Committed to strengthening diversity on campus, John Brown University announced today the formation of the Office of Diversity, directed by Dr. Ted Song, coordinator of diversity.

Additional staff include: Juan Carlos Rodriguez, associate coordinator of diversity; Lakisha Bradley, assistant coordinator of minority student care; Bridgette Grigsby, assistant coordinator of first-generation Latinx student care and Amanda Cunningham, administrative assistant. Junior photojournalism major María Aguilar serves as diversity communication assistant.

“JBU is committed to diversity, and the establishment of the Office of Diversity is another step toward progress in this area,” Song said. “This group will collaborate to serve the JBU community, where we work to promote and celebrate diversity.”

Some of the projects already in the works include revising the institution’s diversity statement, offering a colloquium course for students to ask and learn about diversity, and providing formal and informal events to discuss how diversity is related to Christian faith.

Song worked with JBU President Chip Pollard to recruit staff members for the past couple of months.

“I am grateful to Dr. Song for his leadership and vision to create the Office of Diversity and for the team members that have joined him in this work,” said President Pollard. “I look forward to how the Office of Diversity will serve the JBU community and help us better encourage, understand, reflect and rejoice in the rich diversity of God’s kingdom.”

The office also aims to educate future leaders who can serve and communicate cross-culturally.

“Providing diversity in both academic curriculum and spiritual formation is critical to this effort,” Song said. “We seek to contribute to the whole-person education that will equip students to lead in various environments.”

The office, in conjunction with the Diversity Committee, will coordinate various efforts on campus that encourage and showcase diversity.

For more information about diversity at JBU, visit www.jbu.edu/diversity.

John Brown University is one of the best colleges to work for in the nation for the sixth consecutive year, according to the Great Colleges to Work For survey administered by The Chronicle of Higher Education. This workplace recognition program, now in its 13th year, identify colleges and universities that receive top ratings from their employees regarding workplace practices and policies.

Nationally, JBU is one of only 79 institutions to receive Great College recognition, among the 42 institutions on the Honor Roll for elite performance in four or more categories and placed top 10 within the small enrollment size category.

JBU received distinct honors for best workplace practices and policies in 10 of 12 categories: collaborative governance; compensation and benefits; confidence in senior leadership; facilities, workspace and security; job satisfaction; respect and appreciation; supervisor/department chair relationship; work/life balance; and professional/career development programs, a new distinction this year.

“This distinction is especially meaningful during this challenging year,” said JBU President Chip Pollard. “Our faculty and staff have responded with incredible flexibility and diligence to the changes needed to fulfill our mission during the pandemic. To know that they continue to think highly of working at JBU is deeply humbling.”

To administer the survey and analyze the results, The Chronicle of Higher Education worked with ModernThink LLC, a strategic human capital consulting firm that has conducted many “Best Places to Work” programs, surveying hundreds of thousands of employees nationwide.

The survey results, based primarily on employee feedback, included a two-part assessment from each institution: an institutional audit that captured demographics and workplace policies, and a survey distributed to faculty, administrators and professional support staff.

Great Colleges to Work For is one of the largest and most respected workplace recognition programs in the country. For more information and to view the survey results, visit www.greatcollegeslist.com.

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, 2021), JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 37 states and 48 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 majors, with top programs including nursing, psychology, kinesiology, engineering, biology, family and human services, and graphic design.

For the fifth consecutive year, John Brown University is the top-ranked regional university in Arkansas according to U.S. News and World Report, released today. 

JBU ranked 12th out of 133 southern universities in the 2021 U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Universities list. Other Arkansas schools in the cohort include Harding University, Arkansas State University, University of Central Arkansas, Henderson State University, Arkansas Tech University and Southern Arkansas University.

“We are honored to again be recognized by U.S. News,” said Ed Ericson, vice president for academic affairs. “The faculty and staff at JBU are dedicated to providing students with a rigorous Christian education that prepares them to excel in their chosen field.”

U.S. News & World Report is widely recognized as a leader in higher education rankings and a key resource for a student’s college search. To determine its rankings, U.S. News evaluates graduation and student retention rates, class size, student-to-faculty ratio, SAT and ACT scores, alumni giving rate and peer assessment.

