Johnson University

Last updated
Johnson University
JU TN-Logo.jpg
Former names
The School of the Evangelists
(1893–1909)
Johnson Bible College (1909–2011)
MottoFaith, Prayer, Work
Type Private university
Established1893
Religious affiliation
 Christian churches and churches of Christ
Endowment $160,000,000 (2022)
President Tommy Smith
Provost Gregory Linton
Academic staff
61
Students967 (2022-23)
Location
Kimberlin Heights
,
Tennessee
,
United States

35°56′10.32″N83°45′1.44″W / 35.9362000°N 83.7504000°W / 35.9362000; -83.7504000
CampusRural 300 acres (1.2 km2)
Colors    
Navy Blue, Gray and White
Nickname Royals
Sporting affiliations
 NAIA – Appalachian
Website http://johnsonu.edu

Johnson University is a private Christian university headquartered in Kimberlin Heights, Tennessee, with an additional campus in Kissimmee, Florida. Rooted in the tenets of the Restoration Movement, it maintains affiliation with the Christian churches and churches of Christ.

Contents

History

Johnson University was established in 1893 by Ashley S Johnson. It began as an extension of the Correspondence Bible College under the name "The School of the Evangelists". In 1909, following a student petition to honor the founder, the institution was renamed Johnson Bible College. This title endured until July 1, 2011, when the college transitioned to Johnson University.

The inception of the school was introduced in a sermon by Ashley S. Johnson at Bearden Christian Church in 1892, proposing a college-level institution dedicated to the gospels. Guests embarked on a steamboat journey from Knoxville in May 1893 to witness the laying of the cornerstone for the Main Building, completed in 1895 with a distinctive five-story square tower. However, on December 1, 1904 a fire originating from a chimney razed the original Main Building. In its place, rose a new brick structure dedicated in 1905.

The school experienced significant growth following the dedication of the "New" Main Building, leading to the construction of Irwin Library in 1912. Johnson's leadership persisted until his death in 1925, after which his wife, Emma Elizabeth Johnson, assumed the presidency until her death in 1927.

Alva Ross Brown became the third president at the recommendation of Emma Johnson, becoming one of the youngest college presidents in the United States at 21 years old. Brown's tenure lasted until his death in 1941.

Following the death of Brown, the trustees appointed Robert M Bell as the fourth president. Under Bell's leadership, the college navigated financial challenges and expanded its academic, financial, and physical infrastructure until his death in 1968.

David L. Eubanks assumed the presidency in 1969, overseeing continued academic expansion and the construction of new facilities, until his retirement in 2007.

Gary E. Weedman succeeded him, guiding the institution's transition into a university and fostering partnerships with other institutions and countries until his retirement in June 2018. [1] [2]

L. Thomas Smith Jr. then assumed the presidency, overseeing significant expansions, including the construction of the Graham Center and the Commons on the Florida campus. Smith announced his retirement in late 2023, with Daniel Overdorf selected as his successor before February 2024.

Presidential leadership

Ashley Johnson, the first president and co-founder with his wife, authored the Condensed Biblical Encyclopedia. [3] When Emma Elizabeth Johnson took the reins in 1925, she was one of the earliest women to lead a college in the United States.

PresidentTerm
Ashley S. Johnson (founder)1893−1925
Emma Elizabeth Johnson (founder)1925−1927
Alva Ross Brown1927−1941
Robert M. Bell1941−1968
David L. Eubanks 1969−2007
Gary E. Weedman2007−2018
L. Thomas Smith2018−June 30 2024
Daniel Overdorf (President-elect)July 1, 2024 -

Academics

Johnson University awards associate, bachelors', master's, and doctoral degrees. It offers over 70 different academic programs organized into seven schools: [4]

Accreditation

Johnson University was first accredited in 1979 by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. [5] The university is approved by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) to operate as a degree-granting educational institution. [6]

Programs in the School of Bible & Theology and the School of Congregational Ministry are both accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education. [7] The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs accredits the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the concentrations of Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.A.) and School Counseling (M.A.).

