Catawba College
Salisbury, North Carolina
Catawba College is a private, coeducational college in Salisbury, North Carolina, that provides students a personally attentive education, one which blends the knowledge of liberal studies with career preparation. Catawba assures its students’ success through adherence to four core tenets – Scholarship, Character, Culture, and Service. The College offers a robust honors program, a full complement of study abroad destinations, and an engaging First-Year Experience. Catawba boasts 24 Division II varsity athletic teams and is a member of the South Atlantic Conference.
The institution prides itself on making higher-education accessible to bright and deserving students, many of whom are first-generation college students who are otherwise unable to attend without generous financial assistance. The College offers over 70 fields of study, with strong outcomes in nationally ranked theatre arts, popular music, business, environmental studies, and science programs. Catawba College is affiliated with the United Church of Christ but welcomes students from all faiths. Exploration of faith and vocation is encouraged during a Catawba student’s collegiate journey, assisted by robust career services counseling and the leadership of the on-campus Lilly Center for Vocation and Values.
Get to know Catawba College
College Highlights
GLOBAL LEARNING
Catawba is committed to providing opportunities for global education. This is achieved by its partnership with University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC). Through Catawba’s membership in USAC, students have access to over 40 semester or summer abroad destinations. The College also provides opportunities for students to take course work with shorter opportunities to travel abroad with their faculty and classmates over fall or spring break.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Students across academic disciplines look forward to the opportunity to share their research each spring during an on-campus, interdisciplinary Catawba Research and Creativity Showcase. They are also encouraged by faculty to present their scholarly research at state, regional, and national academic and professional conferences.
CLASS SIZE
The number of sections of each class size.
2-9: 43 | 10-19: 80 | 20-29: 73
30-39: 7 | 40-49: 1 | 50-99: 0 | 100+: 0
ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Non-U.S. Citizen: 5%
Hispanic/Latinx: 8%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 20%
White, non-Hispanic: 58%
Native/Indigenous American or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0%
Asian, non-Hispanic: 1%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 4%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 4%
FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE
The First-Year Summer Retreat and the First-Year Seminar comprise Catawba’s First-Year Experience. Through the Retreat, incoming students have the opportunity to make new friends and engage with faculty and staff. During this three-day, off-campus experience, students learn about the history of Catawba and its culture. This shared experience helps provide a smooth transition into college life and assures students a social network when they arrive on campus.
LIBERAL ARTS CURRICULUM
Regardless of a student’s academic interest, a Catawba education is defined by excellent professional and pre-professional programs that blend the competencies of the liberal arts, such as critical thinking, strong written and oral communications, analytical problem-solving, and working in diverse teams. The Catawba faculty are committed to infusing all classes with experiences that give students the opportunity to develop and hone these skills throughout their undergraduate career.
CATAWBA HONORS
Catawba Honors students enhance their writing skills and prepare for graduate-level education by completing a faculty-mentored undergraduate thesis, which they must defend to graduate with honors.
SPECIAL STUDY OPTIONS
Programs available at this institution.
Cross-registration
Distance learning
Double major
Honors Program
Independent study
Internships
Student-designed major
Study abroad
Teacher certification program
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
Catawba students have access to many on-campus activities outside of the classroom, including the student-run Campus Activities Board, which hosts events with hypnotists, comedians, laser tag, and cookouts. Theatre productions, concerts, lectures, and symposiums are all free to students, and their participation is encouraged.
CATAWBA TRADITIONS
Opening Convocation is an annual tradition at Catawba at which each incoming student signs a college register and makes a commitment to uphold the institutional honor code.
Catawbapalooza is an annual and much-anticipated tradition on campus. This weeklong spring celebration includes such activities as a lip sync competition and a luau, culminating in an all-day carnival that rivals the finale of “Grease.”
Tailgating at home football games is also a big part of Catawba’s culture and provides a great opportunity for current students, alumni, and Salisbury residents to engage in a fun and relaxing atmosphere. For many, this involves a grill and a cornhole board.
