Services
Academic Advising
Academic advising at McPherson College is an intentional relationship between advisor and student as they plan and reach the student’s educational, career, and personal goals. Incoming freshmen are assigned a professional academic advisor. This advisor will help the student plan a program of study consistent with the student’s interests and abilities and oversee the student’s progress toward completing the plan of study. After earning 57 cumulative credit hours, or at the completion of their second year at McPherson College, the students will be transitioned to a faculty advisor. The faculty advisor also engages students in exploring their long-range occupational and professional goals and directs the student to resources that will help them confirm and achieve these goals.
Disability Services
Students with temporary or permanent disabilities are welcome at McPherson College under the regular admissions requirements. It is the college’s policy to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified students with disabilities and to afford them an equal opportunity to participate in and enjoy the benefits of college courses, programs, services, and activities. These students are urged to inform the college of their disability and special needs prior to their arrival to allow the college ample time to determine necessary resources and accommodations. Persons needing assistance may notify the Admissions Office or Linda Barrett.
Counseling and Health Care Services
Campus community members have exceptional access to health care services. Partners in Family Care maintains a walk-in clinic located at 1800 Gordon Street across from Metzler Hall. Office visits are free for students and employees, with only lab or technical services being charged to insurance.
McPherson College has entered into an agreement with Prairie View that allows full-time enrolled students to receive up to 10 counseling visits for free. Students can go to 1102 Hospital Drive on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm and Fridays from 8:30 am to noon for an initial intake meeting. Students should contact the Office of Student Affairs prior to meeting with Prairie View to obtain student verification information.
Career and Experiential Learning
The college recognizes that general life skills such as written and oral communication, teamwork, critical thinking and problem-solving, ethics and integrity, and leadership constitute the major portion of the skills people need to succeed in their careers and in life in general. In collaboration with college faculty and staff, the Career and Experiential Learning Office offers special programs, seminars, and courses that assist students in refining life objectives, career goals, and internships and in making sound educational choices for achieving those goals and objectives. Seminars, workshops, and individual meetings are also offered to help students with preparing their résumés and developing the skills needed to secure employment. For additional information, visit the Career and Experiential Learning Office in Miller Library or consult the Career and Experiential Learning Office web page.
Tutoring and Academic Services
Students who need a tutor can download McPherson College’s tutoring app, Penji. Free tutoring services, both individual and group, are offered free of charge. For additional assistance, students may visit with the Academic Services staff, located in Miller Library. Through individualized study, small group instruction, supplemental instruction, and tutoring, students are offered personalized attention while working to improve reading, writing, math, or study skills. The writing tutors are free of charge and can assist students with academic projects.
Miller Library
Miller Library serves as McPherson College’s academic hub. The library’s extensive collection of print and digital resources are aligned with the curriculum and can be searched using the Online Catalog. Miller Library also houses an automotive restoration collection featuring many rare items pertaining to the history of the automobile, as well as special collections documenting the history of the Church of the Brethren and McPherson College. Librarians offer formal research instruction, as well as point-of-use assistance for students conducting research. Miller Library’s extensive hours, along with computer workstations, study tables, carrels, lounge areas, and group rooms provide an environment conducive to group and private study. For more information, consult the Miller Library web page.
Housing & Residence Life
Residence Life at McPherson College is a comprehensive living experience that strives to build a strong and involved community. Our goal is that the residence hall are more than just a place to sleep. They are places to explore personal ideologies through the experience of living away from home. To do this, our Residence Life Team will host events; facilitate community agreements, floor meetings and roommate mediations; create opportunities for themed housing; and provide emotional support for all residents. The Residence Life Team consists of the Director of Residence Life, Professional On-Call Staff, Resident Assistants (RAs). This team is responsible for the daily operation of each hall, and is trained in basic emergency response, mental health support, programming, conflict resolution, and much more. Please contact [email protected] regarding questions or concerns.
Student Affairs
The Division of Student Affairs supports the mission of the college by developing and graduating whole persons through exploration, experience, and engagement. Student Affairs consists of several areas with a common purpose to help you thrive during your time on campus, including housing and residence life, student organizations and clubs, adventure programs and wellness, spiritual life, diversity and inclusion programming, Title IX, student conduct, and others. We provide leadership and student employment opportunities. The main office for the Division of Student Affairs is located in Miller Library, on the 1st floor, in the Royer Center. Contact information: [email protected] or 620-242-0500.
Dining Services
Sodexo is the McPherson College dining service provider. They provide students with 10, 14, and 19 meal plans. Students have different meal plans depending on their status as a student and the location in which they live. Our corporate dietitians are always available to provide guidance for students and families. In some cases, special food is kept on site for students with dietary restrictions. Students may contact Benny Lopez, Director of Dining Services at [email protected] for more information and to work out the details of their dining plan.