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William Penn University history
William Penn University company history timeline
Penn College opened September 24, 1873.
The first graduate of William Penn, in 1875, was a woman—something that was relatively unheard of at the time.
In 1875 the college graduated its first class.
Finally from 1888-89, Penn Academy became its own school, with an independent staff, and Elmer H. Gifford serving as the first principal.
The cornerstone laying ceremony for the east wing of Old Main was in 1890.
The President’s Cottage was built in 1892 and is still standing on College Avenue but is no longer owned by the University.
Penn Hall was constructed on land donated to the college by Charles and Albert Johnson in 1898.
The largest donation was from a class of 1900 alumnus Doctor Edgar Wilcox.
Old Main - Penn College, circa 1910
Old Main was destroyed by fire on the morning of May 27, 1916, the day of the senior breakfast, the fire began at 3:30 am, the cause is unknown.
The funding for this building, Lewis Hall and the heating plant came from donations collected in June and July of 1916.
Since our founding we’ve persevered through a 1916 fire that destroyed the original campus, transitioned from college to university status, led the way in educational programs for working adults, and greatly expanded our campus and facilities.
In 1916, fire destroyed the original campus and Penn's business manager Robert Williams and freshman student Harry Oakley were killed when the four-ton college bell crashed through the main building and buried them beneath it.
The building opened in 1917 and had an observatory on the roof.
He also designed the memorial gates; which were erected on May 20, 1918.
Spencer Memorial Chapel opened in 1923 and was built with funds donated by Mrs.
In 1933, the school changed its name to William Penn College.
Peasley who donated the old Gibbs mansion to William Penn College in 1945.
Wilcox Library was completed in 1964 with funds raised for the College’s 90th anniversary celebration.
Edwin McGrew Fine Arts Center was dedicated in 1974 and funded by monies raised during the Centennial Campaign.
Never losing sight of its Quaker belief in the power of education for everyone, William Penn College launched the College for Working Adults in 1995, located in West Des Moines, Iowa.
In 1995, William Penn's 'College for Working Adults' was founded, which enrolls non-traditional students in an evening program of accelerated study.
The Twin Towers dormitory was built in 2000.
In 2000, the school achieved university status and changed its name to William Penn University.
In 2007, Musco Lighting, also in Oskaloosa, donated $12 million to the school for various projects—the biggest single gift in the school's history.
Musco Technology Center (MTC) was funded by Musco Lighting and opened in 2008.
Construction began on the stadium in 2013.
The dorm opened in 2014.
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William Penn University competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Ambrose University | 1882 | $75.0M | 891 | 38 |
| University of Dubuque | 1852 | $69.0M | 898 | - |
| Simpson College | 1860 | $63.8M | 623 | 10 |
| Cape Cod Community College | 1983 | $49.9M | 494 | 6 |
| William Peace University | 1857 | $50.0M | 38 | 15 |
| Central College | 1853 | $34.0M | 651 | 13 |
| Morningside University | 1894 | $31.0M | 609 | - |
| Saint Xavier University | 1846 | $70.0M | 975 | 27 |
| Hodges University | 1990 | $21.4M | 202 | - |
| Northwest Missouri State University | 1905 | $15.0M | 1,338 | 58 |
William Penn University history FAQs
Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of William Penn University, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about William Penn University. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at William Penn University. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by William Penn University. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of William Penn University and its employees or that of Zippia.
William Penn University may also be known as or be related to WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY and William Penn University.