Harold Cope considered a future apart from the Yearly Meeting. He prayed intently about the decision. As he did, he internally head “Look at the Yearly Meeting minutes. Look at the Yearly Meeting minutes.” He asked chairman of the trustees of the Yearly Meeting, Stanley Brown, to look through the..Read More

On October 18, Dr. Biff Green is inaugurated as the 12th president of Friends University, coming from the University of La Verne in California. He outlined three priorities: Friends must live within its means; Friends must find its niche and fill it well; Friends must set a high priority on..Read More

Dr. Jerry Smartt and President Carey collaborated on a mentorship and leadership program for students with an interest in Hispanic and Latino culture and language. Known as Latino Leadership, the scholarship program launched its first cohort in 2017.

So begins the incredible legacy that is the Student Body of Friends University. The university had 53 students enrolled at the beginning of the first year, and by the end of the 1898-1899 term, enrollment had grown to 102 students – 57 men and 45 women. The classes that were..Read More

Because of the shortage of teachers due to World War II, the university gave special attention to the training of elementary teachers in the summer of 1942. The State Department of Education ruled that non-renewable, emergency certificates would be issued for 1943-1944 on presentation of at least four semester hours..Read More

On June 30, Friends University received a telegram noting that it finally met accreditation standards of North Central Association of Colleges and Universities and was being officially reinstated. Additionally, Friends was granted membership into the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education. The university was one of very few liberal..Read More

On February 15, 1965, Dr. Roy F. Ray, a member of the faculty since 1960, was elected to be the eighth president of Friends University. Ray originally came to Wichita to pastor at St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church in Haysville and taught part-time in the philosophy department at Friends.

A response to a growing concern for the state of the American family, the Center on Family Living was established under the direction of Sheldon Louthan.

Dr. James Bryan Smith, a 1984 graduate, becomes the first full-time campus chaplain. He established small study and prayer groups called Flocks as well as Compassionate Ministries, a program whereby students volunteer time and skills participating in social programs like the Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries, Lutheran Social Services or Catholic..Read More