What Peru State College is like

What it's like

Peru State College is Nebraska's oldest institution of higher education, founded in 1865 and rooted in teacher education. Located in rural Peru, Nebraska, the college serves a primarily regional student body through both traditional and extensive online programs. The campus reflects its 150+ year history with recent modernizations, and student life centers around residential communities and intramural activities rather than Greek life, which the college does not have.

Academic feel

Teacher education is the academic anchor—the college was originally a normal school and education remains its largest program, supported by NCATE accreditation. The School of Education, School of Arts and Sciences, and School of Professional Studies offer baccalaureate and graduate degrees. Business Administration, Criminal Justice, and Psychology programs operate within Professional Studies. The small student-faculty ratio is a defining feature. Research activity spans biology, ecology, zoology, computer science, and sociology, with notable output in life sciences.

Social life

The college maintains single-sex and co-ed residence halls with specialized communities: an Honors College in Mathews Hall, a Gaming LLC in Delzell Hall, and a Wellness Community in Morgan Hall. Student government through a 24-person Senate and the student-run Campus Activities Board organizes social events. No fraternities or sororities operate on campus. The college competes in 13 varsity sports (NAIA) and offers intramural athletics; the football program won the 1990 NAIA Division II National Championship.

Strengths

• Strong commitment to teacher education with NCATE accreditation and membership in national teacher education organizations[1]
• First and oldest institution of higher education in Nebraska, established in 1867[2]
• Extensive online education programs that funded approximately 30 percent of campus initiatives by 2007[1]
• Football team won the 1990 NAIA Division II National Championship[1]
• Small student-faculty ratio enabled by small campus size[1]
• Active research output in biology, ecology, zoology, and computer science[3][4][5][6]

Traditions

• The college hosts the Bobcat mascot and competes in 13 intercollegiate varsity sports through NAIA[1]
• The Bobcat Walk, a skywalk connecting the modernized library and Academic Resource Center, represents campus continuity through renovation[1]