William Woods University

History & Fun Facts

• •History First known as the Female Orphan School, the institution was founded in 1870 in Camden Point, Missouri, in response to the needs of girls who were orphaned during the American Civil War.
• •During the late nineteenth century, the institution moved to Fulton and expanded its elementary and secondary programs to accommodate young women who aspired to become teachers.
• •Known briefly at the beginning of the twentieth century as Daughters College, it changed its name to William Woods College in 1900 to honor a major benefactor (William S.
• •In 1962, anticipating dramatic changes in the role of American women in the labor force, William Woods became a four-year college.
• •In 1992, William Woods College changed its name to William Woods University, and began offering a wide variety of graduate-level degree programs, geared toward the working adult.