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C-SC Celebrating Past, Looking Ahead

A northeast Missouri college will spend the next few months celebrating a milestone while continuing to prepare for the future.

Culver-Stockton College got its start in Canton in 1853 under a different name: Christian University.  The name change came in 1917.

It was the first co-educational college west of the Mississippi River.

President Dick Valentine says the 160th anniversary is especially important to him as the first graduate to lead the college.

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“We have got a lot of people excited about it within the college, the community and the area,” says Valentine.  “What has really been exciting for a lot of us has been to take a look back and think about the founding of this university.”

He says the college’s mission has not changed over the years.

“The focus is still on a broad-based educational experience that provides individual attention to the students ,” says Valentine.  “I think the direction and the understanding of the changing student of today has led us to think that since students learn differently, we have to change as an institution in the delivery of the educational mission and material.”

He says that is why there is such as push to enhance online opportunities and the experiential learning programs.

C-SC President Dick Valentine

Valentine says Culver-Stockton College remains an important piece of northeast Missouri.

He says multiple facility improvements will occur over the next few years thanks to a successful capital campaign that will continue for another 18 months.

Valentine says the 160th anniversary celebration will conclude this fall during Homecoming.

Jason Parrott is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.