Southwestern College

Southwestern College provides a values-based learning experience that emphasizes intellectual, personal, and spiritual growth. Founded in 1885 by Kansas Methodists and now related to the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church, the college offers bachelor’s and graduate degrees on-ground and online.

Southwestern College has its roots in the tradition of the Methodist circuit riders, whose love of education helped shape the educational landscape of the 19th century. Founded in 1885 by the Southwest Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the college graduated its first class of three students June 3, 1889. The City of Winfield contributed resources to the original campus. In 1909 its name was changed from Southwest Kansas Conference College to Southwestern College, and in 1917 the school earned accreditation by the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges.