Founded on Football
“The type of culture we have here at Central makes it easy to focus on whatever your passions might be.”
— Nick Bandy ’25
Hometown: Dubuque, Iowa
Major: Sociology
Scholarships: The Curt and Mary Blythe Scholarship and Journey
Campus Activities: Football
Career Goal: Law Enforcement
Sometimes stepping into something new is the best way to get back to doing what you love. For Nick Bandy ’25, transferring to Central College brought football back into his life, and he couldn’t be more excited about returning to the gridiron, as well as enjoying all that life on campus has to offer.
Hailing from Dubuque, Iowa, Bandy dreamed of playing college football after his high school graduation. But after spending a year at a state university, Bandy quickly decided he missed playing football and being part of a team. He wanted to see if he could find a way to still make that happen during his college career.
With this in mind, Bandy reached out to a friend attending Central and started asking some questions. Their conversation led him to pursue a campus visit.
“When I came for my visit, I first met with the football coaches,” Bandy recalls. “I loved them and could tell right away that they were a great group of guys. I also met with the admission counselors who showed me around campus. From there, I pretty much knew I was going to come here to Central. I loved it so much.”
One of the main aspects of Central that drew Bandy here is the culture.
“A deciding factor for me transferring to Central was the culture,” he says. “The type of culture we have here at Central makes it easy to focus on whatever your passions might be.”
“The overall culture at Central also comes through in the football program with what the coaches and staff stand for and what they expect from you as both a player and a student,” Bandy continues. “They strive for each of us to be the overall best person we can be. That means on the football field, but also in our academics and in the community. It’s so much more than just football or being part of the football team.”
In the classroom, Bandy is majoring in sociology and minoring in Spanish. His education at Central is preparing him for a career in federal law enforcement.
“After college, I want to do something with the Department of Homeland Security, or maybe the Drug Enforcement Agency,” he says. “I envision myself serving as a police officer to begin building up experience that can lead me toward the federal system.”
Bandy has also found value in a smaller college setting.
“The professors here at Central are in tune with your studies and your life much more than I would have thought,” he shares. “There’s a sense of pride and accountability. If you’re missing class or having a problem, the professors work with you to figure things out, which I think is really important.”
In his free time, Bandy enjoys working out, hanging out with friends, playing video games and spending time outdoors. Homecoming at Central has become one of his favorite times of the year.
“It’s during football season, so we get to play in front of the home crowd. Seeing all the people and all the support is pretty cool,” he says with a smile. “It’s really special to see how close-knit of a community it is.”
Some advice from Bandy to prospective high schoolers thinking about choosing Central or students transferring from another school is simple:
“Come for a visit,” he says. “Experience the culture here. Put yourself out there and get to know other people too. Go out of your way to meet new friends. It might seem difficult and intimidating at first, but it’s worth it.”