Northwest Christian University, the Eugene college, will change its name this year.

Students who graduate from the religious university after May 2020 will not have diplomas from NCU — instead, they will have graduated from Bushnell University, named after James A. Bushnell, the first chairman of the university's board of trustees.

NCU is in the middle of Eugene's University District, with buildings within a three-block area between Hilyard Street, Franklin Boulevard and East 12th Avenue. It has about 800 students enrolled and was established in 1895 when it was named Eugene Divinity School.

Since then, the college has gone through a few additional name changes: In 1934, it was known as Northwest Christian College and in July 2008 its name officially changed to Northwest Christian University.

The latest name change was announced on the university's website with the idea that the new name would better reflect the university as it is today and allow reach "beyond the Northwest, to students nationally and globally."

Bushnell also co-founded the college with Eugene C. Sanderson, started several churches in the area, started the area's first chamber of commerce and was the president of the Lane County Evangelistic Board, among other titles.

Despite the name change, the university will still be "Christ-centered." Students still will be known as the Beacons and don blue and gold as their school colors.

The new name will not impact the university's regional accreditation with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities or any other professional affiliations.

Follow Jordyn Brown on Twitter @thejordynbrown or email at jbrown@registerguard.com.