Converse University (Spartanburg, South Carolina)

 university, college of further education / higher education, women's / girl's college

 Upload a photo

For more than a century, Converse College has been a pioneer in higher education for women. Small classes, faculty advisers for every student, and a low student/faculty ratio fulfill the purpose of the founders and furthering their conviction that "the well-being of any country depends much upon the culture of her women."

Although the doors of Converse College were first opened October 1, 1890, the first step towards the founding of the college was taken in 1889 when a prominent attorney assembled a group of Spartanburg Citizens to discuss the project.

Among the twelve men assembled was Dexter Edgar Converse, a native of Vermont who had settled in Spartanburg, S.C. before the Civil War and had become a successful pioneer in the cotton mill industry.

Mr. Converse was especially interested in establishing a college for women because his daughter, Marie, was approaching college age and he wanted her to have every possible educational advantage. His initial and subsequent contributions to the cause were so valuable that the college was given his name.

Initially, the college was operated as a stock company and Mr. Converse headed the first board of directors, comprised entirely of Spartanburg citizens. They elected the Rev. Benjamin F. Wilson as the first president. The first faculty roster was comprised of 16 members and the student body numbered 168.

On January 2, 1892, the main building was destroyed by fire, but was immediately reconstructed and enlarged. The work of the college hardly suffered interruption. In 1896, by the voluntary act of the stockholders, Converse College was incorporated under the laws of the state of South Carolina and a self-perpetuating board of trustees was established. This meant that Converse was converted into a permanent gift to the cause of higher education for women.

Beginning in the 1900s, Converse matured into one of the leading colleges for women in the South. Academic requirements were strengthened, the ablest teachers supplemented the faculty, and new buildings were constructed. It was also during this period that the college’s School of Music received a national rating as a professional school of music. The School of Music also became a charter member of the National Association of Schools of Music, which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the agency responsible for the accreditation of all music curricula.

In 1964, Converse introduced its graduate school program, which included the Master of Art in Teaching (MAT) program, the first degree of its kind in South Carolina. The graduate program would later offer a wide range of degrees in fields such as music, and marriage and family therapy.

In 1983, the College introduced Converse II to fit the schedules and ambitions of adult women. The daytime and evening courses provided (and continue to provide) a balance to the professional and academic lives of adult women, whether they are a few semesters shy of a bachelor’s degree or a freshman taking college-level courses for the first time.

In 2003, the college completed the most successful capital campaign in its history with $82.5 million in private gifts. The campaign led to the establishment of the Nisbet Honors Program, the Chapman Study Abroad Experience, renovations of residence halls, and construction of the Sally Abney Rose Physical Activity Complex and the Justine V.R. “Nita” Milliken Addition of Milliken Fine Arts Building.