Kansas's first four-year university, founded 1858, blending Methodist values with modern academics.
Baker University comprises four distinct schools serving diverse student populations. The College of Arts and Sciences and undergraduate education programs operate on the main Baldwin City campus. The School of Professional and Graduate Studies serves nontraditional students at locations in Overland Park, Kansas, and online. The School of Nursing, operated in partnership with Stormont Vail Health in Topeka, offers both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in nursing. Total enrollment across all schools exceeds 3,000 students.
The Baldwin City campus spans 10 acres and houses three residence halls and two apartment buildings. Gessner Hall (152 male residents, renovated 2012), Irwin Hall (150 female residents), and the New Living Center (190 students, 52,000 sq ft) provide on-campus housing. Greek life has been part of Baker since 1865, with multiple fraternities and sororities active today. The university competes in 26 NAIA varsity sports and has emphasized character development through the Champions of Character program since 1978.
Baker University was founded in 1858 and named after Osman Cleander Baker, a Methodist Episcopal biblical scholar and bishop. It holds the distinction of being Kansas's oldest continuously operating institution of higher learning and its first four-year university. The university maintains its Methodist affiliation and was led by its first president, Werter R. Davis, from 1858 to 1862. The original campus building, now Old Castle Museum, preserves the university's heritage.
Baker's athletic teams, the Wildcats, compete in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) as a founding member since 1971–72. The university previously competed in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference from 1902–03 to 1970–71. Baker fields 26 varsity sports across men's, women's, and co-ed categories, including football, basketball, baseball, soccer, volleyball, wrestling, and eSports. The university was among the first NAIA schools to participate in the Champions of Character program.