Asbury University Explained

Asbury University
Former Names:Kentucky Holiness College (1890–1891)[1]
Asbury College
(1891–2010)
Motto:Eruditio et Religio (Latin)
Mottoeng:Learning and Religion
Type:Private university
Religious Affiliation:Christian
Endowment:$53.1 million (2020)[2]
President:Kevin J. Brown
Provost:Sherry Powers
Undergrad:1,640
Postgrad:214
City:Wilmore
State:Kentucky
Country:United States
Coordinates:37.8636°N -84.6649°W
Campus:Suburban
Mascot:Eagle
Academic Affiliations:Christian College Consortium
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
Space-grant
Athletics Affiliations:NCAA DIII, NCCAA
Enrollment:1,854[3]
Faculty:150
Colors: Purple & white
Administrative Staff:400

Asbury University is a private Christian university in Wilmore, Kentucky.[4] Although it is a non-denominational school, the college is aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement[5] and is a member of the Wesleyan Holiness Connection.[6] The school offers 50-plus majors across 17 departments. In the fall of 2016, Asbury University had a total enrollment of 1,854: 1,640 traditional undergraduate students and 214 graduate students. The campus of Asbury Theological Seminary, which became a separate institution in 1922, is located across the street from Asbury University.

History

Asbury College was established on September 2, 1890, by John Wesley Hughes in Wilmore, Kentucky.[7] It was originally called Kentucky Holiness College, but the following year was renamed after Bishop Francis Asbury, a circuit-riding evangelist known as the "Father of American Methodism". Bishop Asbury had established the first Methodist school in the United States west of the Appalachians, Bethel Academy, in 1790; its site lies near High Bridge, only about four miles (6 km) south of Wilmore.[8]

After being pushed out as President of Asbury College in 1905, Hughes went on to found another college, Kingswood College, in Breckinridge County, Kentucky. Kingswood College no longer exists. Despite his disappointment over being removed at Asbury, Hughes wrote in his 1923 autobiography: "Being sure I was led of God to establish (Asbury College), it being my college child born in poverty, mental perplexity, and soul agony, I loved it from its birth better than my own life. As the days have come and gone, with many sad and broken-hearted experiences, my love has increased. My appreciation of what it has done, what it is doing, and what it promises to do in the future, is such that I am willing to lay down my life for its perpetuation." In 1928, Hughes was invited to break ground for Asbury College's new chapel, Hughes Auditorium, which is still in use today.[9]

In 2001 The Kinlaw Library was completed. It was named in honor of Dennis F. Kinlaw and his wife Elsie. It contains over 150,000 items in several collections. There are three floors and most of the collections are on the main and top floors.[10]

The college's immediate past president, Sandra C. Gray, was inaugurated as the seventeenth president of Asbury on October 5, 2007.[11] She was the institution's first female president.

On March 5, 2010, Asbury College became Asbury University. The current president is Kevin Brown, a former faculty member of the university's Dayton School of Business.[12] He was inaugurated as the eighteenth president on March 6, 2020.[13]

Presidents

Presidents of the institution include:[14]

Academics

Asbury students come from 44 states and 43 countries. Admission to the university is considered "Competitive". For 2023, the average enrolled undergraduate had a 3.65 high school GPA, and an SAT score of 1135 or an ACT score of 25. A required essay or personal statement and letters of recommendation are considered for admission.[15] Nearly 90 percent of the university's students live on campus. Eighty-two percent of the school's faculty hold terminal degrees in their field of study. The university has 59 undergraduate majors and multiple minors and emphases.[16] Internships, exchange programs, study abroad, cross-culture opportunities, missions, and community service opportunities are available and are part of the curriculum in nearly every major.[17] Asbury has a large general education liberal arts requirement ranging from 39 to 57 semester hours.[18] The university also has an Honors Program[19] and online programs.[20] The university has a 12:1 student to faculty ratio and a retention rate of 82 percent on average.[21]

Programs are divided into five units:

Graduate degrees include: Master's in Business Administration, Graduate Education degrees, Master of Arts in Communication, Master of Arts in Digital Storytelling, Master of Arts in Instructional Design, Innovation & Leadership, Master of Fine Arts in Film/TV Production, and Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting.[23]

The Wsj:601–800
Forbes:565
Usnwr Reg:24
Wamo Mastersu:221

Rankings

Out of 136 universities, Asbury University was ranked #24 (tie) in the Regional Universities South category by U.S. News & World Report in their annual Best Colleges rankings in 2024. The institution was also ranked #11 for Best Value Schools and #31 in Best Colleges for Veterans also out of 136 universities.[24]

Athletics

The Asbury athletic teams are called the Eagles. The university is a member of NCAA Division III, primarily competing as a member of the Collegiate Conference of the South after having completed a transition from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) at the end of the 2023–24 academic year.[25] It is also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the Mid-East Region of the Division I level.[26]

Asbury competes in 17 intercollegiate varsity sports:[27] Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, and volleyball; and co-ed sports include cheerleading. Club sports include roundnet, disc golf, and pickleball.

