Southwestern College has its roots in the traditions of the Methodist circuit riders, whose love of education helped shape the educational landscape of the 19th century.
Founded in 1885 by the Southwest Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the college graduated its first class of three students June 3, 1889. The city of Winfield contributed resources for the original campus. In 1909 its name was changed from Southwest Kansas Conference College to Southwestern College, and in 1917 the school earned accreditation by the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges.
Always strong in the arts, the music program was augmented by the merger, in 1926, of the Winfield College of Music with the college.
Campus facilities were seriously affected in 1950 by a fire which destroyed the interior of the administration building. The reconstruction of this building and the subsequent construction of new academic facilities have provided the college with a modern campus to supports its programs. During the final decade of the past century, more than $15 million in construction or improvements were seen.
During this decade the campus became fully connected through a fiber optic network, and in 1999 the school became the first in the region to issue laptop computers to all incoming freshmen. Now wireless network access is available in public areas on campus, and all offices and residence halls are wired for access.
The college continues its mutually supportive relationship with the Kansas West Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Major steps were taken in 1994 to develop a professional studies program with the opening of a center in downtown Winfield. In the next few decades the degree completion program would expand significantly with the addition of three centers in Wichita and one in Oklahoma City, and with the inauguration of an online degree completion program.
Three graduate degrees also are now available-the master of education with specialization in either curriculum and instruction or in special education; the master of business administration; and the master of science in leadership.
Today the liberal arts tradition that is the foundation of a Southwestern College education is seen not only in the on-campus programs, but also in degree completion programs in other cities and around the world online.
