101-199 History, Mission, Philosophy, Strategy

Chartered in 1887 by leaders of the Church of the Brethren, McPherson College has a 116-year history of providing excellent liberal arts and career-oriented education shaped by the essential values of its founding denomination. The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination founded in Germany in 1708. It accepts the New Testament as the rule of faith and emphasizes the inherent value of all persons, the communal discernment of truth, the necessity of putting faith into action, and the biblical calls to simplicity, nonviolence, nonconformity and transformation through education. Brethren strive to “continue the work of Jesus – peacefully, simply, together.”

McPherson College’s programs integrate career guidance and practical experiences into a traditional liberal arts curriculum that upholds the highest standards of academic excellence. Our goal is to help students discern a vocational call consistent with their gifts and interests and to prepare them for a life of meaningful work.

Community is central to McPherson College. We affirm diversity within the community, emphasizing unity and acceptance rather than judgment and rejection. Because we believe that the pursuit of truth is a collective endeavor, and that the point of scholarly learning is to advance the common good, McPherson College aspires to be a healthy community of learning where whole persons nurture and balance their physical, intellectual, and spiritual components; develop and live in respectful, reciprocal relationships with others; and are committed to responsible service to the world.

Mission Statement. McPherson College’s mission is to develop whole persons through scholarship, participation, and service.

To accomplish our mission, McPherson College embraces the ideals of scholarship, participation, and service.

Scholarship. All absolute truth is God’s Truth, and humankind must labor diligently in the pursuit of truth we can know; thus, McPherson College upholds the highest standards of academic excellence. Faculty strive to teach students to think critically and independently, to communicate clearly and effectively, to integrate knowledge across the disciplines, and to assess the value conflicts in issues. This is done without coercion, letting the evidence lead the search, and with respect for the consciences and value differences of others.

Participation. Students apply knowledge, practice skills, and deepen and broaden their understanding of themselves and others through active participation in diverse learning experiences. A smaller community requires greater participation from its members. For these reasons, McPherson College is committed to being a small college and to encouraging student participation in a variety of activities.

Service. God’s love is personified in the life of Jesus, who came to serve the world. Through works of peacemaking and compassion, humanity responds to God’s love and becomes an instrument of God’s servanthood in the world. Therefore, McPherson College emphasizes service to others, encouraging all members of its community to give selflessly of themselves to others.

McPherson College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association (30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602; web address: www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org). Historically, the college became one of Kansas’ first accredited colleges in 1921; however, North Central withdrew its accreditation seven years later, primarily due to the college’s financial problems. McPherson College regained accredited status in 1940 and has retained continuous affiliation with North Central since. McPherson College’s last comprehensive accreditation visit was in 1995. The next visit is scheduled for the academic year 2004-2005.

The college is also accredited by the Kansas State Department of Education (120 SE 10th Avenue, Topeka, KS 66612-1182) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE, 2010 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20036-1023). Action by the State Board of Education in March 2003 continues accredited status through December 31, 2007. Students may seek endorsement in elementary education, music education, art education, Spanish, English speakers of other languages, health, physical education, mathematics, general science, biology, chemistry, English, speech communication, psychology, social studies (American history, U.S. government, world history), and industrial technology education.