1902-1905
At the age of 22, John Brown becomes president of Scarritt
Collegiate Institute in Neosho, Missouri. Although limited in
formal education, and the youngest college president in the
nation, he is recognized as a brilliant administrator and scholar.
He eventually returns to his previous careers in evangelism and
publishing, but he begins to dream of building a school that
will encompass a threefold education of young people, focused
on head, heart and hand. . .
1919
July- Brown realizes the beginning of his dream. He, his
family and a few friends gather in a corn field in Northwest
Arkansas to dedicate the family farm as a school for
economically disadvantaged young people who are "rich in
aspirations, ideals, personality and integrity." The Browns deed
their lands, home, and printing plant to the new school.
August- William Waterhouse begins the first building,
Southwestern Hall, on Mr. and Mrs. Brown's farm. Mr.
Waterhouse is a retired California contractor who worked with
Brown's evangelistic campaigns for a number of years, moving
into a town a few days before meetings were to be held and
erecting wooden "tabernacles," capable of holding hundreds of
people.
September 30- One month and four days later, Southwestern
Collegiate Institute opens for its first day of classes in its
solitary building. As an academy (high school) and junior
college, the school begins with 12 faculty and staff members
and 70 students. The students help defray the cost of their
education by working four hours a day in the various
departments of the school. Within the first month, the students
publish the first school paper, The Southwestern.
December- The International Federation of Christian Workers
donates its Federation Publishing Company to the school in
December. This gift makes possible courses in printing and
journalism.
1920
Spring- The Southwestern Collegiate Institute is renamed John
E. Brown College, to increase recognition of the school in
Brown's evangelistic circles. The Siloam School of the Bible is
added to the Institute in order to provide future ministers,
church workers, and missionaries.
June 1- The cornerstone for the school's first permanent
building, the J. Alvin Brown Hall for Men, is laid. Much of the
work on the building is done by the students themselves. A gift
of $50,000 from the Hon. Jesse H. Jones provides the
springboard for the construction.
June 4- 5- President Brown delivers the first baccalaureate and
commencement addresses for Academy graduates.
September 22- 150 students enroll at the college and academy
levels.
1921
Spring- The Academy produces six more graduates. Students
walk many miles to reach "mission points" in jails, hospitals,
nursing homes, and churches, and to farm the acres
surrounding the school. All meals and food products were
grown or raised on College lands. Because of injuries and lack
of practice time, the decision is made to drop intervarsity sports
and concentrate on intramural athletics.
Fall- Dedication of J. Alvin Brown Hall. Male students move
from the "Old White" building to their new dorm.
October 7- First annual Founder's Day, the predecessor of
modern Homecoming celebrations.
1922
July 6- Cornerstone is laid for the California Dormitory for
Women, named after the state which contributed the most
donations towards the construction. Mechanical Building #1,
later named the Arkansas Building, is constructed. It houses a
garage, store, auto agency, shops, vocational classrooms and
administrative offices.
September- JEBC begins its fourth year of operation with
approximately 230 students, expanded facilities, and a
reasonably sound financial condition. Uniforms are required of
all students, and are produced during vocational classes in the
dress-making factory. Other industries that meet the school's
needs while providing vocational training include the dairy, the
farms, the broom and furniture factories, and the plumbing,
carpentry and blacksmith shops. JEBC also publishes three
periodicals: The Ozark American, The Interstate American (a
weekly newspaper), and The American Evangelist (the official
publication of the Federation of Christian Workers).
1923
May- Geneva Cossel is the first graduate of the two-year
college program.
1924
Spring- Two students graduate from JEBC and 43 from the
Academy.
Fall- The founder purchases almost the entire community of
Sulphur Springs to establish John Brown University, a fouryear vocational college for those who can afford its $450
annual tuition. JEBC continues to offer tuition-free education
through its vocational requirements.
1925
May- Nine graduate from JEBC, and two graduate from the
JBU senior college program at Sulphur Springs. The first
alumni banquet is held.
Fall- Tuition is tried for first time at JEBC, but is later
dropped.
1926
Spring- Thirteen graduate from JEBC; 4 receive bachelor's
degrees from JBU at Sulphur Springs.
Summer- A reorganization of the schools redesignates John
Brown University at Sulphur Springs as a "John Brown
College and Academy" for female students. The Siloam
Springs JEBC and Academy are mostly restricted to males.
complete. It houses the dress factory, laundry, bakery, cannery,
extension department and heating and electrical plant.
