Ohio Wesleyan has upheld academic internationalism since its early years; since the 19th century, the college has established links with several international schools. In 1879, OWU alumna Elizabeth Russell founded Kwassui Women's College in Nagasaki, Japan, when predominant Japanese culture considered women's education unimportant. Today, Kwassui College is one of the top finishing schools for young women in Japan. In 1899, William Ehnis (from the class of 1898) traveled to Africa and opened a school in Mutare, Zimbabwe, that eventually became the Africa University. Ada M. Coe was an early woman Spanish Professor here in 1917.