Our History & Legacy

The story of Aultman College begins in 1890, when Mrs. Elizabeth Harter, daughter of manufacturer and banker Cornelius Aultman, purchased 4.5 acres of land in southwest Canton, Ohio. Just a year later, she and her stepmother, Katherina Barron Aultman, deeded the land to the Aultman Hospital Association. On January 17, 1892, Aultman Hospital, Stark County's very first hospital, opened its doors.

From the very beginning, Aultman Hospital recognized the importance of a skilled and educated healthcare workforce. Later that same year, the Aultman Hospital Training School for Nurses was established. With admission requirements as simple as "a desire to care for the sick," the program launched with just three students. Only one would graduate: Emma Lupher, who even sewed her own uniform, and proudly became Aultman's first nursing graduate on May 2, 1894.

The school continued to grow, gaining state approval in 1916 as the Aultman Hospital School of Nursing. Over the decades, thousands of nurses earned their diplomas here, serving not only Stark County but also communities across the globe.

As healthcare advanced, so did Aultman's vision for education. In 2004, the school evolved into Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences, officially becoming an incorporated college. A year later, the Ohio Board of Regents authorized the college to offer its first degree: the Associate of Science in Nursing. By 2009, Aultman College had earned accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission, solidifying its place in higher education.

Expansion quickly followed

• 2010: The college was authorized and accredited to offer a second-degree program. The launch of the associate's degree in radiography, building on decades of expertise from the Aultman Hospital School of Radiologic Technology, founded in 1947.
• 2013: The first Aultman College radiography students graduated, as the hospital-based program was fully phased out.
• 2015: Introduction of the Associate of Science in Health Sciences (ASHS), as well as the first graduates of the RN to BSN completion program.
• 2017: Enrollment of the first students in the pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.
• 2019: Launch of the Medical Assisting certificate program, expanding entry points into healthcare careers.

Now, more than 130 years after its beginning, Aultman College continues to grow and adapt to the needs of today's healthcare system. The next milestone is already on the horizon: in fall 2025, the college welcomed its first class into the Associate of Applied Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography program, opening even more pathways for students to join the future of healthcare.