Northland College (Wisconsin)

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Founded in 1892 as the North Wisconsin Academy, Northland College was officially established in 1906. Originally affiliated with the Congregational Church, the college remains loosely tied to the Congregational Church's descendant, the United Church of Christ (UCC).

Northland is a small liberal arts college, with an average enrollment of 700 students. It hails itself as "The Environmental Liberal Arts College", and most classes focus on or include environmental issues. The current President of Northland College is Dr. Karen Halbersleben.

Northland's campus is small, having only 19 major buildings. The buildings are predominantly brick with sharply peaked roofs, in an effort to emulate the region's historical brownstone architecture. The campus is centered on an open mall, a grassy area where students gather to sunbathe and play ultimate.

The campus atmosphere is relaxed, and the faculty are generally congenial and laid back. Students at Northland share a common solidarity for care and concern for the environment and issues of social justice. It is very common to see students every weekend gearing up for some outdoor adventure, whether it be a hunting trip, or a day rock climbing or kayaking. The small class sizes make it easy for students and professors to get to know each other, and it is often common for students to find themselves having supper at a faculty members home on friday night.

The college has a solid relationship with the nearby Native American communities, being close to both the Bad River and Red Cliff Ojibwa (Chippewa) reservations. The college offers courses focusing on Native American history, language and culture, and offers a degree in Native American studies.

In 1971, shortly after the first Earth Day, Northland College hosted its first environmental conference. Keynote speakers included Sigurd Olson. The environmental outreach arm of Northland College, the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute opened its doors in 1972. The institute works to this day to educate the Northcountry, students and community members about Great Lakes environmental issues.

The college is located in Ashland, Wisconsin, a small town on the shore of Lake Superior. The school is only ten blocks from the lakefront. The region, known for its harsh winters, is sparsely populated, the nearest major population center being Duluth, Minnesota. The nearby town of Bayfield, Wisconsin is a major summer vacation spot, attracting many seasonal residents from the Twin Cities and Chicago. The school's location on the lakefront makes internship opportunities available with agencies including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Ashland Fisheries Resource Office(AFRO), The Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The college is also part of a 6 college consortium called the Eco League, where students can spend semesters at Antioch College, Alaska Pacific University, Green Mountain College, Prescott College and College of the Atlantic.

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Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
Bethany Lutheran^‡ • Blackburn^† • Crown • Maranatha Baptist Bible^† • Martin Luther • Minnesota Morris • Northland^‡ • Northwestern C. • Presentation^‡ • Principia^† • Rockford^† • St. Scholastica^‡ • Trinity Bible^† • Westminster^† ^† football-only member • ^‡ non-football member

Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association
Adrian College • Concordia University • Finlandia University • Lawrence University • Marian College • MSOE • Minnesota Crookston • Northland College

Universities and colleges affiliated with the United Church of Christ

Catawba College • Chicago Theological Seminary • Defiance College • Dillard University • Doane College • Drury University • Elmhurst College • Elon University • Heidelberg College • Huston-Tillotson University • Illinois College • Lakeland College • Nortland College • Olivet College • Pacific University • Piedmont College • Rocky Mountain College • Talladega College • Tougaloo College

Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
Milwaukee Area: Alverno • Cardinal Stritch • Concordia • Marquette • Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design • Milwaukee School of Engineering • Mount Mary • Wisconsin Lutheran Greater Wisconsin Area: Beloit • Carroll • Carthage • Edgewood • Lakeland (WI) • Lawrence • Marian (WI) • Northland • Ripon (WI) • Silver Lake • St. Norbert • Viterbo