“The past six months have been a clear illustration of the level of dedication of our faculty and staff as they both pivoted to remote education in the spring, and then prepared for in-person education this fall with COVID-19 precautions,” said Dr. Chip Pollard, JBU president. “It is encouraging that U.S. News recognizes JBU’s excellence, but we also see it every day in the faculty and staff’s service to students.” 

U.S. News also recognized JBU as “A School for B Students,” a top school in “Undergraduate Engineering” and a top performer in “Social Mobility,” a category that measures graduation rates for students who have received Pell Grants. For more information on U.S. News’ ranking methodology, visit https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/rankings-methodologies.

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, 2021), JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 37 states and 48 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 majors, with top programs including nursing, psychology, kinesiology, engineering, biology, family and human services, and graphic design.

John Brown University announced today a $8 million grant from the Walton Charitable Support Foundation in support of the university’s data analytics and computer science programs.

Two million dollars will be used to endow an academic chair for data analytics. The remaining $6 million will create an endowed scholarship to support students majoring in computer science or data analytics. Both programs are new for fall 2020.

“We are excited to expand our academic programs in these critically needed professions,” said Dr. Charles Pollard, JBU president. “This new endowed scholarship will help keep JBU affordable for students seeking to pursue data analytics and computer science in the context of a rigorous Christian comprehensive education.”

As top companies around the world rely on data to make everyday decisions, JBU’s data analytics program trains students to research, analyze and present information to impact those decisions.

“We know from talking with top employers that data analytics is an industry where holistically educated graduates are in high demand,” said Dr. Ryan Ladner, dean of the Soderquist College of Business. “This grant will help us create a quality program and help interested students develop important analytical skills while maintaining the distinctive soft skills our employers have come to expect from JBU graduates.”

The academic chair will be filled by Dr. Linda Vytlacil, former vice president for data science/global data & analytics platforms for Walmart Labs. Vytlacil’s technical credentials in advanced analytics across customer domains such as strategy, loyalty, digital marketing, pricing strategy, retail, product innovation, market research, econometrics, demand forecasting and performance measurement will bring valuable experience into the classroom.

JBU’s computer science program has 12 emphasis options, ranging from gaming/web development to cybersecurity and bioinformatics. JBU’s “head, heart, hand” educational philosophy will produce graduates trained in working in collaborative teams with creative problem-solving skills. JBU has also received $1.5 million from other donors toward its $2 million goal to endow a faculty position in computer science and a search for that faculty position is underway.

“Various employers gave us specific input on what they want to see from computer science graduates, and we tailor-made a program that will equip students with both hard and soft skills needed in the industry. This training at JBU will prepare each student to be a valuable team member and future leader,” said Dr. Ted Song, chair of the computer science department and coordinator of diversity and innovation. “We’re excited to know that interested students will have access to additional scholarship funds to help them attend JBU and make a positive impact on the Northwest Arkansas region.”

“JBU is known for graduating well-rounded students who become valuable team members for companies here in Northwest Arkansas and around the world,” said Mark Simmons, JBU board member. “This grant will support education in two areas where employees are in high demand.”

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. As Arkansas’ top-ranked university (Wall Street Journal, 2020), JBU enrolls more than 2,100 students from 36 states and 59 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 majors, with top programs including engineering, nursing, family and human services, biology, graphic design and construction management.

John Brown University has formed a community partnership scholarship with New Life Ranch, providing full-time employees and members of their immediate families with the opportunity to receive a tuition scholarship of up to $2,500 per year for up to four years.

Tom Graney, New Life Ranch executive director, said New Life Ranch and John Brown University have been synonymous with one another for many years, so it’s only natural for both of them to finally have more of an official connection.

“We’re only seven miles apart, New Life Ranch’s board has been made up of JBU faculty and alumni, New Life Ranch staff have taught classes at JBU, and we have many students who have been on summer staff and worked at camp during the school year. Many campers have considered JBU because it’s so close to New Life Ranch – their favorite place as a kid,” said Graney. “With all of that, the real glue that holds it all together is that we have the same Gospel of Jesus Christ focus with what we do. I look forward to many years of fruitful partnership between both organizations.”

