Macalester College

Macalester College is a private liberal arts college located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Founded in 1874, it is an undergraduate institution that emphasizes broad-based study in the arts and sciences. Macalester is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church historically but operates as a secular college welcoming students of all backgrounds. The college is known for its focus on internationalism, civic engagement, and interdisciplinary learning, supported by its urban campus in the Twin Cities. Students are often drawn to Macalester College for its small class sizes, close faculty interaction, and strong programs in fields such as political science, international studies, economics, and the natural sciences.

Macalester College was founded in 1874 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, by Presbyterian minister Edward Duffield Neill. Neill, who had previously helped establish the University of Minnesota and served as the state’s first superintendent of public education, envisioned a college rooted in Christian values and open to students of different faiths. Originally associated with Baldwin School, the institution was renamed Macalester College after a major donation from Philadelphia philanthropist Charles Macalester, which helped secure its early future. In its early decades, Macalester College expanded its academic offerings and developed a traditional liberal arts curriculum. During the twentieth century, the college strengthened its commitment to academic rigor and broadened access to a more diverse student body. By the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, Macalester College had become known for its emphasis on internationalism, civic engagement, and undergraduate research in the Twin Cities region.