Guilford College Colleges That Change Lives

Guilford College, founded in 1837, is a small liberal arts college located in Greensboro, North Carolina. The college was originally named New Garden Boarding School and was established by Quakers as a place where young men could receive an education grounded in Christian values. Today, Guilford College is a small liberal arts institution that strives to integrate academics with community service through its nationally recognized LEEP program (Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom). Guilford’s motto is “live, learn and lead”

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Guilford College is a private liberal arts college located in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. Guilford College is a Quaker-founded institution affiliated with the Friends General Conference and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

The school has an undergraduate enrollment of 1,850 students: 86% are traditional full-time students (undergraduate) and 14% are nontraditional part time students (graduate or adult).

Our predecessors were thinkers and doers, who built an institution that’s not only survived for more than 170 years but that has gained a reputation as a college of national distinction. They were guided by principles—from the Quaker testimony of peace to the tenets of free inquiry and the celebration of diversity—and these principles have endured. We have remained consistent in our commitment to liberal learning, strong academics, active citizenship and global engagement.

Guilford College was founded in 1837. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, it is a liberal arts college with a Quaker heritage.

The school has a student population of about 1,400 students who come from all 50 states and more than 50 countries around the world. Guilford College is affiliated with the Friends United Meeting (FUM), a network of Quaker colleges and universities across North America that share similar values like social justice, peace education and sustainability. In fact, every student at Guilford participates in some type of community service during their time on campus because our founders felt strongly about working to make their world better through action rather than just words alone!

On July 8, 1837, at a meeting of the Friends’ general committee on education, Isaac Davis Guilford offered to donate $10,000 on behalf of himself and his wife Ruth for the founding of a boarding school for boys and girls.

As a Quaker, Isaac Davis Guilford believed that education should be available to all students. Guilford was committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all students, regardless of race or creed. He maintained this belief even after his death in 1892—in fact, it was one of the reasons why he left such a large endowment for the school.

Guilford College is open to people of all backgrounds and beliefs who share its core values of free inquiry and celebration of diversity. The college’s mission statement reads: “Guilford College is an undergraduate liberal arts institution that fosters learning through community engagement while promoting academic excellence within an inclusive campus community where students from diverse social backgrounds can thrive as scholars and citizens.”

In 1838 the North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Quaker) chartered New Garden Boarding School with Isaac Davis Guilford serving as first chairman of its board. The school began admitting students in 1839.

Guilford College was founded in 1837, not 1838. It was founded by Isaac Davis Guilford, not the North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Quaker). The school began admitting students in 1839.

New Garden provided a classical education grounded in Christian values. Religious instruction was given daily. Students were required to attend morning and evening worship services. At first, the school only admitted boys; girls began attending in 1844 after Quaker women convinced the committee to admit them.

New Garden provided a classical education grounded in Christian values. Religious instruction was given daily. Students were required to attend morning and evening worship services. At first, the school only admitted boys; girls began attending in 1844 after Quaker women convinced the committee to admit them.

In 1856, an orphanage was built on campus for children whose parents had died during the American Civil War or who had been left destitute by economic hardship. The orphanage closed in 1912 when its last resident moved away from Greensboro and it became an unoccupied dormitory building used by New Garden Hall students until it burned down in 1927.

To reflect its primary role as an educational institution rather than a religious one, the New Garden Boarding School changed its name to Guilford College in 1888 (the same year it established a permanent endowment).

More than a century later, Guilford College remains true to this mission, balancing the academic pursuits of its students with opportunities for self-discovery and personal development. As such, it is not surprising that Guilford’s students are consistently ranked among the happiest in the country.

In addition to being an exceptional academic institution, Guilford College also offers an array of other exciting extracurricular activities:

• The School for International Training offers courses in topics ranging from conflict resolution to human rights;
• The Center for Peace and Justice Education hosts lectures by Nobel laureates and other distinguished activists;

Guilford College is a private liberal arts college located in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was founded in 1837 as New Garden Boarding School, which was renamed Guilford College in 1888. It is affiliated with the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Guilford College ranks #31 for best liberal arts colleges and #4 for best values schools in the South according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 Best Colleges rankings