Simpson College is a
private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
liberal arts college
A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual capac ...
in
Indianola, Iowa
Indianola is a city in Warren County, Iowa, United States, located south of downtown Des Moines, Iowa. The population was 15,833 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Warren County. Indianola is home to the National Balloon ...
. It is accredited by the
Higher Learning Commission
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa ...
and has about 1,250 full-time and 300 part-time students. In addition to the Indianola residential campus, Simpson has a facility in
West Des Moines
West Des Moines is a city in Polk, Dallas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the ...
.
Simpson is known for its commitment to civic engagement and non-partisan education on public issues, exemplified by the John C. Culver Public Policy Center and by its two
Pi Kappa Delta
Pi Kappa Delta () is a Forensics (Public Speaking and Debate) Honor Society for undergraduate university students and a professional organization for graduates, typically university Speech and Debate Coaches.
Pi Kappa Delta, or PKD, encourages th ...
debate national championships from 2016 and 2018.
Simpson College is #1 among Iowa private colleges and #7 overall in the newly released U.S. News & World Report's 2022-23 Midwest Regional Rankings. Simpson's Midwest honors also included a #4 ranking among “Best Value Schools” and #6 for “Best Undergraduate Teaching.”
History
Indianola Male and Female Seminary was opened September 24, 1860, and the name was changed to the Des Moines Conference Seminary in September 1865. On September 21, 1867, the school was upgraded to a
college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...
, and renamed Simpson Centenary College to honor Methodism's most renowned living bishop, Bishop Matthew Simpson (1811-1884) and to celebrate the centennial of American Methodism. (Simpson is best known as the minister who spoke a eulogy at
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
's
funeral
A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...
in
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat and largest city of Sangamon County. The city's population was 114,394 at the 2020 census, which makes it the state's seventh most-populous city, the second largest o ...
, in 1865; he was known as a great pulpit preacher.) Simpson himself gave the commencement address at Simpson in 1882. In June 1885, "Centenary" was dropped from the name, becoming simply Simpson College.
September 28, 2010, marked the 150th anniversary of the school's founding as an educational institution. To celebrate the event, students and alumni held a ceremony in front of the college gates, where a time capsule was buried with pictures and memorabilia submitted by students. The capsule will be uncovered in 2060, on Simpson's 200th anniversary.
Presidents
* Marsha Kelliher (2020–present)
* Jay Simmons (2013-2019)
* John Byrd (2005-2013)
* Kevin LaGree (1999-2005)
* Stephen G. Jennings (1987-1998)
* Robert Edward McBride (1979-1987)
* Richard Bailey Lancaster (1972-1979)
* Ralph Candler John (1963-1972)
* William Edward Kerstetter (1953-1963)
* Edwin Edgar Voigt (1942-1952)
* Earl Enyeart Harper (1936-1938)
* John Linnaeus Hillman (1919-1936)
* James Watson Campbell (1916-1919)
* William Ennis Hamilton (1915-1916)
* Charles Eldred Shelton (1899-1910)
* Joseph Benton Harris (1898-1899)
* Another Simpson (1892-1898)
* Edmund Meek Holmes (1889-1892)
* William Ennis Hamilton (1886-1889)
* Edward Lamay Parks (1880-1886)
* Thomas S. Berry (1878-1880)
* Alexander Burns (1868-1878)
* Samuel Milton Vernon (1866-1868)
Campus
The tree-lined campus is bordered on the north by
Buxton Park Arboretum
Buxton Park Arboretum 5.4 acres (2.2 ha) is an arboretum and botanical garden located at the intersection of North Buxton Street and West Girard Avenue, Indianola, Iowa. It is open to the public without charge.
The Arboretum was donated to the t ...
. The architecture blends tradition with modernity. The theater building, an example of the
Brutalist architecture
Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the ba ...
that dominated American campus construction in the 1970s, was renovated and added on to in 2010–11, softening its features.
