Facts 2008: History

In 2008 Minnesotans are marking 150 years of statehood. It is worth noting how private colleges have been contributing to the community’s well-being all along. In fact, two colleges have roots that date back before 1858, when the territory became a state.

Hamline University was founded in 1854 by the Methodist denomination in Red Wing. It graduated the state’s first college class in 1859, when two sisters received their bachelor’s of arts degrees. Educating both men and women from the start, Hamline is among the first coeducational colleges in the United States.
Saint John’s University was founded in 1857 by Benedictine monks who came to serve the needs of German Catholic immigrants by educating the community’s young men. Begun as a seminary, it is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the Midwest.
See more interesting facts about our colleges.

MPCC Member Institutions Founding Dates

1854   Hamline University
1857   Saint John’s University
1862   Gustavus Adolphus College
1866   Carleton College
1869   Augsburg College
1871   Bethel University
1873   Macalester College
1874   St. Olaf College
1885   University of St. Thomas
1886   Minneapolis College of Art and Design
1891   Concordia College, Moorhead
1893   Concordia University, St. Paul
1905   College of St. Catherine
1909   College of St. Scholastica
1911   Bethany Lutheran College
1912   Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
1913   College of Saint Benedict

Our colleges

Augsburg College

Located in Minneapolis with abundant opportunities to gain experience both inside and outside the classroom.
National recognition for an effective first-year program and for combining learning with service.
Top majors are business, science, teaching
A diverse community of 3,000 students

Bethany Lutheran College

Located in Mankato overlooking the Minnesota River Valley
A community of 540 students -- most live on campus
Popular majors include business administration, communication, psychology, and elementary education
Focus is on a solid, Christian education

Bethel University

Located on a residential, wooded campus in a Twin Cities suburb
Enrolls 5,600 students in 100 undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs
Integrates faith, learning and the translation of Christian belief into global service
20 international programs; top 3 percent ranking of students who study in foreign countries

Carleton College

Residential campus in the small community of Northfield
Ranked one of the country's top liberal arts colleges
Noted for its bright and talented students and strong faculty
Enrollment of 2,000 students of diverse backgrounds

College of Saint Benedict

Together with Saint John's -- 3,800 undergraduate students have many opportunities
Located on 3,200 acres of woods and lakes west of St. Cloud
A focus on globalism includes an extensive international study program
A commitment to experiential learning, research and internships

College of St. Catherine

Largest and most comprehensive Catholic college for women in the U.S.
Beautiful campuses in St. Paul and Minneapolis
Committed to meeting the educational needs of women of all ages; offers liberal arts, healthcare and professional programs in traditional and weekend formats
Serves 5,000 students

College of St. Scholastica

Main campus in Duluth; also in St. Paul, St. Cloud, Brainerd
Undergraduate and graduate programs in traditional, accelerated and online formats
Top majors: Health information management, management, education, nursing
3,200 students; 1,940 undergraduates on Duluth campus
U.S. News ranking in top tier of Midwestern universities

Concordia College

Located in the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area that includes 20,000+ college students
Serves more than 2,700 students
Top programs include the sciences, education and music
Recipient of NAFSA Simon Award for Campus Internationalization
Home of world-renowned Concordia Language Villages

Concordia University

Located in the St. Paul metro area
Serves 1,500 undergraduate and 300 graduate students of all ages and backgrounds
Top majors include Christian education, business and teacher education
A laptop university with 24/7 Web access

Gustavus Adolphus College

Oldest Lutheran college in Minnesota; Swedish heritage; home of the Nobel Conference
Beautiful residential campus located in St. Peter, overlooking the Minnesota River Valley
Prepares 2,500 undergraduates for lives of leadership, service and lifelong learning
Recognized science, writing, music, athletics, study-abroad, and service-learning programs

Hamline University

Ranked first in Minnesota among comprehensive universities according to U.S. News
4,400 undergraduate, graduate, and law students
Located in residential neighborhood of St. Paul
Intimate environment of small classes and personal attention along with the opportunities of a comprehensive university

Macalester College

1,900 undergraduates come from every state and 90 countries
Located in a friendly St. Paul neighborhood
Emphasis on global perspectives; more than half study abroad
Produced many Fulbright and Rhodes scholars

Minneapolis College of Art and Design

700 students; 14 majors in fine arts, media and design
Located next to the Children's Theater and Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Studio-based and business-oriented programs; BFA, BS and MFA degrees
Only art and design school to be named a Best Midwestern College by Princeton Review

Saint John's University

Together with Saint Benedict -- 3,800 undergraduate students have many opportunities
Located on 3,200 acres of woods and lakes west of St. Cloud.
A focus on globalism includes an extensive international study program
A commitment to experiential learning, research, internships

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Values-based, results-oriented education in the Catholic, Lasallian tradition
Outstanding environment for learning, living and recreation
400-acre Winona campus in the bluffs of the Mississippi River Valley
1,300 traditional undergraduates, with 4,100 graduate and professional students at other locations

St. Olaf College

Environmentally aware, 300-acre residential campus in historic Northfield
3,000 students; top majors are music, mathematics and the sciences
Nation's top liberal arts college for study abroad
College of the Lutheran church -- where conversations about faith are part of daily life

University of St. Thomas

Minnesota's largest private university with 10,500 students (5,500 undergraduates)
95 undergraduate majors
Main campuses located in a stately St. Paul neighborhood and in downtown Minneapolis (other campuses in Owatonna, Minn. and Rome, Italy)

All Facts 2008

MN at 150 Conference: May 28-June 1, College of Saint Benedict / Saint John's University