Midway College

Midway College, located in Midway, Kentucky, is a private, non-profit liberal arts college, founded in 1847 by Dr. Lewis L. Pinkerton, as the first school in the United States to serve orphaned and disadvantaged women. Through the years the school evolved and became Pinkerton High School, Midway Junior College, and finally Midway College. Midway College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate and master's degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the status of Midway College.
Today, Midway College continues as an institution of higher education for women; the main campus program still operates as Kentucky's only women's college and provides a unique learning and living opportunity for women seeking their associate or bachelor degrees. And Midway College has evolved as a leader in providing educational opportunities for men and women who wish to continue their education through its evening and online formats. Many programs are offered in an accelerated format where students attend classes one evening per week or online anytime. Midway College is known for its excellence throughout Kentucky and beyond in four pillar program areas - Business, Equine Studies, Nursing, and Teacher Education. The College is approved to award associate, baccalaureate, and master's degrees.

Midway College, formerly the Kentucky Female Orphan School, was the dream of Dr. Lewis Pinkerton, a young physician and minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Together with James Ware Parrish, they joined with other progressive thinkers to launch a revolutionary educational experiment. In Kentucky, the few girls who received formal education were taught to read only because it was considered necessary for their role as mothers. Female orphans were rarely offered even this meager amount of schooling. Without education or parental support and concern, the most many could hope for was a lifetime of drudgery as a maid or laborer. The liberal arts curriculum and career preparation proposed was a comprehensive solution to this tragic situation, and the benefits reached far beyond the individual girls who attended the school. Dr. Pinkerton's dream became a reality as Midway-educated teachers went forth to share their learning with youngsters throughout the state and region. In the years since its inception, the institution has evolved to meet the educational needs of women while preserving the goals and standards of its founders. Today, Midway College has achieved its goal of excellence in education, providing advanced instruction in a broad range of subjects based upon a strong liberal arts curriculum. The campus and programs have grown with the school's enrollment, yet many of the traditional ideals Midway was founded on have remained constant.

The main campus is at Midway, KY, in the heart of the bluegrass region of Kentucky. There are also campuses / offices in Lexington, McKee, Radcliff and Somerset, KY. Courses are delivered through various avenues: the traditional format through the Women's College (Kentucky's only college for women), School for Career Development (evening and weekend accelerated degree programs for men and women), Midway College Online, and the Graduate College. Pillar programs include: Business, Equine Studies, Nursing, and Teacher Education. The school is a part of NAIA Division II, Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletics Conference, with colors 'Blue and Gold' and the mascot: Eagle. Varsity teams include: Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track, Volleyball, as well as equestrian riding teams: Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Hunt Seat, IHSA Western, and Dressage.