College of Idaho
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College of Idaho

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College of Idaho

The College of Idaho (C of I) is a private liberal arts college in Caldwell, Idaho. Founded in 1891 by William Judson Boone as a Presbyterian college, it is the state's oldest private liberal arts college and has an enrollment of over 1,000 students.

The college offers 30 undergraduate programs to earn a B.A., with select programs offering the opportunity to earn either a B.A. or a B.S. degree. The college also offers 4 graduate degrees in the fields of Sports Administration, Medical Science, Physician Assistant Studies, and Education. While previously utilizing the "PEAK" curriculum, in which students could earn one major and three minors in the span of four years, starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, the college began using the "Do More in Four" curriculum, in which students only have to attend classes for four days a week, with four, four credit classes per semester (as compared to the standard five, three credit classes), and the opportunity to earn an undergraduate and graduate degree in four years.

The college's alumni include eight Rhodes Scholars, three governors, four professional football players, and one professional baseball player.

The college was conceived in 1884 when the Presbyterian Church's Wood River Presbytery, meeting in Shoshone, formed a commission to examine the possibility of establishing a Presbyterian college somewhere in the Idaho Territory. The commission found support for such a venture and in 1890 the Presbytery accepted an offer from a group of Caldwell citizens led by William Judson Boone, to locate the institution in that community.

The college was founded 134 years ago in 1891 by William Judson Boone with the support of the Wood River Presbytery. The college first opened its doors to students on October 7, 1891. Nineteen students showed up at The College of Idaho for the first classes in 1891. The first classes were held downtown in the Caldwell Presbyterian Church. A year later the college moved into its own downtown building before moving to its present site on the east side of town in 1910 when Henry and Carrie Blatchley donated 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land. Sterry Hall, a classroom and administration building, and Finney Hall, the first residence hall, were built that year. Two years later Voorhees residence hall was built, which would be the second of five total residents halls.

In 1893, it was incorporated under the laws of the state of Idaho and placed in the hands of a self-perpetuating board of trustees. Boone served as president of the college for 45 years until his death in 1936.

In 1991, the college's board of trustees unanimously voted to change its name to Albertson College of Idaho to honor alumnus and long-time donor Joe Albertson (1906–1993) and his wife Kathryn (1908–2002). The couple, who founded one of the country's largest supermarket chains, Albertson's Inc., met in a chemistry class at C of I and were generous benefactors of the college. At the time of the name change, the enrollment was 640 students.

On October 10, 2007, college president Bob Hoover announced that the name would revert to The College of Idaho, with the mutual agreement of the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation, to promote acceptance and gain financial backing from alumni who were unhappy about the original name change. This coincided with a $50 million donation by the foundation to the college.

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