Other notable construction includes the Kent Family Campus center, which replaced the old Brenton Student Center as the center of student life. The 55,000-square-foot campus center houses meeting rooms and offices for student groups, a student activities theatre, comfortable living room settings, a grille and snack bar, a coffee house, a new bookstore and post office, and new professional space for the Student Development staff.
Simpson also renovated its outdoor track and football field. In addition to rebuilding the entrances and fences surrounding Bill Buxton stadium, the school invested in what has been dubbed the most innovative artificial turf system in the world, FieldTurf Revolution. The new-era Beynon BSS 1000 running track, similar to the new tracks installed at the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
and
The University of Iowa
The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is org ...
, was also installed for the 2011–12 school year. The renovation of Simpson's athletic facilities concluded in 2014 with the construction of a new bi-level weight room in the former pool area. This move was made possible by the construction of the Indianola YMCA, which has a 25-yard pool and hosts swimming meets for Simpson College, Indianola High School, and the YMCA Tide swim team.
Simpson offers a variety of residential housing options, including two first year-only residence halls, other traditional residence halls, apartment-style living, theme houses and an active Greek system. All Simpson living facilities include air conditioning, lofted beds, carpet, furniture, social lounges and wireless internet.
Organization and administration
The college had an endowment of $78.6 million as of February 10, 2017.
Academics
Simpson's curriculum includes more than 70 majors, minors, and pre-professional programs. Coursework is structured in a 4-4-1 format, with classes running September–December and January–April before the three-week May Term. This provides students with many unique learning opportunities, including internship programs, career observations and a variety of Study Abroad programs that take place over May Term.
Beginning in Fall 2011, most courses at Simpson are four-credit courses. Simpson also implemented their new Engaged Citizenship Curriculum, which is largely based on the
AAC&U
The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is a global membership organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States. It works to improve quality and equity in undergraduate education and advance liberal education. ...
Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP) initiative. The new curriculum attempts to build seven different Embedded Skills into all courses. The seven skills are:
*Collaborative leadership
*Critical thinking
*Information literacy
*Intercultural communication
*Oral communication
*Quantitative reasoning
*Written communication
In addition to classes in their major, students are required to take courses in seven specified Areas of Engagement:
*The Arts
*Civic Engagement
*Diversity and Power in the United States
*Ethics and Values Inquiry
*Global Perspectives
*Historical Perspectives on Western Culture
*Scientific Reasoning
In order to meet the global perspectives Area of Engagement, many students will take an overseas course, which may be completed throughout an entire semester (with exchange programs in London, Germany, Chile, Thailand, and Tahiti) or over May Term, which provides different selections every year. Some of the recent May Term travel courses include trips to China, Thailand, Italy, London, Paris, Ghana, Belize, and the Netherlands. Simpson ranks among the nation's top 100 colleges in the percentage of students who study abroad, according to ''U.S. News & World Report''.
In addition to these requirements, students also take two courses to bookend their Simpson Experience: the Simpson Colloquium and the Senior Capstone. The Simpson Colloquium is taken during the first semester of college and is designed to help students make the transition to college life. The Senior Capstone is a culminating project in each student's major demonstrating their proficiency in a chosen field of study.
Music
Simpson is notable for being the only college in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
with an entirely student-cast undergraduate opera program that is supported by a largely professional orchestra. Two fully staged productions a year with admission open to the public and free to all students are staples of the Simpson calendar. Alumni can be found at the highest levels in opera performance, artistic administration, and music education.
Music at Simpson has been fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music since 1947, and confers the degrees of Bachelor of Music in performance and in music education, and the Bachelor of Arts in music. It is widely recognized as offering a premier education for vocal, piano, and instrumental students. Simpson develops the unique gifts of each student through a combination of one-to-one music instruction, classroom teaching, and countless performance opportunities. Aspects of the program have been cited as "outstanding" by ''U.S. News & World Report'' and the program in voice as "exceptional" by the National Association of Teachers of Singing.
Simpson College enjoys a historic close partnership with the
Des Moines Metro Opera
Des Moines Metro Opera is an opera company in Indianola, Iowa, a town of approximately 14,000 inhabitants which lies some south of Des Moines, Iowa. It was founded by Robert L. Larsen and Douglas Duncan in 1973. The director is Michael Egel.
