Columbia College (Columbia, Missouri)

Columbia College

Latin: Collegium Columbus
Other names	Columbia College of Missouri
Former names	Christian College (1851–1970)
Motto	Magnanimiter Crucem Sustine (Latin)
Motto in English	Valiantly bear the cross
Type	Private coeducational liberal arts Non-profit
Established	1851
Affiliation	none (historically related to Christian Church (Disciples of Christ))
Academic affiliations	Association of American Universities
Endowment	US$ 329 million
President	Scott Dalrymple
Administrative staff	182
Undergraduates	2100
Location	Columbia, Missouri, U.S. 38°57′27″N 92°19′36″W / 38.95762°N 92.32658°W / 38.95762; -92.32658Coordinates: 38°57′27″N 92°19′36″W / 38.95762°N 92.32658°W / 38.95762; -92.32658
Campus	Urban, 231 acres (0.93 km2)
Colors	Navy blue and Silver
Athletics	NAIA Division I - AMC
Nickname	Cougars
Website	www.ccis.edu

Columbia College, also known as Columbia College of Missouri, is a private non-profit independent liberal arts and sciences college based in Columbia, Missouri, United States. It was founded in 1851 as a nonsectarian college but it has retained a covenant with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) since its inception.

In 2014, Columbia College was named a "Best Midwestern University" by The Princeton Review, a New York City-based education services company; the college is one of 159 universities in a 12-state region to receive the designation, which are selected based on academics and surveys of current students.

Christian Female College received its charter from the Missouri Legislature on January 18, 1851, making it the first women's college west of the Mississippi River to be chartered by state legislature. The city of Columbia strongly supported female education, in part because the University of Missouri did not yet admit women. Columbia was also home to Stephens College, founded in 1833 and chartered in 1856. Infrastructure was a problem; the first classes were held in an unfinished mansion.

A typical day for female students in 1851 started at 6 a.m. with a morning walk, followed by worship in the chapel. They attended classes until late afternoon and then wrote a daily composition. After they studied and did chores, the students attended a Bible lecture every evening. They studied arithmetic, ancient history, grammar, ancient geography, philosophy, five books of Moses and composition. The College purchased the estate of Dr. James Bennett and formally dedicated the buildings and grounds as the Christian College campus in 1852. By 1856, there were 150 students, including 85 boarders.

In the chaos of the Civil War, Christian College President Joseph K. Rogers vowed to keep the school open. The majority of the city of Columbia was pro-Union but the surrounding agricultural areas of Boone County and the rest of central Missouri were decidedly pro-slavery. Rogers was successful, thanks in part to faculty who relinquished pay.