Hiram College ( /ˈhaɪrəm/ hy-rəm) is a private liberal arts college located in Hiram, Ohio. Founded by Amos Sutton Hayden of the Disciples of Christ Church in 1850, the institution has, since its first days, been nonsectarian and coeducational, and throughout its existence Hiram College has sustained this egalitarian tradition of educating men and women from diverse backgrounds. U.S. President James A. Garfield was a student, instructor, and principal of the institution while it was still the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute. Today the College is known for its unique academic calendar and for its study abroad programs. Hiram College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Hiram is listed in Loren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives. The Disciples of Christ founded the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute as a nonsectarian, coeducational preparatory school in 1849. Hiram was chosen as the site of the institution because this area of the Western Reserve seemed to be "healthful and free of distractions.