D ...
, which makes it home on the Simpson campus over the summer, with performances in Simpson's Blank Performing Arts Center. It provides Simpson students with the invaluable opportunity to experience professional opera on their doorstep, and to serve as interns and production staff in the summer opera festival. Many singers from Simpson have taken part in the DMMO Apprenticeship Program, an opportunity afforded usually to only the most talented graduate students and young professional singers from all over the United States.
Speech and debate
Simpson runs a comprehensive program where students discover which style of speech or debate event offered best aligns with their long-term goals. The team competes in Public Forum, Parliamentary (NPDA & PLUM), International Public Debate (IPDA), NFA Lincoln-Douglas, Student Congress, and a wide variety of speech events. It is coached by Spencer Waugh.
The team has won the Phi Kappa Delta Debate Championship four times: 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2021.
Athletics
Simpson College athletic teams are nicknamed the Storm. They compete in the
American Rivers Conference
The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) is an NCAA Division III athletic conference. From 1927 until August 9, 2018, it was known officially as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) and commonly as the Iowa Conference.
History
The A ...
in
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
Division III
In sport, the Third Division, also called Division 3, Division Three, or Division III, is often the third-highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below.
Association football
*Belgian Thir ...
. Simpson fields men's teams in
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
,
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
,
cross country,
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
,
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
,
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
,
tennis
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...
,
track & field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...
, and
wrestling
Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...
. Women's teams include: basketball, cross country, golf, soccer,
softball
Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...
,
swimming
Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
, tennis, track & field, and
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
. Simpson also fields cheerleading and dance squads.
Simpson College has appeared in the NCAA tournament many times:
*Baseball appearances: 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2004
*Men's Basketball appearances: 1976, 1992, 1995, 1996
*Men's Basketball NAIA appearances:
1938
Events
January
* January 1
** The Constitution of Estonia#Third Constitution (de facto 1938–1940, de jure 1938–1992), new constitution of Estonia enters into force, which many consider to be the ending of the Era of Silence and the a ...
,
1939
This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1
** Third Reich
*** Jews are forbidden to ...
,
1940
A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
*January ...
,
1941
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January–August – 10,072 men, women and children with mental and physical disabilities are asphyxiated with carbon monoxide in a gas chamber, at Hadamar Eu ...
,
1942
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1 – WWII: The Declaration by United Nations is signed by China, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union, and 22 other nations, in wh ...
,
1943
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured.
* January 4 – ...
,
1945
1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which nuclear weapons have been used in combat.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
Januar ...
,
1961
Events January
* January 3
** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba ( Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015).
** Aero Flight 311 ...
*Women's Basketball appearances: 1983, 1985, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
*Men's Cross Country appearances: 1986
*Women's Cross Country appearances: 1990
*Football appearances: 1988, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 2003
*Women's Golf appearances: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2006
*Men's Soccer appearances: 2000
*Women's Soccer appearances: 1999
*Softball appearances: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2008, 2010
*Volleyball appearances: 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 2006, 2008, 2009
The Storm has achieved the honor of being Regional Champions also:
*Baseball: 1991
*Football: 1997
*Softball: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
The Simpson College softball team won the NCAA Division III National Championship in 1997 and 1999. Simpson's softball team appeared in one
Women's College World Series
The Women's College World Series (WCWS) is the final portion of the NCAA Division I softball tournament for college softball in the United States. Eight teams participate in the WCWS, which begins with a double-elimination tournament. In other wo ...
in 1971.
Gold Club
The Gold Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1976, funded by the Indianola community and Simpson alumni that helps support Simpson College athletics. Gold Club members are former athletes, alumni, faculty, parents, and other athletic supporters who share the common interest of fostering the development and growth of Simpson College athletics.
Student life
''The Simpsonian'' is the student newspaper. The newspaper has been published since September 1870. It provides formal practical experience for students interested in journalism and serves as a forum for student opinions and ideas.
