The University of Olivet

The University of Olivet is a private liberal arts college in Olivet, Michigan, founded in 1844 by Congregational missionaries led by "Father" John J. Shipherd. It was Michigan's first higher education institution, and in 1844 became the first college in the state to admit women and persons of color on a co-equal basis with white men. The institution offers more than 30 bachelor's degree programs across multiple academic colleges.

The university is guided by a mission it calls Education for Individual and Social Responsibility, which shapes a relationship-based approach to pedagogy. Every student is assigned personal attention and mentorship, and the institution describes its purpose as preparing students for lives of purpose and service rather than careers alone. Its founding principle holds that the future of humanity rests in the hands, hearts, and minds of those it educates.

Work at the university sits within the fields of liberal arts education, higher education pedagogy, and relationship-based teaching and mentorship. The student body is diverse: approximately 26% are underrepresented minorities and nearly 20% identify as African American. The college states a continuing commitment to educational access, inclusion, and innovation.

The University of Olivet operates from a single campus in Olivet, Michigan. Further information is available at https://uolivet.edu/.