Bacone College

Bacone College is Oklahoma's oldest continuing center of higher education and began in 1880. With the help of the American Baptist Home Mission Society, Professor Almon C. Bacone, a missionary teacher, started a school in the Cherokee Baptist Mission at Tahlequah, Indian Territory. The only faculty member, Professor Bacone, enrolled three students and began his work. By the end of the first semester, the student body had quadrupled; by the end of the first year, student population was fifty-six and the faculty numbered three.

Seeing the need to expand, an appeal was made to the Creek Tribal Council for 160 acres of land in Muskogee, the "Indian Capital of the World." The land was granted, and in 1885 Indian University was moved to its present site. In 1910, it was renamed Bacone Indian University after its founder and first president and was later changed to Bacone College.

Classes from first grade through four years of College met in Rockefeller Hall, a three-story building made possible by a $10,000 contribution from John D. Rockefeller. "Old Rock," as it came to be called, served as classroom, dormitory, dining hall, chapel, teacher quarters and administration building. It was razed in 1938 and Memorial Chapel was built in its place.

Professor Bacone dreamed of a school, based on Christian principles, for the education of American Indians. The college has retained its Christian heritage, but is not reserved strictly for American Indians. Its Mission Statement calls for meeting the "needs of American Indians in a multicultural setting." All students, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or religion are welcomed and encouraged to attend Bacone College. Throughout its history, the College has attracted Indian and non-Indian students. Bacone attempts to prepare students to function in the mainstream of society, without losing their culture and heritage.

The College has never lost its concern for the individual student. Learning is seen as a way of life that encourages flexibility, breadth of perspective, and respect for the contributions made to the quality of human existence by those of all ages and races. As the student body has grown and the needs of society have become more complex, the curriculum has changed to meet the needs of the students.

Bacone College accepts students with learning and physical disabilities and provides reasonable accommodation to help them be successful. Depending on the nature of the disability, some students may need to take a lighter course load and may need more than four years to graduate. Students needing accommodation should apply as early as possible, usually the semester before they plan to attend classes. Immediately after admittance, students need to identify and document the nature of their disabilities. It is the responsibility of the student to provide the College with appropriate materials documenting the learning and/or physical disability.

Today the College offers an opportunity for reflection upon how we, of all races and ethnic backgrounds, can live, study, work and worship together in order to strive not only for a meaningful educational experience, but for a society committed to Christian values and principles.

Bacone College, an independent institution related to the American Baptist Churches, USA, maintains its commitment to serving American Indians within a culturally diverse community. The college, through its baccalaureate and associate degree programs, challenges students to develop intellectual and social skills, spiritual values and healthy lifestyles by providing quality education in a nurturing Christian environment.

Bacone College is committed to providing academic programs that excel in equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in the 21st century. With one of the most diverse student populations in the United States, Bacone provides a learning/living community dedicated to celebrating and serving its cultural diversity and preparing students to successfully live and work in an ever-increasing global community and market place.

The Admissions Office is dedicated to serving those with the desire to attend school at Bacone College. The Admissions Team is always eager to take prospective students on campus tours, discuss admissions eligibility, various programs on campus, and the various aspects of Bacone College and its heritage. We are located in the Welcome Center located on the northeast corner of Shawnee Bypass and York St. We hope to show you what being a Bacone College Warrior is all about.

The staff of the Office of Student Life, located in the new Student Center on the corner of York St. and Shawnee Bypass, anticipates your arrival on campus. We hope that your educational experience at Bacone will be filled with new friends, broadened horizons, spiritual awakening and new growth. The most important goal is to see you succeed as a college student. The Office of Student Life seeks to create an environment that will help you adjust to this new chapter in your life. As you face new challenges, we aim to assist and encourage you as you pursue your academic goals and dreams. You will have opportunities for personal growth and new perspective towards yourself and others.