Mission and History
Our mission is simple yet powerful: Aurora University is an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning.
Responsive Institution
Throughout its history, AU has transformed itself when necessary to meet the needs and desires of its students and community. While initially founded in 1893 in Mendota, IL, as Mendota Seminary to train ministers and lay workers of the Advent Christian Church, the institution soon took on a broader mission and changed its name to Mendota College. By 1911, it had outgrown its facilities and looked to move closer to Chicago. Land was donated on the western edge of nearby Aurora. In spring 1912, classes then started at what became Aurora College.
Innovative Offerings
World War II veterans flocked to the campus to enroll in the college’s innovative evening degree program. Over the years, the institution continued to expand its curriculum and to award advanced degrees in various disciplines. In 1985, the name Aurora University was adopted to more accurately reflect the magnitude of the institution’s offerings.
George Williams College
In 1992, Aurora University and George Williams College, originally established in 1886 as a summer training institute for the YMCA movement, entered into an affiliation agreement. That agreement paved the way for the schools to merge in 2000.
While each institution is distinctive, both share a common mission: to transform students’ lives through the power of learning.
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