Cottey College
Former names | Vernon Seminary (1884–1886) |
|---|---|
| Motto | Creators of Incredible Futures |
| Type | Private women's college |
| Established | 1884 |
| Affiliation | P.E.O. Sisterhood |
| Endowment | $110.2 million (2019) |
| President | Stefanie Niles |
Academic staff | 46 |
Administrative staff | 61 |
| Students | 266 |
| Location | , , U.S. 37°50′17″N 94°22′13″W / 37.8381°N 94.3704°W |
| Campus | Small town |
| Colors | Blue, yellow and white |
| Nickname | Comets |
Sporting affiliations | NAIA – American Midwest |
| Mascot | Comet (The mascot of Cottey sports teams), The Duck (The "Senior Class" mascot) |
| Website | www |
Cottey College is a private women's college in Nevada, Missouri. It was founded by Virginia Alice (Cottey) Stockard in 1884. Since 1927, it has been owned and supported by the P.E.O. Sisterhood, a philanthropic women's organization based in Des Moines, Iowa. For most of its history, Cottey was a two-year liberal arts college, and in 2011 it achieved accreditation as a four-year baccalaureate-granting college. It had 266 students enrolled in 2023.
Cottey is situated on 66 acres (26.7 ha) of land in Nevada, Missouri, the Vernon County seat and a rural town of 8,198 people (by the 2020 estimate). The main campus occupies 11 city blocks. Five blocks south is B.I.L. Hill, a private lodge that rests above a public park which includes a walking trail, gazebo, and small lake. BIL Hill is used by Cottey students, faculty, and staff for recreation, concerts, bonfires, picnics, suite nights, and other traditions.