History

Richard Shurtz Sr. established American Transportation Institute (ATI) in 1976. ATI offered certificate programs in the transportation industry. The programs included training for travel agents, hotel and restaurant management, and bartenders. The single Falls Church campus featured an on-site travel agency which worked with airline and railroad travel. Dr. Richard Shurtz, II and Mary Ann Shurtz took over the company in 1986. ATI became Stratford College in 1998 and began offering associate’s degree programs in culinary arts and information technology. Dr. Shurtz named the college after Stratford-upon-Avon and his love of literature and travel. In 2001, Stratford College began offering master’s degrees and became Stratford University. The University is dedicated to changing with the times to provide its students with education in high-demand industries.