University of Northwestern - St. Paul was established as Northwestern Bible and Missionary Training School at First Baptist Church of Minneapolis in 1902. The founder and first president was Dr. William Bell Riley, pastor of First Baptist Church. Dr. Riley and his church were known throughout the evangelical world for their fundamental biblical teaching in an age of spiritual apathy, liberalism, modernism, and apostasy.
After Dr. Riley’s death, evangelist William F. “Billy” Graham became president in 1948, serving until 1952. In 1951, the Bible School became a degree-granting Bible college by adding the fourth year to its former three-year curriculum. During the presidency of Dr. Richard Elvee (1953-57), the school began laying the groundwork for accreditation. Dr. Curtis B. Akenson (1957-65) was instrumental in enabling the college to build its biblical literature collection. Under the presidency of Dr. William B. Berntsen (1966-84), Northwestern emerged as a “Christian College of the Bible, Arts, and Sciences, and Vocational Education,” a multipurpose institution dedicated to meeting basic collegiate educational needs of contemporary Christian youth.
In 1970, Northwestern purchased a former Roman Catholic seminary in suburban Roseville/Arden Hills, the present site of University of Northwestern - St. Paul. Classes began on the new campus in fall 1972. Over the next 13 years, enrollment rose from under 200 to almost 1,000. In 1985, Dr. Berntsen assumed the role of chancellor, and Dr. Donald O. Ericksen became Northwestern’s sixth president (1985-97).
Dr. Ericksen’s tenure as president saw tremendous growth in both college and Northwestern Media/radio. Two new buildings were constructed (Berntsen Library in 1992, Erickson Center in 1996), South and Southeast Residences were acquired, traditional academic offerings were expanded, and the Focus degree completion program and Undergraduate Online Learning were established.
Dr. Wesley R. Willis served as president from 1997 to 2000. During his tenure, enrollment grew to over 1800 students in all programs. Dr. Alan S. Cureton, Northwestern’s eighth and current president, led the college through its year-long centennial celebration in 2002. In 2007, the college purchased the former Edina Reality office building on Lincoln Drive. In fall 2011, the Billy Graham Community Life Commons was opened. In 2012-2013, the university was still classified as a Regional College by the U.S. News and World Reports. On May 8, 2013, President Cureton announced the new university name, University of Northwestern-St. Paul, which became effective July 1, 2013.
Today, University of Northwestern - St. Paul is an independent, privately-supported, liberal arts, Christian University. University of Northwestern - St. Paul is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The university is registered as a private higher education institution with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.
Nestled among the trees and surrounded by a mile of lakeshore, Northwestern’s 107-acre campus provides an excellent setting for learning and growing. Today, over 3,000 students are enrolled in University of Northwestern – St. Paul’s traditional, undergraduate online learning, undergraduate blended learning, graduate and continuing education programs. Within the Christ-centered learning 5 environment of University of Northwestern - St. Paul, there are many opportunities for students to grow and mature. The Northwestern community is a place where living and learning are combined intentionally for the good of the individual and the community and to bring honor to God.
(University of Northwestern- St. Paul Traditional Undergraduate & Undergraduate Pathways Catalog 20152017-1618, pp. 5-168) |