History

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The roots of Andrews University date back to a little 19th century school of 12 students, one of which was the breakfast-cereal-genius-to-be John Harvey Kellogg. Through the leadership of a teacher, Goodloe Harper Bell, the Battle Creek Michigan-based school expanded quickly and, in 1874, took the name, Battle Creek College. By 1901, the school's administrators had decided to experiment with a non-classical concept for education that fused traditional academia with a practical approach to learning. For this experiment, school leaders felt that a new location was needed, away from the moral and ecological pollution of the city. Eighteen thousand dollars bought a 272-acre piece of land in Berrien Springs, Mich. The "experiment" packed into 16 box cars and traveled from Battle Creek to a new home nestled in gentle hills and farming fields.

With a new location came a new name, Emmanuel Missionary College (EMC). There was much work to be done as the new school had no buildings. For the 1901-1902 school year, the college rented a barn, the former Berrien County courthouse, an office building, a jail and a sheriff's residence to serve as temporary school buildings. Construction of the new school started almost immediately. All buildings were built from wood as brick was perceived to be too permanent for those expecting the imminent return of Jesus. Early buildings were built almost entirely by students.

Faculty also got involved with helping to get things under way in Berrien Springs. EMC's first president, E.A. Sutherland felt inspired to plant a long row of Norway spruce trees to help landscape the new school. The tall row of trees stands proud today, over a hundred years later, a testimony to the hands-on attitude of our school's pioneers.

As EMC began to establish itself in the community, students and faculty developed a deep interest in overseas missionary work. By the 1920's mission fervor had become one of the defining features of the Andrews experience. Despite the Depression of the 1930's, the Andrews leadership was successful as they worked to arrange accreditation for the institution. Amazingly, during the difficult war years of the 1940's, the college was able to obtain the materials for and the permission to build a new administration building, Nethery Hall, now home to the College of Arts and Sciences.

Momentum was growing and in 1959 Washington D.C.-based Potomac University moved to Berrien Springs and merged with EMC, bringing with it a School of Graduate Studies and the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. The combined institutions were chartered as Andrews University the very next year, establishing a leader in higher education for the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In 1974, the undergraduate division of Andrews was organized into two colleges?the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Technology. The school of Business was established in 1980. The School of Education was organized in 1983. In 1993 the Department of Architecture became the Division of Architecture. The present organizational structure of the School of Graduate Studies was adopted in 1987.

Today, Andrews is the most prominent university in Adventism. More than 3000 students study here, representing most US states and nearly 100 countries. Another 1700 students study at affiliate campuses around the world. We offer approximately 180 undergraduate degrees and just under 50 postgraduate programs.