About us

Valparaiso University (Valpo) is a private university in Valparaiso, Indiana. It is an independent Lutheran university with five undergraduate colleges and a graduate school, home to about 2,700 students on a campus of 350 acres (140 ha).

In 1859, citizens of Valparaiso were so supportive of the placement of the college that they raised $11,000 to encourage the Methodist Church to locate there. The school opened on September 21, 1859, to 75 students, and was one of the first coeducational colleges in the nation. Students paid tuition expenses of $8 per term (three terms per year), plus nearby room and board costs of approximately $2 per week. Instruction at the college actually began with young children, and most of the students were in elementary and grade levels. Courses at the collegiate level included math, literature, history, sciences, and philosophy. Courses stressing the Christian faith included "moral philosophy" and "moral science." During the Civil War, most of the men (both students and administrative members) enrolled in the army. Further difficulties arose In 1867, when Indiana passed a bill that provided state support for public education, adding competition for students. Moreover, the Methodists’ broad statewide efforts toward higher education meant none of their schools were self-sustaining. The combination of factors proved too much to overcome for the Male and Female College, and the school closed in 1871.