Graceland University

Graceland University is a private liberal arts university of about 2300 students and 150 faculty. Graceland has campuses inLamoni, Iowa and Independence, Missouri, in the United States. Graceland offers degree completion and master’s programs at satellite campuses in Centerville and Cedar Rapids (Iowa) and Trenton (Missouri). Graceland also offers undergraduate and graduate programs online. Graceland was founded in 1895. Though non-sectarian, Graceland was established by, and is affiliated with, the Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church).

Graceland's main campus is in Lamoni, Iowa. This residential campus offers over 50 academic programs, including 9-preprofessional programs and 35 undergraduate majors. The Lamoni campus also offers 19 varsity sports, campus-wide activities and intramural sports.

The Independence campus offers graduate and undergraduate programs in the School of Nursing and the Edmund J. Gleazer School of Education. The campus is also home to programs in the Community of Christ Seminary.

Graceland University was established as Graceland College in 1895 by the RLDS Church in Lamoni, Iowa. Land for the college was donated by church members, with the first 20 acres given by Marietta Walker. The name "Graceland" was selected by Col. George Barrett, land surveyor for the college, for the graceful slope of the hill upon which the college was built. Until the administration building was completed, classes were conducted in a building in downtown Lamoni. The first day of classes was September 17, 1895.

In 1917, Graceland received accreditation from the states of Iowa and Missouri and from the North Central Association of Colleges, making it the first fully accredited junior college in Iowa. Graceland became a four-year college in 1960. Graceland's nursing program began in 1910 as a cooperative program with the Independence Sanitarium and Hospital, Independence, MO. The Graceland campus was extended to Independence with the establishment of the college's bachelor's degree program in 1968-69.

The Graceland Partnership Program, offering degree-completion programs on community college campuses, was established in 1989. In 1995, Graceland acquired SkillPath, a business training company that offers seminars and classes. Graceland College became Graceland University on June 1, 2000.

Graceland has been ranked ‘first tier’ in the U.S. News & World Report’s America’s “Best Colleges” in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Graceland falls in the “Private University” category, “Midwest Region.” In 2012, Graceland was ranked 91 and in the 2013 report Graceland has been ranked 88. The report standings cite Graceland’s small class sizes, with 72 percent of classes containing 20 or fewer students, financial aid services, and the university’s “selective” admissions process in its rankings. Graceland has also been recognized by the Princeton Review as a top school in the Midwest.Graceland is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The teacher education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and have full approval status with the Iowa Board of Nursing and the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

The School of Nursing is one of Graceland’s most popular programs. The School of Nursing offers classes on the Independence Campus and online. In the undergraduate Nursing program (Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to Registered Nurse,) students complete four semesters of general education classes on the Lamoni campus, then transfer to the Independence campus to complete their final four semesters. An accelerated Nursing program is available that allows students to graduate is seven semesters.

The School of Nursing’s online programs include both graduate and undergraduate degrees: BA in Health Care Management, RN to BSN, RN to MSN, Master of Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner Post Master MSN certificate, Nurse Educator Post Master MSN certificate and a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

The Graceland School of Nursing has been ranked by thebestschools.org as one of the Top 25 Schools for Online Nursing Degrees.

Instead of having fraternities and sororities like many universities, Graceland has residential social organizations called "Houses." These Houses are present on Graceland’s main campus; however, the Independence campus does have its own House, McKevit Manor. Students are assigned to a House regardless whether they live on or off campus. Graceland has six men’s Houses: Agape, Cheville, Closson, Faunce, Orion, and Stewart Manor. Graceland has nine female Houses: Amici, Aponivi, Dimora, Hanthorne, Khiyah, Paloma, Sariah, Shalom, and Solah.

Each House has officers who serve on Graceland’s Student Government. The officers form a “House Council,” including a House President (who leads the House Council), a Campus Organization of Social Activities (COSA) representative, an Academic Student Council (ASC) representative, a senator, an intramural sports representative and a chaplain. Members of the House Council are elected to their positions by members of their House. In addition to their Student Government duties, House Council members plan social activities called “functions.” These functions vary by House and range from formal dinners to campouts.

Houses hold meetings every Tuesday at 10 p.m. Meetings are led by the House President and House Council and vary widely from House to House.