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Mitchell College History
On September 14, 1938, Waldo Clarke and a group of local New London, Connecticut citizens founded New London Junior College as a private, nonprofit, coeducational, two-year college in their community. The college was established on the former Mitchell family estate, overlooking the Thames River and Long Island Sound. The board of trustees elected Dr. Richard P. Saunders, who had been instrumental in the founding of the college, as the first president.
NLJC opened its doors to its’ first class of students on September 18, 1939. While the college closed briefly in 1943 because of World War II, full regular classes resumed with the fall of 1946. In 1950, the name “Mitchell College” was officially adopted by the trustees to honor the descendants of the Alfred Mitchell family, principal benefactors of the College since its’ founding.
Dr. Robert C. Weller was selected as President in 1951, and was instrumental in having Mitchell College gain membership in the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) from whom we have our nationally recognized accreditation. Under Dr. Weller’s 36 years of leadership, the college underwent major construction of campus facilities and expansion of degree offerings. During this time, the college became well known as one of New England's leading two-year colleges.
In 1980, the college established its Learning Resource Center program for students with diagnosed learning disabilities and/or ADD-ADHD. Today, this program is considered one of the nation's premier LD academic support programs.
Dr. Mary Ellen Jukoski took on the Interim President role in 1994 and assumed the presidency in 1995. Under her leadership over the past decade, Mitchell College introduced its first baccalaureate program in the area of Human Development (1998) and gained recognition with the State of Connecticut as a four-year institution. Numerous other bachelor degree programs have since been added.
Today, Mitchell College is a thriving institution of higher education that grants both associate and baccalaureate degrees to students from the greater New London community, as well as from all over the nation and around the world. In 2006, the college will launch the Thames Academy at Mitchell College, a one-year pre-college certificate program
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