University of the Cumberlands - Heritage and Prestige
The beautiful and quiet town of Williamsburg, Kentucky, neighboring the Cumberland River, Cumberland Falls, and Cumberland Gap, hosts the University of the Cumberlands (UC) with great honor and pride. The new higher education institution concept was discussed initially at the Mount Zion Association by the representatives of 18 eastern Kentucky Baptist churches, and it was inaugurated as Williamsburg Institute on January 7, 1889. The school was to provide quality academic instruction for all students in the Kentucky mountains area, and with the great support from the Baptist churches group and the philanthropic action of John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, the dream slowly became a reality.
In 1913 the institutional board adopted a new name – Cumberlands College – and in 2005 it became University of the Cumberlands. Currently, University of the Cumberlands is known as one of the top private liberal arts colleges in the region.
UC’s real estate spans over 70 acres of beautifully and meticulously landscaped grounds and includes 32 instructional and administrative buildings and two sports complexes. More than 60% of the students live currently in the apartment complex located within the campus. The university grounds have a home-like, pastoral feel, and the atmosphere is inviting and charming.
The four main divisions of the university are: Cumberland College - undergraduate school, Hutton School of Business and Management, Hutton Center for Leadership Studies, and Graduate School - Professional Education. All four divisions are accredited by the CCSACS organization to award Bachelor’s degrees in General Studies, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, and Master’s of Education Degrees and Certificates. The teacher education and certification programs are approved by the Kentucky Department of Education.
University of the Cumberlands’ vision was carried and passed on over time with great dignity, faith and love for education, even through such rough times as the Spanish-American War and World Wars I and II. Disadvantaged students from the Appalachian Mountains areas surrounding Williamsburg have had the great opportunity to learn and enhance their life with the support of an excellent UC faculty and staff and great financial resources.
Come and visit University of the Cumberlands. It will not only be a relaxing and inspiring experience, but will also create memories for a lifetime. Take the time to walk through the campus, talk to the students, exchange impressions with the faculty and staff, and enjoy the “close to God” atmosphere.