In the early 17^th century, Rev. John Mason Peck, an American Baptist missionary, traveled to the “gateway city” of St. Louis and its surrounding communities to further develop the denomination’s mission in the area.  Peck promoted the need for an “educated clergy” and founded a seminary in Alton, IL in 1827.  This seminary (known as Rock Springs Seminary and also to some as Alton Seminary) was located in modern-day Upper Alton at the intersection of College Avenue and Seminary Street.

In 1836, Dr. John Shurtleff of Boston, donated $10,000 to the seminary and the school was subsequently named after Dr. Shurtleff: Shurtleff College.  Years later, in 1910, American Industrialist Andrew Carnegie donated a sum of $15,000 to the college for construction of a library on the campus.  In 1950, Shurtleff reached its peak enrollment of 700 students, graduating 99 students that year.  Shurtleff College was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference fro 1910 – 1937. 

In 1971, a group of Christian denominations worked together to construct a Religious Center on the new SIU campus at Edwardsville.  The Religious Center (known today as the Center for Spirituality and Sustainability) is still operational and a central structure on the quickly growing Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Campus.  The Shurtleff Baptist Campus Ministry quickly moved from its location on Leverett St in Upper Alton to its new home at the Religious Center on the SIUe campus that same year under the leadership of campus minister Rev. Virgil “Joe” Santee.  The Shurtleff Baptist Campus Ministry has been operating out of the Religious Center (the Center for Spirituality and Sustainability) continuously since 1971 and is, today, the longest standing Protestant denomination providing campus ministry to the SIUe community. 

Shurtleff College ceased operating on June 30, 1957.  The campus was sold to Southern Illinois University, which desired to start an extension campus in the growing St. Louis metropolis.  In the fall of 1957, Southern Illinois University officially began operating as such at the old Shurtleff College campus.  Students enrolled at Shurtleff at the time continued their education and the last twenty-eight students of Shurtleff College graduated in 1958. The college's first year as an SIU campus saw a jump in enrollment to 1,200 students.  In two years the enrollment doubled.  Shurtleff College was the oldest Baptist college west of the Appalachians until it was absorbed by Southern Illinois University. 

Today, the Shurtleff Baptist Campus Ministry continues its mission of providing religious service to the students of Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville just the same as it did over 50 years ago when the SIU campus began in Alton.  While much has changed over time, the mission of the Shurtleff Foundation to provide campus ministry, the purpose of the Shurtleff Baptist Campus Ministry at SIUe to continue ministry in the “spirit” of Shurtleff College, and the passion of Rev. John Mason Peck remains constant throughout the years as we enter another age in American Baptist Ministry to the university community. 

The Alton campus of Southern Illinois University flourished until 1965 when the SIU Board of Trustees constructed and opened a new campus in nearby Edwardsville, IL.  One of the primary buildings on this new campus was subsequently named to honor Rev. John Mason Peck.  Peck Hall, today, is a thoroughfare to academia on the SIUe campus, housing numerous lecture halls and faculty and support service offices for the School of Arts and Science.  The old Shurtleff College campus in Upper Alton was retained by SIU and was later (1972) opened as the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine.  This school is still operational today on the site.  Many of the original Shurtleff College buildings are still standing and are utilized by the dental school, including the grandiose Shurtleff College Administrative Building, and the Carnegie Library.  Also during this time, the Shurtleff Baptist Campus Ministry continued to minister to the growing SIU community out of the parsonage/office on Leverett St in Upper Alton, with the campus minister commuting to the new main campus in Edwardsville.