Andrews University

1874–1901: Battle Creek College Andrews University was founded as a small Seventh-day Adventist school called Battle Creek College in 1874 named for the nearby city of Battle Creek, Michigan . [ 11 ]

In the 1930s Seventh-day Adventist leaders established a Theological Seminary. At first, it was located on the campus of Pacific Union College in the Napa Valley, California . Later it was moved to Washington, D.C., and located near the denominational headquarters. [ citation needed ]

In 1956, denominational leaders decided to organize a university in order to train elementary and secondary teachers in an Adventist school rather than send them to an unaffiliated university which did not promote a denominational perspective." [ 17 ] In 1956 a charter was granted. The new school was named Potomac University. Earlier, Ellen White, cofounder of the Adventist Church, had advised that Adventist schools locate in rural settings. Church leaders looked for a suitable rural location where the new university could be near to, and in affiliation with, Washington Missionary College, now Washington Adventist University . Over a period of two years effort was put forth to find such a location. Finally the idea was abandoned. Too much expense was involved in making such a move. [ 18 ] At the 1958 Autumn Council, held in Washington, the board of Emmanuel Missionary College invited the General Conference to locate Potomac University on its campus. After careful deliberation, the council voted unanimously to accept the offer and move the institution to the EMC campus. [ 18 ] Arrangements similar to those envisioned for Washington Missionary College were made with EMC. Emmanuel Missionary College did not lose its identity. It remained the college for the youth of the Lake Union Conference, but was affiliated with the new Seventh-day Adventist university. [ 18 ] In 1959, H. L. Rudy, a vice-president for the SDA General Conference, described the relationship of the new graduate university with Emmanuel Missionary College: Potomac University (a new name is under study) has been founded to meet the graduate needs of students, teachers, ministers, and^ other workers of the church. As a "university-type General Conference institution" it draws students from the entire world field.

The undergraduate school—Emmanuel Missionary College—will continue to recruit its students from its own territory, but the Seminary and the School of Graduate Studies may recruit students from the entire world field. [ 19 ]