Carroll University
| File:Carroll-University-Full-Vertical-Logo.png | |
Former name | Carroll College (1846–2008) |
|---|---|
| Motto | Christo et Litteris |
Motto in English | For Christ and Learning |
| Type | Private university |
| Established | January 31, 1846 |
Religious affiliation | Presbyterian Church (USA) |
| Endowment | $73.6 million (2020)[1] |
| President | Cindy Gnadinger |
| Provost | Mark Blegen |
Academic staff | 136 full-time, 269 part-time |
Administrative staff | 96 |
| Students | 3,283 (Fall 2022)[2] |
| Undergraduates | 2,771 (Fall 2022) |
| Postgraduates | 512 (Fall 2022) |
| Location | , , United States 43°0′13″N 88°13′40″W / 43.00361°N 88.22778°W |
| Colors | Orange & white |
| Nickname | Pioneers |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division III – CCIW |
| Mascot | Pio Pete |
| Website | carrollu |
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Carroll University is a private university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and located in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Established in 1846, Carroll was Wisconsin's first four-year institution of higher learning.
History
Prior to its establishment, what is now Carroll University was Prairieville Academy which was founded in 1841. Its charter—named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence—was passed into law by the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature on January 31, 1846.[3] During the 1860s, the American Civil War and financial difficulty caused Carroll to temporarily suspend operations.
The board of trustees voted unanimously to change the institution's name from Carroll College to Carroll University effective July 1, 2008.
Presidents
- John Adams Savage: 1850-63
- Rensellaer B. Hammond: 1863-64
- Walter L. Rankin: 1866-71*, 1893-1903
- Wilbur Oscar Carrier: 1903-17
- Herbert Pierpoint Houghton: 1918-20
- William Arthur Ganfield: 1921-39
- Gerrit T. Vander Lugt: 1940-46
- Nelson Vance Russell: 1946-51
- Robert D. Steele: 1952-67
- John T. Middaugh: 1967-70
- Robert V. Cramer: 1971-88
- Dan C. West: 1988-92
- Frank S. Falcone: 1993-2006
- Douglas N. Hastad: 2006-2017
- Cindy Gnadinger: 2017-
* Between July 31, 1871, and June 22, 1893, no college work was carried on. While the charter retained the college privileges, teaching was on the academy level. College work was resumed and the office of the presidency was filled again in 1893.
Academics
Carroll University offers more than 95 areas of study at the undergraduate level, with master's degrees and certificates in selected subjects, as well as one clinical doctorate program in physical therapy. Its most popular undergraduate majors, based on number, out of 580 graduates in 2022, were:[4]
- Exercise Science and Kinesiology (105)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (100)
- Psychology (37)
- Biology/Biological Sciences (36)
- Business Administration and Management (33)
- Elementary Education and Teaching (31)
Campus

The campus is home to a variety of nineteenth and early twentieth century historical buildings, including Sneeden House (a 1922 colonial home now used as a guesthouse and conference center) and MacAllister Hall (a renovated, 19th-century mansion that now houses offices for the CFO, English, modern language, computational and physical sciences, chemistry, and the Division of Arts and Sciences).[5]
Traditions
Bagpipes
Since the 1960s, bagpipes have been a part of Carroll's opening convocation and commencement ceremony. Freshmen are escorted to their first assembly by a lone bagpiper, and upon graduation are led to commencement by a band of bagpipers.[6]
Athletics

Carroll athletic teams are the Pioneers. The university is a member of the Division III level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) since the 2016–17 academic year; which they were a member on a previous stint from 1955–56 to 1992–93.
Carroll competes in 23 intercollegiate varsity sports. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis and track & field (indoor and outdoor); while women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.
Football
The college football program at Carroll began in the late 1890s. Past head coaches include Glenn Thistlethwaite, Vince DiFrancesca, and Matty Bell. The current coach is Mike Budziszewski, who replaced Mark Krzykowski after the 2019 season.[7]
Rankings
Carroll University ranked No. 31 in Regional Universities Midwest in U.S. News & World Report 2022 America's Best Colleges.[8]
In 2018, Forbes ranked Carroll No. 594 among 650 colleges in the United States.[9]
In 2018, Money Magazine ranked Carroll No. 613 among 727 colleges in the United States.