1927
June 20- The laying of the cornerstone for the Oklahoma
Building brings four thousand guests to campus. Special guests
include Governor Halloway of Oklahoma and Methodist
Bishop Sam R. Hay of Houston, TX (representing the Hon.
Jesse H. Jones). In spite of the auspicious beginning, the
Oklahoma Building is never built, thanks to the detrimental
effects of the Great Depression.
January- Brown addresses the opening session of Oklahoma
state legislature, promoting vocational education in his speech.
July 1- The California Dorm is dedicated. Most of its furniture
is produced in the school's factory.
1928
Fall- John Brown College (for women) returns from Sulphur
Springs to Siloam Springs and is merged with JEBC, thanks to
a large number of complaints from the student bodies. Each
student is required to assume an obligation for at least a small
portion of his or her education by signing a note for $150.00, to
be paid after he or she leaves school and is earning an income.
Students with little or no money continue to be accepted. 100watt radio station KFPW (Kind Friends Please Write) is
purchased and moved to campus from Missouri.
Summer- The College Bank and Savings Corporation is
organized to serve as a depository for college and student
funds, as a source of training for students in business
administration, and as a hands-on lesson for students on how to
use bank accounts. Radio station KFPW is sold due to poor
coverage.
Fall-The Julia A. Brown School, named after Brown's mother,
opens in Sulphur Springs. 300 students enroll in JEBC and the
Academy. The pay-by-work plan is terminated for a threelevel, need-based payment program.
1929
1931
Summer- First regular summer session offers classes to
college and academy students.
April 13- A new building, "Helen the First Memorial
Building," is constructed to replace the original campus
building, the "Old White." The building was named as a
memorial to Helen Brown Hodges, the Browns' second
daughter. She had been exceptionally active in assisting her
father in the work of the schools, and her death is one of the
most difficult periods of his life. In addition, hers is the first
death in the immediate family as well as on College Hill. Much
1930
May 23- The Alumni Building (later named the Hyde
Building) is dedicated, having taken some seven years to
of the material for the building comes from the deconstructed
"Old White."
May 16- JBU purchases KUOA from the Fulbright family of
Fayetteville, Arkansas, for $16,000.
1932
June 1- JBU dedicates its newest radio station with an all-day
program. By the summer's end, JBU also opens a communitywide hospital service in downtown Siloam Springs.
Spring- The College Bank, unaffected by federal banking
controls, is the only bank that serves the community of Siloam
Springs through the entire national bank crisis. Vocational
education has expanded to over 17 departments.
1933
Fall- University Christian Fellowship begins mandatory
campus Sunday services for students and staff.
1934
June 11- The Arkansas State Department of Education grants
an unrestricted charter to the newly incorporated, and newly
renamed, four-year John Brown University. JBU was
reorganized to come out of debt in the tail end of the
Depression.
September 1- The articles of incorporation are amended and
John Brown University is established with three colleges: John
E. Brown College, Siloam School of the Bible and John Brown
Vocational College. A high school program is still offered,
known as the Julia A. Brown School for Children.
1935
May- The first John Brown University graduating class awards
diplomas to 37 graduates: 20 B.A.'s, 10 B.S.'s, 7 Th.B.'s.
1936
Fall- More than 450 students enroll on the Siloam Springs
campus.
November- A new transmitter building and radio tower
(nicknamed "the Rod of God") are built for KUOA in Siloam
Springs, and the radio station is moved to campus from
Fayetteville.
1937
April 10- President Brown announces that John Brown
University has begun two school plants in California: the
Brown School for Girls near Glendora and the Brown Military
Academy for boys at San Diego. BMA's 40 acres of training
grounds, formerly known as the San Diego Army and Navy
Academy, soon become known as "the West Point of the
West." BSG, the former Girl's Collegiate Institute, is lauded for
its scenery in the foothills of the Sierra Madre. A productive
orange grove occupies 18 of the school's 50 acres. Back in
Arkansas, the decision is made to merge the Siloam high
school with the Julia A. Brown School for Children. Junior
activities remain in Siloam Springs to provide training facilities
for JBU's education majors. The older students move out to
Sulphur Springs at the newly formed Brown Military Academy
of the Ozarks (BMAO), also called John Brown Academy. A
summer program called Camp Buddy (after John E. Brown Jr.'s
nickname) is operated out of the BMAO campus.
