History of ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø
When ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø opened its doors in 1826 as Hampstead Academy, much of the United States was still wilderness. A mere nine years earlier, ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø had been admitted into the Union as the twentieth state. ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø itself was still an untamed frontier – a challenge to be met by hard work, diligence, and faith. Applying these ideals to the academic setting, ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø began educating men and women to become leaders in both professional and spiritual arenas.
³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø is the oldest institution of higher learning in ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø and was the first co-educational institution in the United States to grant a degree to a woman. In 1850, the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Baptist Convention obtained the University by lease and began operation through a board of trustees.
Now in its 199th year, ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø is the oldest University in the state. The University is governed by a board of trustees elected by the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Baptist Convention. Support comes through tuition, donations from alumni and friends, foundations and corporate support, and the ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø Baptist Convention
