DAVID N. MYERS UNIVERSITY has a long history as a private, independent, nonprofit institution of higher education awarding associate and baccalaureate degrees, mainly in occupational programs in business and commerce technologies, although it recently expanded to include an MBA program beginning in January 2000. Long known by its former name of Dyke College, it was the first school of its kind in the country and is the oldest college formed in Cleveland. Dyke College was formed as the result of a merger between Spencerian Business College and Dyke School of Commerce. The former was originally founded by E. G. Folsom as FOLSOM''S MERCANTILE COLLEGE in 1848, and after a few more changes in name it became, in 1876, Spencerian Business College. A former graduate, Frank L. Dyke, established Dyke School of Commerce in 1894. The main difference between the two schools, until their merger, was that Dyke emphasized short-term instruction, while Spencerian grew increasingly more collegiate. After 1904, under Ernest E. Merville, Spencerian began to offer B.A. degrees in business administration, commercial science, accounting and auditing, and law.
Through the years, both schools were variously located in the downtown area. On 17 Sept. 1942, the two schools merged under Jay R. Gates and became Dyke & Spencerian College. Enrollment increased after World War II to 750 day students and 400 night students. Classes were held in the Standard Bldg. until 1958, when the college moved to E. 6th St. and became simply Dyke College. Responding to the misconception that it was only a clerical school, the school augmented its liberal-arts offerings and, in 1972, became a member of the Ohio College Assn. In 1978 Dyke College''s Paralegal program was the first in Ohio to be approved by the American Bar Assn. Since 1989 the school''s Cleveland Learning Achievement Scholars (CLASS) program has provided assistance for graduates of the CLEVELAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, while other opportunities are available for suburban students. In 1985 Dyke College moved to a new location at 112 Prospect Ave. in the Gateway area; Dyke launched an $8 million campaign in 1994 to renovate the Prospect Ave. building. Suburban satellite campuses of the college are located in Elyria, BRECKSVILLE, and Wickliffe. Dr. John C. Corfias served as Dyke College president since 1971. Over 1,400 students were enrolled in 1995. The institution changed its name in 1995 to David N. Myers College in honor of a graduate who donated $2 million. The school became David N. Myers University in the summer of 2001 to reflect expanded offerings including the MBA program and a new distance learning department. In 2007, David N. Myers University closed. By 2008, however, the school was reorganized as Chancellor University, a for-profit institute, offering most courses online. In 2013, Chancellor University announced that it had closed, and would transfer its students to Alliant International University.