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WBC Marks 8th Straight Year in US News Top Tier

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For the eighth year in a row, Williams Baptist College is a “top tier” institution, according to the latest college rankings from US News & World Report.  The 2018 rankings were released Tuesday with Williams ranked 35th among liberal arts colleges in the South, placing it in the magazine’s top tier for the region.
“Achieving eight straight years as a top tier institution indicates clearly that Williams has an outstanding reputation, and that its reputation continues to grow.  The US News rankings are a great affirmation of the educational excellence at WBC, and we are grateful,” said Williams President Dr. Tom Jones.
WBC was ranked 23rd in last year’s edition.  US News bases the rankings on a wide ranging series of criteria, including class sizes, student-to-teacher ratio, student retention and peer reputation score.
“It is great for WBC’s outstanding student experience to be recognized in this way.  Williams has provided an excellent, Christ-centered education for the past 76 years, and rankings like this from US News demonstrate that the institution has great momentum moving forward,” said Jones.
Williams is a Christian liberal arts college in Walnut Ridge.

JBU Release: JBU Remains Top-Ranked Arkansas School in U.S. News Regional University Category

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JBU advanced to 17th out of 142 southern universities in this year’s U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Universities ranking, released today. This marks the second year in a row JBU is the top-ranked Arkansas school in its cohort.

“We are pleased that U.S. News has again recognized the academic achievement of
JBU’s undergraduate and graduate programs, which truly is honoring of the quality of JBU faculty, staff and students,” said Dr. Chip Pollard, JBU president. “JBU remains committed to meeting the needs of our students so that they may grow personally, spiritually and professionally, and it is gratifying to have that work recognized by national ranking organizations.”

JBU was promoted to the regional university category last year, debuting at 18th, due to the growth of its graduate programs. Currently, JBU offers 12 graduate degrees in counseling, education, business and visual arts with 630 students enrolled.

For the third consecutive year, more than 400 new traditional undergraduate students enrolled at JBU with 408 students coming from 41 states and 50 countries for the 2017-18 academic year. This year’s incoming class has an average high school GPA of 3.68 and ACT/SAT scores of 26.3 and 1197 respectively.

“JBU’s success is attributed not only to the academic excellence of our faculty, but to the quality and passion of our students,” said Don Crandall, vice president of enrollment. “Each year we are impressed by the caliber of students that arrive at JBU and are grateful when rankings such as these acknowledge the excellence we strive for in our student’s educational experience.”

U.S. News also recognized JBU as a “Best College for Veterans” based on JBU’s ranking among peers and the number of enrolled veterans and active service members.

U.S. News & World Report is widely recognized as a leader in higher education rankings, providing close to 50 types of lists and rankings for a student’s college search. The magazine evaluates graduation and student retention rates, peer assessment, class size, student/teacher ratio, SAT and ACT scores, financial and faculty resources, acceptance rate and alumni giving, among other data points, to determine a university’s ranking. For more information on U.S. News’ ranking methodology, visit www.usnews.com/collegemeth.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top ranked regional university (U.S. News Best Colleges, 2018), JBU enrolls more than 2,500 students from 41 states and 50 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 majors, with top programs including business administration, graphic design, engineering, construction management, counseling, teacher education and nursing.

CENTRAL BAPTIST COLLEGE NAMED BEST REGIONAL COLLEGE

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Central Baptist College has been added to the list of Best Regional Colleges in the South by U.S. News and World Report. CBC was selected number 48 on the list, tied with Kentucky Christian University.

CBC’s most recent ranking was 71st in the 2016 list. The rankings are based off of the graduate experience and the broad range of programs offered in the liberal arts, such as business, nursing and education.

The U.S. News and World Report is an annual publication and the U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges 2018 guidebook includes rankings of 1,800 institutions nationwide. The rankings are based on peer assessment, first-year student retention rate, graduation rate from 2016, class size, student/faculty ratio, SAT/ACT percentile rating, freshman high school graduation class rank, acceptance rate and alumni giving. The full list of rankings can be found at usnews.com/colleges.

Ouachita cited as top private university in state, ranked among “Best for the Money” nationally

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Earning recognition as the top private university in Arkansas as well as being listed nationally among “Best for the Money” universities, Ouachita Baptist University continues to be ranked among the nation’s top universities by Forbes magazine, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today/CollegeFactual.com and Niche.com.

