[7] In the early 1900s, College President Herman J. Kiekhoefer and Judge John S. Goodwin initiated contact with philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to seek out funds for new facilities on campus.

Designed by the Chicago architectural firm of Loebl Schlossman & Hackl, the 57,000-square-foot (5,300 m2) facility was planned and sited with the needs of both the College and the Naperville community in mind.

Plans evolved over a 15-year period, driven by explosive growth in the college's music, theatre and art programs, as well as the parallel transformation of the city's downtown, which has brought more than 50 restaurants, numerous national stores and the first four- and five-story buildings within a few blocks of the North Central campus.

Nearly $10 million in gifts from Wentz — a scientist, entrepreneur, and music lover — over the past two years have brought the facility to center stage.

Plans for a new fine arts center were put on hold a decade ago when a devastating flood in Naperville forced the college to turn its attention to its damaged athletic complex instead.

The center also houses a spacious lobby, a kitchen facility and the Schoenherr Art Gallery (all supportive of major civic gatherings).

[8] The rededication of Meiley-Swallow Hall, the old Grace Evangelical Church at Ellsworth Street and Van Buren Avenue, was a highlight during the 2007 Homecoming weekend.

In 2005, the college embraced the opportunity to preserve a part of Naperville and North Central history by acquiring the former Grace Evangelical Church.

Its most popular undergraduate majors, based on number out of 545 graduates in 2022, were:[10] North Central College garnered recognition as a top producer of Fulbright students for 2014-2015.

[17] Wentz Concert Hall, which was created in honor of alumnus and donor Myron W. Wentz, has hosted a performers like cellist Yo-Yo Ma; Lyric Opera of Chicago soloist Elizabeth Futral; the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; jazz artists Herb Alpert, Chick Corea, Branford Marsalis, Herbie Hancock and Ramsey Lewis; and contemporary artists Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Colbie Caillat, Los Lonely Boys and Dave Mason.

It is an incomparable venue to showcase bands, orchestras and choirs of area high schools, as well as the college's multitude of musical ensembles and soloists.

[18] This hall also provides classrooms for the music and theatre programs, and faculty offices for North Central's speech communication department.

It has a partnership with the Anderson's Bookshops in Naperville, and thanks to it, authors like Bill Bryson, Garth Stein and Antonio Sacre have been guest speakers.

The 2000 production of The Pirates of Penzance was selected to perform at Kennedy Center American College Theatre's Region III Festival.

Productions of Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo and Schmidt and Jones' musical Philemon were both chosen to perform at the festival's "Evening of Scenes" in 2004 and 2005.

It airs music and talk shows, traffic reports, coverage and broadcast of sports events, and public service announcements.