Earlham College

Student life

Our approach is rooted in our Principles and Practices, which means we strive to create community, embrace simplicity, act with integrity, seek peace and treat one another with respect.

Community with a difference

At Earlham, we believe there should be a connection between life inside and out of the classroom. That’s why you’ll see professors at sporting events and performances and why students serve alongside faculty on many committees. It’s why “town hall” style meetings draw people from all corners of campus. It’s the reason some students list faculty and staff among their closest friends on campus. And it’s why many Earlham employees are still in contact with students who graduated years—or even decades—ago.

We work to build a diverse campus community that welcomes and includes everyone. We embrace our diversity, and we recognize that no matter our differences, there’s one thing that unites us: we are all Earlhamites.

AN ON-CAMPUS EXPERIENCE

Nearly 94% of our students live on campus at Earlham, which fosters lasting impact through lifelong relationships.

60 + CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS

Earlham’s tight-knit community offers students a number of ways to get involved and take on leadership positions within our community.

50 + COUNTRIES

Our community is made up of a diverse group of students, coming from almost every state in the US and representing over 50 countries globally.

Health & wellness

Your health and wellbeing is our top priority at Earlham College, and we are committed to providing a healthy academic environment that ensures safety, equality, peace and justice. At Earlham, we have a dedicated staff to support your physical wellbeing along with a state-of-the-art athletics and wellness center, but know that total health goes beyond that. We have a variety of resources, programs and information sources focused toward creating an environment that is supportive and protective of your mental health while you are at Earlham.

Health clinic button
Athletics & wellness center button
Counseling services button

Community & residential life

Earlham isn’t the kind of place where you’ll socialize exclusively with students from your own major or make friends only with people from similar backgrounds. We work hard at creating a real community—where people celebrate together, have fun together, cheer one another on at games and performances, offer support to those who need it and hold one another accountable when things go wrong. Those values are at the heart of how we live together, in residence halls and group houses—working together to make Earlham work for everyone.


Student activities

Earlham has dozens of clubs and organizations tailored to all sorts of interests. Whether you want to continue a favorite activity you’ve been doing for years, or try something brand new, you’ll find lots of opportunities at Earlham. That includes opportunities that are a little unexpected—like cricket matches on sunny spring days, hammocks hanging from trees, games of humans vs. zombies across campus, or performing with Dance Alloy—one of our largest student groups.

Student smiling and doing activities outside

Student leadership

You’ll find all kinds of ways to lead, including some that might surprise you. Join a committee with faculty members, and they might just put you in charge of an important project. Lead a club, and you’ll find yourself listening carefully to other members and making decisions as a group. And when you graduate and move into the professional world, you’ll find that the skills Earlham teaches in coalition building and consensus decision-making are keys to success in any organization.

Religious & spiritual life

Earlham is made up of people of various faiths and religious practices and people of no religious faith. You will have opportunities to experience Quaker silence, Muslim prayer, Jewish Shabbat dinners, Christian Bible study and mindfulness meditation among other rituals and traditions. We strive to cultivate a community shaped by our rootedness in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) that is open and hospitable to all.

Student life VP with students

We’re here for you

The Office of Student Life works behind the scenes to keep you safe, healthy, and fulfilled throughout your journey at Earlham College. Whether you are looking for academic advice, a shoulder to lean on, or opportunities for personal and professional growth, our team is here to support you through it all.

Next steps

EARLHAM ALERT:
We continue to monitor the effects of an industrial fire 1.1 miles from campus.
EARLHAM ALERT:
We continue to monitor the effects of an industrial fire 1.1 miles from campus.