Joe Walenciak, dean of business development and strategic partnerships, said the partnership will allow New Life Ranch and JBU to better connect and empower students to succeed.

“New Life Ranch and JBU share a similar core mission and have been great partners for many years,” Walenciak said. “We are very happy and proud to deepen our partnership with this great ministry.”

This scholarship will apply to any degree program offered at JBU, including students in traditional on-campus undergraduate, online undergraduate and graduate programs. 

Learn more about JBU’s community partnerships at jbu.edu/community-partnerships/newliferanch/.

Arkansas Press Women recognized eight John Brown University students, a faculty member and an alumna among the winners of the organization’s professional communications contest during an online presentation on April 25. The awards were presented in a virtual ceremony in light of social distancing requirements to help stem the spread of COVID-19. 

Catherine Nolte, junior at John Brown University and managing editor of The Threefold Advocate, received three first-place awards in the collegiate education division of the contest. Her firsts were in design (print or electronic) for “The Life of Christ in Words and Images,” writing — news for “Brexit delayed for a third time, pushed to January 2020,” and writing — opinion, editorial, reviews for “Mental illness is not a sin.” Nolte also placed second in the professional portion of the communications contest for specialty articles — religion for “Upperclassmen confront faith crisis at CCCU schools.”

A team of six students — Rachel Ball, Claire Brownlee, Hannah Lawrence, Jessica Oldenettel, Natalie Rogers and Andrea Sosso — received a first-place award in the collegiate division for public relations campaign. The students prepared a social media/communication plan for Saving Grace, a Rogers-based nonprofit organization. The campaign was their final project in a Public Relations Writing and Technology class.

JBU’s Maria Aguilar, opinions editor for The Threefold Advocate, also was honored. Aguilar’s article, “Bentonville citizens protest to relocate Confederate statue” was entered in the professional division of the contest and received an honorable mention in the specialty articles — social issues category.

Debbie Miller, an assistant professor at JBU, received a first-place award in the collegiate division in the category of faculty adviser of student publication, station, or site for advising The Threefold Advocate. Miller also received awards for work done in her previous job in development at Ozark Guidance. She received first-place awards in specialty articles — personal essay and in communications program or campaign and second in public relations materials — brochures.

Jamie (Brunk) Smith, a 2000 graduate of JBU, placed first in web and social media — blogs, corporate or for-profit for “The Day Facebook Died (and why it shouldn’t have been your website in the first place).” She also placed second in web and social media — website edited or managed by the entrant (nonprofit, government or educational) for “GiveCamp NWA website.” Chris Whittle was a co-entrant on Smith’s website entry.

All awards are for work completed during 2019.

First-place winners in the APW contest advance to the National Federation of Press Women competition if the winners are NFPW members. This year, 30 Arkansas first-place winners competed at the national level. National awards were scheduled to be presented at the NFPW conference in Little Rock in June 2020. To protect the health of its members, the NFPW board has decided to postpone its conference in Arkansas until 2021 and will present the 2020 national awards online.

John Brown University announced that the JBU Online program has expanded to a full, four-year online bachelor’s degree program with no minimum requirement for prior college credit at a new lower tuition rate.

Beginning fall 2020, tuition will be reduced to $300 per credit hour with the same high-quality, personalized online educational experience.

JBU Online offers Bachelor of Science degrees in business administration, liberal arts, organizational leadership and psychology. Minors are available in business (non-MBA and Pre-MBA), communication, leadership, managerial accounting, politics and ethics, and psychology.

“Students deserve to have access to a quality Christian educational experience from a university they trust, and by expanding our program and lowering tuition we can serve more students than ever before,” said Josh Price, director of enrollment of JBU Online. “We hope the lower tuition rate gives students a little bit of extra breathing room, especially during this time of uncertainty because of COVID-19.”

Previously, students were required to have 45 credit hours to be accepted into JBU Online. While previous transferable college credit is no longer required, JBU Online accepts credits for transfer students that have earned their associate’s degree, dual-enrolled high school students or students who have credits from multiple universities.

