She has survived wars, worldwide and right in her own backyard.

She has survived financial crises, low student enrollment and in some cases, ineffective leadership.

Over her 160-year history, Chowan University has weathered several storms and today proudly shines a beacon of educational light for all to see.

What makes Chowan’s pulse beat strong today is the same as it was when Dr. Godwin Cotton Moore invited men of vision to his Mulberry Grove home in the spring of 1848. From that meeting, Chowan Female Institute opened in the fall of that same year.

With the exception of a six-year period during World War II, Chowan has continually provided a quality Christian education for those who have passed through her doors. Her graduates are scattered throughout the nation and the world, all remembering that Chowan nurtured their young lives and gave them an opportunity to succeed in life.

But the opportunities provided by this great institution do not stop with the students. Chowan provides employment for those residing within the Roanoke-Chowan area. Those salaries have an impact outside the walls of the University as they help support and sustain area businesses.

Even if you are not an alum or employed by the University, you can still enjoy the many benefits of having such a diversified facility in your backyard. Chowan, on a regular basis, opens its doors to the general public, offering free admission to concerts, symposiums, art shows, theatrical productions and the like. If collegiate athletics is your choice of entertainment, the Hawks offer plenty of exciting action in several sports.

Chowan….it’s a place we can all come home to and we offer our congratulations for her 160 years of providing educational opportunities.