Kirkwood Community College
Encyclopedia
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
serving seven counties in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. Kirkwood's main campus is in Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, with additional campuses in Marion
Marion, Iowa
Marion is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26,294 at the 2000 census and was estimated at 32,172 in 2007. The city is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
, Belle Plaine
Belle Plaine, Iowa
Belle Plaine is a city in Benton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,878 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Monticello
Monticello, Iowa
Monticello is a city in Jones County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,796. It is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Monticello is located at...
, Tipton
Tipton, Iowa
Tipton is a city in Cedar County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,155 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cedar County.-Geography:Tipton is located at ....
, Vinton
Vinton, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 5,257 in the city, with a population density of . There were 2,299 housing units, of which 2,187 were occupied....
, Washington
Washington, Iowa
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,047 at the 2000 census.-History:...
and Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Iowa
Williamsburg is a city in Iowa County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,622 at the 2000 census. Williamsburg is known for Holden's Foundation Seeds...
.
The college is named for Samuel J. Kirkwood
Samuel J. Kirkwood
Samuel Jordan Kirkwood , was an American politician best known as Iowa's American Civil War Governor. He also served in the U.S. Senate and as U.S. Secretary of the Interior.-Early life and career:...
, an early abolitionist
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
and Iowa's Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
governor.
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Kirkwood offers Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate of Applied Science degrees, certificates and diplomas. The college offers 120+ programs. Fall 2011 tuition is $128 per credit hour. Many classes and full Liberal Arts degrees are offered at Kirkwood's county center campuses and online.
Additionally, the college supports adult high school, adult basic education, and GED programs; Continuing Education personal and professional development courses; and accelerated delivery formats for working adults.
The Cedar Rapids Campus
Kirkwood's main campus is located east of Kirkwood Boulevard, one mile (1.6 km) south of US 30U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of I 380
Interstate 380 (Iowa)
Interstate 380 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway located in eastern Iowa. The route extends from Interstate 80 near Coralville to Waterloo. I-380 connects the cities of Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, the second- and fifth-largest cities in the state, respectively, to the Interstate Highway System. ...
. The 680 acres (2.8 km²) campus includes a 400 acres (1.6 km²) working farm, 27 buildings with 1400000 square feet (130,064.3 m²) of interior learning space and a 15 acres (60,702.9 m²) athletic complex. The campus is in the center of the Kirkwood paha
Paha (landform)
A Paha is a hill or ridge, typically formed of sand and capped with loess. The word paha means hill in Dakota Sioux. The most well known Paha is the paha around which the town of Mount Vernon, Iowa developed.- Origin :...
, a mile-long loess
Loess
Loess is an aeolian sediment formed by the accumulation of wind-blown silt, typically in the 20–50 micrometre size range, twenty percent or less clay and the balance equal parts sand and silt that are loosely cemented by calcium carbonate...
ridge. The main buildings on campus are aligned with this ridge, with parking, sports facilities and secondary buildings to the north and south.
Demographics
Kirkwood Student Demographics (fall 2010, spring 2011, summer 2011)Total credit enrollment: 26,500+ students from 99 Iowa counties, 37 states and 97 nations.
Average class size: 23.1
Kirkwood awards approximately $2 million in scholarships annually. Every Kirkwood student is eligible to receive financial aid; roughly 60% of students utilize federal financial aid every year.
Notable Facilities
Kirkwood Community College has it's own hotel, "The Hotel at Kirkwood Center". It was opened in 2010, and is a 71-room hotel operated by Hospitality and Culinary Arts students, alongside a professional staff.The Kirkwood Healthcare Simulation Lab opened in fall of 2009. Allied Health and Nursing students receive hands-on experience in crisis situations in the $3.6 million dollar emergency medicine lab. Local hospitals and clinics use the facility for practice and training sessions.
The Jones County Regional Education Center opened fall 2009 in Monticello
Monticello, Iowa
Monticello is a city in Jones County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,796. It is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Monticello is located at...
. The 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²) center was built upon a partnership between eight local k-12 school districts and Kirkwood. High school, traditional college-age and adult students receive hands-on training in skilled trades, and Liberal Arts classes and programs.
The Iowa Equestrian Center operates during the week. The Equestrian Center stables, stalls and arena serve as Kirkwood's Horse Science classrooms and working laboratory. 50 weekends a year, the center hosts regional and national horse shows, as well as dog and other animal shows.
Athletics
Mascot - EagleColors - Blue and white
Women's Basketball - Six National Championships (four consecutive 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010), nine consecutive Regional Championships and Final Four appearances
Men's Basketball - One National Championship, eight National Tournament appearances, eight Region XI Championships
Softball - Four National Tournament appearances, 10 All-Americans (seven Academic, three Athletic), 73 All-Region selections
Baseball - Two World Series appearances, two Region XI Championships, four former players in professional baseball
Golf - Ten National Tournament appearances, five Region XI Championships, one Individual National Champion
Volleyball - One National Championship, seven National Tournament appearances, seven Region XI Championships