Track & field is the university's most recent varsity program, having begun competition in the 2023–24 academic year.[28]

Move to NCAA Division III

On March 25, 2021, Asbury was approved to begin an expedited three-year transition into NCAA Division III from the NAIA. During the transition it was allowed to compete in Division III, but would not be eligible for any NCAA post-season play until 2024. The school announced it would compete in post-season competitions of the NCCAA during the transition.[29] [30]

Notable alumni

There are more than 20,000 living alumni who live in all 50 US states and at least 80 countries.[31] Notable alumni include:

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History: 1890-1899 . asbury.edu . Ashbury University . 28 December 2022.
  2. As of June 30, 2020. U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 . . February 19, 2021 . February 21, 2021.
  3. As of fall 2016. Web site: Student headcount by level: All independent institutions (2006-16) . Commonwealth of Kentucky . Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education . 4 March 2018 .
  4. Web site: Asbury University – AIKCU.org. 2018-12-04. December 5, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181205193341/http://www.aikcu.org/kentuckys-independent-colleges-universities/asbury-university/. dead.
  5. Book: Winn . Christian T. Collins . From the Margins: A Celebration of the Theological Work of Donald W. Dayton . 2007 . Wipf and Stock Publishers . 9781630878320 . 115 . English. In addition to these separate denominational groupings, one needs to give attention to the large pockets of the Holiness movement that have remained within the United Methodist Church. The most influential of these would be the circles dominated by Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary (both in Wilmore, KY), but one could speak of other colleges, innumerable local campmeetings, the vestiges of various local Holiness associations, independent Holiness oriented missionary societies and the like that have had great impact within United Methodism. A similar pattern would exist in England with the role of Cliff College within Methodism in that context..
  6. Web site: Wesleyan Holiness Connection - About Us .
  7. Web site: History: 1890-1899. Asbury University. en-US. 2020-02-21.
  8. Thacker, Joseph A., Jr. Asbury College: Vision and Miracle. Nappanee: Evangel, 1900, 19.
  9. Web site: John Wesley Hughes. Asbury University. en-US. 2020-02-21.
  10. Web site: About the Library. Asbury University. 26 October 2014.
  11. Web site: Asbury University. www.ccconsortium.org. 2018-12-03.
  12. Web site: Asbury University Announces Brown as New President. Asbury University. en-US. 2020-02-21.
  13. Web site: Presidential Inauguration. Asbury University. en-US. 2020-02-21.
  14. Web site: Past Presidents. Asbury University.
  15. Web site: Asbury University Requirements for Admission . prepscholar.com . PrepScholar . 16 February 2023.
  16. Web site: Undergraduate Majors, Minors & Emphases . asbury.edu . Asbury University . 16 February 2023.
  17. Web site: Global Initiatives & Programs . asbury.edu . Asbury University . 16 February 2023.
  18. Web site: Foundations: Liberal Arts Learning at Asbury University . asbury.edu . Asbury University . 16 February 2023.
  19. Web site: Asbury University Honors Program . asbury.edu . Asbury University . 16 February 2023.
  20. Web site: Online Undergraduate Degrees . asbury.edu . Asbury University . 16 February 2023.
  21. Web site: Asbury University. us news. 2018-12-03.
  22. Web site: Schools . asbury.edu . Asbury University. 16 February 2023.
  23. Web site: Graduate degrees . Asbury University . 16 February 2023.
  24. Web site: August 11, 2024 . Asbury University . U.S. News & World Report.
  25. Web site: NCAA Directory - Asbury University . web3.ncaa.org . . 7 July 2024.
  26. Web site: Asbury University . thenccaa.org . . 7 July 2024.
  27. https://asburyeagles.com Asbury University - Official Athletics Website
  28. https://asburyeagles.com/news/2022/5/26/asbury-university-to-launch-track-field-in-2023-24-academic-year.aspx Asbury University to Launch Track & Field in 2023-24 Academic Year
  29. News: Farmer . Keith . Asbury approved for provisional membership to NCAA Division III - Won't be full-time Division III member until 2024 . 7 July 2024 . . March 25, 2021.
  30. News: Asbury University. NCAA Approves Division III Provisional Membership for Asbury University . March 25, 2021. March 25, 2021.
  31. Web site: Asbury University profile . 2008-06-24 .
  32. Web site: Cook . James F. . Georgia Government Documentation Project - Interview with Joe Frank Harris June 6 and August 5, 1987 . digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu . . 7 July 2024.
  33. "Palau National Congress Wikipedia"
  34. "National Library of Australia"

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