Notable faculty
- Cardon V. Burnham, composer
- Edward Daniels, abolitionist & U.S. Civil War cavalry officer
- Jeffrey Douma, current Yale University music professor and choir director
- Edward Payson Evans, historian & linguist
- Tamara Grigsby, Wisconsin State Representative
- Philip Krejcarek, art historian and photographer
- Ray Wendland, petrochemist
- Viola S. Wendt, poet
Notable alumni
- John M. Alberts, Wisconsin State Representative
- Walt Ambrose, NFL player
- Norris Armstrong, played professional football for the Milwaukee Badgers in 1922
- John Ball, author, In the Heat of the Night
- Herb Bizer, NFL player
- James Bonk, chemistry professor, Duke University (B.S. 1953)
- John W. Breen, NFL player-personnel manager
- Steven Burd, chairman, president and CEO of Safeway Inc.[10]
- James P. Daley, U.S. National Guard general
- Moxie Dalton, NFL player
- David L. Dancey, Wisconsin State Representative and jurist
- Cushman Kellogg Davis, U.S. Senator from Minnesota
- Lyle E. Douglass, Wisconsin State Representative
- William Edwards, Wisconsin State Senator
- Paul Farrow, Wisconsin State Senator
- Howard Fuller, activist
- Karl George, NFL player
- Donald Goerke, inventor of SpaghettiOs
- Rudy Gollomb, played professional football for the Philadelphia Eagles
- William Henry Hardy, Wisconsin State Representative
- Bill Hempel, NFL player
- Kirk Hershey, NFL player
- Frank Hertz, played professional football for the Milwaukee Badgers in 1926
- Manville S. Hodgson, Wisconsin State State Representative
- Justin Jacobs, 2014 PECASE winner
- Phil H. Jones, Wisconsin State Representative
- Theodore S. Jones, Wisconsin State Representative
- Daniel Kelly, attorney and former justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
- Mel Lawrenz, author, speaker and former senior pastor of Elmbrook Church
- Wally Lemm, NFL head coach
- Alfred Lunt, actor
- Fred MacMurray, actor (did not graduate)
- Vincent R. Mathews, Wisconsin State Representative
- James A. McKenzie, Wisconsin State Representative
- Dennis Morgan, actor
- Earl D. Morton, Wisconsin State Representative
- Adam Neylon, Wisconsin State Representative
- Lucius W. Nieman, founder of the Milwaukee Journal
- David W. Opitz, Wisconsin State Senator
- Maybelle Maud Park, physician, Wisconsin state official
- Janet Parshall, radio talk show host
- Ivan Quinn, NFL player
- Antonio R. Riley, Midwest Regional Administrator of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Henry C. Schadeberg, U.S. Representative
- William C. R. Sheridan, Episcopal Bishop of northern Indiana
- Ed Sparr, NFL player in the 1920s
- Harper Starling (Amanda Hoffman) recording artist
- Gregg Steinhafel, Target Corporation, president and chairman of the board
- Douglas C. Steltz, Wisconsin State Representative
- Gil Sterr, NFL player in the 1920s
- Eric Szmanda, actor CSI
- Claude Taugher, professional football player for the Green Bay Packers in 1926
- Vernon W. Thomson, former Wisconsin governor and U.S. Representative[11]
- Buff Wagner, played for the Green Bay Packers in 1921
- David W. Winn, U.S. Air Force general
- William A. Wojnar, classical organist
- Matt Christman, co-host of Chapo Trap House
- Riley Fay, television actor for Hearst Communications
- Bill Irwin (wrestler), Wrestler, Son of James Irwin of Hinton, West Virginia and President of Carroll College Physical Plant (1997-2002)
References
- ^ As of June 30, 2020. U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 (Report). National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA. February 19, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ "Carroll University". Retrieved August 9, 2023.
- ^ "Carroll College". Wisconsin Historical Society. 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
- ^ "Carroll University". nces.ed.gov/college navigator. U.S. Dept of Education. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
- ^ "MacAllister: A History of Haunts"
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "Football Coaches". Carroll University Athletics. Retrieved 2022-02-24.
- ^ "Regional University Rankings". U.S. News & World Report.
- ^ "America's Top Colleges Ranking 2015: Carroll University". Forbes, July 29, 2015.
- ^ "Global Conference 2008 – Steven Burd » Milken Institute". milkeninstitute.org. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- ^ "Wisconsin Governor Vernon W. Thomson". National Governors Association. National Governor's Association. 2004. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011.
External links
- Carroll University
- Waukesha, Wisconsin
- Liberal arts colleges in Wisconsin
- Educational institutions established in 1846
- Private universities and colleges in Wisconsin
- Universities and colleges affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Buildings and structures in Waukesha County, Wisconsin
- Education in Waukesha County, Wisconsin
- 1846 establishments in Wisconsin Territory
