Simpson University - History

History

Simpson University was founded in 1921 as Simpson Bible Institute by W.W. Newberry, who served as its first president. Established in Seattle, Washington, the school was named in honor of Albert Benjamin Simpson (1843-1919), a Presbyterian minister who pioneered the Bible institute movement during the late nineteenth century and founded and founded the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Initially offering a two-year program of study, the school was designed to promote spiritual growth and prepare students for Christian life and service, especially overseas. As the 1926 catalog stated: "Seattle is several hundred miles nearer to China than any other trade routes across the Pacific...if this is the gateway through which the blessed gospel must reach millions yet in darkness, it is an ideal place to train and equip those who shall carry it to these needy souls..." By 1940, Simpson was offering a choice of programs: Theology, Missiology and Bible/Music. By 1941, it had officially become the western regional school of the C&MA. In 1955, the school moved to San Francisco, and its name was changed to Simpson Bible College since it was now granting bachelor's degrees. Over the years, the college continued to broaden its academic offerings so that by the time the half-century mark was reached in 1971, it had become a more comprehensive liberal arts college offering professional as well as biblical studies. That same year, the name was changed to Simpson College.In 1968, the college was granted regional accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Another historic milestone was passed in 1989 when Simpson relocated to its current location in Redding and began building a new campus, which is still a work in progress. Since the move, undergraduate enrollment has more than doubled. Graduate programs (including the School of Education and A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary) have been established, and the Continuing Studies (ASPIRE) program was added.