The college grew out of a postgraduate tutorial offered to one young woman graduate of St. Mary's Academy in Monroe, Michigan, in 1899.

[4] In the decades after World War I, Marygrove College was an important local center of Catholic social action.

Faculty members were chosen for their education, character, and faith, and President Derry encouraged each student to look beyond the prospect of eventual marriage and to become capable of "doing her part in the world's work in whatever sphere of life she may be placed".

[4] Dr. Price retired in 2006 and continues to be active in Detroit's community revival, most recently with her appointment to the city's financial advisory board.

[7][8] In the final years several controversial events on campus occurred, including protests over the use of college facilities by the LGBT group DignityUSA,[9][10] and the opening of a Muslim prayer room.

[17] The school's chapel is now used by St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, a nearby parish whose building collapsed in 2018.

[19] They were also a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) from 2002–03 to the fall of the 2017–18 academic year.

In addition to the unique use of urban land for golf, the Golf Practice Facility incorporated environment-friendly land use and techniques, including minimal disruption to current trees, and used recycled water for irrigation and natural pesticides.