As part of Catawba’s annual graduation activities, the Marshal’s Walk is a symbolic conclusion to their time at College. Following Baccalaureate Service, members of the graduating class carry lit candles out of the Chapel through a gathering of faculty, family, and friends. After hearing remarks from the incoming SGA President, the Senior Class President, and the College Marshal, students blow out their candles.
SCHOOL LOCATION
Catawba College is located in the temperate, four-season climate of the North Carolina Piedmont in historic Salisbury, a city of approximately 34,000 people. Great restaurants and entertainment venues downtown are less than three miles from campus. Catawba College is also a one-hour drive from the greater Charlotte area and from the metropolitan cities of Greensboro and Winston-Salem. Drive an additional hour or two and reach the state’s Blue Ridge Mountains or coastal beaches.
ATHLETICS
Catawba College Athletics fields 24 NCAA Division II varsity teams and is a member of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC). More than 40% of the student body participates in one or more of these collegiate sports.
Many students come to Catawba because of their desire to participate in the sport they played in high school. Due to this high demand, a developmental men’s basketball and women’s soccer teams have been added to give more advanced players an opportunity to play popular sports at the collegiate level.
The College also supports co-ed cheer and dance programs, as well as developmental teams in select sports to provide expanded opportunities for student-athletes. Catawba’s teams proudly compete as the Catawba College Indians, with full permission from the Catawba Indian Nation.
The Catawba Indians recently unveiled the addition of Blue, the Catawba Cat, as its new sideline mascot—an energetic ambassador who will bring pride and spirit to campus and game days. Honoring Chief Gilbert Blue of the Catawba Indian Nation, the mascot reflects both tradition and the community’s future.
RESIDENCE LIFE
Percent of students living on campus.
First-time, first-year (freshman) students: 84%
Undergraduates: 55%
Campus housing options.
Coed dorms
Men’s dorms
Women’s dorms
Apartments for single students
SALISBURY CONNECTIONS
Catawba College and the City of Salisbury enjoy a strong relationship that includes collaborations with local theatrical and musical venues, partnerships with local non-profit service organizations, and internship opportunities at local businesses and government entities. Some examples include student-organized dances and proms for local elderly and special needs populations, conducting student research to identify local strains of yeast for a microbrewery, market research for downtown businesses, and a partnership between the Catawba Worship Arts program and local churches of various denominations.
CAREER SERVICES
Career Services also provides an array of offerings to Catawba students, which include mock interview opportunities, etiquette dinners, resume support, career fairs, graduate school fairs, and assistance with internship placement.
SERVICE
The Lilly Center for Vocation and Values houses the Volunteer Catawba program. The Lilly Center provides leadership retreats and programming that encourages Catawba students to find their passion and explore how they can live lives of meaning through work and service to others.
Admission
ADMISSIONS FACTORS
Very Important
Academic GPA | Recommendation(s) | Extracurricular activities
Talent/ability | Character/personal qualities | Geographical residence
Important
Rigor of secondary school record | Standardized test scores
Volunteer work | Work experience
Considered
Class rank | Application Essay | Interview | First generation
Alumni/ae relation | State residency | Religious affiliation/commitment
Racial/ethnic status | Level of applicant’s interest
FRESHMAN PROFILE
SAT Composite
25th Percentile: 950 | 75th Percentile: 1110
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th Percentile: 470 | 75th Percentile: 570
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 470 | 75th Percentile: 560
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 17 | 75th Percentile: 22
ACT Math
25th Percentile: 17 | 75th Percentile: 23
ACT English
25th Percentile: 15 | 75th Percentile: 21
Tuition & Cost
Tuition: $31,486
Room: $6,374
Board: $4,430
Aid
The Office of Financial Aid encourages students to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after October 1 of their senior year to be considered for all need-based federal and state financial aid. The priority deadline to file the FAFSA is February 15.
What Others are Saying
Contact Catawba College
Contact Admissions
Campus Location
2300 W Innes Street
Salisbury, NC 28144
(704) 637-4402