Type | Private |
---|---|
Active | 1965–1975 |
Location | , , |
Campus | Rural |
Mascot | Patriots / Patriettes |
John F. Kennedy College was founded in 1965 in Wahoo, Nebraska, United States, one of six colleges started by small-town businessmen on the model of Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa. The college was named after President John F. Kennedy. Due to a drop in enrollment, financial difficulties and 3 fires [1] following the end of the military conscription draft in 1973, Kennedy College closed in 1975. [2]
JFK College was a pioneer in intercollegiate women's athletics. The softball team won the first three Women's College World Series championships in 1969–71. [3] [4] They were excluded from the May, 1972, tournament by a decision of the Nebraska Women's Intercollegiate Sports Council in April, which barred schools from appearing in the WCWS if it gave scholarships to any women athletes, not just softball players. JFK openly awarded partial women's basketball scholarships, as that sport was governed by a non-collegiate organization, the AAU. [5]
The women's basketball team, winners of several AAU titles in 1972 and 1973, helped to further the diplomatic thaw in Sino-American relations in 1973 by representing the U.S. on a tour of games in the People's Republic of China, which was the subject of an article in Sports Illustrated. [6] The basketball team also advanced to the final game of the National Women's Invitational Tournament in 1972, 1973 and 1974, falling to the same team (Wayland Baptist) each year.
The "Parsons Plan" academic model was the brainchild of Millard Roberts, the president of Parsons College from 1955 to 1967. The multi-faceted plan featured innovative teaching and administrative techniques, and emphasized the recruitment of a geographically and academically diverse student body. Among other characteristics, the "Parsons Plan" schools welcomed unconventional students who had not seen success at other colleges. In the 1960s, the schools were also attended by a substantial number of young men seeking draft deferments that would allow them to avoid military service during the Vietnam War.
In 2004 a private physician bought the former library for use as an office. Since then, several buildings have been renovated. [7] Some of the land was sold to a housing developer, and a developer built condominiums for senior citizens on part of the campus. [8]
Three of the buildings remain empty. [8] The building's grass is still being mowed however many of the buildings are suffering decay, with glass shattered, many warning signs outside, doors that are boarded up [9] no images online show the inside.
They had a 50th anniversary reunion of the first fully graduating class in 2010 [10]
In October 2019, many coaches, students and staff of the college had a reunion [11] "A good time was had by all" as stated on a student and teacher website
Chadron State College (CSC) is a public college in Chadron, Nebraska. It is one of three public colleges in the Nebraska State College System. It practices open admissions.
The Women's College World Series (WCWS) is the final portion of the NCAA Division I softball tournament for college softball in the United States. The eight teams of the WCWS play a double-elimination tournament until just two teams remain. These two teams compete in a best-of-three series to determine the Division I WCWS National Champion. Previous WCWS losses do not factor into the best-of-three championship series, and the first team to win two of three games is declared the National Champion.
The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics and to administer national championships. During its existence, the AIAW and its predecessor, the Division for Girls' and Women's Sports (DGWS), recognized via these championships the teams and individuals who excelled at the highest level of women's collegiate competition.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OKWU) is a private university of the Wesleyan church in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. OKWU offers over 30 undergraduate degrees to students at its Bartlesville campus, and it also offers six graduate degree programs as part of its online offerings.
The University of St. Francis (USF) is a private Franciscan university with its main campus in Joliet, Illinois. It enrolls nearly 3,200 students at locations throughout the country with about 1,300 students at its main campus.
Rogers State University (RSU) is a public university in Claremore, Oklahoma. It also has branch campuses in Bartlesville and Pryor Creek.
Concordia University, Nebraska is a private Lutheran university in Seward, Nebraska. It was established in 1894 and is affiliated with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod as one of seven schools in the Concordia University System. The university is organized into three schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education, and the College of Graduate Studies.
College softball is softball as played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education, predominantly in the United States. College softball is normally played by women at the Intercollegiate level, whereas college baseball is normally played by men.