November- First issue of student newspaper The Threefold
Advocate is published.
1938
Fall- With the rapidly growing importance of aviation and the
imminence of WWII, the decision is made to develop an
aeronautical training program. An airfield, hangar, wind tunnel,
shop and laboratory are built to house two planes for
participation in the Civilian Pilot Training program. JBU's
program is fully recognized as a Civil Aeronautics Authorityapproved unit, with the government defraying the principle
cost of employing two instructors and training ten young men
as pilots.
May 12- Jesse Jones Day celebrates one of the school's most
important benefactors. More than 5,000 people come to hear
the Hon. Jesse Jones, President FDR's "New Deal banker,"
deliver JBU's commencement address.
1940
January 2- A major fire destroys the main building at Sulphur
Springs. BMAO returns to Siloam Springs and remains there
until after World War II. BMAO's Junior School remains in
Sulphur Springs and uses the buildings not damaged by fire.
May 24- Captain Eddie Rickenbacker gives dedicatory address
for the second, newly completed JBU airport, located just over
the state line in Oklahoma. The Blood Memorial Home
Economics Building is dedicated (current location of
University Admissions and Financial Aid). The University of
Arkansas-Fayetteville notifies JBU's registrar that it will accept
transfer students on their individual merits.
1941
January 1- The JBU "Master Builders" campaign is launched
by Mr. Brown, asking for $1 from each person who becomes a
Master Builder member. Mail pours in from 47 states, Canada,
Central and South America, New Zealand and the Hawaiian
Islands.
1942-1945
1939
Spring- A larger airfield and hangar are constructed thanks to
the overwhelming popularity of the aviation program. John
Brown Sr. broadcasts his first "Cathedral of the Ozarks"
program on KUOA.
Summer- The Browns decide to convert their campus home
into a University guest center.
World War II begins. The school's strong support of the war
effort means that 175 military cadets will receive flight training
at JBU, and male enrollment drops to merely 11 young men at
the war's end as students leave to serve their country. Virtually
all faculty and staff physically capable of serving volunteer for
the service. 48 former students are lost in combat, while
over100 cadets from BMA (San Diego) serve in various
branches of the military. BMA is the only Honor military
academy west of the Rockies and the only school in California
with the U.S. Army's military service rating. In 1944 the school
breaks the honor record for the year (90.5 as opposed to the
average Honor grade of 80 points). Dr. Brown related that
when the announcement was made at BMA, bedlam broke
loose, and the only reason the roof remained intact was because
the boys could not kick it off!
1945
May- Following WWII, there is a groundbreaking for the
Cathedral, the first of a three-building "Memorial Group" in
memory of the John Brown Schools' war dead. Mrs. Emily G.
Biddle and Mrs. W. A. Davis, two mothers whose sons were
lost in the war, take part in the ceremony. The contractor
responsible for the lower portion of the building also builds an
outdoor swimming pool, the Hundred Stairs, and pours the first
paved campus roads.
1946
JBU joins North Central Accreditation liberal arts study. In a
New York Times article on "Who's Who In America," John
Brown of Arkansas's photo is printed as the representative for
all clergy and school leaders.
1947
February 10- JBU's Mechanical Building #2 burns to the
ground. Several Army buildings from Fort Worth are obtained
as replacements. The main building on the campus at Sulphur
Springs is restored, and BMAO returns to Sulphur Springs. A
third Californian school, Southern California Military
Academy, is purchased in Long Beach.
1948
April 2- John E. Brown Jr. becomes president of John Brown
University at age 26. Like his father before him, he is the
youngest college president in the country. KGER, a 5,000-watt
radio station in Long Beach, California, is purchased.
1949
Vocational training is reduced from 15 hours to 10 hours
weekly.
1951
The Brown lands in Sulphur Springs are presented by Dr. John
E. Brown Sr. as a gift to Wycliffe Bible Translators, which he
has followed closely since its founding. The Academy is
moved back to Siloam Springs, but because of the growth of
JBU, the decision is made to consolidate BMAO with BMA in
San Diego. The girls from BMAO are encouraged to enter the
Brown School for Girls in Glendora.
1952
Construction of the campus library, second in the Memorial
Group, begins after an anonymous funding gift.
1953
April 12- The KUOA-AM and -FM studios are moved to the
third floor of the Cathedral, though the building is not yet
completed. Mechanical Building #1 is remodeled to become an
administrative center and is renamed the Arkansas Building.
