 When Whitworth was approached by Spokane boosters, the Spokane Presbytery, and railroad magnate Jay P. Graves with some land on his new Country Homes development outside the city, the university trustees agreed to the move provided that the Spokane community donate $70,000 and the Synod of Washington $30,000 for facilities.Whitworth merged with Spokane Junior College in 1942, when the latter shut down due to financial difficulties during World War II.The board of trustees voted to change the institution's name to Whitworth University in 2006, which became effective July 1, 2007.