Immaculata University is a private Roman Catholic university in East Whiteland Township, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Wayland Baptist University (WBU) is a private Baptist university based in Plainview, Texas. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Wayland Baptist has 11 campuses in five Texas cities, six states, American Samoa, and Kenya. Chartered in 1908, it had about 4,000 students in 2021, including about 900 students on its main campus.
The UIC Flames are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Illinois Chicago, located in Chicago, Illinois, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) since the 2022–23 academic year. The Flames previously competed in the D-I Horizon League from 1994–95 to 2021–22; in the D-I Mid-Continent Conference from 1982–83 to 1993–94; as an NCAA D-I Independent during the 1981–82 school year; and in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1949–50 to about 1980–81. Michael Lipitz joined UIC in October 2019 as the athletic director.
The Washburn Ichabods are the athletic teams that represent Washburn University, located in Topeka, Kansas, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) since the 1989–90 academic year. The Ichabods previously competed in the Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1976–77 to 1988–89; in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) from 1972–73 to 1975–76; in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) from 1968–69 to 1971–72; in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIC) from 1940–41 to 1967–68 ; as an Independent from 1933–34 to 1939–40; and in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) from 1902–03 to 1922–23.
The Emporia State Hornets are the athletic teams that represent Emporia State University (ESU). The women's basketball and softball teams use the name Lady Hornets. The university's athletic program fields 15 varsity teams in 11 sports all of whom have combined to win 50 conference championships as well as three national championships. Corky the Hornet serves as the mascot representing the teams, and the school colors are black and gold. Emporia State participates in the NCAA Division II and has been a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) since 1991.
The Wayne State Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent Wayne State College, located in Wayne, Nebraska, in intercollegiate sports at the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) in all sports since the 1999–2000 academic year. The Wildcats previously competed in the Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1976–77 to 1988–89; as well as in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) as a provisional member during the 1989–90 school year.
The Southern Arkansas Muleriders represent Southern Arkansas University in intercollegiate athletics. They are a member of the Great American Conference and compete in NCAA Division II, fielding 16 varsity teams in 10 sports.
The Nebraska–Kearney Lopers are the athletic teams that represent the University of Nebraska at Kearney, located in Kearney, Nebraska, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) for most of its sports since the 2012–13 academic year; while its women's swimming and diving team competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Lopers previously competed in the D-II Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) from 1994–95 to 2011–12 ; and in the Central States Intercollegiate Conference (CSIC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1976–77 to 1988–89.
The 1971 ASA/DGWS Women's College World Series (WCWS), the third in its history, was held in Omaha, Nebraska. On May 14–16, softball teams from 28 colleges met in that year's national fastpitch softball tournament, still the largest number of teams to play in a single-site WCWS. The tournament consisted of 55 games.
The 1969 Women's College World Series of softball was organized by the Omaha Softball Association and recognized by the Division for Girls' and Women's Sports (DGWS) as a championship tournament. Softball teams from nine colleges met on May 16–18 in Omaha and Fremont, Nebraska. A tenth team from the Philippines encountered a travel delay en route and was forced to miss the tournament. The first day of games was rained out, causing the 16 games to be played in two days. Connie Claussen, the chair of the physical education department at the University of Nebraska–Omaha, was a driving force in organizing and directing that first tournament, as well as the next ten while the series was held in Omaha.
The 1970 Women's College World Series of softball. It was organized by the Omaha Softball Association and recognized by the Division for Girls' and Women's Sports (DGWS) as a championship tournament. Softball teams from 17 schools met on May 15–17 at the George W. Dill Softball Center at Benson Park in Omaha, Nebraska.
The 1972 Women's College World Series (WCWS) was contested among 16 college softball teams on May 18–21 in Omaha, Nebraska. This fourth WCWS was notable for the only appearance of a team from outside the United States, as the team from Tokyo–Nihon University of Japan proved to be a hit with both spectators and the other teams in the tournament.