In 1916, a fire destroyed the original campus and caused two deaths when a four-ton bell crashed through the main building.

Penn College's business manager Robert Williams and freshman student Harry Oakley were killed after being struck by the bell.

In 1995, William Penn's "College for Working Adults" was founded, which enrolls non-traditional students in an evening program of accelerated study.

William Penn University is currently accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.

In 2014 William Penn set a record for points scored in the NAIA National Basketball Tournament.