''Sequel'' is an annual Simpson literary arts magazine, assembled from student and faculty contributions including paintings, photographs, drawings, short fiction, and short non-fiction.
KSTM, 88.9, is the student-operated campus radio station. It has limited wattage and the signal does not really carry outside of Warren County.
Intramurals allow students, faculty, and staff to become involved in recreational activities. The campus community is invited to participate, and participants may do as many activities as they wish. Over 60% of the campus participates in one or more of the programs offered through the Office of Intramurals and Recreation. Events are widely varied and skill or expertise is not a requirement when participating in events. The goal is to participate and have fun.
The Campus Activities Board (CAB) is one of the main programming organizations on campus.
Simpson Forum
Throughout the school year, Simpson holds numerous forum events. These are events that are meant to extend a student's education beyond the classroom and allow for personal growth. These events include Simpson-produced arts events, faculty-organized discussions, research symposiums, and expert speakers from outside of Simpson who discuss a wide range of topics. Recent experts include Gabriel Ajak, one of the
Lost Boys of Sudan
The Lost Boys of Sudan refers to a group of over 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were displaced or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War (1987–2005). Two million were killed and others were severely affected by the ...
, former U.S. Senator
John Culver
John Chester Culver (August 8, 1932 – December 26, 2018) was an American politician, writer and lawyer who was elected to both the United States House of Representatives (1965–1975) and United States Senate (1975–1981) from Iowa. A memb ...
, and former U.S. Senator and presidential nominee
George McGovern
George Stanley McGovern (July 19, 1922 – October 21, 2012) was an American historian and South Dakota politician who was a U.S. representative and three-term U.S. senator, and the Democratic Party presidential nominee in the 1972 pres ...
among others. Forum events are a requirement for first-year students, as they must attend at least four events throughout the fall semester, but are optional beyond that. Simpson also offers an additional credit to students who attend at least 90% of designated forum events in a semester.
John C. Culver Public Policy Center
The Culver Center was established at Simpson College in 2010 to honor the service of
John Culver
John Chester Culver (August 8, 1932 – December 26, 2018) was an American politician, writer and lawyer who was elected to both the United States House of Representatives (1965–1975) and United States Senate (1975–1981) from Iowa. A memb ...
, who served the people of Iowa for 16 years in the US House of Representatives and US Senate. The Culver Center is dedicated to encouraging civic engagement and public service. The program awards four-year scholarships to up to select incoming Simpson students who demonstrate a commitment to public service and civic engagement. The annual John C. Culver Lecture brings a prominent figure in public service or politics to campus to meet with students and deliver a lecture, which is open to the public. Lectures have included Senator
George McGovern
George Stanley McGovern (July 19, 1922 – October 21, 2012) was an American historian and South Dakota politician who was a U.S. representative and three-term U.S. senator, and the Democratic Party presidential nominee in the 1972 pres ...
, Political Journalist
Mark Shields
Mark Stephen Shields (May 25, 1937 – June 18, 2022) was an American political columnist, advisor, and commentator. He worked in leadership positions for many Democratic candidates' electoral campaigns.
Shields provided weekly political anal ...
, Supreme Court Reporter
Linda Greenhouse
Linda Joyce Greenhouse (born January 9, 1947) is an American legal journalist who is the Knight Distinguished Journalist in Residence and Joseph M. Goldstein Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School. She is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who covered ...
, and former Secretary of Defense
Chuck Hagel
Charles Timothy Hagel ( born October 4, 1946)[Greek organizations
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...]
: three national fraternities;
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (), commonly known as SAE, is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. It was founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is t ...
,
Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega (), commonly known as ATO, is an American social fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865 by Otis Allan Glazebrook. The fraternity has around 250 active and inactive chapters and colonies in the United Stat ...
,
Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha (), commonly known as Lambda Chi, is a college fraternity in North America which was founded at Boston University in 1909. It is one of the largest social fraternities in North America, with more than 300,000 lifetime members a ...
