Ashford University

Ashford University is a for-profit university headquartered in San Diego, California.It is the largest educational holding of Bridgepoint Education. The university offers associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in more than 50 degree programs on campus and online. The university consists of four colleges: the Forbes School of Business, the College of Education, the College of Health, Human Services, and Science, and the College of Liberal Arts. While a majority of the 54,120 students are enrolled in online courses, as of December 31, 2014, the university also hosts 742 students at their campus location in Clinton, Iowa. Ashford is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Mount Saint Clare, circa 1920

Ashford University  campus was established in 1893 as the Mount St. Clare Academy, a boarding and day school for girls. The idea for this school formed when Father James A. Murray invited the Sisters of St. Francis to help teach in Clinton, Iowa. The new Mount St. Clare building was erected for this school in 1910 and remains in use today.

Seeing a need for higher education in Clinton County and the surrounding area, the sisters founded Mount St. Clare College in 1918. This liberal arts institution was also an approved teacher education college from 1932 to 1954. In 1942, 60% of the rural teachers in Clinton County and 62% of the teachers in the city of Clinton school system had received all their training from Mount St. Clare College.

 Ashford University

In 1950, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools first accredited Mount St. Clare College. The college then began to expand quickly, and acquired a convent building, new library, new gymnasium, the Science Building, and Durham Residence Hall. The college eventually became coeducational in 1967.

 Ashford University

For the 1979–1980 school year, the college received approval for its first four-year degree, a bachelor’s program in business administration. During the same year, Mount St. Clare Academy merged with St. Mary’s High School in Clinton, forming Mater Dei High School (now known as Prince of Peace Preparatory). With the space freed by the academy’s merger, the school began to offer additional four-year programs. In 1997, the sisters moved off campus into their new mother house, The Canticle. In 1998, the Durgin Educational Center was opened, which included new athletic facilities, including Kehl arena.