History
What is now known as Clarke University was founded in 1843 by Mother Mary Frances Clarke as a boarding school for local girls, and was known as Saint Mary's Academy. It was one of the first such schools built west of the Mississippi River, and operated out of several different locations in its early years.
In 1881, St. Mary's moved to its present location atop Dubuque's Seminary Hill (Clarke Drive) and was renamed Mount St. Joseph Academy and College. The college became a liberal arts school in 1901, and the first bachelor's degree was awarded in 1904. In 1910, Mt. St. Joseph was chartered by the state of Iowa, becoming a four-year college by 1913. The North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools accredited Mount St. Joseph in 1918. The academy portion of the school closed in 1928, and the college was given its previous name of Clarke College, in honor of Mother Mary Frances Clarke.
In 1964, Clarke began a graduate program, with the first master's degrees awarded in 1967. The school was one of the first in Iowa to offer a program in Computer Science. Although Clarke College had been an all-female school since its founding, it became a coeducational institution in the spring of 1979.
On May 17, 1984, the school experienced a disastrous fire that destroyed four of its main buildings, including the Sacred Heart Chapel. The next day, students hung a large banner reading "Clarke Lives!" on the campus to show solidarity following the disaster. Soon after, the school launched a major reconstruction project to replace the destroyed buildings. By 1986, a new library, music performance hall, chapel, bookstore, administrative offices, and central atrium were dedicated. The massive, glass-enclosed Wahlert Atrium built following the fire has since become the main symbol of the school.
Joanne Burrows, (SC) is the current president of the college. She began her term as president on July 1, 2006, replacing the long-serving Sister Catherine Dunn, BVM.
On May 12, 2010, Current Clarke President Joanne Burrows announced that effective August 1, 2010 the school would be renamed Clarke University
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The history of every country begins in the heart of a man or a woman.”
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)