The Academy program in Arkansas is completely terminated.
The remodel includes a new entrance, a new wing, and the
room arrangement that J Alvin would use until the 2013
remodel. Remodeling continued until 1965. JBU puts its
general education core curriculum into effect the coming fall.
1962
1956
April 4- The Library building is dedicated.
March 29-The North Central Association grants regional
accreditation to John Brown University.
June 1- The Hon. Jesse Jones of Houston dies. He was a
faithful supporter and close friend of Brown and his work,
helping fund the school from the very beginning.
July 27- The first Broadhurst Village duplex is dedicated.
1957
December 5- The formal opening of the new women's
residence, South Hall takes place. It is later renamed Mayfield
Hall after John Mayfield who gave a number of grants to JBU.
February 12- John E. Brown Sr., dies in Leucadia, California.
April 28- The Cathedral sanctuary is completed, and the
Cathedral is dedicated.
1958
April 12- The Science Building is dedicated, which completes
the Cathedral "Memorial" group.
1964
1965
April 24- The dedication of the new Physical Education
Building, later named in honor of Murray C. Sells, a Texas oil
tycoon who had left 20% of his estate to JBU when he died ten
years prior.
1969
Fall- Intercollegiate athletics begin with the foundation of the
men's basketball team.
1961
May 27- A greatly expanded and modernized version of J.
Alvin Hall is rededicated during Commencement exercises.
The first Staley Distinguished Christian Scholar lecture series
comes to the University and JBU offers its first Summer
Missionary Project.
1970
Over 760 students enroll at JBU for the fall semester.
1972
1980
JBU's teacher education program is accredited by NCATE.
November 14- The Learning Resource Center Complex is
dedicated. The line of buildings formed by the LRC and the
Mabee center hold administrative offices, the cafeteria, the
library, and various departments.
1973
April 14- Mabee Student Center is dedicated. Guests include
Paul Harvey Sr. and Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon.
1974
The University adds associate degree programs to its services,
and the board of trustees adopts a new policy allowing students
and faculty to attend churches of their choice within the local
community. The Arkansas Building is razed.
1976
"Fulfillment of A Dream" fundraising program begins (the goal
is to raise $5 million in 5 years for JBU constructions). The
Sager Cabin, in its original 1844 location near the center of
campus, is added to the National Register of Historic Places.
1979
October 19- Investiture of John E. Brown III as John Brown
University's third president.
1981
The former Library becomes the Cathedral Engineering
Building.
1982
The flagpole entrance plaza is dedicated, and a time capsule is
set inside the monument to be opened during the school's 100th
school year.
1983
The top floor of the Cathedral is remodeled for the Social
Studies and Art departments. Business students sponsor their
first Free Enterprise Week, with featured guest speaker Sam
Walton (founder and chairman of Wal-Mart stores). The
International Christian Service Scholarship is funded to help
foreign-based students attend JBU.
1984
Fall- A third wing is added to Mayfield Hall, completing its
modern U-shape.
President John Brown III is elected to the board of the
Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
KLRC was bought and was housed in the LRC.
1985
The board approves a $20 million capital campaign, "A Call to
Greatness." The Walton Foundation establishes a tri-university
scholarship program for Central American students,
designating JBU as one of the program's participants. J. Alvin
Dorm is renovated once again, covering the central courtyard
to form an atrium for large gatherings.
1989
The $1 million Cathedral renovation program is launched with
a gift from an anonymous donor. The renovation included the
addition of a balcony in the chapel and a remodel of the lower
floor of the cathedral.
June- 233 former JBU students are in missionary service on
six continents, 136 of whom are overseas. 97 alumni serve in
the US with their spouses.
1990
1987
January- The first McGee Scholar is appointed.
A new scholarship fund of $1,000,000 is announced for the
children of missionaries. Over 40 students receive awards in
the program's first year. A new electronic carillon is donated
and installed.
Summer- The first two townhouses are built for
upperclassman residency. Four more are to be added: two
during the summer of 1992 and two during the summer of
1994.
1988
1991
The first "Paul Harvey Journalism Lecture" is held, featuring
Paul Harvey Sr. and Paul Harvey Jr. The Walton Lifetime
Health Complex is dedicated as a health center for the campus
and the community.
February- KLRC increases power to 6,000 watts, becoming
the primary Christian FM radio station in Northwest Arkansas.
