Aurora University (AU) is a private university in Aurora, Illinois. In addition to its main campus and the Orchard Center in Aurora, AU offers programs online, at its George Williams College campus in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, and at the Woodstock Center in downtown Woodstock, Illinois. Approximately 6,200 students are enrolled in bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs at Aurora University. History Aurora University was founded as Mendota Seminary in Mendota, Illinois, in 1893. At that time, the school was focused on education and training rooted in the Advent Christian Church. Within a few years of its founding, the seminary changed its name to Mendota College, and broadened its programs into a traditional liberal arts curriculum. In 1911, residents of the nearby town of Aurora raised funds to construct a new college, led by funding from businessman Charles Eckhart, who founded the predecessor company to the Auburn Automobile Company. Recognizing mutual benefits, administrators of Mendota College moved their operations to Aurora and the school became known as Aurora College. In 1971, Aurora College separated from the Advent Christian Church, and in 1985, changed its name to Aurora University to better reflect the breadth of its academic programs. In 1992, the school entered into an affiliation agreement with George Williams College, in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, which was followed by a full merger in 2000. George Williams College (named for YMCA founder George Williams) had been instituted in 1886 by YMCA leaders to create a summer school where young men and women would gather for learning, fellowship and reflection. With the merger, the one-time summer school, camp and conference center now serves both undergraduates and graduate students in a variety of degree programs. Over the past decade, the historic George Williams College campus has been transformed through renovations to new structures including the creation of the Winston Paul Educational Center, Oak and Hickory lodges, the Beasley Campus Center and the Ferro Pavilion, where the annual Music by the Lake outdoor concert series takes place during the summer months. Aurora University added a third location in 2009 with the opening of the Woodstock Center, which offers part-time MBA, Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and graduate programs in education. The center is located in Woodstock, Illinois, approximately 50 miles north of the university's main campus. Today, Aurora University, the GWC campus, and the Woodstock Center are operated by the Board of Trustees of Aurora