Wabash College

Wabash College, private men’s college in Crawfordsville, Indiana, 72 km (45 mi) northwest of Indianapolis, Indiana. The school was founded in 1832 as a liberal arts institution for men. Graduates of the school include 19th-century American writer and military leader Lew Wallace and Thomas Riley Marshall, 28th vice president of the United States. During World War II (1939-1945) the school nearly closed when most of its students enlisted in the armed services. The college remained in operation by establishing a training program in cooperation with the United States Navy.

The school turned down a request from residents of Crawfordsville during the 19th century to admit women. During the early 1990s the college considered the possibility of admitting women, but in 1992 the school’s trustees voted to remain an all-male institution. Wabash is one of the few remaining private liberal arts colleges in the United States for men only.

Wabash College confers bachelor’s degrees in the arts and sciences and the humanities. The school emphasizes preprofessional training, and its premedical and prelaw programs are considered especially strong. A six-year joint bachelor’s and law degree is offered in association with Columbia University in New York City.