, one local fraternity; Kappa Theta Psi, and four national sororities;
Kappa Kappa Gamma
Kappa Kappa Gamma (), also known simply as Kappa or KKG, is a collegiate sorority founded at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, United States.
It has a membership of more than 260,000 women, with 140 collegiate chapters in the United States a ...
,
Pi Beta Phi
Pi Beta Phi (), often known simply as Pi Phi, is an international women's fraternity founded at Monmouth College, in Monmouth, Illinois on April 28, 1867 as I. C. Sorosis, the first national secret college society of women to be modeled after ...
,
Delta Delta Delta
Delta Delta Delta (), also known as Tri Delta, is an international women's fraternity founded on November 27, 1888 at Boston University by Sarah Ida Shaw, Eleanor Dorcas Pond, Isabel Morgan Breed, and Florence Isabelle Stewart.
Tri Delta part ...
, and
Sigma Lambda Gamma
Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Incorporated () (also known as Gammas or SLG) is a national sorority. It was founded on April 9, 1990, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, by five collegiate women who wanted an organization to em ...
. Every April, one week is set aside in the Greek community for Greek Week, a series of coed competitions that instill a sense of unity among the houses, while providing friendly competitiveness.
*
Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega (), commonly known as ATO, is an American social fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865 by Otis Allan Glazebrook. The fraternity has around 250 active and inactive chapters and colonies in the United Stat ...
(ATO) is the oldest fraternity on campus, tracing its history at Simpson back to 1885. The fraternity is known nationally as the "leadership development fraternity". After briefly being shut down along with 3 other fraternities on campus in the 1890s, ATO was rechartered in 1905 and has been in continuous existence ever since. The Simpson College ATO chapter has produced many prominent names at the school. Nick Ackerman, the wrestler who won the Division III national championship despite having no legs, was an ATO, as were some of the most prominent names at Simpson College, including Bill Buxton, Bill Buxton, Jr., Dick Buxton, and James Weinman, all of whom have facilities on campus named in their honor. In Oct. 2010, ATO celebrated its 125th year on campus.
*
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (), commonly known as SAE, is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. It was founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is t ...
(SAE), founded in 1889, is the second oldest fraternity on campus. It is currently the largest fraternity on campus in terms of members. The men of SAE pride themselves on "The True Gentlemen". They are proud to have removed pledging from their fraternity nationally and focus their specific chapter's activities on scholarship and community service. The Iowa Sigma Chapter as it is designated within the national fraternity is one of the oldest chapters of Sigma Alpha Epsilon within the realm. The chapter has recently won awards in their national fraternity for academic excellence, excellence in service, and the coveted national chapter achievement award. In addition, for over 50 years Iowa Sigma was advised by the national fraternities historian Dr. Joseph Walt, for whom the SAE national archives are named for. As such Iowa Sigma is a well recognized and famous chapter within the national fraternity and the men of the chapter have always upheld the highest values of integrity in accordance with the fraternities rich history. In 2017 Iowa Sigma was awarded the Sigma Alpha Epsilon John O. Moseley Fraternity Zeal Award for the most outstanding SAE chapter in the nation.
*
Kappa Theta Psi (KOY) is the oldest local fraternity west of the Mississippi.
[Simpson College Greek Life.]
"Simpson College Greek Chapters"
, ''Simpson.edu''. Retrieved on 2010-1-23. It was founded in 1902, shortly after a time when four other fraternities on campus (including ATO and SAE) had been shut down due to anti-Greek sentiment. After the quest for a national re-charter from SAE failed, KOY existed for many years as only a local fraternity. After the chapter was nationally chartered in 1969 as an Upsilon Delta chapter, then subsequently shut down by nationals and by Simpson college, KOY returned to campus in 1979. The fraternity saw much success in the 1980s and 1990s, but membership died off in the 2000s and KOY was removed from their house on fraternity row. They were given a house on D Street, a couple of blocks from fraternity row, and were the only fraternity on campus not located on fraternity row. However, thanks to membership growth by the fraternity and meeting standards set by Simpson College, KOY returned to their former residence on fraternity row (formerly Worth Hall) in 2010.
