play in your experience on my campus is in the form of a couple required religion classes. Don't worry, though; they are wide-ranging, fascinating, and taught by great professors.

Politics

I'm pretty quietly into my left-leaning politics—flashy protests aren't really my thing. That said, I'm not as far left as the other college in this town, some school that starts with the letter C.

You should apply to me if...

you long to be a global citizen but also have an introverted homebody side that can get down with hitting the books and spending time in a small community.

Website

http://wp.stolaf.edu/