Identity

Our Identity - Who We Are

Rochester College is a Christian college firmly grounded in a biblical tradition, with Christ at the center of all we do. We respect and welcome all people and embrace a way of life centered in the example, teachings, and mission of Jesus. We provide students an educational foundation in the arts and sciences and the fundamental principles of the Christian faith, integrated with specialized professional studies and experiential learning.

Our Vision - What We Aspire to Be

We will strive to be a vibrant community of learners who emulate Christ. We will be diverse, well-resourced, and openhearted. Rochester College graduates will humbly influence the world to act justly and love mercy. Employers will seek out our graduates because of their preparation, as well as for their creative and critical thinking, communication skills, integrity, and social consciousness.

Our Heritage

In 1954, members of the Churches of Christ formed a Board of Trustees to establish a college in the north central United States. The new Board purchased land near rural Rochester, Michigan, and the first students arrived at North Central Christian College in 1959. Several years later, NCCC became Michigan Christian College. In 1997, the Board adopted the name Rochester College. That year, the Board reaffirmed the founders’ dedication to the task of leading students toward high academic achievement and the development of Christian ideals and character.

Over the years, the campus of Rochester College has grown, and administration and faculty have continued to develop and modify programs that meet the changing needs of our students.

In a typical year, students arrive from more than twenty states and about six different nations. Alumni are scattered in many places around the country and the world.

Since its inception, Rochester College has emphasized the importance of combining academic excellence with Christian ideals. While the college admits students of all ethnicities and religions and carefully explains varying worldviews in relevant courses, it employs only those professors and instructors who understand, model, and teach the Christian faith. Regardless of their discipline, faculty members routinely relate their subject matter to relevant principles and concepts of the Christian faith.