*
Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha (), commonly known as Lambda Chi, is a college fraternity in North America which was founded at Boston University in 1909. It is one of the largest social fraternities in North America, with more than 300,000 lifetime members a ...
(LXA) traces its roots at Simpson to 1924 where it existed as the national fraternity
Theta Kappa Nu
Theta Kappa Nu () Fraternity was founded in 1924 by delegates from 11 local fraternities. It later merged with Lambda Chi Alpha in .
History
Theta Kappa Nu Fraternity was founded on when delegates from 11 local fraternities from nine different ...
, which merged with Lambda Chi Alpha in 1939.
Recently, Lambda Chi has become known on campus for having many members involved in
Political Science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
,
History
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
and the college's nationally recognized speech and debate team. LXA is one of the leading fraternities on Simpson campus for scholastic achievement and dedication to community service.
*
Pi Beta Phi
Pi Beta Phi (), often known simply as Pi Phi, is an international women's fraternity founded at Monmouth College, in Monmouth, Illinois on April 28, 1867 as I. C. Sorosis, the first national secret college society of women to be modeled after ...
(Pi Phi) is Simpson's oldest Greek organization. Pi Phi has been at Simpson since 1874.
*
Kappa Kappa Gamma
Kappa Kappa Gamma (), also known simply as Kappa or KKG, is a collegiate sorority founded at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, United States.
It has a membership of more than 260,000 women, with 140 collegiate chapters in the United States a ...
(KKG) was on Simpson's campus for nine years between 1880 and 1889. After a 100-year absence, it was re-established in 1989.
*
Delta Delta Delta
Delta Delta Delta (), also known as Tri Delta, is an international women's fraternity founded on November 27, 1888 at Boston University by Sarah Ida Shaw, Eleanor Dorcas Pond, Isabel Morgan Breed, and Florence Isabelle Stewart.
Tri Delta part ...
(DDD or Tri-Delta) has been at Simpson since 1889 and is the longest-running Tri-Delta chapter nationally and internationally.
*
Sigma Lambda Gamma
Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Incorporated () (also known as Gammas or SLG) is a national sorority. It was founded on April 9, 1990, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, by five collegiate women who wanted an organization to em ...
(SLG) was established on campus as a national multicultural sorority in 2016.
*
Alpha Chi Omega
Alpha Chi Omega (, also known as Alpha Chi or A Chi O) is a national women's Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraternity founded on October 15, 1885.
As of 2018, there are 132 collegiate and 279 alumnae chapters represented across ...
(AXO) had a Simpson College chapter for over 100 years, before it closed its doors in the spring of 2007.
Notable people
File:George Washington Carver c1910 - Restoration.jpg, alt=, George Washington Carver
George Washington Carver ( 1864 – January 5, 1943) was an American agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted alternative crops to cotton and methods to prevent soil depletion. He was one of the most prominent black scientists of the ea ...
File:David Orr on Live from the Heartland July 23 2012.png, alt=, David Orr
David Duvall Orr (born October 4, 1944) is an American Democratic politician who served as the Cook County Clerk from 1990 to 2018. Orr previously served as alderman for the 49th ward in Chicago City Council from 1979 to 1990. He briefly served ...
File:Representative women of Colorado - DPLA - db23f05ca711bf918050d89ef58df0ea (page 212) (Ruth Hinshaw Spray) (cropped).jpg, alt=, Ruth Hinshaw Spray
Ruth Hinshaw Spray (February 16, 1848 – February 26, 1929) was an American peace activist. Spray was prominent as a teacher in the public schools and work for the protection of children and animals. She was also active in the work of child labo ...
File:Nate Boulton.jpg, alt=, Nate Boulton
File:Alice Bellvadore Sams Turner (1896).png, alt=, Alice Bellvadore Sams Turner
* Simpson College was the first college attended by
George Washington Carver
George Washington Carver ( 1864 – January 5, 1943) was an American agricultural scientist and inventor who promoted alternative crops to cotton and methods to prevent soil depletion. He was one of the most prominent black scientists of the ea ...
