7A, Northwestern College Application for Tax-Exempt Financing

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While founded. in 1902, the Arden Hills history of Northwestern began in 1970 with the purchase of the "'Nazareth Hall" campus from the Archdioceses of St. Paul. Classes on Northwestern's "new campus„ began in the fall of 1972 with somewhat less than 200 students with accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges being received in 1978. From that time forward until today, Northwestern"s higher education and media ministries have continued to grow, During the past thirty plus years, property and facility additions and remodeling have occurred to accommodate the growth of the College. These facilities include several student residences, the Berntsen Library, Totino Fine Arts Center, and the Ericksen Center (athletics facility) and now the Billy Graham Community Life Commons. During the late 1990's the College added the FOGS (adult degree completion) program and the Center for Distance Education. Today Northwestern awards more PSEO (post secondary education opportunity) college credit hours to Minnesota high school students than any other college or university in the State of Minnesota, including the U of M. In 2005 Northwestern once again began offering master's degrees. During the past several years Northwestern students have regularly received Fulbright Scholarships and this past year two of Northwestern's faculty members were awarded Fulbright Fellowships. Northwestern's 20,000-plus alumni positively impact society through careers in law, education, medicine, government, computer technology and Fortune Soo businesses, as well as in missions, churches, and parachurch organizations. The Media focus began in 1949 when Twin Cities radio station KTIS went on the air thanks to $44,000 generated by students, Northwestern's second President William F. "Billy" Graham (for whom the new Community Life Commons building is being named) was the first on -air voice. Today, Northwestern owns and operates 14 noncommercial, listener supported radio stations in Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin with a weekly audience exceeding half a million listeners. In 2003 the new Mel Johnson Media Center was completed which serves as the headquarters for Northwestern Media and KTiS as well as housing the College's academic department of communication. Today Northwestern operates with an approximate $60,000,000 budget. Somewhat over 20% of the operating budget is attributed to the Media focus, somewhat over 10% is attributed to the Graduate & Continuing Education programs, and the remainder is attributed to the Traditional Undergraduate program.