Calvary University is a result of a merger in 1961 between two small Bible colleges—Kansas City Bible College and Midwest Bible College in St. Louis. The two schools moved to a campus in the Kansas City suburban community of Prairie Village, Kansas, and became Calvary Bible College. A second merger took place in 1987 when Citadel Bible College of Ozark, Arkansas, joined Calvary. In 1966, Calvary moved to 1111 West 39th Street in Kansas City, where it remained until 1980. It then moved to its current campus at the former Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base. James L. Clark became President in 2009. In 2012, the campus expanded across the street to 13 acres vacated by the US Marines and awarded to the school by the US Department of Education, which included a move-in ready dorm and three other buildings for new offices, classrooms, and space for chapel. Clark retired in 2016 and Christopher Cone was named president. In mid-2016, Calvary rebranded as Calvary University. On March 11, 2020, Calvary released a fundraising plea disclosing that the school did not have sufficient funds to pay upcoming bills over the following summer, even after significant budget cuts, including reducing the number of staff and faculty by 15%. President Cone departed from Calvary in May 2020.
Academics
Calvary is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and professionally accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education. Calvary offers over 60 degrees and through both traditional and online education. Undergraduate degrees are available in theology, education, business administration, biblical counseling, music, English, theatre arts, and other professional degrees. Calvary's graduate school provides degrees in organizational development, education, worship arts, Bible and theology, and biblical counseling.
Campus
The Calvary campus is located in Kansas City, Missouri. Calvary's residence hall offers accommodations to on-campus students, and Philadelphia Hall offers housing to married students. Administration and Admissions offices are located in Madison Hall. Liberty Chapel hosts an auditorium, several classrooms, the Student Lounge, and the Warrior Cafe and mailroom. Other classes are held in the East Education Building and the Center for Advanced Biblical Research and Engagement, a facility currently up for sale. Athletic events take place in the Pyramid Gym. The cafeteria, assemblies, and other student events are held in a newly renovated Student Life Center, located next to the Hilda Kroeker Library.
Hilda Kroeker Library
The Hilda Kroeker Library is home to more than 56,001 books, ebooks, and audio/visual materials. The library primarily serves the needs of Calvary University students. The library is a participating member of the Kansas City Public Library's Library Services Program consortium. This allows students and faculty the ability to submit requests to the library for materials that are unavailable within the consortium by sending an email request to the library through WorldCat. The library also houses the Clark Academic Center, a tutoring and mentoring program in which students can get additional assistance with study skills.
Warrior Café and Student Lounge
The campus coffee shop and student lounge is named for the school's mascot- Nikao the Warrior. This location is provided as a place for students and visitors to relax, grab a cup of coffee, watch T.V., study, play games or purchase snacks.