. Carver entered Simpson as an art major, but became interested in the natural sciences after receiving advice from a fellow student. Carver once remarked that his time at Simpson taught him that he was "a human being." Carver left Simpson College to complete his undergraduate education at Iowa State College (now
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...
). Both schools have buildings named in his honor Carver Science Hall, at Simpson, and Carver Hall, at Iowa State University.
* Historian
Avery Craven
Avery Odelle Craven (August 12, 1885 – January 21, 1980) was an American historian who wrote extensively about the nineteenth-century United States, the American Civil War and Congressional Reconstruction from a then-revisionist viewpoint sym ...
(1885-1980), who specialized in the study of the nineteenth-century United States and the American Civil War, received his B.A. from Simpson in 1908. The Avery O. Craven Room of Dunn Library at Simpson holds Craven's personal library of over 2,000 volumes, notes, manuscripts, correspondence, and memorabilia.
* Nick Ackerman attended Simpson College in the late 1990s and early 2000s. His wrestling performance in which he won the 2001 NCAA Division III Championships was named as one of the top 25 moments in NCAA history. Nick lost his legs to bacterial meningitis as a baby but this did not hold him back.
[Metzger, Sherry.]
"Bilateral Amputee Named in Top 25 NCAA Moments: College Wrestling Champion Nick Ackerman"
''The O&P Edge'', June 2006. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
* Former Chicago Alderman, 52nd Mayor of Chicago, and current Cook County Clerk
David Orr
David Duvall Orr (born October 4, 1944) is an American Democratic politician who served as the Cook County Clerk from 1990 to 2018. Orr previously served as alderman for the 49th ward in Chicago City Council from 1979 to 1990. He briefly served ...
also attended Simpson College for his undergraduate degree. Orr is an American Democratic Politician from Chicago, Illinois. He was Alderman of the 49th Ward in Chicago from 1979 to 1991. In 1987, he served briefly as Mayor of Chicago after the death of Mayor Harold Washington and was recognized for his strong and sensible leadership during one of the most tumultuous periods in Chicago's political history. Serving his 23rd year as the Clerk of Cook County, Orr is responsible for the third largest election district in the United States (among other duties).
* Mike Pearson, host of
Market to Market on
Iowa Public Television
Iowa PBS, formerly Iowa Public Television (IPTV), is a network of Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member stations in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is owned by the Iowa Public Broadcasting Board, an agency of the state education department which h ...
, is a graduate of the class of 2010.
*
Ruth Hinshaw Spray
Ruth Hinshaw Spray (February 16, 1848 – February 26, 1929) was an American peace activist. Spray was prominent as a teacher in the public schools and work for the protection of children and animals. She was also active in the work of child labo ...
(1848-1929), peace activist
*
Evan Tanner
Evan Lloyd Tanner (February 11, 1971 – September 5, 2008) was an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He was a former UFC Middleweight Championship, UFC Middleweight Champion and was the first American to win the Pancrase N ...
(attended), retired professional
MMA
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on strike (attack), striking, grappling and ground f ...
fighter, former
UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
middleweight champion.
*
Malcolm A. Love (1904–1990), former President of the
University of Nevada
The University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada, the University of Nevada, or UNR) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Reno, Nevada. It is the state's flagship public university and primary land grant ...
(1950–51) and
San Diego State University
San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) system ...
(1952-71). President Love was a graduate of the class of 1927.
*
Nate Boulton, received his BA in Political Science and History from Simpson College and is an Iowa state senator and former Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate.
*
Alice Bellvadore Sams Turner (1859–1915), physician, writer
*
Chad Buchanan, 1995 graduate, General Manager of the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association.
References
External links
*
Simpson College athletics website
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Buildings and structures in Warren County, Iowa
Educational institutions established in 1860
Education in Warren County, Iowa
Indianola, Iowa
Liberal arts colleges in Iowa
1860 establishments in Iowa
Private universities and colleges in Iowa