Campuses

The university has two physical campuses and an online campus. The Tennessee campus is located in the upper Tennessee River valley on the banks of the French Broad River. The online campus is also located on the Tennessee Campus.

The Florida Campus, Johnson University Florida, is located at the site of the former Florida Christian College, in Kissimmee, Florida, just 20 miles south of downtown Orlando, Florida. This campus closed on June 30th, 2024.

Campus facilities

Since its founding, Johnson University has had many different buildings. While many are still in use, some have been refurbished and repurposed while a few have been demolished. [8]

Academic buildings

  • Myrtle Hall – Built 1951 (School of Social & Behavioral Sciences, former women's dormitory)
  • Glass Memorial Library – Built 1964, enlarged 1989
  • Phillips−Welshimer Building - Built 1975 (Schools of Arts & Sciences, Bible & Theology, Business & Public Leadership, Congregational Ministry, Administrative/Faculty Offices, Chapel/Auditorium)
  • Eubanks Activity Center – Built 1989 (Office of President, Student Commons, Science Labs, School of Communication & Creative Arts)
  • Richardson Hall – Built 2001 (Templar School of Education, School of Intercultural Studies, School of Business and Public Leadership)
  • Russell Preaching Center – Renovated 2007 (Location of former Dining Hal in Phillips-Welshimer Building)
  • Music & Plant Services Building – Built 2018 (Music Department & Plant Services Complex)
  • The Graham Center [9] – Athletic & Recreation Complex – Built 2019

Campus life

  • Clark Hall - Built 1905 (Men's Dorm - Part of Old Main Building. Basement Dining Hall 1905-1955. Renovated in the early 1980s)
  • Bell Hall – Built 1955 (Apartments - Basement was the dining hall from 1955 to 1976)
  • Brown Hall – Built 2000 (Men's Dorm)
  • Johnson Hall – Built 2000 (Women's Dorm)
  • Gally Commons – Built 2007 (Dining Hall, Private Function Rooms, Campus Store and Student Post Office & Package Center)
  • River View – Built 2008 (Home of the President of the University)

Historic facilities

  • The White House – Built 1890 (Restored home of Dr. and Mrs. Johnson - VIP Housing Location & Smaller Gatherings) [10]
  • Old Main Building – Built 1905 (Old Chapel & Archeological Museum)
  • Old Gymnasium & Pool – Built 1949
  • Alumni Memorial Chapel – Built 1961

Former facilities

  • Original Main Building – 1893–1904 (Wooden building, five story tower with bell, located at the current site of the Old Main Building). [11]
  • Industrial Hall "Old Dusty" – 1898–1960 (Wooden building located near the site Alumni Memorial Chapel). The Lower level contained the wood shops with Women's dorm rooms on upper floor.
  • The Dairy Barn, Late 1800s until the 1970s, occupied the site where the Phillips-Welshimer Building stands today. It served as the residence for the esteemed dairy herd known as the Dixie Holstein Herd. This herd had the main bull being the grandson of the prize winning bull at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
  • Tabor Science Laboratory - 1920s to 1970s
  • Irwin Library, which stood from 1912 to 2000, was a three-story brick building situated next to the Old Main Building. Originally established as the location of the second college library, it also housed several classrooms. The library was notable for its decoration with Pink Tennessee Marble, much of which can now be found in the sidewalk leading to Richardson Hall.
  • Old Brown Hall – 1971–2000 (3 story facility, former men's dormitory)
  • Old Johnson Hall – 1972–2000 (3 story facility, former women's dormitory)

Athletics

The athletic teams of the Johnson–Tennessee (JUTN) campus are called the Royals. The campus is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) since the 2021–22 academic year. They are also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the Mid-East Region of the Division II level.

JUTN competes in ten intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, soccer and tennis; while women's sports include basketball, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.