December 1- J. Vernon McGee passes away. The Bible
expositor of "Through the Bible" broadcasting fame was a
friend of Dr. Brown Sr. An endowed academic chair (for the
head of the Biblical Studies department) is designated in his
honor.
September- JBU experiences the largest enrollment in its
history with over 1,000 students.
1992
Retention rate is at an all-time high (94%) as the lower levels
of the Cathedral undergo refurbishment for the Music
department and the lower auditorium.
September 29- John E. Brown III announces plans to resign at
the end of the 1992-93 school year.
1993
Fall- George F. Ford serves as the fourth President of John
Brown University.
October- The Advance Degree Completion Program is
implemented. Designed for adults with two or more years of
prior college education, the University offers classes in
Springdale, Fayetteville, and Siloam Springs.
1994
Spring- Dr. E. William George, alumnus and longtime friend
of JBU, serves as interim president following Dr. Ford's
departure. A. LeVon ("Lee") Balzer is selected as the fifth
president of John Brown University. The John Brown
University Archives are officially established.
1995
April- The first graduates of the Advance Degree Completion
Program participate in University commencement exercises.
AR. Campus communication is revolutionized by the
introduction of electronic mail (email).
December- Revival of mid-year graduation exercises, for
traditional and Advance Program graduates.
1996
For the third consecutive year, JBU is named one of the top ten
regional liberal arts colleges in the south by U.S. News and
World Report. The University also places in the top ten in the
discounted price category of the Best Value rankings.
October- The Advance program opens in Little Rock, with
classes beginning in November.
1997
September 8- Official notification of accreditation of JBU's
engineering department is received from the Engineering
Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation Board
for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Two new majors International Business and Digital Media - are introduced, both
of which will quickly place amongst the top ten majors at JBU
in terms of student popularity.
1998
July 3- JBU's first graduate level courses for a M.S. in
Counselor Education are offered through the division of
Teacher Education, as approved by North Central
Accreditation.
September- The Advance program is extended to Fort Smith,
August 4- The construction management program receives
accreditation from the ACCE (American Council for
Construction Education). JBU has the second-oldest
construction management program in the United States and is
the only private Christian university to offer a four-year CM
degree.
August 27- The Soderquist Center for Business Leadership and
Ethics is formally recognized at a special luncheon.
Fall- 1,458 students enroll at JBU. Through generous
anonymous donations, the Center for Relationship Enrichment
(CRE) is established at JBU to target the improvement of
family life at JBU, regionally, nationally, and throughout the
world.
January- JBU successfully exceeds its "Campaign 2000"
fundraising goal by over $7.2 million. Funds generated will
apply towards the construction of science and campus
community buildings and support the Soderquist Center, the
CRE, and JBU's scholarship endowments.
February 24- The school receives a $322,000 Teagle Grant
towards its new faculty support program, the Institute for
Learning Enhancement (TILE).
1999
April 6- Groundbreaking for the new Pat and Willard Walker
Student Center and Dorm takes place on the JBU campus in
Siloam Springs, scheduled to open the fall of 2001.
January- Master of Science in Leadership and Ethics approved
by North Central Association, with classes to begin in the
coming fall semester.
July 28- The KUOA tower, landmark of JBU and Siloam for
65 years, is removed. The new 450-foot replacement tower
serves both KUOA and KLRC.
May 18- JBU is included in America's Best Christian Colleges
2000.
August 24- Groundbreaking for the new science building, Bell
Science Hall, takes place, scheduled to open spring of 2002.
July 28- JBU hosts annual meeting of the American Scientific
Affiliation. The primary speaker is Dr. William Phillips, cowinner of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Fall- Enrollment at John Brown University is tallied at 1545
students for the 11th Day reports.
Fall- JBU celebrates its 80th anniversary by adding bachelor's
degrees in Political Science and Business Information Systems.
October 22- JBU is named to the Templeton Honor Roll in the
Templeton Guide ("Colleges That Encourage Character
Development").
2000
September 15- KLRC (101.1 FM), John Brown University's
contemporary Christian FM station, begins broadcasting
internationally via its Internet radio station.
2001
Fall- JBU restarts its speech and debate team. By year's end,
the school's debaters have received national recognition on
several levels.
April 17- The Soderquist Center brings former Israeli Prime
Minister and author Benjamin Netanyahu to northwest
Arkansas. Mr. Netanyahu addressed all of campus at a heavilysecured chapel service, and also served as the keynote speaker
at a private luncheon for national executive leaders.
