Founder’s Week

Celebrating 170 years of Butler University

February 2-6, 2026

Founder’s Week is an opportunity for those who call Butler home to honor our powerful founder, Ovid Butler, and his vision while celebrating our progress in living out that vision, and acknowledging the progress to come.

About Ovid Butler

Ovid Butler was an Indianapolis lawyer, philanthropist, and founder of Northwestern Christian University (today’s Butler University). Born February 7, 1801, in Augusta, New York, Butler moved with his family to Indiana in 1817. After practicing law in Shelbyville from 1825 to 1836, Butler moved to Indianapolis, where he practiced law until 1849.

In addition, Butler was a leader in education. His desire to found and maintain a university dedicated to non-sectarian Christianity was a driving force in the creation of North Western Christian University. Following the Indiana General Assembly’s approval of the school’s charter on 15 January 1850, Butler was among those who worked to raise the $75,000 in stocks necessary for the opening of the school. Five years later, North Western Christian University opened its doors, and in 1856 graduated its first class. Butler served as the president of the school’s board of directors until 1871, when he retired due to poor health and advanced age. Check out the Founder’s Week digital exhibit prepared by the Department of Special Collections, Rare Books, and University Archives at Butler University Libraries.

“Without Ovid Butler, there would be no Butler University today. The history of the man and the university are intimately and inextricably entwined; without Ovid Butler’s vision, leadership, and financial support, the university may not have come into being, or survived its early years.” – by Sally Childs-Helton, PhD in Ovid Butler and the Founding of Butler University article.