Notable alumni

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bard College at Simon's Rock</span> Liberal arts college in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, United States

Bard College at Simon's Rock is a private liberal arts college in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. It is part of Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina State University</span> Historically black university in Orangeburg, South Carolina, US

South Carolina State University is a public, historically black, land-grant university in Orangeburg, South Carolina. It is the only public, historically black land-grant institution in South Carolina, is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maranatha Baptist University</span> Private Baptist university in Watertown, Wisconsin

Maranatha Baptist University is a private Baptist university in Watertown, Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Association of Colleges and Schools</span> University accreditation organization in the United States

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an American educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and private educational institutions ranging from preschool to college level in the Southern United States. Its headquarters are in North Druid Hills, Georgia, near Decatur, in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baylor School</span> Private, boarding, day school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States

Baylor School, commonly called Baylor, is a private, coeducational college-preparatory school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1893, the school's current campus comprises 690 acres and enrolls students in grades 6 to 12, including boarding students in grades 9 through 12. These students are served by Baylor's 148-member faculty, over two-thirds of whom hold advanced degrees, including nearly 40 adults who live on campus and serve as dorm parents. Baylor has had a student win the Siemens Award for Advanced Placement in math and science and a teacher received the National Siemens Award for Exemplary Teaching.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnson University Florida</span> Private Christian university in Kissimmee, Florida, U.S.

Johnson University Florida was a private Christian university in Kissimmee, Florida. It was part of the Johnson University system with its main campus outside Knoxville, Tennessee, and an online campus. It was affiliated with the Independent Christian Church of the Restoration Movement. The campus was closed in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franklin Pierce University</span> Private university in Rindge, New Hampshire, US

Franklin Pierce University is a private university in Rindge, New Hampshire, United States. It was founded as Franklin Pierce College in 1962, combining a liberal arts foundation with coursework for professional preparation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selma University</span>

Selma University is a private historically black Baptist Bible college in Selma, Alabama, U.S.. It is affiliated with the Alabama State Missionary Baptist Convention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hiwassee College</span> Methodist college in Madisonville, Tennessee, US (1849–2019)

Hiwassee College was a private liberal arts college in Madisonville, Tennessee. Founded in 1849, the college offered associate degrees as well as bachelor's degrees. The majority of its associate degree graduates went on to complete bachelor's degrees elsewhere. The college closed on May 10, 2019 due to financial issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salem State University</span> Public university in Salem, Massachusetts, US

Salem State University is a public university in Salem, Massachusetts. Established in 1854, it is the oldest and largest institute of higher education on the North Shore and is part of the state university system in Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Methodist University</span> Private university in Fayette, Missouri, U.S.

Central Methodist University is a private university in Fayette, Missouri. CMU is accredited to offer master's, bachelors, and associate degrees. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary is a private Christian college and seminary in Ankeny, Iowa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Augustine's University (North Carolina)</span> Historically black Christian college in Raleigh, North Carolina, US

Saint Augustine's University is a private historically black Christian college in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was founded by Episcopal clergy in 1867 for the education of freed slaves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Andrews University (North Carolina)</span> Presbyterian university in Laurinburg, North Carolina, US

St. Andrews University is a private Presbyterian university in Laurinburg, North Carolina. It was established in 1958 as a result of a merger of Flora MacDonald College in Red Springs and Presbyterian Junior College; it was named St. Andrews Presbyterian College from 1960 until 2011 when the college changed its name to St. Andrews University. That same year, it merged with Webber International University of Babson Park, Florida. It is also home to the St. Andrews Press. In 2013, St. Andrews added its first graduate program, an MBA in business administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas Baptist College</span> Private college in Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.

