William Jewell College William Jewell College is a private , four - year liberal arts college of 1 , 100 undergraduate students located in Liberty , Missouri , U . S . It was founded in 1849 by members of the Missouri Baptist Convention and other civic leaders , including Robert S . James , a Baptist minister and father of the infamous Frank and Jesse James . It was associated with the Missouri Baptist Convention for over 150 years until its separation in 2003 and is now an independent institution . Jewell was chosen by Time Magazine as its 2001 " Liberal Arts College of the Year " . History . Founding . The college is named after Dr . William Jewell , who in 1849 donated $ 10 , 000 to start a school . Jewell , who was from Columbia , Missouri , had wanted the school built in Boonville , Missouri . However , Liberty resident Alexander William Doniphan argued that donated undeveloped land in Liberty would be more valuable than the proposed developed land in Boonville , and Liberty was eventually chosen . Judge J . T . V . Thompson donated the hilltop land on which the campus sits . In the American Civil War during the Battle of Liberty , the main building on campus , Jewell Hall , was used as a hospital , infirmary , and stables for the United States Army . Union troops were buried on the campus . After the war , on February 13 , 1866 , two sons of co - founder and Baptist minister , Robert S . James , Jesse and Frank James , along with Cole and Jim Younger staged the first peace - time , daylight bank robbery in the United States at the Clay County Savings Association four blocks west of the campus , thus beginning the notorious history of what newspapers dubbed the James - Younger gang . George C . Wymore , a 17 - year old student of the college , who was across the street from the bank was shot to death in the cross - fire as the gang fled with $ 60 , 000 in currency and negotiable instruments . Gano Chapel . In 1926 , the John Gano chapel was built , based on a donation from Gano ' s great - granddaughter Elizabeth Price , who lived in Kansas City . Price gave the money for the chapel with provisions that the chapel be named for Gano and that it hang a painting of Gano baptizing George Washington in the Potomac River during the American Revolutionary War . The college says the painting is one of the school ' s most popular tourist destinations and takes no stance on whether the baptism of Washington ( who was Episcopalian ) actually took place . The story is rejected by many historians who question whether Gano was even stationed with Washington and note there is nothing in his Gano ' s personal correspondence about the event . Other Gano artifacts in the chapel include a painting depicting Gano leading the troops in a prayer of Thanksgiving in 1783 at the conclusion of the Revolutionary war and a sword that Washington was said to have given Gano ( which in turn had been given to Washington by Gilbert du Motier , marquis de La Fayette ) . Recent history . According to the school ' s website , Luciano Pavarotti made his international recital debut at the campus in 1973 . During that time , William Jewell College also played host to the Kansas City Chiefs as their pre - season NFL Training Camp . However , their training camp was moved to River Falls , Wisconsin in 1990 . On May 4 , 2003 , at the height of a debate over whether the Missouri Baptist Convention should continue to fund the school due to a dispute concerning evolution and homosexuality , an F2 tornado that was part of the May 2003 tornado outbreak sequence hit the campus damaging several buildings , ripping roofs off dormitories , and separating the landmark clock tower from the chapel . Although damage was estimated at between $ 15 and $ 20 million , nobody at the school was killed or injured . Despite this disaster , the Baptist Convention followed through on its threat and pulled the financing . Nonetheless , classes resumed the next fall with the school relying on other private sources . Since the separation from the Missouri Baptists , enrollment and the financial health of William Jewell College has steadily decreased . Academics . The college offers more than 40 academic majors and 10 pre - professional programs . William Jewell is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools . William Jewell College also provides an Oxbridge Honors Program . Oxbridge majors take tutorials in their major , study abroad in Oxford or Cambridge , and take comprehensive exams during their senior year . The college has also sent many students and professors to the University of Evansville ' s satellite campus at Harlaxton Manor . The College offers a Journey Grant Program in which students can qualify for a minimum $ 2 , 000 grant to use their junior year of school to help create an educational experience like study abroad , leadership and service projects , internships , research , business projects , etc . In the period from 2006 to 2013 , the College claimed two Fulbright Scholar , two Goldwater Scholars , two Rhodes Scholar national finalists , three Truman Scholars , a National Institute of Health Fellow , a George J . Mitchell Scholarship , two Council of Independent Colleges American Graduate Fellowship finalists , a Point Foundation Scholar , a James Madison Fellow , a Gilman Scholar , one USA Today Scholar and seven Teach For America corps members . Athletics . The William Jewell Cardinals are the official athletic teams of the college . The college is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) at the Division II level and competes in the Great Lakes Valley Conference ( GLVC ) . Prior to its transition to the NCAA Division II , the college competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics ( NAIA ) as a member of the Heart of America Conference . During its time in the NAIA , William Jewell football teams lead the NAIA in total wins . References . Rear Admiral Diane E . H . Webber Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command Director , Command Control Systems Rear Admiral Diane E . H . Webber