University of the Ozarks

University of the Ozarks is a private, Presbyterian-affiliated liberal arts university located in Clarksville, Arkansas. Established in 1834, it traces its origins to Cane Hill School and is recognized as the oldest university in Arkansas. The institution offers undergraduate programs in the arts, sciences, business, and professional studies within a small-campus environment. With an enrollment of under 1,000 students, it emphasizes close faculty-student interaction and a residential college experience. The university has historic ties to the Cumberland Presbyterian tradition and later the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Students are often drawn to its small class sizes, faith-based heritage, and location in the Arkansas River Valley.

University of the Ozarks was founded in 1834 as Cane Hill School in Cane Hill, Arkansas, by Cumberland Presbyterians, making it the oldest university in Arkansas. The institution evolved into Cane Hill College in the mid-nineteenth century and became one of the first coeducational colleges in the state when women were admitted in 1875. After the Civil War and a campus fire, the college relocated to Clarksville in 1891 as Arkansas Cumberland College. In 1920 it was renamed College of the Ozarks, reflecting its regional identity. During World War II, the campus was used by the U.S. Navy for training programs before returning to traditional academic operations. In 1987, the institution adopted its current name, University of the Ozarks. Today, University of the Ozarks continues its liberal arts mission in Clarksville while maintaining its Presbyterian heritage.