Friends Fact Sheet

Quick Facts:
Enrollment:  1,591
Date Founded:  1898
Religious Affiliation: Nondenominational, founded by Society of Friends (Quakers)
Locations:  Wichita, Lenexa, Online
Campus Size:  54.5 acres, 18 buildings
President:  Dr. Amy Bragg Carey
Athletic Team:  Friends University Falcons
School Colors:  Scarlet and Gray
Mascot: Freddy Falcon

Friends University Distinctives

  • First university in Kansas to offer an innovative adult education model
  • Superior campus, facilities and technology among Kansas independent schools
  • Nationally unique Zoo Science and Cyber Security programs
  • Within the context of its Quaker heritage, Friends University has a long-standing tradition that emphasizes equality for all and the education of students who can become strong role models for their communities

Did you know?
When it was built in the late 1800s, the Davis Administration Building (then known as University Hall) was the largest educational facility under one roof west of the Mississippi. The Romanesque Revival building is best known for its 148-foot clock tower.

The University has invested $50 million toward campus improvements in facilities, landscaping and technology for the benefit of students during the past 12 years. Students have access to state-of-the-art technology that is the most advanced among Kansas private institutions.

The University’s endowment and long-term investments have grown from $3 million in 1990 to more than $60 million today.

Friends University’s Singing Quakers are an internationally acclaimed vocal organization. The group has performed at the White House and Carnegie Hall and has toured nationally and internationally.

Friends University has maintained reasonable, moderate tuition increases in recent years. In 1990, the University was the third-most expensive private institution of higher education in Kansas. Today, Friends is in seventh place in a ranking of undergraduate tuition among 17 independent universities and colleges in Kansas.

Friends University is accredited by these organizations:

  • Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association (NCA)
  • National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
  • Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)
  • National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)

What Our Founders, the Quakers, Believe:

  • It is important to have a genuine appreciation for human worth and support equality for all
  • Each person can change the world for the better by influencing others to live meaningful lives
  • A good education is one that produces men and women who are guided by the principles of justice, mercy, peace, compassion and love
  • An education should foster eternal versus temporary values and mitigate the drive for power and position for their sake alone