The Heritage of Midway College

Christian Church Roots

The Midway College Experience was founded on moral principles of compassion and generosity. As a minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Dr. L.L. Pinkerton worked for four years to arrange the support necessary to establish the Kentucky Female Orphan School in 1847. The first charge was to build a $25,000 endowment. It was only possible through the support of Disciples congregations throughout the eastern United States. The connection with the church still enriches the lives of our students and provides a source for moral responsibility, an invaluable quality to the educational experience.

Service to Women

The initial mission to serve women began during a time when women were not encouraged to pursue an education. Even during the 1960s, women were receiving degrees at approximately one half the rate of men. Today more than 50 percent of all college students are women, but there remains a unique challenge for women based on a complex set of expectations for women in today’s family, community and professional networks. The Women’s College still equips women to approach this complexity.