Maryville University

Maryville was founded on April 6, 1872, by the Society of the Sacred Heart and was originally called Maryville Academy of the Sacred Heart, functioning as a Catholic school serving underprivileged youth and young women. It was located in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood in South St. Louis on a 21-acre (8.5 ha) tract at 2900 Meramec Avenue. The main administration building was a five-story building with a cupola in the middle. The school became a junior college in 1921, then a four-year college in 1923 and was renamed Maryville College of the Sacred Heart.

In the late 1950s, the school purchased 290 acres (117.4 ha) of land adjacent to Interstate 64, which was then St. Louis' main east–west thoroughfare. The dedication of the new campus on this site in 1961 marked the beginning of Maryville's move toward being a community-oriented liberal arts institution. In 1968, the university became a co-educational institution.

In Maryville's centennial year of 1972, ownership of the college was transferred to a mostly lay board of trustees, though the Sacred Heart Sisters retain five seats. In 1981, Maryville launched Weekend College, making it possible for the first time for St. Louis-area working adults to complete entire degree programs entirely on weekends. In June 1991, Maryville made the transition to university status.

The old campus became the Augustinian Academy for Boys. It closed in 1972. Duchesne Hall burned in 1973 and was demolished, making way for the Maryville Gardens branch of the post office. The dormitories and other buildings were converted into the Maryville Gardens apartment complex.

The university library opened in 1988. Former President Keith Lovin initiated a significant amount of construction in 1997 with the construction of the new Art & Design Building and the link between academic buildings. The Donius University Center was completed in 2001, the new theatre auditorium opened in 2002, and apartment-style dormitories in 2003. An additional apartment building and the Buder Family Commons were completed in 2006.

In the fall of 2010, Potter Hall (residence hall) – which had been purchased from the Marriott Corporation – was opened for students, and construction began on the dining court in Gander Hall. On September 27, 2013, Maryville broke ground for Myrtle E. and Earl E. Walker Hall. Walker Hall opened in January 2015 and houses the Myrtle E. and Earl E. Walker College of Health Professions and the Catherine McAuley School of Nursing. A new residence hall is currently under construction, with an expected opening date of Fall 2016.

In 2020, Maryville University was named the "2nd fastest-growing" private university in the nation by The Chronicle of Higher Education. In addition to the main campus, Maryville University also operated centers in Lake Saint Louis and Sunset Hills in Missouri and Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. These centers offered facilities and services for students enrolled in the university's Weekend and Evening College. These centers are now closed.