Catawba supports special programs and college centers which serve many roles such as academic support, enrichment, and community outreach. These include:

	Foreign Study We wish to encourage and assist Catawba students who wish to pursue part of their education in a foreign country, to promote international and cross-cultural educational experiences on the Catawba campus, and to help international students on campus achieve the maximum benefit from their time at Catawba. The College offers an intensive study of Spanish each summer in Costa Rica. Additionally, many of the honors courses feature a capstone, study/travel experience, often abroad.
	First-Year Experience This unique program was established to provide new Catawba students with not only basic survival skills for college life, but enriching experiences to shape their future as well. First-time freshmen are required to take the First-Year Seminar, which focuses on the rigorous study of a selected topic and the development of essential study and research skills.
	Honors The Honors Program cultivates a community of academically gifted students who pursue challenging educational experiences with outstanding faculty. Through interdisciplinary, provocative, and intellectually demanding courses, the Honors Program piques the curiosity of students, encouraging them to become life-long learners whose lives are enriched by their experiences.

	Academy for Teaching The Shirley Peeler Ritchie Academy for Teaching was established in 2007 to answer the ongoing need for excellent teachers and to further enhance the outstanding Teacher Education department at Catawba. The Academy's focus is on equipping its participants with 21st Century teaching skills and offering extensive field experiences through regional and east coast travel, community leadership development and service learning. The Academy began with 14 scholars in 2007 and at the end of the 2009-2010 academic year has 47 scholars in three cohorts, with a fourth cohort of freshmen arriving in the fall of 2010. In spring of 2011 the Academy for Teaching will see its first graduating class of Martha Kirkland West Scholars. Applicants for a West Scholarship through the Academy are expected to demonstrate leadership, community involvement, and a commitment to teaching.
	Center for the Environment Catawba College launched the Center for the Environment in 1996 to educate students and the public about environmental stewardship and sustainability. It involves students, faculty, and staff, and its many partners and volunteers in programs and activities that promote sustainable solutions in the community, the region and beyond. The building that houses the Center, which was completed in 2001, epitomizes the mission of the Center and serves as a model for green building practices. It reflects Catawba College's commitment to conservation and the sustainable use of the earth's resources.
	Lilly Center for Vocation & Values Founded in 2003 with the help of a generous grant from the Lilly Foundation, Catawba's Lilly Center strives to promote thought-provoking journeys of self-exploration. The Lilly Center has helped participants, especially students, discover and use their gifts in ways that serve others. The funds will also help in continuing to make a special focus by encouraging students to consider how they can make a real difference in today's world through the Christian ministry.