JBU Online students can receive an additional discount on 2020 summer courses, which JBU is offering at $249 per credit hour. The courses will be divided into two seven-week sessions (May 11-June 26 and July 6-August 21) and students may take up to three courses per session. The classes are asynchronous so students can view online lectures at a time that works for them each week and complete the weekly assignments.

For more information, visit jbu.edu/online or call (800) 528-4723.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked university (The Wall Street Journal) and top-ranked regional university (U.S. News Best Colleges, 2019), JBU enrolls more than 2,300 students from 36 states and 59 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 undergraduate majors, with top programs including engineering, nursing, family and human services, biology, graphic design and construction management. Sixteen graduate programs are available in the areas of business, counseling, cybersecurity, education and higher education.

John Brown University announced today the creation of “JBU at Home” – a schedule of more than 60 JBU classes that students can take during the summer at a steeply reduced tuition rate.

The courses, which include both core and major-specific classes, cost $249 per credit hour, a 70% discount over traditional face-to-face classes.

“We recognize that a lot of JBU students have had their summer plans disrupted, so we’ve created JBU at Home to help them redeem that time and make significant progress toward their degree,” said Ed Ericson, vice president of academic affairs. “We also hope it will help them remain connected to their professors and friends during this extended time of isolation.

JBU At Home courses are also open to incoming JBU freshmen. Students in the Early Commit program can register for classes beginning April 20 and all other incoming freshmen can register beginning April 27.

High school juniors and seniors are eligible to take the courses through JBU’s dual enrollment program. The courses are also open to non-JBU college students. Registration for these two groups begins April 27.

JBU At Home is divided into two seven-week sessions (May 11-June 26 and July 6-August 21) and students may take up to three courses per session. The classes are asynchronous so students can view online lectures at a time that works for them each week and complete the weekly assignments.

The discounted tuition rate also applies to those enrolled in JBU’s Online Undergraduate degree program.

For more information, visit www.jbu.edu/jbu-at-home.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked university (The Wall Street Journal) and top-ranked regional university (U.S. News Best Colleges, 2019), JBU enrolls more than 2,300 students from 36 states and 59 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 undergraduate majors, with top programs including engineering, nursing, family and human services, biology, graphic design and construction management. Sixteen graduate programs are available in the areas of business, counseling, cybersecurity, education and higher education.

John Brown University announced the addition of an undergraduate criminal justice degree, beginning in the fall of 2020. The Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice will provide students with an academic and experiential program in the various fields that comprise the discipline of criminal justice.

The program will prepare students to work in local, state or federal law enforcement, public safety and law, including administrative positions in those fields. The major is intentionally structured to give students access to experts in criminal justice as well as the related fields of political science, psychology and more. 

“In recent years, criminal justice has become one of the most sought-after courses of study in the nation. We’re excited to leverage the expertise of our faculty with the resources of an innovative partner institution to train and equip future leaders in this field,” said Daniel Bennett, associate professor of political science. “JBU’s criminal justice graduates will stand out not only for their professional preparation but also for their integrity and character.”

The new degree offering features a partnership between JBU and Bluefield College, a fellow member of the Coalition of Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) in Bluefield, Virginia. JBU students will take 12 of the required 42 credit hours of criminal justice courses through Bluefield’s online classes.

“Partnering with a CCCU sister institution like Bluefield College provides JBU students with our holistic residential experience combined with even broader content knowledge in criminal justice,” said Ed Ericson, JBU vice president of academic affairs. “This partnership will provide our students with new opportunities that we are tremendously excited about.”

The major will help students articulate a Christian worldview in recognizing, understanding and applying ethical reasoning skills in the domain of criminal justice. Students will also learn data and methods of social science research to respond to contemporary issues in criminal justice. 

For more information about the program, visit jbu.edu/majors/criminal-justice/ or email Daniel Bennett at DBennett@jbu.edu.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. As Arkansas’ top-ranked university (Wall Street Journal, 2020), JBU enrolls more than 2,100 students from 36 states and 59 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 majors, with top programs including engineering, nursing, family and human services, biology, graphic design and construction management.