Brief history
The Universidad de las Américas, A.C. was founded in 1940 as an American type institution named Mexico City College (MCC) to offer liberal arts programs to English speaking residents and also to some Mexican students, giving birth to its bilingual orientation. During this decade the institution was housed in a building in Mexico City and received, as an important part of its students, numerous U.S. veterans from World War II.
The University expanded in the fifties inaugurating a campus in the outskirts of Mexico City. During this period MCC was first accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). During the sixties the institution changed its name to University of the Americas and later on to Universidad de las Américas, A.C. During this decade the University was reaccredited by SACS through a Self-Study. The student body remained American in a great proportion. English was spoken in 75% and Spanish in 25%.
In the Seventies, the University moved to a new campus in Puebla State, and received authorization from the Mexican Ministry of Public Education (SEP in Spanish) to award academic Mexican degrees, thus more Mexican students were attracted. English and Spanish were used at the same rate 50%.
In 1983, less than 4% of students were foreigners and 96% were Mexican. English was spoken only by 5% and Spanish by 95%. An important change for the Universidad de las Américas, A.C. took place in this decade since the Governing Board decided to relocate it on Mexico City to preserve its bilingual mission. What was done in 1986 when the relocation took place, and the Universidad de las Américas, A.C. began its work in the capital, another university remained in Puebla and was allowed to use the denomination Universidad de las Américas. It was preceded by the word Foundation and finished with the word Puebla. Since then, 30 years ago, and up to now, the University has lived very important events
Since 1940 to date, the management of the Universidad de las Américas of Mexico City has been led by nine Rectors:
- Dr. Henry L. Cain 1940 - 1953
- Dr. Paul V. Murray 1953 - 1960
- Dr. D. Ray Lindlay 1960 - 1971
- Dr. Richard Rubottom 1971 - 1973
- Dr. Byron Trippet 1973 - 1975
- Dr. Fernando Macías Rendón 1975 - 1985
- Lic. Demetrio Bolaños Guillén 1985 - 1987
- Dra. Margarita Gómez-Palacio 1988 - 1994
- Dr. Alejandro Gertz Manero 1995 -