December 12- The JBU Cathedral Choir performs their 60th
annual Christmas Candlelight Service, attracting thousands of
visitors as usual.
April 26- KLRC is named 2001 Radio Station of the Year for
small markets at the 32nd Annual Dove Awards in Nashville,
TN. It wins the same title two more times in the next five
years, and remains the only college-owned and -operated
station to have received this honor.
Spring- Even as the school opens its new Bell Science Hall,
the Arkansas Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network
(BRIN) awards JBU a two-year grant for undergraduate
research and a new faculty position.
2002
February 24-JBU music students Derek Dewey and Paul
Tharp take first place honors at the Arkansas State National
Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition, in the
young adult men and freshman men categories, respectively.
Students will continue to perform at NATS in the years to
come
May 14- The JBU SIFE team is the 2nd-Runner-Up to SemiFinals for the 2002 National Exposition, as well as one of 15
finalists in the "Teach a Child About Business" Competition.
September 27- A dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony is
held celebrating the new Walker Student Center, which will
provide space for student development, counseling services,
the CRE, student activities, the bookstore, post office, and a
new "California Café."
2003
April 4- The Maranatha Clock Tower is dedicated during the
JBU Board of Trustees' spring session.
May- The Cathedral Choir replaces its traditional national
spring break travel schedule with an international tour to
Northern Ireland. The program is such a success that the Irish
tour becomes a biennial event.
September- JBU takes its highly successful Advance program
to southern Arkansas by establishing a center in El Dorado.
The Siloam campus hosts the Southwest Conference on
Christianity and Literature, featuring bestselling author
Kathleen Norris as keynote speaker.
2004
January 12- The former Cathedral Science building is
renovated and opens its doors as the Arts & Digital Media
building.
January 19- The first of JBU's annual chapel services in honor
of Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated with Alan Murry's
emotional delivery of King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
April 12- JBU receives a grant from the U.S. Department of
Education's Title VI Undergraduate International Studies and
Foreign Language Program for Project Campus Globalization.
The project will help JBU internationalize the current
curriculum and improve foreign language instruction.
April 22- Ground is broken for the Soderquist Business Center,
to be located on the site of the former California and Catalina
buildings. The building will house the business division and the
rapidly expanding Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics.
August 18- The doors of JBU's newest dorm, North Hall, open
to students for the first time.
October 8- Dr. Charles W. Pollard is formally invested as
JBU's sixth president. The formal ceremony includes speeches
from Janet Huckabee (alumna and Arkansas first lady) and Dr.
Hudson Armerding, (former president of Wheaton College).
December 22- After extensive consideration, John Brown
University agrees to sell KUOA to Cherokee Broadcasting,
Co., owned by Dewey and Mitchell Johnson.
2005
March 22- John Brown University's men's basketball team
wins its first basketball national championship, making JBU
the first Arkansan institution to win the NAIA Division I men's
basketball national title.
April 20- The US Department of Education grants JBU
funding to start its Student Support Services program for
academic mentoring, tutoring, and counseling.
June 2- For the 9th consecutive year, John Brown University's
chapter of the Alpha Chi National Collegiate Honor Society is
named a "Star Chapter," placing it in the top 15% of national
chapters.
August 19- JBU steps up two places to rank sixth in the
Southern Region of the Best Comprehensive CollegesBachelor's, according to the 2006 U.S. News & World Report's
"America's Best Colleges."
August 25- The Advance Program opens a new educational
center in Bentonville. JBU now offers degree-completion
programs in eight sites across Arkansas (including Siloam
Springs, Springdale, Fort Smith, Little Rock, Hot Springs,
Harrison, and El Dorado).
December- JBU's virtual campus tour for prospective students
is awarded the highest rating - four stars - by
CampusTours.com and is selected as their feature tour on their
website for a month. The project was created by Chad Weaver
('05) as his digital media senior project.
2006
January 12- The Willard and Pat Walker Charitable
Foundation pledges $500,000 to JBU's Endowed Scholarship
Fund to benefit students in the Biblical Studies Division. The
Walker Foundation gift will be matched with $500,000 from
JBU's $10 Million Challenge campaign to create a $1 million
endowment. This Walker Endowment fund will provide
significant scholarships to 15-20 students each year beginning
in the Fall 2006 semester.
default rate to the character of its graduates, who are both
willing and able to repay student loans.
