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SE Biology, Vol. 61, No. 1, January, 2014 
CONVERSE COLLEGE 
Our Mission and History 
Mission 
The primary mission of Converse College, founded in 1889, is the liberal education of 
undergraduate women in a residential setting. Converse reaffirms the founder’s original 
conviction that a small undergraduate residential college of the liberal arts is a uniquely 
powerful environment for developing the talents of women. As a community of scholars, 
where students and faculty pursue excellence and collaborate in the search for truth, 
Converse develops in students scholarly excellence, personal honor, confidence, and 
skills to be life-long learners. The College draws much of its character from its Christian 
heritage and welcomes students of all faiths. Converse expands its mission by offering 
graduate degrees and other programs for women and men. Ultimately, graduates embody 
the qualities of a Converse education as they assume roles of leadership, service, and 
citizenship. 
History 
Since the college’s founding, graduates have used their Converse experience as 
launching pads for successful careers and active citizenship. Among Converse alumnae 
are a Pulitzer Prize winner, a renowned heart researcher, a Texas Supreme Court Justice, 
a prominent civil rights attorney, Broadway performers, the deputy crew commander for 
Titan IV Rocket launches at Cape Canaveral, and the first female circuit court judge in 
South Carolina. 
Although the doors of Converse opened October 1, 1890, the first step towards the 
founding of the college was taken in 1889 when a prominent attorney assembled a group 
of Spartanburg citizens to discuss the project. Among the 13 men was Dexter Edgar 
Converse, a native of Vermont who had settled in Spartanburg before the Civil War and 
had become a successful pioneer in the cotton mill industry. 
Mr. Converse was especially interested in establishing a college for women because his 
daughter, Marie, was approaching college age and he wanted her to have every possible 
educational advantage. His initial and subsequent contributions to the cause were so 
valuable that the college was given his name. 
Initially, the college was operated as a stock company and Mr. Converse headed the first 
board of directors, comprised entirely of Spartanburg citizens. They elected the Rev. 
