Divine Word College
{{Short description|Catholic seminary in Epworth, Iowa, US}}
{{Primary sources|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox college
| name = Divine Word College
| image = Divine Word College.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption =
| latin_name =
| other_name =
| former_name = St. Mary's Seminary
(1909-1932)
St. Paul's Mission House
(1932-1960)
| motto =
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| established = {{start date and age|1964}}
| closed =
| founder = Society of the Divine Word
| parent =
| accreditation = Higher Learning Commission{{cite web | title= Statement of Accreditation Status as of September 17, 2023 Divine Word College, Epworth, IA | website=Higher Learning Commission | date=17 September 2023 | url=https://www.hlcommission.org/component/directory/?Action=ShowBasic&Itemid=&instid=1228&lang=en | access-date=17 September 2023}}
| affiliation =
| religious_affiliation = Catholic Church (Divine Word Missionaries)
| academic_affiliations = {{bulleted list|AACU|ACE|CIC|NACS|NAICU}}{{cite web | title=Frequently Asked Questions | website=Divine Word College | date=2 August 2022 | url=https://www.dwci.edu/about-dwc/frequently-asked-questions | access-date=17 September 2023}}
| endowment =
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| chairman =
| chancellor =
| president = Thomas Ascheman, SVD{{cite web | title=Divine Word College announces 9th president | website= KCRG ABC-9 | date=1 August 2017 | url=https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Divine-Word-College-announces-new-president-437915613.html | access-date=17 September 2023}}{{cite web | title=Board of Trustees | website=Divine Word College | date=2 May 2023 | url=https://www.dwci.edu/about-dwc/board-trustees | access-date=17 September 2023}}
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| students =
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| doctoral =
| other =
| city = Epworth
| state = Iowa
| country = United States
| coor = {{Coord|42.44|-90.93|display=it}}
| campus =
| free_label =
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| website = {{URL|https://www.dwci.edu}}
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Divine Word College is a private undergraduate Roman Catholic seminary in Epworth, Iowa. Founded in 1964, It educates students for missionary service in the Catholic Church as priests, brothers, sisters, and laypersons. It is owned and operated by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD).
History
Founded in 1875 in Steyl, the Netherlands, the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) sent the first Divine Word Missionary, Joseph Freinademetz to China by 1879. In 1895, Brother Wendelin Meyer went to America.{{Cite web |last=London |first=Michelle |date=November 7, 2020 |title=Epworth's Divine Word College a big part of missionary order's milestone anniversary |url=https://www.telegraphherald.com/news/features/article_2e5c366f-02c3-5228-a648-371c51e6f275.html |access-date= |website=TelegraphHerald.com |language=en}} By 1909, the Society had established the first seminary in the United States with the mission of training priest and brother candidates for service in foreign missions. The Society of the Divine Word originally established a Divine Word Seminary in 1912 at Techny, Illinois. In 1931, the Society purchased property in Epworth, Iowa,{{Cite web |last=Hogstrom |first=Erik |date=May 15, 2022 |title=Site of Epworth college has offered education for most of past 165 years |url=https://biztimes.biz/site-of-epworth-college-has-offered-education-for-most-of-past-165-years/ |access-date= |language=en-US}} where it established St. Paul's Mission House, an SVD high school seminary. In 1964, Divine Word College replaced the high school seminary and has since served as the principal site of SVD undergraduate seminary education in the United States.{{cite web | title=Our History | website=Divine Word College | date=13 November 2019 | url=https://www.dwci.edu/about-dwc/history | access-date=17 September 2023}}{{cite web | title= Welcoming the World | url=https://www.dwci.edu/application/files/9415/0126/4171/Special_Insert1_-_Telegraph_Herald.2014pdf.pdf |publisher= Divine Word College |date= 7 September 2014| access-date=17 September 2023}}
Student life
During their final semester of undergraduate studies at Divine Word College, young men who choose to continue with the SVD may apply for the Society's one-year novitiate program at the Chicago Province Headquarters in Techny, Illinois. These men may then apply to profess first vows as members of the Society near the end of the novitiate program and continue with seminary studies at the Chicago Theologate.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commonscat}}[https://www.dwci.edu/ Official website]
{{Colleges and universities in Iowa}}
{{Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque|state=collapsed}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Divine Word Missionaries Order
Category:Men's universities and colleges in the United States
Category:Catholic college seminaries in the United States
Category:Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
Category:Catholic universities and colleges in Iowa