Founded as a Catholic Women’s College in 1915, Webster University approaches its centennial anniversary. A retrospective would highlight enormous change.
Over the past century most institutions of higher education have undergone a metamorphosis, but few have transformed themselves in as stunning a fashion as Webster University has in the past 40 years.
In 1967 this small Catholic woman’s college in Webster Groves took the controversial and risky step of abandoning its half century of history by transferring its ownership to a lay board. By the end of the next decade Webster College was offering graduate degrees on military bases across the country, and had opened a campus in Geneva, Switzerland.
Today the Webster Groves campus is a little larger, but the student population has grown exponentially to 20,000 with half of these students attending classes in locations such as Orlando, South Carolina, San Antonio, or Shanghai. A growing number participate in the online programs to take some or all of their classes.
In the early 1980s, Webster College became Webster University. This was more than a mere name change. University designation was a reflection of the rapid growth in the scope of the institution. Webster was well on its way to becoming a network institution with extended campuses on military bases, in major metropolitan areas across the country and in Europe. Eventually the network would extend to Asia as well with campuses in China and Thailand.
Those who started Webster College on the path to becoming the Webster University of 2007 might be surprised, even shocked, by its geographic scope. But, as we chronicle in the following pages, these pioneers would be comfortable with the continued institutional commitment to a mission and vision of education that had already been well honed in the 50 years from its founding to the momentous institutional leap that began in the late 1960s.
The unique story of Webster is a narrative about significant growth and change while retaining the core mission and values of its founders, the Sisters of Loretto.
Criterion 1a
Webster's mission documents are clear and articulate publicly the organization's commitments.
Criterion 1b
In its mission documents, Webster recognizes the diversity of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater society it serves.
Criterion 1c
Understanding and support for the mission pervade Webster.
Criterion 1d
Webster's governance and administrative structures promote effective leadership and support collaborative processes that enable the organization to fulfill its mission.
Criterion 1e
Webster upholds and protects its identity.
 | Criterion One: Mission and Integrity Click here to download a PDF version of Criterion One. (Acrobat Reader required) |
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