History of Shokei Gakuin University | SHOKEI GAKUIN UNIVERSITY

Ms. Annie S. Buzzell
Founding Principal

The roots of SHOKEI go back to 1892 in the steady missionary activities in Japan of a group of women missionaries by the Woman’s American Baptist Foreign Mission Society.

Chronological History

1890

Ms. Lavinia Mead , the Woman’s American Baptist Foreign Missionary, arrived at Sendai.

1892

Shokei Jogakkai (Shokei Christian Girls’ School Home) was opened with four-year General Course and four-year Bible Course.

1896

First school building "Ella O. Patrick Home" was constructed.

1899

Formally established as an accredited school (Shokei Girls' School), according to the Private Schools Law of the Ministry of Education. Annie S. Buzzell became the first principal.

1902

School Emblem was created.

1903

Alumni Association was founded.

1909

Four-year General Course was reformed to five-year Regular Course.

1917

School song and school flag were created.

1918

Supplementary Course was renamed to Research Course.

1919

Shokei Practice Kindergarten was opened.

1920

Higher Department called Koutouka was established with three-year English Course and Homemaking Course, One-year English Preparatory Course and Post-Graduate Special Course.

1921

Music Course was opened in Koutouka.

1936

Regular course was reformed to Four-year Women’s Higher School called Koutou-Jogakubu.
Koutouka was reformed to two-to-three-year Post-Graduate Department with Kindergartener Course and Commercial Course.

1940

Post-Graduate Special Course was reformed to Special Homemaking Course.

1941

Kindergartener Course was renamed to Early Childcare Course.

1942

50th Anniversary of the school.
School name was changed to Sendai Shokei Jogakkou (Sendai Shokei Girls' School).

1943

Name was changed to Sendai Shokei Koutou Jogakkou (Sendai Shokei Girl’s Higher School).

1946

Two-year English Course was re-established in the Post-Graduate Department.

1947

In accordance with the education reform, Junior High School under the new system was established.

1948

In accordance with the education reform, High School under the new system was established. Physical Education Course and Western Sewing Course was opened in the Post-Graduate Department. School Name was changed to Shokei Jogakuin (Shokei Girls’ School). School structure was divided into Junior High School Department, High School Department and the Post-Graduate Department.

1950

Post-Graduate Department was reformed to Shokei Women’s Junior College with a Home Economics Department and an English Department.

1955

Early Child Care Department for Kindergarten Teacher Training was newly established in the Junior College.

1956

Shokei Kindergarten was re-established.

1960

The Support Society was formed.

1964

Homemaking Department at the Junior College was divided into Food and Nutrition Dept. and Home Economics Dept. One-year Advanced Course of Early Childcare was established.

1967

English Department was re-established in the Junior College.

1968

Early Child Care Department for Kindergarten Teacher Training was moved to newly completed building on Nakayama College Campus.

1989

College campuses (Hachiman and Nakayama) were integrated on the Natori college campus in Natori City. Department of Human Relations was established.

1992

100th Anniversary of the school.

1993

Home Economics Department was renamed to Home Life Science Department.

1994

Advanced course of Early Childcare was granted by National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation. One-year Advanced Course of Food Nutrition Science and one-year Advanced Course of Human Relations were established, both granted by National Institution for Academic Degrees and University Evaluation.

1995

The Kindergarten was moved to Natori Campus.

2000

110th Anniversary of the school.

2002

The name Shokei Jogakuin was changed to Shokei Gakuin.

2003

Shokei Gakuin College, a four-year co-educational college, was established with the Faculty of Comprehensive Human Sciences consisting of the Department of Human Health and Nutrition and the Department of Human Psychology.
Home Life Science Department at Shokei Women's Junior College became the Department of Home and Creative Life Study.

2004

Institutional Song was created.

2005

College Club House Building was built.

2007

Three new departments - the Department of Culture and Communication Activities, the Department for the Study of Contemporary Society, and the Department of Life Environment Studies were added. In addition, the Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences was established with two courses - Master's Course in Psychology and Master's Course in Nutritional Science. The school's name was changed to SHOKEI GAKUIN UNIVERSITY.

2009

University Library Building and Gardening Laboratory was completed and opened.

2010

SHOKEI GAKUIN UNIVERSITY added a new department - the Department for the Study of Children. Lifelong Learning Center was established. New Institutional Song was created.
The oldest school building, Ella O. Patrick Home, moved from Shokei High School campus in Sendai to university campus in Natori. It was rebuilt partially using the original wooden materials.

2012

The120th anniversary ceremony was held.
University chapel was built.

2015

The Department of Life Environment Studies was renamed to the Department of Environment Planning.

2016

Clinical Psychology Counseling Center “Tikvah” was opened.

2017

The Graduate School added the Master's Course in Humanitics.

2018

New brand concept “Passion with Mission” was introduced.

2019

The University changed its organizational structure into three colleges and five department – College of Humanities and Social Studies, College of Psychology and Education, College of Human Health and Nutrition, Department of Humanities and Social Studies, Department of Psychology, Department of the Scientific Study of Children, Department of School Education, and Department of Human Health and Nutrition.

2020

Gymnasium No.2 and Training building were built.

2022

130th Anniversary of the School.

Partner Institutions / Government

2004

Judson University (USA)