Rochester University (formerly Rochester College) is a
private Christian college in
Rochester Hills, Michigan
Rochester Hills is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 76,300. It is the 14th-largest city in Michigan.
The area was first occupied by settlers of European descent in 1 ...
. It was founded by members of the
Churches of Christ in 1959.
Rochester University is primarily undergraduate (though it offers some graduate programs, such as a
Master of Religious Education
The Master of Religious Education (MRE) is a terminal academic degree in preparation for professional teaching ministry, usually offered by Christian institutions. The curriculum includes two years of theological study and sometimes a thesis. Alt ...
program) and includes both residential and commuting student populations. It also offers a degree completion program for adult students.
History
In 1954, members of the
Churches of Christ formed a board of trustees to establish an educational institution in the
North Central region of the United States. After months of consideration, the board decided to establish a liberal arts college and purchased a country estate in Rochester Hills, Michigan, for a campus site. In September 1959, the college opened as North Central Christian College, retaining that name until 1961.
In the years that followed, the institution operated under the name of Michigan Christian College. In 1997, the board adopted the name Rochester College to more clearly portray the institution's nature as a liberal arts college in a Christian setting. The campus of Rochester University has grown to exceed , assuring space for continued expansion. In 2019 the name was changed to Rochester University.
Athletics
The Rochester athletic teams are called the Warriors. The university is a member of the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its st ...
(NAIA), primarily competing in the
Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference
The Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and it's heaquartered in Livonia, Michigan. The conference consists of twelve college ...
(WHAC) since the 2017–18 academic year; although they had competed as an associate member for baseball during the 2016–17 school year prior to apply for full membership.
Rochester Approved as Full Members for 2017-18 , Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
/ref> The Warriors previously competed as an NAIA Independent within the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) from 2011–12 to 2016–17. Its men's wrestling team competed in the Sooner Athletic Conference
The Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Originally developed as a five-team conference of Oklahoma-based schools, the SAC now boasts 12 s ...
(SAC) from 2018–19 to 2019–20.
Prior to joining the NAIA, they were also a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association
The United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) is a national organization for the intercollegiate athletic programs of 72 mostly small colleges, including community/ junior colleges, across the United States. The USCAA holds 15 natio ...
(USCAA) and the National Small College Athletic Association (NSCAA) prior to that, in which the college won a combined eight national championships.
Rochester competes in 23 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include, baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, ice hockey, soccer, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; and co-ed sports include competitive cheer and eSports.
Championships
References
External links
*
Official athletics website
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Universities and colleges affiliated with the Churches of Christ
Educational institutions established in 1959
Universities and colleges in Oakland County, Michigan
USCAA member institutions
Private universities and colleges in Michigan
1959 establishments in Michigan