In 1834, Arkansas was a rough-hewn, frontier territory still two years away from statehood. Day-to-day existence in the new territory was rough, but for the Cumberland Presbyterians who settled at Cane Hill, education was still considered to be an important issue. On October 28, 1834, that group of Cumberland Presbyterians met at the Cane Hill meeting house in northwest Arkansas for the purpose of establishing a school.

One hundred seventy-five years later, the vision of those men still drives those who love that school. University of the Ozarks endured through all the tough times that would come to pass, and celebrated the success of the thousands of students who have passed through her doors. Today, she still stands strong and fiercely proud of the pioneer spirit that started it all.