2007
February- Senior Brandon Cole, a guard for the men's Golden
Eagles basketball team, ends his collegiate career with a
record-setting 527 career three-point shots made, giving him
more career three-pointers than any player in the history of
intercollegiate basketball (NAIA & NCAA). He also set the all
four-year college record for the most consecutive games (120)
in which a three-point shot was made. Cole's accomplishments
were featured on ESPN as well as other local and regional
media outlets.
April- Dr. David Vila, assistant professor of religion and
philosophy, is awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant as a
lecturer/researcher at Yarmouk University in Irbid, Jordan.
During his time in Jordan, Vila conducted archeological
research on the transition from Byzantine to Islamic culture in
northern Jordan.
May- JBU and Kanakuk Kamps announce a partnership in a
unique program, providing youth workers with the opportunity
to earn a graduate degree in youth and family ministries while
interning at Kanakuk Kamps in Branson, Missouri.
September- Enrollment passes the two thousand mark for the
first time, at 2,081 students for the fall of 2006. The
announcement of student loan default rates also shows that
JBU has the second lowest numbers in Arkansas of delinquent
students in loan-repayment programs at 0.6 percent. The
national rate is 5.1 at the time. JBU attributes its unusually low
January- Faculty from the Division of Education work
overtime training area teachers in TESOL methods, and then
use their earnings to create the "Dr. Roger Iddings Endowed
Education Scholarship." Thanks to a matching grant, the
Iddings project created a $100,000 endowed scholarship for
education students.
February- The Center for Relationship Enrichment is awarded
a $2.7 million federal grant to support research and
development of healthy marriages in Northwest Arkansas,
which currently suffers one of the highest divorce rates in the
nation. Over the next five years, these funds will be used to
impact over 13,000 couples in six counties.
March- JBU's Speech & Debate Team members are crowned
state champions over all Arkansas Universities. Two weeks
later, the team places tenth in the national Pi Kappa Delta
forensics tournament.
April- Three teams from JBU's business division place in the
top six at the Donald W. Reynolds Governor's Cup, taking
home awards for first and second place as well as the
technology award (amounting to some $35,000 in prizes).
Students created a business plan for a new product and
presented the plan to a panel of judges.
July- Almost 200 undergraduate and graduate students,
faculty, and staff participate in summer study abroad and
missions programs, representing nearly 10% of JBU's student
population. Student groups traveled to Jordan, Ethiopia,
Germany, Austria, Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, England,
India, Spain, and Morocco.
August- JBU climbs two more spots in The US News & World
Report college rankings to reach 4th place in the Baccalaureate
category in the southern region.
November- Thanks to a grant from the Environmental
Protection Agency, JBU faculty and students begin to develop
a "green" slow-sand water filtration system to be used in
developing nations. The researchers hope to install their first
system in Santa Cruz, Guatemala.
December- KLRC enters its second month of celebrating
"random acts of kindness" through its Christmas Wish
campaign, which is swift on the heels of the highly successful
"Pay It Forward" program. Both programs have seen hundreds
of lives changed in Northwest Arkansas by strangers' acts of
generosity.
2008
January 26- The school hosts its final home swimming
tournament for its female athletes. While the male swimming
team and the school's diving program were discontinued in
March 2005, the women's team continued to compete for a few
extra years. Among the reasons for discontinuing the program
is the lack of regional competitors within JBU's athletic
conferences.
Fall-After 30 years, golf was brought back to JBU to replace
women’s swimming as a collegiate sport.
August- A $5 million lead gift for a performance art center
was given in August of 2008. Bill and Donna Berry donated
the gift and the performance art center was named after them:
the Bill and Donna Berry Performing Arts Center.
October- Former interim president and board of trustees
member Dr. E. William (Bill) George died Monday October
20, 2008. According to The Republican Herald, survivors
include his wife Mary Eva; a son, Eric, a daughter, a daughterin-love, Cindy, grandson and granddaughter, Ryan and Sarah
George, granddaughter and grandson, Lindsay and Monty
Alexander, great-granddaughters, Sophia and Nyla George;
nieces and nephews.
2009
Spring- The Bill George Arena, named postmortem for former
interim president Bill George, started with a lead gift of
$500,000 from the Willard and Pat Walker Charitable
Foundation. Both Arvest and Liberty Bank made donations of
$25,000. Groundbreaking took place on September 2, 2009,
and the dedication was during Homecoming 2010.
