A College is Born

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In 1919 Maryville’s two highest classes (“first and superior classes”) were officially recognized as a Junior College by the state of Missouri. Then in 1923, it was announced that Maryville would become a four-year college, with the first degrees granted in 1925. By the end of the decade, Maryville College and its Academy formally separated, with Academy classes moving to Villa Duchesne.

In 1941, one year after the beatification of Mother Philippine Duchesne was announced in Rome, Maryville College received independent accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. True to its original mission, the College was rooted in a liberal arts tradition, with career-focused and pre-professional programs rounding out the curriculum. Maryville’s commitment to educating the whole student, academically, socially and morally, was key to its Sacred Heart beginnings, as was its commitment to serving the community surrounding the college.