University of Evansville The University of Evansville ( UE ) is a small , private university in Evansville , Indiana , with approximately 3 , 050 students . Founded in 1854 as Moores Hill College , the University features liberal arts and science degrees , most with strong cooperative learning opportunities both on and off campus . The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church . UE operates a satellite campus , Harlaxton College , in Grantham , England . Due in large part to Harlaxton , known as " The British Campus of the University of Evansville " , nearly half of UE ' s students study abroad as part of their UE experience . The school is nationally renowned for its Theatre department , with alumni frequently starring in television and film roles . The University is also known as a leader in the area of New Formalism poetry as the home of The Formalist and its successor journal , Measure . The University of Evansville Press also publishes exclusively books and anthologies on formal poetry , including an annual winner of its Richard Wilbur Award . UE athletic teams participate in Division I of the NCAA and are known as the Purple Aces . Evansville is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference . The university is home to an extensive student life , with more than 155 student organizations and an active Greek community . History . The University of Evansville began in 1854 when Moores Hill Male and Female Collegiate Institute was founded by John Moore in the small town of Moores Hill in southeastern Indiana . The first college building at Moores Hill , Moore Hall , was completed on December 1 , 1856 , although the opening day of classes for the new college were held in the unfinished building on September 9 . The institution struggled financially during its time in Moores Hill , and a fire destroyed Moore Hall in 1915 . The institution continued to operate in a second building , Carnegie Hall , until the move to Evansville . The former campus in Moores Hill continued operation as an elementary and high school . Carnegie Hall is now maintained as a museum . On March 21 , 1917 , George S . Clifford made a presentation at a special session of the Indiana Conference of the Methodist Church . He suggested moving the college to Evansville , Indiana . Clifford produced a map that indicated a lack of colleges in the Evansville area - there were none within 50 miles of the city within Indiana . After deliberation , the school was relocated to Evansville in 1919 and renamed Evansville College . It operated in temporary quarters in downtown Evansville until Administration Hall ( now Olmsted Hall ) was completed in 1922 . This is the only building remaining on campus from before World War II . In the period from World War II to 1960 , Evansville College grew significantly . Enrollment grew from about 400 during the Great Depression to 1 , 500 in 1946 . Also following the war , the Science and Engineering Building and Alumni Memorial Union were commissioned . The Clifford Memorial Library was completed in 1957 . Five residence halls were built between 1958 and 1967 , along with a fitness center , dining hall , and an art building . In 1967 , due to the institution ' s growth and organizational changes , the name was changed to the University of Evansville with the approval of the Indiana State General Assembly . Also in 1967 , a new theater building , Hyde Hall , housing Shanklin Theater was finished . In 2010 The University of Evansville completed early its Endowment Campaign to raise $ 80 million after having raised an additional $ 60 million five years previous to the new campaign . On April 9 , 2010 , the Board of Trustees selected Thomas A . Kazee , former Executive Vice President and Provost at Furman University , as the University of Evansville ' s 23rd president . Former president Stephen G . Jennings began retiring in May 2010 . Kazee assumed Presidential duties on June 1 , 2010 . Academics . " US News & World Report " recognized the University of Evansville as one of the 10 best regional universities in the Midwest in its annual ranking of " America ' s Best Colleges " . " Forbes " magazine also lists the University of Evansville on their " Best Colleges " list . Colleges and schools . The University of Evansville is academically organized into three colleges and two schools : Harlaxton College . In addition to studying in the city of Evansville , the University ' s students can choose to study abroad in England at Harlaxton College , " The British Campus of the University of Evansville " . The College was formed and controlled by Stanford University prior to its passing to The University of Evansville . The college is located about 90 miles north of London in Lincolnshire , a few miles away from the town of Grantham , England ( home of Sir Isaac Newton and Margaret Thatcher ) . The study abroad program at the University of Evansville has consistently been rated as one of the best study abroad programs in the nation , ranked # 1 in Europe and # 7 globally . Theatre department . UE maintains a prestigious theater program - one of the top rated programs in the nation - which features four mainstage and two studio productions a year . UE students have been invited to perform at The Kennedy Center more often than any other school in the nation , and the department has participated in the Kennedy Center ' s American College Theatre Festival program since its inception in 1968 . It also leads the nation in the top awards for its students as awarded by The Broadway Theatre Wing and other governing bodies of serious theatre . UE ' s alumni frequently star in television and film roles . Accreditations . The electrical and mechanical engineering programs have been continuously accredited by ABET ( the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology ) since 1970 , and the civil engineering and computer engineering programs since 1997 . The School of Business Administration is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and provides a variety of professional programs in accounting , economics , finance , global business , management or marketing . The Exercise Science major is endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine ( ACSM ) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association ( NSCA ) . Athletics . The University of Evansville athletic teams have the nickname the Purple Aces ( originally the " Pioneers " ) . Both men ' s and women ' s varsity sports play at the NCAA Division I level and compete in the Missouri Valley Conference , except for the men ' s swimming and diving teams which compete in the Mid - American Conference Campus . The university is known for its grassy open spaces and tree cover . The university landscape is well maintained , and many students take advantage of the spacious lawns and large shade trees . The campus is bounded on the north by the Lloyd Expressway , the south by Lincoln Avenue , west by Rotherwood Avenue , and on the east by Weinbach Avenue . Walnut Street bisects the campus . Sesquicentennial Oval , the ceremonial entrance to campus , opens off of Lincoln Avenue . The oval was named in 2004 in commemoration of the university ' s 150th anniversary . The Schroeder Family School of Business , McCurdy Alumni Memorial Union , Hyde Hall , Olmsted Administration Hall , Clifford Memorial Library , and Koch ( pronounced Cook ) Center for Science and Engineering surround Sesquicentennial Oval . Most of the buildings follow an old limestone motif , and renovations generally emulate the rest of the building . The Administration Hall and the President ' s House and Circle were named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 . Accomplishments . In the 2008 - 2009 Academic school year , the University of Evansville captured a title in the Concrete Canoe over perennial winners , the University of Wisconsin – Madison . The winning canoe , named Sauske , will compete at the national convention in Alabama . The American Society of Civil Engineers at UE also claimed top honors at the same conference competition . The ASCE chapter at UE has been increasing their placing in their region since 2004 , steadily increasing in the ranks despite hard competition from renowned engineering schools like Purdue and UW – Madison . Greek life . Sororities Fraternities Notable alumni . Alumni include numerous prominent entertainers , sports stars , and others . Among them are Matt Williams , producer and writer of " The Cosby Show " , " Home Improvement " , and " Roseanne " , Jack McBrayer , actor on " 30 Rock " , and Jerry Sloan , NBA player and Hall of Fame head coach .