This year’s state and national rankings for Ouachita include being:
Ranked as the No. 1 private university in Arkansas by Niche.com. Ouachita also was cited as the top university in the state by Niche in several other categories, including best liberal arts college, best Christian college, best small college, best value and safest college campus.
Listed by Niche.com in the top 5 percent nationally for residence halls, with that ranking based on “outstanding campus housing that is safe and clean with modern amenities at reasonable prices.”
Recognized in the top 5 percent nationally as “Best for the Money” by USA Today/CollegeFactual.com. Those rankings also included Ouachita in the top 10 percent nationally for its biology, chemistry, communications, history, philosophy, Christian studies and theatre arts programs and in the top 15 percent among NCAA Division II schools for student-athlete scholars in both football and volleyball.
Named among “America’s Top Colleges” by Forbes for the ninth consecutive year.
Listed among “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report for the seventh year in a row.

Citing Ouachita’s largest growth in freshman enrollment in recent years, Ouachita President Ben Sells said, “Along with reporting a 17.9% increase in first-time freshmen, we are pleased that Ouachita has been recognized by several organizations for our commitment to academic excellence, outstanding value and quality residential life. It provides additional affirmation of Ouachita rising from strength to strength as we seek to foster a love of God and a love of learning.

“Ouachita’s consistent rankings among the nation’s top schools reflect the dedication of our faculty, staff and students,” Dr. Sells added. “We continue to seek to enhance the value of a Ouachita education through a variety of initiatives designed to benefit students and families.”

Ouachita offers more than 60 academic programs in the university’s seven academic schools. Among new majors are biophysics, community and family services, finance, music industry and social justice studies.

The university’s emphasis on high-impact learning experiences includes such opportunities as participating in summer science research projects, managing $1 million of the university’s endowment and participating in the Sundance Film Festival as well as hands-on labs, internships and study abroad opportunities.

“Our goal is to equip our students through high-impact learning opportunities in an environment that prepares them to make an impact in their careers, communities and churches,” Dr. Sells added. “We invite prospective students to consider the many benefits of earning an outstanding liberal arts education in Ouachita’s Christ-centered learning community.”

Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., is in its 132nd year as a leading Christian liberal arts university. For more information, call 1-800-DIAL-OBU or visit www.obu.edu.

Williams Notches 7.7 Percent Enrollment Gain

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A large increase in its freshman class led Williams Baptist College to a 7.7 percent jump in overall enrollment for the fall semester.  Williams reported a total of 505 students enrolled this fall, up from 469 in the 2016 fall semester.

Much of the enrollment boost came from a 25.7 percent jump in the number of freshmen entering WBC for the 2017-18 school year.  WBC has 142 freshmen this fall, compared to 113 in the same semester last year.

WBC also saw an increase in transfer students.  Williams added 52 transfers from other colleges this fall, compared to 41 last year, for a 26.8 percent gain.

Williams President Dr. Tom Jones said the growth follows a year of aggressive actions to build enrollment at the college.

“This past year, Williams has been systematically developing and adding strategic programs that have made our nationally recognized student experience even stronger.  Our enrollment management team, athletic staff, and faculty have done an extraordinary job in creating curriculum and extra-curricular components that address the needs of our region while enhancing our commitment to a Christ-centered liberal arts education,” Jones said.

The Williams president noted that the growth comes at a challenging time in higher education, when colleges and universities are struggling to maintain enrollment.

“Such an accomplishment in such a short period of time would be herculean during the best of times.  Doing so in a market that is arguably unprecedented in its volatility is even more impressive.  To say the least, we are very proud and pleased with the results of their outstanding effort,” he said.

Full time equivalent (FTE) enrollment, an important budget number for higher learning institutions, stands at 467 at Williams this fall.  That reflects a 5.9 percent gain.

The bulk of WBC’s students are on its main campus in Walnut Ridge.  Williams reported 453 students at Walnut Ridge, a 4.9 percent increase.  The remainder of its students are taking classes online or at off-campus extensions.

The number of resident students at Williams also increased appreciably.  WBC has 345 students living on campus this fall, which is a 13.9 percent jump.

Williams is a Christian liberal arts college in Walnut Ridge.

JBU Receives Grant from The Roy & Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust of Texas, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee

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John Brown University was awarded a $25,000 grant from The Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust of Texas, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee toward the university’s $6 million renovation of Mayfield Residence Hall, the university’s historic women’s dormitory that has housed more than 10,000 women since its opening in 1964.

“We are very thankful for this grant that helps provide over 250 JBU women a ‘home away from home’ as they grow as adults and pursue their educational goals,” Dr. April Moreton, senior director of development, said. “This gift will upgrade Mayfield to a more modern and safe environment where students can develop intellectually, emotionally and spiritually.”

Mayfield’s renovation will include new bathrooms and plumbing, new décor for all of the common areas, a new HVAC system and a modern fire suppression system. In addition, each resident room will have a sink, sound-resistant walls, high-efficiency LED lighting, and new, modular furniture for residents to maximize and personalize their living spaces. The renovation began spring 2017 and will be completed by summer 2018.

