Mission & History
Timeline
Northwest Nazarene University Timeline
Journey through the history of NNU as we trace our milestones and moments that have defined us over the years. From our humble beginnings to our current impact, this timeline reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and growth. Join us in celebrating our remarkable legacy, and stay tuned for what the future holds.
Classes began September 13, 1913 in the Mennonite church on the corner of 13th Avenue and 8th Street in Nampa, Idaho. It was called the Idaho Holiness School, later to be named Northwest Nazarene College.
The groundbreaking for the first building on what was to become the NNU campus took place in 1915.
H. Orton Wiley became the first president of NNC in 1916. John C. Riley characterized him as “a scholar, a writer, a preacher, a teacher, and an administrator with a touch that both fitted his time and gave the college its character.”
The Spanish influenza invaded the NNC campus in the fall of 1918, leading to the quarantine of campus and forcing the closing of the college for several weeks. It was during this time that the NNC motto “Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God,” was selected by then-president, H. Orton Wiley.
The administration building was restructured in the summer of 1931. A second story and auditorium were added. Some of the work was done by students, including the manufacturing of over 100,000 bricks.
The Northwest Association of Secondary and Higher Schools voted full accreditation to NNC as a four-year institution on April 7, 1937.
On the day that the United States declared war on Japan, President DeLong expressed confidence in the leadership of President Roosevelt and reminded the student body that staying in college would prepare them for leadership after the war.
The Civil Aeronautics Authority established a Ground School at NNC in 1942 and offered studies in aviation for noncombat pilots.
Alumnus Byron Lee, army chaplain, died by enemy fire in the Korean War in 1950. Professor Sutherland wrote: “we cannot know the full story of the comfort and help his presence there may have brought to the boys facing the agonizing situation of the battle line.” The NNC athletic complex was later dedicated in his memory.
The National Science Foundation granted NNC $37,000 to develop the mass spectrometer in 1961.
Oxford Hall was renamed Sutherland Hall in 1978 in remembrance of Francis Sutherland.
NNC’s social work program received full accreditation by the Council on Social Work in 1979 through the effort of Professor Ben Sherrill, head of the department. NNC was the first liberal arts college in the Northwest to have an accredited program.
Jeff Hanway became the first NNC student to receive the honor of academic All-American in 1982. He was a premed student and soccer goalie with a 4.0 GPA.
Rick Hieb (77) became one of 120 chosen for consideration by NASA in 1985. After the elimination process he became one of 13 astronauts to fly in space.
Kurtz Park was annexed in 1992 as the result of a seven-year process. President Gordon Wetmore (1983-1992) said “The planning included building partnership with the city of Nampa, the Nampa school system and Mercy Medical Center. As a result NNC is being recognized as a force for community development.”
Dr. Gayman Bennett was inducted in to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. His poem “The Young Southpaw Delivers” is on display next to his photograph in the hall.
The prayer chapel and garden were constructed in 1996 through the donations of Mr. Ralph Little.
The Lady Crusaders were crowned the NAIA Women’s Division II National Champions in 1997. Coach Roger Schmidt was named national Coach of the Year.
Northwest Nazarene College became Northwest Nazarene University September 1, 1999.
NNU was among the first universities in Idaho to go wireless in 2001.
The Northwest Nazarene University Centennial Celebration begins in the Fall of 2012 and culminates in the Fall of 2013. NNU starts its second century with the continued mission to instill habits of heart, soul, mind and strength to enable each student to become God’s creative and redemptive agent in the world.
Adding onto the John E. Riley Library, the Leah Peterson Learning Commons construction is completed. The new 57,000-square-foot facility is dedicated to assisting students as they learn and educators as they teach.
Howard and Mary Conrad, long time supporters of NNU, make a transformational gift to the university that exceeds $18 million dollars.
Following a one year term as interim president, Joel Pearsall accepts a four-year term as president in March 2016.
On October 16, 2017, NNU unveiled its new mascot the “Nighthawks,” officially retiring the “Crusader.”
Idaho’s first satellite, MakerSat-0, is scheduled to launch into space aboard a Delta II rocket at 2:47 a.m. MST Tuesday, Nov. 14, from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
A team of engineering students created a lawn care robot designed to navigate and mow autonomously. It became known as the “Roomba for lawns.”
In February, NNU installed a new soccer turf, FieldTurf CORE 2.0, a top of the line surface that is similarly used at Gillette Stadium where the New England Patriots and New England Revolution play.
Howard and Mary Conrad Student Commons Dedicated. November 8, 2019
On March 14, the NNU campus was closed and students transitioned to online-learning as the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading in the U.S. Students completed their 2020 spring semester remotely.
After the successful launch of a Th.D. in Practical Theology in the Spanish language in 2023, NNU will launch a new English Th.D. in Practical Theology in the summer of 2024. NNU is the first institution of the Church of the Nazarene in the United States or Canada to offer Th.D. and Ph.D. in theology degrees.
NNU successfully completed its seven-year evaluation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), resulting in the reaffirmation of its accreditation in January 2024.