Shimer may SEEM small, but THE TRUTH is you’ll have access to
A ll
the R esources of A L arge U rban C ampus , not to mention a diverse, historic city as your backyard.
Shimer is a community within a community: a small, private liberal arts college housed in a much larger university (the Illinois Institute of Technology). Shimer is located on IIT’s main campus – designed by Mies van der Rohe, for you architecture buffs – in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood of southside Chicago. As a Shimer student you’ll take most of your classes with fellow Shimerians, but outside of class, the social scene is as big as you care to make it. You’ll have access to all of IIT’s student facilities, as well as the university’s 150 clubs and organizations. (Then again, some of the most fun you’ll have at Shimer is the unplanned kind. Like getting together with your classmates to watch terrifically bad movies. Or trawling the city for vintage clothing and vegan soulfood.) Shimer students also have a role in running the institution, something you won’t find at most colleges. Since the late 1970s, Shimer students, faculty, staff, administrators, and trustees have all been enfranchised in the school’s governance through the College’s Assembly, a democratic body that meets regularly. Through a series of committees, the voting members of the Assembly have a say in the business of the College – and every person’s voice carries
exactly the same weight. In other words, we don’t just talk about democracy at Shimer; we practice it! There is a genuine feeling of camaraderie here, and not just because of our small size. Shimer is a community because our students share an intellectual life. When you reference an idea from Plato’s Symposium or a concept from Einstein’s Relativity, your fellow students will know what you’re talking about and will respond with their own ideas – ones that will help you discover new connections. You may not always agree with your classmates, but you’ll know that they’ve done the reading and are trying their best to comprehend the material, just as you are. They’ll respect you for standing by your opinion. And even more for changing your mind. All this takes place against the backdrop of Chicago, one of the most historic, highenergy, and culturally rich cities in the U.S. Whether you’re passionate about art or theater or film or food, there’s plenty to discover. Wander the halls of the Art Institute or the Museum of Contemporary Art. Stargaze at the Adler Planetarium. Lose yourself in a deep-dish pizza at Malnati’s or Gino’s East. You could be here for decades and never get to the bottom of this city!
S himer
tends to attract its share of artistic people , and you ’ ll have ample opportunity to showcase your creative side . C heck out Y ou T ube videos of O range H orse , our annual V audevillian extravaganza , and you ’ ll see what we mean .
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