Fall- The Bill and Donna Berry Performing Arts Center was
finished for the fall semester and the first performance in the
Berry Performance Arts Center was “Seven Brides for Seven
Brothers”. Also, during the 2009 – 2010 school year, JBU
started using a new logo. The new logo consists of a shield
split into four sections, three representing the head, heart, and
hands and the fourth section depicting the Cathedral. Dividing
the four sections is a cross representing Christ Over All. The
circle in the center is a reference to the design of the Cathedral
plaza.
2011
April 2- The engineering building was named the Balzer
Technology Center after former president Lee and Alice
Balzer. The Center opened for the 2011 fall semester
.
April- A $2.5 million gift was donated to JBU to transform the
old engineering building of the Cathedral trio into a second art
building. The new building will contain drawing and painting
studios, video editing studios, a gallery, and a sound recording
booth.
2010
Summer- Former president, John Brown Jr., died on June 3,
2011 while recovering from hip surgery. He was 89 years old,
two years younger than the school.
February 2- President Pollard announced an $8 million lead
gift toward a new engineering building. The rest of the finances
would be paid for by the Capital Campaign, which would
increase it from a $100 million goal, to a $110 million goal.
Ground was broken on August 16, 2010 .
March 6- The JBU Men’s basketball team won their first
conference tournament, earning them an automatic spot in the
NAIA national tournament.
Fall- After 23 years, cross country returned as a sport with
Matt Pearson as head coach.
Fall- Begun in 2005, the “Keeping Faith” campaign had a lofty
goal of raising $100 million by the start of the 2012 school
year. The campaign was kept secret until October 8, 2009,
when President Pollard announced it to the public. By that
point, $62 million had raised with $14 million in pledges,
leaving only $24 million left to raise in three years. After
receiving an $8 million lead gift towards the Balzer
Technology Center, President Pollard increased the campaign
goal from $100 to $110 million. At the start of the 2011 school
year, it was announced that the campaign had not only finished
a year early, but with $8 million more than the goal.
September 14- JBU was ranked first out of 99 universities and
colleges for the best overall regional college in the south in
“U.S. News and World Report: America’s Best Colleges.”
2012
March 30- The remodeling of the old Cathedral engineering
building is finished and is opened as a second art building. It
was dedicated on March 30th and both art buildings were
renamed Windgate Visual Arts East and West after the
Windgate Charitable Foundation of which John Brown III is
chairman.
Spring- Construction of both the Simmons Great Hall and
North Slope apartments was announced after an anonymous
lead gift of $4 million.
July 2- JBU achieved zero landfill status. Thanks to the
removal of dumpsters and the partnership with the recycling
plant in Siloam Springs, JBU no longer contributes to a
landfill, which saves the school money. This has been a project
20 years in the making, headed by Steve Brankle for the last 16
years.
October 1- The JBU Swing Society became the first student
club to allow dancing on campus after being approved by SGA.
Fall- KLRC upgraded its tower from 6,000 watts of power to
100,000 watts of power. The power increase necessitated a
move from 101.1 to 90.9 on the radio dial. 100,000 watts is the
most watts a radio station is permitted by the Federal
Communications Commission. For a map of the before and
after coverage, see the Threefold Advocate -- October 4, 2012
issue. The upgrade went into effect on February 18, 2013
North Hall was renamed “Hutcheson Hall: after the major
donors of the project.
2013
February- it was announced that the J. Alvin residence hall
would be renovated. In February, an anonymous donor gave $3
million towards the $5 million project. The renovation will
proceed in two stages. The first stage began in May of 2013
and consisted of renovating the southeast side of the dorm,
while the side facing Walker would stay open for students. The
second stage took place in mid-November when the students in
the unrenovated half moved over to the newly renovated side
and workers started renovation work on the second half.
June 21- the old KUOA radio station/ graphic design building
was demolished.
Fall- Both the North Slope apartments and the Great Hall
opened for the 2013 fall term. The Great Hall is used when
extra space is needed for student dining and for special events,
and built as an extension of the Kresge dining hall. The two
North Slope apartments house 40 students each and are located
on the slope next to the townhouses.
2014
Fall- The fully renovated J. Alvin opens up for students at the
start of the fall semester. Over the summer, construction
finished the north side of the building and refurnished the
atrium and the basement. The planters in the atrium were
removed and a rock climbing wall was added in the basement.