“Mayfield is a place where young women make great memories, find a community of love and support, and create lifelong friendships,” Lauren Lane, Mayfield residence director, said. “This project ensures that Mayfield will continue to serve students for generations to come.”

The Mayfield Renovation Project is the newest initiative of JBU’s $125 Million Campaign for the Next Century. JBU has currently raised more than $110 million toward the $125 million goal and plans to complete the campaign on JBU’s centennial in 2019.

The Roy & Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust was established in 1981 to support and promote quality educational, cultural, human services and health care programming for all people. In 1933, Roy Sturgis married Texas native Christine Johns. They became very successful in the timber, lumber and sawmill industries in Arkansas, owned other prosperous business enterprises and had notable success managing their investments. Mr. and Mrs. Sturgis spent most of their lives in Arkansas and Dallas, Texas. They did not have children, but were particularly interested in educational opportunities for young people. In addition, Mr. and Mrs. Sturgis support organizations working in the areas of health, social services and the arts.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top ranked regional university (U.S. News Best Colleges, 2017), JBU enrolls more than 2,700 students from 40 states and 37 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, degree completion and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 39 majors, with top programs including business administration, graphic design, engineering, construction management, counseling, teacher education and nursing.

Ouachita marks 17.9 percent increase among first-time freshmen for 2017

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Welcoming 448 first-time freshmen to campus this fall – a 17.9 percent gain over the previous year’s incoming class – Ouachita Baptist University marked one of its largest year-to-year freshman class increases in recent history.

“The significant growth reflects a surge in middle-income families as well as stronger ACT and GPA scores, reflecting our commitments to affordability and excellence,” said President Ben Sells. “Students are attracted to Ouachita’s Christian liberal arts mission, personalized approach and high-impact learning that contribute to exceptional graduate school acceptance and job placement rates.”

Ouachita’s growth is noteworthy since “the current higher education landscape is challenging,” said Wes Butterfield, vice president of Ruffalo Noel Levitz, a leading higher education consulting firm. “Nationally, we are finding that flat enrollment is the new up for many campuses. When an institution like Ouachita has a 17.9 percent increase, there are a number of positive factors at play.”

Ouachita’s total fall enrollment of 1,545 students compares to 1,517 last year. Top majors among incoming freshmen include biology, business administration, communications, kinesiology and psychology as well as Christian studies and elementary education. Two-thirds of incoming students are from Arkansas and 22 percent are from Texas.

New students are attracted to Ouachita’s broad range of high-impact learning experiences. Examples include participating in summer research for science majors, managing $1 million of the university’s endowment for finance majors and participating in the Sundance Film Festival for communications majors as well as internships and study abroad opportunities for students across all majors.

Reflecting several positive factors, Ouachita recorded a 70 percent graduation rate last year, among the highest in the state of Arkansas. Additionally, 93 percent of graduates were placed in a job or graduate school within six months of graduation.

As Ouachita begins its 132nd academic year, it continues to be ranked nationally among top liberal arts universities by both U.S. News & World Report and Forbes. Ouachita also was recognized this past year by Niche.com as the top private university in Arkansas.

Other recent areas of growth include an 11 percent increase in contributions with total fundraising of $14 million and university endowment increasing from $100 million to $107 million in the past year.

Affirming Ouachita’s “commitment to our Christ-centered identity and our commitment to academic excellence,” President Sells told students, faculty and staff at the university’s opening fall convocation, “Ouachita is rising. We are going from strength to strength as Ouachita seeks to foster a love of God and a love of learning.”

Ouachita Baptist University, a leading Christian liberal arts university, was founded in Arkadelphia, Ark., in 1886. For more information about Ouachita, visit www.obu.edu or call 800-DIAL-OBU.

 

Graphic Novelist, ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ and ‘Superman’ Comic Author Gene Luen Yang to Keynote JBU’s Writing and Arts Festival

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John Brown University welcomes award-winning graphic novelist and comic book author Gene Luen Yang to speak on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the Cathedral of the Ozarks. Yang, who won the L.A. Times Book Prize for his graphic novel “Boxers & Saints” and wrote 18 comics for the Nickelodeon cartoon “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” is the keynote speaker for JBU’s 11th annual Giving Voice: A Festival of Writing and the Arts.

Yang, a strong proponent of greater diversity in stories and media, is a 2016 MacArthur Fellow and the first graphic novelist to be named a National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. His first-ever graphic novel “American Born Chinese” was named a finalist for the National Book Award. Having spoken out against the lack of diversity in the casting of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” movie, Yang was commissioned to write the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” comic books and later co-wrote “Superman” for DC Comics.

JBU’s Giving Voice Festival, funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, celebrates writing and the arts through workshops, readings and presentations from acclaimed writers. This year the festival welcomes Yang, creative nonfiction writer Lisa Ohlen Harris and author, preacher and spoken word poet David Bowden.

