Central Awards
Schedule your audition/interview here!
Awards of $500 - $2,000 per year for four years.
These interest-based awards are available to all incoming students wanting to continue their involvement at the college level as a major area or extra-curricular activity. If you are eligible for Scholar Days, schedule your Central Awards audition/interview on your Scholar Day visit.
Art
Music
Theatre
Creative Writing
French, German, Spanish
Communication Studies
Ministry and Mission
Community Service
Sustainability/Environmental Science
1.Student must be admitted to Central prior to their audition, interview, and/or portfolio review.
2. Audition/interview dates are Saturday, February 4, 11 and 18. Individual audition/interview may also be arranged by contacting Melissa Brock or requesting one during a personal campus visit. Audio/video submissions are accepted (see bottom of page).
3. Audition/interviews must be completed by Saturday, February 18, 2012.
4. Students submitting a portfolio need to have their works postmarked by Saturday, February 18, 2012.
5. Students may receive one “Central Award” in addition to their academic scholarship. Kuyper and Pella Rolscreen scholarship recipients are not eligible for Central Awards.
6. Scholarships are renewable for four years.
Questions - Please email Melissa Brock or call toll free at 1-877-462-3687.
Art
- Students should prepare a portfolio that includes:
- 6-10 pieces of your very best and most recent work
- You may submit photographs, slides or digital images. If submitting a CD, the images should be in jpeg format, 300 dpi (dots per inch) with a file size for each image no large than 5 MG. DVDs accepted for video only work.
- a listing of the work included in the portfolio specifying the title, dimensions and date of each piece
- a letter of recommendation from an art instructor
- a brief statement about the work and the creative process involved (1 page maximum)
- Portfolios must be postmarked by Saturday, February 18, 2012. Mail to Melissa Brock, Office of Admission, Central College, 812 University Street, Pella, Iowa 50219.
- Portfolios will not be returned.
- Learn about Central's art department.
Communication Studies
Students may either submit a portfolio OR complete an on-campus interview. Learn about Central's communication studies department.
Portfolios should include:
- A letter of recommendation from a teacher who can speak to your strengths.
- A one to two page essay that lists your notable accomplishments, academic goals, and co-curricular interests.
- Examples of any work you've done with your high school newspaper, radio, yearbook, or speech team.
- Portfolios must be postmarked by Saturday, February 18, 2012. Mail to Melissa Brock, Office of Admission, Central College, 812 University Street, Pella, Iowa 50219.
For on-campus interviews:
- Students should bring a letter of recommendation from a teacher who can speak to your strengths
- Students should be prepared to summarize their notable accomplishments, articulate academic goals, and express co-curricular interests in a five minute presentation. A portfolio displaying distinguished academic and/or co-curricular work is encouraged.
- Interview time takes 10-15 minutes.
- Interview weekends are February 4, 11 and 18. Students may also interview during a personal campus visit. Last interview date is Saturday, February 18, 2012.
Community Service
- Students should bring to their interview a personal essay/resume (1-2 pages in length) explaining their interests in community service and future goals.
- Interview time takes 10-15 minutes.
- Interview weekends are February 4, 11 and 18. Students may also interview during a personal campus visit. Last interview date is Saturday, February 18, 2012.
- Learn about community service at Central.
Creative Writing
- Students should submit one of the following: 5 pages of poetry, one piece of short fiction, or one personal essay.
- A letter of recommendation from a teacher that can speak to your writing strengths should be included with your writing submission.
- Submissions must be postmarked by Saturday, February 18, 2012. Mail to Melissa Brock, Office of Admission, Central College, 812 University Street, Pella, Iowa 50219.
- Works will not be returned.
- Learn about Central's English department.
Ministry and Mission
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Students should bring the following with them to their interview:
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A personal essay that addresses your involvement in high school, church, and community activities and how your plan to use your spiritual leadership skills while a student at Central College.
- A letter of recommendation from your minister, youth pastor, or director of a volunteer organization that completes this thought, "I recommend this student because..."
- Interview time takes 10-15 minutes.
- Interview weekends are February 4, 11 and 18. Students may also interview during a personal campus visit. Last interview date is Saturday, February 18, 2011.
- Learn about Ministry and Mission at Central.
Modern Language (French, German, Spanish)
- A proficiency exam which you will take when you arrive on campus.
- Oral interview with Central College language faculty.
- Testing/interview time takes approximately one hour.
- Interview weekends are February 4, 11 and 18. Students may also interview during a personal campus visit. Last interview date is Saturday, February 18, 2012.
- Learn about French, German, and Spanish at Central.
Music
- Vocalists should prepare one song from memory. Vocalists may bring their own accompanist or we can provide one for you. You may also bring pre-recorded accompaniment.
- Instrumentalist should perform two contrasting pieces or one piece with two contrasting sections; total performance time should not exceed 10 minutes. Instrumentalists should be prepared to play major scales. Instrumentalists do not require an accompanist.
- Pianists/organists should perform two contrasting pieces or one piece with two contrasting sections; total performance time should not exceed 10 minutes. Pianists/organists may also be required to do some sight-reading and scales.
- Percussionist should prepare at least 2 of the following: marimba 2 or 4 mallet solo; snare drum solo; timpani solo; or drumset (groove in the following musical styles – swing, rock, and bossa nova).
- A student auditioning in more than one performance area need only prepare one piece in each area.
- Audition/interview time takes 10-15 minutes.
- Audition weekends are February 4, 11 and 18. Students may also audition during a personal campus visit. Last audition date is Saturday, February 18, 2012.
- Learn about Central's music department.
Sustainability (Going Green)
- Students should bring to their interview a personal essay/resume (1-2 pages in length) explaining their interests in sustainability/environmental science both in high school and in the future.
- Interview time takes 10-15 minutes.
- Interview weekends are February 4, 11 and 18. Students may also interview during a personal campus visit. Last interview date is Saturday, February 18, 2012.
- Learn about Central's sustainability efforts.
Theatre
- A letter of recommendation from a drama teacher or coach is required and should be brought with you at the time of your audition/interview.
- Actors should select an age appropriate monologue, no longer than 90-seconds. Play suggestions include: Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley, Our Town by Thornton Wilder, Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, Brighton Beach Memoirs by Neil Simon, Rimers of Eldridge by Lanford Wilson, Death of a Salesmen by Arthur Miller, or any Shakespeare play.
These plays should be available in your school library. You may have to edit the monologues to achieve the appropriate length. Monologues must be memorized. We strongly encourage you to read the entire play. Part of the interview will be a discussion of your character's monologue and its context within the rest of the play.
- Technical Theatre - Please bring a portfolio of your work in theatre. This may include programs or posters, any drawings, draftings, stage manager's prompt book, or design work, and pictures of productions on which you have worked.
- Audition/interview time takes 15-20 minutes.
- Audition weekends are February 4, 11 and 18. Students may also audition during a personal campus visit. Last audition date is Saturday, February 18, 2012.
- Learn about Central's theatre department.
Audio/Video Submissions
While a live audition/interview is preferred, we understand travel is not always possible. Music and theatre students are welcome to submit an audio or videotape demonstrating their performance ability. Technical theatre students may submit a portfolio of their works. Tapes and/or portfolio should be sent to Melissa Brock, Office of Admission, Central College, 812 University Street, Pella, Iowa 50219 and should be postmarked on or before Saturday, February 18, 2012.
