William Woods University, also nestled in the modest town of Fulton, Missouri, began with a mission as radical as it was practical: to educate deaf women at a time when many thought they had no place in higher education at all. It has since evolved—coeducational, expansive, and diverse—but its roots remain deep in advocacy, inclusion, and a quiet defiance of societal limitations.
If Westminster gave us the Iron Curtain, then William Woods gave us a window: into how education can reshape lives on the margins.
Founded in 1870 as the Female Orphan School, William Woods had a singular focus: to provide educational opportunities for deaf girls orphaned by the Civil War. Sponsored by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the school was both charitable and reformist—a reflection of postbellum values that blended moral obligation with educational ambition.
In 1890, the school was renamed William Woods College, in honor of a generous benefactor whose endowment ensured the institution’s survival. From then on, it operated as a women’s college, emphasizing liberal arts, teacher training, and later business and professional preparation.
By the early 20th century, William Woods was offering degrees and operating with the dignity and determination of larger women's colleges like Mount Holyoke or Wellesley—just in the middle of Missouri.
The 20th century saw William Woods College navigate all the pressures familiar to small liberal arts schools: fluctuating enrollment, financial stress, changing gender norms, and wars that drained the campuses of students and faculty. But it persisted.
In 1993, William Woods officially became William Woods University, reflecting a growing graduate program and a broader academic mission. It had begun admitting men in its graduate programs even earlier, and by 1997, the undergraduate programs were also coeducational.
And yet, it never lost its focus on access. The university has remained a leader in education for the deaf and hard of hearing, even after its shift to coeducation and broader curricula. That legacy still echoes in its American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting program, one of the most respected in the country.
What surprises many is that William Woods is one of the few universities in the U.S. to offer a comprehensive equestrian program. Horses are everywhere—riding rings, stables, even degree programs in equine administration and equine-assisted therapy. In Fulton, horses and higher learning are oddly natural companions.
So too are hands: William Woods is known for its American Sign Language interpreting, social work, and education programs. It serves rural students, first-generation college-goers, and working professionals with online and evening courses—a 21st-century commitment to inclusion that echoes its 19th-century origins.
It’s impossible to speak of William Woods without mentioning the towering historical presence of Churchill’s speech at Westminster, just across town. But while one school drew the world’s attention for a single day, the other has spent more than 150 years building a legacy of quiet impact.
If Westminster's claim to fame is a British statesman and the Cold War, then William Woods’ pride lies in every deaf girl who found her voice, every young woman who seized an education once denied her, and every rider, teacher, counselor, or interpreter who left prepared to serve others.
I'm proud to be a William Woods alumni 3 times over.
Class of 2018, M.Ed.
Class of 2020, Ed.S.
Class of 2025, Ed.D.