“We are thrilled to welcome these talented writers and artists to our festival,” Traci Manos, JBU instructor of English and director of Giving Voice, said. “As a young person, I had the opportunity to shake hands with a writer I respected and have her sign a book for me. I can’t overstate the

impact the experience had on my life. I’m excited to see what these young people will be inspired to create as a result of meeting this year’s guest authors.”

Harris will kick off the festival on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 5 p.m. with a book signing at the Siloam Springs Public Library. On Thursday, Sept. 21, Yang will speak and Bowden will perform for an opening convocation at 10:30 a.m., and a talk and concert at 6:30 p.m. in the Cathedral of the Ozarks.

The evening talk and concert is open to the public and costs $5, which includes Pure Joy Ice Cream at intermission. Pre-registration secures priority seating and is available online through Sept. 18 at jbu.edu/givingvoice/tickets/.

The festival will end Friday, Sept. 22 with over 200 local high school students attending workshops taught by guest writer Harris and JBU faculty in a variety of genres including poetry, nonfiction, songwriting, calligraphy, theatre, stop motion film and screen printing.

For more information about the event, visit jbu.edu/givingvoice.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top ranked regional university (U.S. News Best Colleges, 2017), JBU enrolls more than 2,700 students from 40 states and 37 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, degree completion and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 39 majors, with top programs including business administration, graphic design, engineering, construction management, counseling, teacher education and nursing.

photography by Albert Law : www.porkbellystudio.com

U of O enrollment hits all-time high

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Bolstered by the largest incoming class in its history, University of the Ozarks’ enrollment for the Fall 2017 Semester has reached an all-time high.

A total of 755 students are enrolled at U of O this semester, an increase of 10 percent over last fall and eclipsing the university’s previous all-time high of 731 students in 2003. Enrollment at Ozarks has increased 29 percent since 2013 when 585 students were enrolled.

The incoming class, which includes first-time freshmen and transfer students, is 305, a 30 percent increase over the 2016 incoming class and the largest new class in the university’s 183-year history.

“This is an exciting time in the University of the Ozarks’ long and rich history,” said U of O President Richard Dunsworth. “The record number of students who are coming to Ozarks recognize the value of higher education and especially the value of an Ozarks education. Our administration, faculty, staff and trustees at Ozarks are committed to delivering on the university’s mission of providing a high-quality, Christian, private college education to students from diverse backgrounds and preparing them to live a full life.”

Dunsworth said enrollment has been energized by a five-year tuition freeze and a mission-driven approach to financial aid.

“Disciplined price management is part of an ongoing strategy by the University to keep an Ozarks education affordable for both current and future students and to reduce the amount of debt our students incur,” Dunsworth said. “We were able to develop and implement a sound financial aid strategy in line with our mission of serving and preparing students from diverse backgrounds. We also continue to grow in so many positive ways, including broader academic opportunities, increased international partnerships and enhanced facilities.”

Reggie Hill, assistant vice president for advancement and director of enrollment management, said the university has placed a renewed emphasis on the Arkansas River Valley area in recent years. This year’s student body includes 166 students from the River Valley counties of Johnson, Pope, Conway, Franklin, Logan and Crawford. The incoming class has 36 students from the university’s home county, Johnson County.

“It’s about building relationships, the human element to enrollment,” Hill said. “We’ve placed an emphasis on building better relationships and letting high school students in this region know what we have to offer. Students don’t have to leave Johnson County to receive a top-notch education.”

This year’s enrollment is also one of the most geographically diverse in the university’s history with 135 international students coming from 23 countries, including, Belgium, France, Haiti, Panama, Mexico, the Bahamas, Honduras, Rwanda, El Salvador, Nicaragua, New Zealand and South Korea. Ozarks also has students from 32 states and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.

“Our institution truly mirrors a global community,” Hill said. “Approximately 18 percent of our student population comes from outside the United States and that’s extremely beneficial to our campus community. We believe our students from Arkansas have something to teach the world and that our students from around the world have something to teach our students from Arkansas,”

Hill said the reasons students choose Ozarks include location, a sense of community, and an opportunity for customized educational experiences.

“We are finding that students love the natural environment and outdoor opportunities that this area has to offer,” Hill said. “That and the fact that they can be a part of a close-knit campus community and receive a personalized education make Ozarks an attractive choice.”

Other facts about the university’s Fall 2017 Semester enrollment: 48 percent (366) of the student population comes from Arkansas; 42 percent (317) are considered student-athletes and compete on one of the university’s 21 men’s and women’s intercollegiate athletic teams; 102 students (14 percent) hail from Johnson County; and 88 students (12 percent) call Clarksville home.

State law requires universities to take an official enrollment snapshot at the end of the 11th day of classes, which fell on Sept. 6 for U of O this year.