Media Credit: Dave Martinez Northwest Christian University President David Wilson hopes the change will enhance the prestige of the school.

A local institution of higher education officially transformed from a college to university Tuesday with a name-changing celebration featuring speeches from the university president and others.

Northwest Christian University President David Wilson said the former Northwest Christian College changed its name as part of an effort to expand the school.

"Even if we didn't change the name, we are doing so many things to enable the university to grow and expand," Wilson said.

Wilson said plans to change the school's name began before he became president in 2004.

Though there is technically no agreed-upon definition of what constitutes a university, Wilson said he and his colleagues feel very strongly that NCU has earned the distinction.

Wilson said that typically a university has several programs at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, which NCU has.

NCU hopes the name change will aid in attracting a greater number of quality and ethnically diverse students to the institution.

"The title 'university' will enhance the prestige of the school," Wilson said. "Especially, it will make a big difference internationally."

The enhanced prestige will enable the school's administration to expand both the programs and the overall student population.

"Our latest goal is to go from 500 (students) to 1,200," Wilson said.

Wilson said an added benefit is that the university title will ensure that the school is not mistaken for a community college.

"The 'CC' in 'NCC' was often misinterpreted as 'community college'," he said.

NCU has undergone several name changes since it was established in 1895 as the Eugene Divinity School. Wilson said that throughout the school's history, a great deal of growth happened parallel to the title changes.

After being founded as the Eugene Divinity School, NCU became the Eugene Bible University, then the Eugene Bible College before changing into Northwest Christian College in 1934.

The school was originally established to teach Christian ministry but has now expanded to include several disciplines, including communication, global studies, history and interdisciplinary studies, according to its Web site.

All courses are taught within a "Christian ethical context," Wilson said.

jhiggins@dailyemerald.com

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