The Beloit Companion / Short Guides for Families
A college education isn’t a product. It’s an investment that makes an immediate impact and has lasting rewards. It has a cost, but the cost is often lowered with the help of financial aid. In this issue of the Beloit Companion, we’ll talk about money—and about value.
90%+ students receive grants and scholarships
$27,000+ average award
93% of the Class of 2019 employed or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation
Beloit is adaptive, agile, and responsive to the needs of students and the demands of the wider world. One recent example: At the onset of the pandemic, we looked ahead, made major changes, and delivered an education that works for our students—and for the world.
An interview with Eric Boynton, Provost and Dean of the College
What was your first response when you understood the scope of the pandemic?
Honestly, this community doesn’t get overwhelmed by a challenge. We look for opportunities. So our first response was: This is a completely new situation. We have to think in completely new ways. Let’s be creative, let’s be compassionate—and let’s be bold.
How quickly were you able to act?
By early April, we developed the Beloit Action Plan. It established new programs—the Advanced Mentoring Program and Career Channels—that gave students more academic support and professional guidance from day one. It introduced new financial aid initiatives to help families in need. And it literally changed our conception of time, breaking traditional semesters into shorter modules, or Mods.
What lessons have you learned from this experience?
The world is in crisis. A liberal arts education—our liberal arts education—is one way to address that crisis. We’re in the business of creating human potential. Our graduates have the skills, the audacity, and frankly, the kindness to create a better future. You’ve got a challenge? We’ll find a way.
Hear an interview with Eric on Marketplace Morning Report.
Every college experience—from research to internships to clubs and sports—is grounded in relationships. Within 72 hours of students enrolling at Beloit, we put them in touch with an advisor in our Advanced Mentoring Program. It’s just one of many relationships that will nurture and inspire students at Beloit—and beyond.
“My advisor, Charles Westerberg—he’s a sociology professor—told me that his goal for me after Beloit was to have a toolbox of skills and interests that I could fit into a number of fields and environments. He encouraged me to explore my passion for graphic design, which has landed me so many job offers. I still love sociology and hope to break into the field, but now I know that the world is so much bigger.”
“Professor Ted Gries offered me a research position in his lab, which led to an award from the college. That experience was a big boost; it made me feel that if I do my best and work hard, new opportunities will come my way.”
“Professor Laura Grube really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I wasn’t sure about internships. She helped me find one with a financial advisor in Beloit. She made me see my own potential. After graduation, I want to make an impact—and I feel like I’m ready to do that.”
A college education should be a complete academic experience. We offer intensive classes, accomplished faculty, a brilliantly diverse student community—and opportunities for research, study abroad, internships, service, and more. Plus mentors who help students turn all of those activities into a coherent plan for their semester, their year, and their future.
Career Channels are one of the many ways we invest in our students. It’s a program that welcomes students into a professional community, broadens their vision of the future, and makes tangible connections between campus and career. Current Channels include Business and Entrepreneurship, Health and Healing, Justice and Rights, Arts, and Sustainability.
When students join a Career Channel, they find mentors, courses, internships, field experiences, and more—all within their field of interest.
If they join the Business and Entrepreneurship Career Channel, for example, here’s a sample of what happens:
They’re connected to campus activities, including Belmark Associates, a student-run consulting firm specializing in market research; the MakerLab, a DIY space for creators and entrepreneurs; and the Miller Upton Program, a weeklong residency by a public intellectual studying wealth and the well-being of nations.
They’re connected to campus mentors, including Brian Morello, the director of our Center for Entrepreneurship in Liberal Education at Beloit (CELEB); Diep Phan, an associate professor of economics with a background in global enterprise; and George Williams, a working artist who teaches courses that combine entrepreneurship and art.
They’re connected to job opportunities on campus (station manager of the student radio station, program coordinator at CELEB) and internship opportunities off campus (finance at Regal Beloit, marketing at Rockford Rivets, human resources at Kemper Corporation).
College is a two-way investment. Families and students invest in Beloit; we invest in students and families. Our financial aid program is designed to support families with financial need, make Beloit accessible to every qualified student, and ensure that students graduate from Beloit with few financial burdens and unlimited opportunities.
An interview with Leslie Davidson, Vice President for Enrollment
What’s the most important thing for families to understand about the cost of college?
We tailor financial aid to each student’s circumstances. So the price you see on the website is rarely what you’ll end up paying. In other words: We can do this!
How are you supporting families during the pandemic?
We’ve actually strengthened our financial aid program to meet families where they are. Here’s one example: In the spring, we introduced the Midwest Flagship Match, which guarantees we’ll match or beat in-state tuition at the flagship public university for residents of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
How do families know if they should apply for aid?
Unless you know you can fund four years of college, you should apply. That way, we can work with you to make Beloit possible. This process is a partnership. We’re here to help.