15 years ago today - Apr 10, 1996

Mormon investors announce they are purchasing Southern Virginia College (SVC), four months after it loses accreditation as two-year school and one month before its closing, to turn it into Mormon school without official sponsorship by LDS headquarters. The likely success of this unprecedented idea is indicated by its announcement in CHURCH NEWS and choice of David Ferrel as college's new president. He is senior employee of recently appointed general authority Richard B. Wirthlin who formally endorses school. Having arranged for LDS congressmen to pressure accrediting association to reconsider its decision, newly installed Mormon trustees announce that SVC will be four-year college with starting freshman class of 400 students who meet same standards of conduct and entrance requirements as at BYU.

[Source: On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com]