Sterling College is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

evangelical Christian Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...

college in

Sterling, Kansas Sterling is a city in Rice County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,248. Sterling is home to Sterling College. History For millennia, the land now known as Kansas was inhabited by Native Ame ...

, United States. It enrolled 680 students in 2023 and is

accredited Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

by the

Higher Learning Commission The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa ...

History

The college was founded in 1887 by the Synod of Kansas of the

United Presbyterian Church of North America The United Presbyterian Church of North America (UPCNA) was an American Presbyterian denomination that existed for one hundred years. It was formed on May 26, 1858, by the union of the Northern branch of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church ...

as "Cooper Memorial College". It changed its name to "Sterling" in 1920. When the Presbyterian Church (USA) came into existence in 1958, the newly formed Presbyterian Synod of Kansas considered combining Sterling and the

College of Emporia The College of Emporia was a private college in Emporia, Kansas, from 1882 to 1974, and was associated with the Presbyterian church. When founded, it was one of two higher education institutions in the city of Emporia; the other at that time was ...

Campus

The 1887 Cooper Hall building is a centerpiece of the campus. It was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1974 (NRHP# 74000845). Cooper Hall underwent a large renovation and after being closed, was reopened in 2003. The campus is 40 acres.

Athletics

left, 200px, Sterling athletics wordmark The Sterling athletic teams are called the Warriors. The college is a member of the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for higher education, colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic schola ...

(NAIA), primarily competing in the

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The KCAC is the oldest conference in the NAIA and the second-oldest in the United St ...

(KCAC) since the 1958–1959 academic year; which they were a member on a previous stint from 1902–1903 to December 1928 (of the 1928–1929 school year). They are also a member of the

National Christian College Athletic Association The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) is an association of Christian universities, colleges, and Bible colleges in the United States and Canada whose mission is "the promotion and enhancement of intercollegiate athletic c ...

(NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the Central Region of the Division I level. Sterling competes in 23 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, powerlifting, soccer, swimming, tennis and track & field (indoor and outdoor); while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, powerlifting, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; and co-ed sports include cheerleading.

Notable people

Faculty

* Stephen Carls, taught at Sterling College for twelve years

Alumni

Clarence Gilyard Clarence Darnell Gilyard Jr. (December 24, 1955 – November 28, 2022) was an American actor. He was best known to television audiences for his roles as private investigator Conrad McMasters on the legal drama series '' Matlock ''(1986–95) an ...

, actor * Brett Fairchild, member of the

Kansas House of Representatives The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for craftin ...

* David Hahn, Nebraska politician *

Lorene Harrison Lorene Harrison (1905–2005) was an American educator, singer, choir director, and milliner. In 2009, she was inaugurated into the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame. Early life and education Lorene Cuthbertson was born in 1905 in Sterling, Kansas ...

, musician, educator * Waldo McBurney, centenarian (transferred to K-State after two years) *

Windell Middlebrooks Windell Dwain Middlebrooks, Jr. (January 8, 1979 – March 9, 2015) was an American actor and singer. Most famous as a TV pitchman for Miller High Life beer, Middlebrooks also starred in ''The Suite Life on Deck'' and ''Body of Proof''. Early ...

, actor * Osman Mendez, professional soccer player * Joshua Svaty, Kansas politician

References

External links

*
Athletics website
{{Authority control Universities and colleges established in 1887 Education in Rice County, Kansas Buildings and structures in Rice County, Kansas 1887 establishments in Kansas Council for Christian Colleges and Universities Universities and colleges affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) Private universities and colleges in Kansas