Arkansas Baptist College (ABC) is a private Baptist-affiliated historically black college in Little Rock, Arkansas. Founded in 1884 as the Minister's Institute, ABC was initially funded by the Colored Baptists of the State of Arkansas. It is the only historically black Baptist school west of the Mississippi River. The Main Building on its campus, built in 1893, is one of the oldest surviving academic buildings in the state, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Nelson American Indian College is a private Christian college in Phoenix, Arizona. It was originally founded in 1957 by missionary Alta Washburn who saw the great need to prepare Native Americans for church ministry. Nelson AIC educates students from about 25 tribes but welcomes students of all ethnicities. It is a regional Assemblies of God college. Until late 2015 the college was accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools but is now an approved campus of Nelson University [[formerly [Southwestern Assemblies of God University, or SAGU]] and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Housing at Georgetown University</span> Aspect of Georgetown University residential life

Housing at Georgetown University consists of 13 residence halls at the main campus and a law center campus. Housing on Georgetown's main campus is divided between "halls," usually more traditional dormitories, and "villages", usually less traditional apartment complexes. In addition, Georgetown operates many townhouses in the Georgetown neighborhood, usually for second, third, and fourth-year students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas Christian College (Overland Park)</span>

Kansas Christian College is a private Christian college in Overland Park, Kansas. It is affiliated with the Church of God (Holiness) and accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education. The sports programs associated fielded by Kansas Christian College are nicknamed the Falcons, and compete in the NCCAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohio Valley University</span> Private Christian College in Vienna, West Virginia, U.S.

Ohio Valley University was a private Christian college located between Parkersburg and Vienna in West Virginia. Founded in 1958, the school integrated education with teachings of the Christian faith. The college was physically located on two separate campuses totalling 267 acres (108 ha). At one time, OVU offered bachelor's degrees in more than 30 different subject areas, but scaled back its academic options as enrollment numbers and financial stability dropped significantly. The college was accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and was placed under academic probation in 2020 by the Higher Learning Commission due to ongoing long-term financial struggles. In December 2021, the OVU Board of Directors voted to close the college after the Fall 2021 semester. The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission voted to revoke OVU's authority to grant degrees shortly thereafter. Seniors were allowed to finish their degrees without the loss of any credit hours in the spring semester of 2022 at several other institutions of higher education related to Churches of Christ through "teach out" agreements.

Lees College Campus of Hazard Community and Technical College is a campus in Jackson, Kentucky of Hazard Community and Technical College, a public community college. It was founded in 1883 as Jackson Academy, an elementary and high school for Breathitt County. It is one of the oldest higher education institutions in the region. In 1996, college board would vote to close the college and be absorbed into the University of Kentucky's Community College System. A year later, state legislature would pass a bill to take all community and technical colleges of the state and form the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. Once KCTCS was formed, the campus would become part of Hazard Community and Technical College as a northern hub campus to the college's service area.

References

  1. ↑ Megan Boehnke, Johnson Bible College announces new name Archived 2012-10-14 at the Wayback Machine , Knoxville News Sentinel , April 29, 2011
  2. ↑ "A Mission-Driven Name". Johnson University. April 28, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2011.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. ↑ "Condensed Biblical Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on 2013-01-19. Retrieved 2007-10-25.
  4. ↑ https://johnsonu.edu/Tennessee/Academics Archived 2018-05-04 at the Wayback Machine - Information about Johnson University academics
  5. ↑ http://www.sacscoc.org/details.asp?instid=39860 Archived 2018-05-09 at the Wayback Machine - Johnson University profile on the SACSCOC page.
  6. ↑ https://johnsonu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-2024-Johnson-University-Undergraduate-Academic-Catalog-APPROVED-6-20-2023.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  7. ↑ https://abhe-dir.weaveeducation.com/details/%7B498da9be-6cc8-4781-bb3c-5c8b32064658%7D – Search Johnson University for Accreditation information
  8. ↑ The Story of Johnson Bible College. by Robert E. Black. Tennessee Valley Printing Co. Kimberlin Heights, TN
  9. ↑ "Johnson University Receives Gift from the Graham Family Foundation".
  10. ↑ Archived 2018-05-04 at the Wayback Machine Johnson Magazine article updating on the renovations that were occurring on The White House.
  11. ↑ The Main Building was destroyed by fire on December 1, 1904.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.