History

1810

American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions organized in Boston

1840

Missionary Cyrus Hamlin founds Bebek Seminary outside of Constantinople

1862

Seminary transferred to Merzifon in north central Turkey; construction of campus begins

1886

Anatolia College founded at the Merzifon Seminary with Charles Tracy as President; the students are principally Greek and Armenian, most coming from outside of Merzifon and boarding at the school; the faculty is Greek, Armenian, and American; enrollment soon reaches 115 students

1893

Girls' School founded

1894

Anatolia incorporated under the laws of the state of Massachusetts

1895

First Turkish attacks on Armenians

1914-1915

Turkish massacres of Armenians, including those on Anatolia faculty

1916

Anatolia closed because of World War I, campus occupied by Turkish troops

1919

Anatolia reopens

1920

Enrollment stands at 218 students, with an equal number in the Girls' School; campus consists of more than 40 New England style buildings; Anatolia includes a kindergarten,a school for the deaf, high schools for boys and girls, a college-level program, a theological seminary, one of the largest hospitals in Asia Minor, and an orphanage for 2000 orphans

1921

Executions by Turks of student leaders and faculty advisor of the Pontus club, the school's Greek literary society; Turkish government orders the closing of Anatolia College; 2,425 students had graduated since 1886

1922

Smyrna catastrophe and defeat of Greek expeditionary force; Anatolia Board of Trustees organized in Boston

1923

Population exchange between Greece and Turkey

1924

With help from Eleftherios Venizelos, Anatolia reopens in Thessaloniki, in rented buildings in Harilaou, with 13 students, mostly refugees; enrollment soon jumps to 157

1927

Mission School for Girls in Thessaloniki becomes part of Anatolia College

1934

Anatolia moves to newly constructed campus above the city near the village of Pylea, on the lower slopes of Mt. Hortiatis

1937

Anatolia Alumni Association begun

1940

Greece enters World War II when Italy invades; school closed, campus used as military hospital

1941

Germany invades Greece, campus taken over by Germans as general headquarters for the Balkans

1944-1945

British Army occupies the campus

1945

War ends, Anatolia reopens as repair of damaged campus proceeds; Girls' School moved into temporary quarters on the Anatolia campus after its building on Allatini Street burns

1949

The last units of the British Army depart the campus

1950s

Girls' School buildings constructed

1950-1958

Carl Compton serves as Anatolia President

1958

Dr. Howard Johnston appointed President

1960's

Anatolia increases enrollment to over 1000 students

1964

Robert Hayden appointed President; Secretarial School opened

1972

Joseph Kennedy appointed President

1974

Dr. William McGrew appointed President; arrival of 26 scholarship students from Cyprus in the wake of the Turkish invasion

1980

Anatolia begins transition to co-education

1981

American College of Thessaloniki (ACT) founded to provide post-secondary instruction in business and the liberal arts

1986

Anatolia College celebrates its centennial year

1993

ACT grants first 4-year Baccalaureate degrees in Liberal Arts and Science

1997

ACT accredited by New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

1998

International Baccalaureate program introduced

1999

Mr. Richard Jackson appointed President

2002

Dedication of Bissell Library. Intensive American-style MBA program begins at ACT.

2003

Anatolia Elementary School opens adjacent to campus.

2005

Alumni Field renovated

2007

Opening of renovated Raphael Hall.

2008

Opening of renovated Gymnasium. ACT undergraduate programs become EU accredited.

2009

Dr. Hans Giesecke named 10th President of Anatolia. Anatolia College anounces its Green Initiative.

2010

Anatolia Elementary School (lower campus) moves to new campus.

2011

Establishment of the President’s Club - The institutions’ most steadfast supporters. Renovation of A’ side soccerfield gifted by Anatolia College Alumni Association. Initiated and fulfilled the fundraising goal for the 125th Anniversary Matching Fund.

2013

Dr. Panos Vlachos named 11th President of Anatolia College.

2013

ACT undergraduate programs are now accredited by the Open University in the UK.

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