Academics
Wartburg College, located in Waverly, Iowa, is a liberal arts school that does an “amazing job incorporating faith” into the classroom. Some of the greatest strengths the college possesses are “faith, service, personal connections, and job placement.” The music education and music therapy programs are “fantastic,” as is the Wartburg choir. Plenty of non-music majors are attracted to Wartburg for the opportunity to participate, to perform, and to “be a part of music.” The biology, pre-professional programs and athletic programs are also stand out offerings. Students like “the small community aspect, which also means a small student-faculty ratio” with “one-on-one time with professors.” Students typically feel that faculty members “have large hearts” and “a genuine interest in how their students are getting along in their classes and how they are doing.” Certain departments, including education, “do a great job of getting you out in the field right away to make sure that you have the experience needed,” and academic advisors provide truly “individualized meetings and scheduling” options. Wartburg emphasizes community service and what the college can “give back to the community is something rare and incredible.” Offerings include “helping to train service dogs, opening up the wellness center to the community,” and raising “awareness for multiple causes.”
Student Body
The majority of students are “from small towns in Iowa and either participate in sports or music.” Students form close ties, with some observing the tendency for “cliques to form,” especially among athletes and musicians, citing this is notably apparent in “dining areas.” Wartburg students are a “community of scholars” who “go out of their way to do community service.” As for diversity, one student notes that, although the school is “mostly white, … [there are] still many international students, students of color, [and] students of different cultures.” However, another expresses the desire for more: “I wish there was more diversity among my peers in regard to race and religious backgrounds, and more inclusiveness to students that are part of the LGBT community.”
Campus Life
Wartburg is located in Waverly, a “small town,” so there is “not much to do” but students “make [their] own fun.” Students attend “baseball games and wrestling matches,” “play sand volleyball” in the warmer months, and “shoot hoops and run in ‘the W’ wellness center, a community and student exercise facility center.” One Wednesday of the month is devoted to “dollar movie nights,” and students will go to “Joe’s Knight Hawk bar on Saturday evenings,” “a highlight of most people’s weeks.” Students looking for a little more excitement can take trips to “Cedar Falls and Waterloo, which has the mix of downtown and social life.” Dorms have “lounges with a T.V. and a game table of some kind.” Students hope that “dining services” and “food options” improve. They love the “skywalks” that connect the buildings, but also note that some facilities need some upgrades.
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