The college was founded by Michigan Presbyterians in 1886. It received funding from lumber magnate Ammi W. Wright, for whom Wright Hall on campus and Wright Avenue in the city of Alma are named.
On October 26, 1886, the Presbyterian Synod of Michigan accepted an offer by Ammi W. Wright of Alma of thirty acres of land, containing two buildings, and a gift of $50,000 from Alexander Folsom of Bay City, for the purpose of establishing Alma College. The Synod had resolved: "We will, with God's help, establish and endow a college within our bounds." A charter was granted by the state of Michigan, April 15, 1887. Classes began September 12, 1887. In the first year there were 95 students and nine faculty members. Here the Presbyterian Church has fostered the pursuit of learning to the glory of God and to the dignity of men.
The college's 14th president, Joseph L. Odenwald, assumed office in June 2025. [7]
Scottish heritage
In 1931, the college hosted a contest to replace their current mascot at the time, the Fighting Presbyterians, and "the Scots"—a nod to the Presbyterian Church's roots in Scotland—was chosen. Since that time, Alma College has embraced its Scottish traditions.[8] While still maintaining a close relationship with the Presbyterian Church, Alma College accepts and welcomes students of all religious backgrounds.
Alma College offers more than 45 undergraduate academic programs, and two graduate programs, leading to Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, Master of Fine Arts and Master of Arts. In addition to the academic majors, numerous concentrations, academic institutes, and special programs are offered, including the Honors Program and the Center for College and Community Engagement. Its most popular majors, in terms of 2024 graduates, were:[10]
Alma has a 4-4-1 academic calendar, with 14-week terms in the fall and winter, and a four-week term in May. Students typically use the latter term, known on-campus as Spring Term, for travel, classes, research and internships.[12]
Alma has had 31 Fulbright scholarship winners in its history. [13] Its Model UN team is considered one of the best in the world; having received at least one “outstanding delegation” recognition at the National Model UN Conference for 28 consecutive years, and a total of 58 “outstanding delegation” awards. [14]
Graduate degrees
Alma College in 2021 launched the first graduate program in its then-134-year history with the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing degree,[15] led by author and educator Sophfronia Scott.[16] In 2023, the college launched a Master of Arts in Special Education with Learning Disabilities Endorsement program.[17]
Campus
Greg Hatcher Learning Commons
Alma College is in a small-town setting, the city of Alma having slightly fewer than 10,000 residents. Its primary academic buildings, built with a red brick motif, are centered around a large square, McIntyre Mall. West of this mall is picturesque Thomas Andison Chapel.[18]
The majority of buildings are located on North Campus, that is, the area north of Superior Street. These include the major dormitory residences, as well as the academic and student life buildings. South Campus is home to suite-style residences ("New Dorms," so named because they were built later in the 1960s than residences in North Campus) as well as the new environmentally friendly apartment-style Wright Hall, inaugurated in 2005 and the second residence of its name, the former being demolished in 1976. South Campus is also home to "Fraternity Row" (Center Street) and "Sorority Row" (Superior Street) as well as several other themed houses. More than half of the buildings on Alma's campus were built under the long tenure (1956–1980) of Robert D. Swanson, after whom the main academic building is named.[citation needed]
The Dow Science Center,[19] renovated in 2018, features the Gerstacker Science and Technology Suite, as well as the Dow Digital Science Center (DDSC). These spaces offer academic student study space, large screen monitors for showing remote projects in real time, dedicated computer work stations, a large conference room designed for distance room and a seminar room. The DDSC sponsors summer camps for elementary, middle and high school students in the area.
The college in 2019 dedicated the Wright Leppien Opera House Block,[20] a historic structure in downtown Alma which had been gutted by a fire almost a decade earlier. "The Opera House," as it is locally known, was historically considered to be the main local venue for numerous theatrical productions, concerts and public lectures.[citation needed] Today, it is used for student housing and special events.
The college in 2023 opened the Greg Hatcher Learning Commons, a $14-million renovation of its preexisting library into a new facility, which serves as both a library and a student union.[21]
In addition to the main campus, the college also owns a 180-acre (0.73km2) ecological research area containing woodlands, a willow marsh, a sphagnum bog, and a glacial kettle lake, with a full research facility and a bird observatory, located in Vestaburg, about 15 miles (24km) west of Alma.[citation needed]
Alma athletics teams are nicknamed the Scots. In December 2021, the college announced the addition of women's wrestling [22] bringing the total number of sports offered up to 12 men's NCAA and 12 women's NCAA, plus co-ed esports and women's bowling, competitive cheer, dance, and STUNT. Alma is a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the oldest college athletic conference in the United States.
The Andrus Family Field House opened in 2025; the 78,080-square-foot facility includes an indoor track and turf field for the purposes of soccer, baseball, softball lacrosse and track and field. [23]
In 1992, Alma's women's basketball team earned the NCAA Division III championship.[citation needed]
In 2006, Alma College quarterback Josh Brehm was named the recipient of the Gagliardi Trophy, the highest individual honor in NCAA Division III football.[24]
In 2022, Alma's dance team won its seventh National Dance Alliance (NDA) Division 3 championship.[25]
In 2023, Alma's football team reached the third round of the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time in its history.[26]
In 2024, Alma's competitive cheer team won a fourth-consecutive National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Division 3 championship.[27]
Jennifer Haase (born 1974), teacher and politician, served in Michigan State House of Representatives
Frank Knox (1874–1944), newspaper editor and publisher; served as Secretary of the Navy and was a one-time Republican Party vice-presidential candidate
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