Founded by Father John J. Shipherd in 1844, Olivet College's guiding principle was to provide students with the means of intellectual, moral and spiritual improvement, and to teach them the Divine art and science of doing good to others. From its beginning, the college's founders and leaders believed an education should be available to anyone regardless of gender, race or ability to pay. Olivet's commitment to educating women and minorities cost the college dearly at the time. In 1845, the college was prevented from receiving a state charter because of its abolitionist beliefs. Nevertheless, the college and the community persevered. In spite of illness and the unexpected death of Father Shipherd, the settlers began offering classes as the Olivet Institute. Finally, in 1859, a state charter was granted and in 1863 the college granted degrees to its first class of college graduates: Sara Benedict, Mary N. Barber and Sophia A. Keyes. During the 1930s and 40s, the college developed a national reputation for adopting the "Oxford model," a tutorial system used in European universities that relied heavily on seminars and interaction between faculty and students. It was during this period that the college also sponsored a series of writers' conferences that brought some of the world's leading literary talents to Olivet. Participants included Katherine Anne Porter, Sherwood Anderson and Ford Maddox Ford.