Union College Changes Name

Union College will become Union Adventist University as of May 2024 after a vote by the institution's Board of Trustees on October 2, 2023. 

Union is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and has a rich culture of faith-based values aligned with the church’s mission to serve the world.

Union was founded in 1891 and is located in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Atlantic Union College Closing

Two Massachusetts newspapers reported earlier today that Atlantic Union College in Lancaster, MA will close.  Atlantic Union had previously closed in spring 2011 before reopening again for the fall semester 2015.  It was unable to regain accreditation or provide a stable stream of revenue.  The Fitchburg, MA Sentinel and Enterprise published reporting by Peter Jasinski, "Atlantic Union College announces it is closing after 140 years of operation."

"Atlantic Union College in Lancaster will close," appeared in the Worchester, MA Telegram and Gazette with reporting by Scott O'Connell.

Atlantic Union, affiliated with Seventh-day Adventists, was initially founded as the South Lancaster Academy in 1882.  It became Lancaster Junior College in 1918 and the name changed to Atlantic Union College in 1922. 

Two previous College History Garden posts can also be found: 

• Atlantic Union College (MA) from January 25, 2012
• Atlantic Union College Returns from June 30, 2015

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, mergers,and acquisitions access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page.  There are separate tabs for non-profit closures, for-profit closures, and one for mergers and acquisitions.  Each tab includes basic information for the institutions, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

Kettering College Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Kettering College is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1967 as Kettering College of Medical Arts.  The institution is located in Kettering, OH, a suburb of Dayton, and enrolls roughly 800 students.  Kettering is owned by the Kettering Medical Center and is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.  Academic programs include associate of science degrees, bachelor degrees, a Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Studies, and an Occupational Therapy Doctorate.

Atlantic Union College Returns

Frank Mazzaglia reports on the rebirth of Atlantic Union College (AUC) in Lancaster, MA this fall. The Adventists Atlantic Union Conference and other supporters of the institution have worked diligently to reopen the institution after classes were suspended in 2011.

The South Lancaster Academy was founded in 1882.  It became Lancaster Junior College in 1918 and Atlantic Union College in 1922.  The AUC website includes a timeline of key dates and a list of presidents.

Canadian University College Approves Name Change to Burman University

The Canadian University College Board of Trustees approved a new name for the institution, Burman University to take effect May 1, 2015.  The name honors Charles A. and Leona Burman who founded the institution in 1907.  Alberta's provincial government had previously approved a change to university status in July 2014.  The institution is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventists.

Five Alberta Institutions Gain University Status

Elise Stolte of the Edmonton Journal reports that five Alberta institutions received permission to call themselves universities.

Institution	Affiliation	Notes
Ambrose University Calgary, Alberta, Canada	Church of the Nazarene	Founded as Calgary Bible Institute in 1921
Canadian University Lacombe, Alberta, Canada	Seventh Day Adventist	Founded in 1907
Concordia University Edmonton, Alberta, Canada	Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod	Founded in 1921
Kings University Edmonton, Alberta, Canada	Christian	Founded in 1979
St. Mary’s University Calgary, Alberta, Canada	Catholic	Founded in 1986

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Atlantic Union College (MA)

Livia Gershon reports in the Worcester Business Journal that supporters of Atlantic Union College are planning to reopen the institution.  Atlantic Union was a Seventh-day Adventist college in South Lancaster, MA. Its final year operating as an independent institution was the 2010-2011.  Gershon covers the unsuccessful merger discussions with Washington Adventist University.


The institution opened in 1882 as a preparatory school and was known as South Lancaster Academy the following year.  It was renamed Lancaster Junior College in 1918 and assumed the name of Atlantic Union College in 1922.  More details are available in a Wikipedia article.