chowan university

About Chowan: Overview

Campus Overview
Mission: To provide a caring environment characterized by Christian values and intellectual freedom in which students can gain the knowledge, skills, creativity, and ethical values they need to flourish in a rapidly changing, culturally diverse global society.

Take a look at the Chowan University Viewbook! - Click Here

Who we serve: The Chowan University community is committed to serving average students. By “average” we mean students with a GPA from 2.25-3.25 and “average” SAT scores (around 1300 for the three part SAT). Students below these criteria may be admitted if they show a commitment to the Chowan University experience and academic potential. We strongly encourage all students and their families to visit campus throughout the admissions process. To schedule your campus visit, click here.

Many of our students are first generation college students which means their parents did not attend college or complete a college degree. Because of Chowan’s commitment to individual attention in a Christian environment, these students thrive here.

The Chowan University student body is intentionally diverse. We celebrate our social, cultural, and racial variety. The campus is nearly 50% African American and 50% Caucasian. Chowan University is also home to students from Japan, India, West Africa, Northern Ireland, and Palestine, among many others.

Since Chowan University does not charge out-of-state tuition approximately 25 states are represented throughout our student body. Most of our students hail from the Hampton Roads and Richmond, VA area, and Northeastern North Carolina.

Chowan in the US News & World Report - Click Here

Christian: The Chowan University community seeks to believe in and to live out the teachings of Jesus Christ. This goal is accomplished through the mentoring, ministry, and teaching of Christian faculty and staff, and mission and service experiences on campus, in the community, in the United States, and around the world.

Our pastoral campus ministry [link to campus ministry page] team provides opportunities for students to grow in their faith while also meeting the needs of others. Local, national, and international mission trips, discipleship, residence hall Bible studies, mentoring, and lots of one-on-one attention and prayer give students a transformative education!

All students who seek to complete their degree at Chowan University must enroll in an introductory course about the Bible. Students must also attend a handful of Perspectives events that are offered weekly, which involve holistic presentations and lectures, religious celebrations, theatrical performances, and other Chowan community related events.

We are not here to indoctrinate anyone, but to show them the Christian way of life as revealed in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Non-Christian students and students from other religious traditions are respected and welcomed here and thrive in this environment.

Enrollment: approximately 1,100 undergraduates of diverse backgrounds from across the US and around the world. At this time, graduate studies are not available.

Chowan University enrolls about 30 adult students in the Adult Degree Completion Program. Through this program, adult students take classes at Halifax Community College in Weldon, NC, at the main campus in Murfreesboro, NC, and online.

Campus: 300 park-like acres including Lake Vann, "Squirrel Park," and the original 1851 McDowell Columns building, with every building on campus covered by our wireless network! Most buildings on campus have been recently renovated with renovations continuing to take place.

Click here to view a campus map.

Graduates: Chowan University graduates can be found across the world in almost every field imaginable. Graduates from Chowan become business owners, doctors, lawyers, ministers, law enforcement officers, teachers, musicians, missionaries, psychologists, and college faculty, to name a few.

Chowan in the NFL - Click Here

Location: Nestled in the small historic town of Murfreesboro in northeastern North Carolina, Chowan University is a short drive from the Outer Banks and Virginia Beach! Students often remark that we are centrally located to “everything” including shopping, several beaches, amusement parks, and metropolitan areas like Hampton Roads, VA.

History: Chowan University is a Christian educational institution founded in 1848 by Baptist families and named Chowan – which means “people of the south” – to honor the Native American Algonquin Chowanook tribe. For over 160 years Chowan has enjoyed a long and distinguished tradition of faith and education in Northeastern NC.

Academic Life and Programs: 63 academic programs to prepare you for the working world.

Student/Faculty Ratio: 15:1, Chowan University students are known by names and not by numbers and receive tons of individual attention.

Faculty: Chowan’s faculty are expert professors, teachers, mentors, and advisors who share their knowledge, expertise, and experience with students. Unlike state-funded universities where student-teacher assistants teach most freshman level courses, Chowan University faculty teach every course. The faculty have degrees from universities all over the world. Although faculty engage in research and publish books, articles, and scholarly essays, their primary focus is teaching. Chowan is a teaching institution.

Technology: The campus-wide fiber-optic network and Blackboard communication system, computer labs, "smart" multimedia classrooms, hardware and software discounts, in-house technical support, and 24/7 high-speed Internet access always keep students connected! While Chowan University provides wireless internet capability, students are not required to have computers.

Student Life & Activities: Social and sports events, concerts, plays, dances, and movies, plus more than 45 student clubs and organizations provide leadership opportunities and the ability to make life long friends. Aside from formal clubs, students engage in activities ranging from fishing at Lake Vann to playing ultimate frisbee and flag football in Squirrel Park.

Greek life is another part of the Chowan experience. We have two national sororities available on campus: Alpha Sigma Tau and Delta Sigma Theta.

Students also engage in study abroad experiences. These travel experiences count toward fulfilling academic credits. For many study abroad trips, students receive scholarships to help defer expenses. Recently, Chowan University students have traveled to Greece, Turkey, Italy, Israel, Palestine, and Egypt.

The University also provides recreational trips to area amusement parks, whitewater rafting, skiing, and New York City. When the weather warms up, students often head to the beach on the weekends or enjoy shopping around the nearby Hampton Roads area.

Athletics: The Hawks play in NCAA D-II and National Christian College Athletic Association competition. Chowan University also competes in the CIAA athletic conference, and is the first historically non-African American college or university to join a historically African American athletic conference. Click here for more information on athletics.

Intramurals: With more than a dozen fun and exciting activities to choose from, the Jenkins Center, our new wellness facility, also offers aerobics and a well-equipped weight room to strengthen one’s mind, body and soul! Chowan’s strong intramurals program includes sports like softball, flag football, indoor soccer, volleyball, 5-on-5 basketball, and powder puff football.

Chowan University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate and baccalaureate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Chowan University.

In addition several departmental programs are accredited by the appropriate state or national agencies. The Education program is accredited by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

The Music program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The University is authorized by the immigration authorities of the United States for the training of foreign students.

Chowan University is approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the Certification of Eligibility of Chapter 30 and Chapter 35 coverage of the GI Bill benefits for all military services, including the National Guard.