History
Messiah College was founded in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church, and was originally called Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home. Originally located in Harrisburg, Pa., in the home of Messiah's first president, Samuel Rogers (S.R.) Smith, a local businessman and leader in the Brethren in Christ Church, the school was moved to the village of Grantham in 1911 following the construction of the campus' first building, Old Main. The building was constructed on land donated by S.R. Smith, who had moved his home and various business interests outside of the city to allow for growth in the farmlands surrounding Grantham. In the early years, the school offered a high school curriculum and several Bible programs. By 1921 it had also become a junior college, making it the second junior college in Pennsylvania, and changed its name to Messiah Bible School.
By the 1950s the school offered four-year college programs and accordingly in 1951 it changed its name to Messiah College. Messiah discontinued its high school program in 1959 and added liberal arts programs during this period. It was accredited as a four-year college in 1963, and continued to expand its liberal arts programs.
Even though it is no longer owned by the Brethren in Christ Church, Messiah continues to be influenced by its traditions primarily in the Anabaptist, but also the Pietist and Wesleyan holiness movements. Today, Messiah College is a nondenominational Christian college, with a faith base that is broadly evangelical and includes students and employees from a variety of denominations and Christian faith traditions.
Other Key Points in Messiah's History
- In 1964 Messiah College took over the operations of Upland College in Upland, California, a Brethren in Christ Church College that had been operating since the 1920s. The Upland campus was closed and all operations were consolidated to Pennsylvania.
- In 1968 Messiah College opened its Philadelphia Campus in a unique partnership with Temple University.
- In 2002, Messiah College's Harrisburg Institute was founded in downtown Harrisburg, PA. Its purpose is to serve as an academic and research center and connect students with the unique needs of an urban environment. The Institute also provides housing for up to 25 students.
- Messiah College celebrated its 100th anniversary during the 2009-2010 academic year with a Centennial celebration centered on the theme, "Shared Faith. Bold Vision. Enduring Promise."
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