The History of Higher Education in

Iowa
A Timeline

Jacinta J. Luster
Georgia Southern University
History of American Higher Education
Dr. Jensen

1839

St. Raphaels Seminary in Dubuque opened

Name was changed to Loras College, in honor of the first Catholic bishop in Iowa

1942

Iowa Wesleyan College, a four year private liberal arts school is founded by United
Methodist Church

1843

Clark University, established Private Catholic College opens

Dubuque Catholics opened a college for young women that eventually became Clarke
College.

1846

Grinnell College was founded by the Congressionalist

1847

University of Iowa was established. It was one of the first Public research Universities

1849

The Methodist church took over a private school in Mount Pleasant and turned it into a
Methodist College. Now Wesleyan University

1854

Upper Iowa University is established by Elizabeth Alexander

1855

Iowa State held its first class

1858

State of Iowa establishes free public education. Part of the provision for higher
education is the establishment of the state agricultural college and model (now called
Iowa State University)

1862

Iowa is the first state to accept the Morrill Act of 1862

1865

The University of Iowa college of Law is established

1872

Iowa State University graduates 24 men and women from their program
Iowa State is the first land grant university to offer training in domestic economy for
College credit
The University of Iowa creates the nations permanent college-level department of
Education

1873

Mary Beth Hickey was the first woman to earn a law degree. She obtained her degree
From the University of Iowa

1875

The Iowa State teachers college is established. The school later became the University of
Northern Iowa
Mary Humphrey Haddock, second woman to earn a law degree was also the first woman
Ever admitted to practice before the US district and circuit courts

1879

The Law department of the University of Iowa offers a law degree to Alexander Clark,
the first African American male to receive this degree
Iowa State University the first school of Veterinary Science was organized

1881

Drake University was established; has one of the 25 oldest law schools in the country
The first class at Drake convened in the same year

1891

Buena Vista University is founded. It a is a 4 year-private institution

1892

Buena Vista opens its first college building

1894

Ida Mae Godfrey entered Iowa Wesleyan College, a predominately white coeducational
institution

1898

The State Agricultural College and model farm is renamed Iowa State College of
Agriculture and Mechanic Arts
University of Iowa offers its first Doctorate degree
Des Moines was founded; it has been renamed several times but went back to Des
Moines University

1900

Iowa had more African American graduates than predominately white institution in the
North, Midwest, and the west

1909

The state reorganizes the system of public higher education

The Board of regents in Iowa was created

1918

Mount St. Clare College (now Ashford University) was established. This is a for-profit
School
North Iowa area community college became the first two year public college in Iowa

1920

The department of graphics and plastics arts becomes the first in the country to base
Appointments on a prospective professor artistic abilities and portfolios

1927

Iowa became the first state University to establish a school of Religion

1931

Drake opens its first residence hall

1952

The college gained accreditation and began to grant degrees under the authority
of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools

1963

The Iowa general Assembly was created to make a pathway for education beyond high
School. They provided financial literacy, career planning, and college access

1966

Phillip Hubbard was the first African American appointed as the administrative Vice
President at the University of Iowa
Community Colleges opened in Iowa. These schools taught courses to train people to do
a skill

1985

The first heart transplant at University of Iowa hospitals and clinics is performed

1986

The UI is selected to become part of a 10-site, 60 Million high-resolution radio

Telescope network that will enable research about galaxies billions of light years away

1987

Iowa enacts tax credits for educational expenses

1996

Minority students account for 95 percent of UI enrollment exceeding the goal set by the
Board of Regents of 85 percent

1998

The State increases its state tax credit for tuition expenses from $100 to $250 per year

2002

The No child left behind bill signed by President George W. Bush is passed

2006

Iowa enacts a scholarship tax credit for Donors

2008

Requires the department of Education, in collaboration with the community system to

Facilitate a review of community college accreditation and accountability provision
Recommends that postsecondary institution publish the ISBN numbers for all textbooks
14 days prior to the start of each semester

2012

President Barack Obama speaks to the University of Iowa about the importance of higher
Education in a weak economy

2014

Department of Education reports that the yearlong student teaching pilot have been
awarded grants and are working on all the process to launch a pilot
Fort Hayes State University-online practitioner preparatory program is approved