St. Ambrose History
St. Ambrose has come a long way since it began as a seminary and school of commerce for young men in 1882. It owes its beginning to the first bishop of Davenport, The Most Reverend John McMullen, DD, who founded it under the auspices of the Diocese of Davenport. The affiliation remains strong today.
For its first three years, classes were held in two rooms of the old St. Marguerite’s School, located on the grounds of what is now Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport. Bishop McMullen died in 1883, and Reverend A.J. Schulte, a mere 23 years old, was named St. Ambrose’s first president.
The school was moved to the Locust Street campus in 1885, when the central part of the present St. Ambrose Hall was built. Located in a secluded grove of oak trees, the site was far removed from the city itself, intentionally far it seems, from the “corrupting effects of town life.” That same year, St. Ambrose was incorporated as “a literary, scientific and religious institution.” The articles of incorporation stated, “No particular religious faith shall be required of any person to entitle him to admission to said seminary.”
By the turn of the century a clearer division was being made between the high school program, or the “academy,” and the college program. In 1908 the name of the institution was officially changed to “St. Ambrose College” to more clearly reflect the institution's mission. Night school classes were inaugurated in 1924, and the first session of summer school was held in 1931.
During World War II, the United States Navy chose St. Ambrose College as a location for the training of many of its officers. For a short time regular classes ceased, and the campus became a training ground for the Navy’s V-12 squads.
The high school program, St. Ambrose Academy, moved to new quarters at Assumption High School in 1958, providing additional space on campus for continued growth.
In 1968 St. Ambrose became fully coeducational, although women had been taking classes on campus ever since the 1930s.
St. Ambrose began offering graduate classes in 1977 with the master of business administration program. Its graduate programs have expanded to 15 graduate programs.
On April 23, 1987, St. Ambrose College became St. Ambrose University at the direction of the Board of Directors. The university was organized into the Colleges of Business, Human Services and Arts and Sciences.