[1][2] It operated by three conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and was named in honor of Bishop Enoch Mather Marvin.

[7] At the October 1871 Methodist Episcopal Church conference, the institute's name was changed to Central Female College.

[4] In March 1925, the three Methodist conferences announced plans to relocate Central College for Women to provide a larger campus with a Class A rating.

[11] In April, a million dollar fund was planned for the move to Kansas City, along with arrangements for the donation of 100 acres.

[11] Its first year, the college offered classes in algebra, arithmetic, grammar, Latin, mechanical philosophy, moral philosophy, music instruments, physiology and hygiene, rhetoric, trigonometry, and vocal music.