Victory University

Victory University
Motto	Think Critically. Grow Spiritually. Change Our World.
Established	1941
Type	Private, for-profit
Chancellor	Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee
President	Dr. Shirley Robinson Pippins, EdD
Provost	Dr. Sherryl Weems, PhD
Academic staff	95
Students	1,970
Location	Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Campus	Urban, 25 acres
Colors	Scarlet & Black
Affiliations	Non-denominational Christian
Website	http://www.victory.edu/

Victory University, formerly Crichton College, is a private for-profit Christian, liberal arts college located in Memphis, Tennessee. It changed its name in 2010 from "Chrichton College."

Victory University is a four-year, coeducational institution owned by California-based Significant Education. The institution intends to combine higher education with evangelical Christian faith and to integrate learning with the needs of people in contemporary society. Victory University intends to base its academic programs, philosophy, and the life of the University on Biblical principles.

Victory University offers majors in psychology, biblical studies, business, biology, chemistry, professional education, pre-nursing, English, history, liberal studies, and pre-law. The faculty is encouraged to motivate students to practice a reasoned and vital religious faith to enable them to lead mature and creative lives. While the faculty attends different churches, they are selected as dedicated Christians committed to the ideals of free inquiry in the pursuit of truth and respect for all people. The student body is stated to represent diverse churches, races, and social backgrounds.

Victory University endeavors to offer students a well-rounded educational experience, which allows them to explore all dimensions of their personalities while, at the same time, receiving instruction in the pursuit of a career. The institution also endeavors to promote whole person development, recognizing that under the sovereignty of God all people possess intellectual, spiritual, psychological, and physical dimensions.

As of August 2012 there were approximately 1,970 students enrolled, and tuition was approximately $3900 per semester.

Since 2010 the school has seen a dramatic growth in the number of its students. In 2011-12 it more than doubled its enrollment, from 906 students to 1,970. That is higher than previous record high of 1,200 students in 2006 when the institution was called Crichton College.

The University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

History

In the fall of 1941 the Reverend Thomas McKinney, a recent graduate from Dallas Theological Seminary, established an evening Bible study class in Memphis, Tennessee. The response to the class was so encouraging that a group of Christian men began investigating the potential of establishing a permanent institution that would provide an opportunity for the study of the Bible and Bible-related subjects. On December 13, 1944, a Board of Directors met to establish such an institution as allowed under the laws of the State of Tennessee. Dr. T. Stanley Soltau was the first Chairman of the Board and the Reverend Thomas McKinney was the Director of the Mid-South Bible Center. The MSBC received its charter of incorporation on December 19, 1944.

Reverend McKinney resigned in 1947 and was succeeded by Dr. J. Howard Goddard in 1948. Under Dr. Goddard's direction the MSBC established a three-year Bible Institute and enrolled ten students in the fall semester of 1948. The State of Tennessee authorized an amendment to the Charter of the MSBC to change the name to Mid-South Bible Institute. In May 1955 Dr. James B. Crichton was elected as the successor of Dr. Goddard. A non-credit Adult Education Program was established in September 1955 and, simultaneously, a one-year Basic Bible Course was introduced in the Day School curriculum.

On February 14, 1957, the Education Committee recommended to the Board that the Mid-South Bible Institute introduce a four-year Bible college program into the curriculum. The program was formally approved on April 10, 1958 and was introduced that fall. A second amendment was granted by the state on May 26, 1960 changing the college name to Mid-South Bible College. Mid-South Bible College was first accredited by the Association of Biblical Higher Education in 1971. Mid-South Bible College began a Teacher Education program in 1982 to prepare Christian men and women to teach in schools. Majors were offered in social sciences, natural sciences, elementary education, music education, and church music. The decision was subsequently made to seek accreditation by the College Commission of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Accreditation was granted in January 1986. A four-year Bachelor's degree program in Psychology was added in the fall of 1985 and a major in Business Administration was added in 1987.

Dr. James B. Crichton, long-time President of the College, died in 1984 and was replaced by Dr. Robert J. Hilgenberg. The Board of Directors approved another name change in 1987 to honor President Dr. James B. Crichton. The name change also reflected the academic changes in the school, from a Bible college to a Christian liberal arts college. In 1989, Crichton moved to 6655 Winchester Road, in the urbanized Southeastern part of Shelby County between Germantown and Memphis. There, Crichton shared a campus with local megachurch, Central Church. Under the guidance of Presidents Dr. Lawrence McGrath and Dr. Larry R. Brooks, the college began offering a successful degree completion program in the early 1990s. President Dr. Ronald R. Schmidt led the school's relocation to Highland Avenue in 2002 and retired in 2003 due to illness. The Board of Directors elected Dr. Larry B. Lloyd as President in 2004.

During 2009, Dr. John M. Borek, Jr. was appointed President and California-based Significant Federation bought the financially troubled institution, which became a for-profit business.

In 2010 the College announced that the Board of Directors, SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools), and THEC (Tennessee Higher Education Commission) had approved the name of the college to change to Victory University. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was given the title of Chancellor and became a fundraiser for the institution, although Huckabee did not take up residence in Memphis.

Degrees Offered

Victory University offers Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in a range of disciplines and interdisciplinary studies. An Associate of Science in Christian Ministry is the only two-year degree offered. It also offers certificate programs in teacher education, biblical studies and urban youth ministries. Starting in the fall of 2011 VU offers a Masters in Professional Counseling.

Victory University also has a program called the "Bridge to College", which is a dual enrollment program for high school students.

Student life

Victory University offers activities and entertainment for students at the Bryce Student Center. Seminars and conferences on career planning, maintaining a successful family life, and Christian missions are part of the college's annual program. Victory University has leased a dormatory for up to 120 students at the Flats at Cotton Council, located four miles away from the main campus at 1918 North Parkway in Midtown Memphis. The upper three levels of the dormitory are reserved for athletes.

Athletics

VU has established varsity and club athletics (men's baseball and basketball and women's soccer) and an intramural program. Prior to 1985 VU varsity teams were known as the Saints, from 1985 to 1989 as the Crusaders, from 1989 through 1996, as the Cougars, in 1996, as the Cardinals, and in 2005 as the Comets.

Prior to 2006, Victory University was a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA); In 2006, it joined the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). In the 2009-2010 school year Crichton left the NAIA. Intercolegiate athletic programs were suspended in the Spring of 2009 because of the institution's financial troubles, but are being re-instated, beginning with basketball. In April 2010, President John M. Borek, Jr. announced that Scott Robinson was appointed Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach. Membership applications have been filed with the NAIA and NCCAA.

As of August 2012 Victory University offered men and women's bowling, men and women's track and field, men and women's cross country, and women's volleyball.

Notable Alumni

• Kiley & Rachel Butler, President and Director of Operations, AreaOne Ministries
• Dr. Roy Gingrich, late author of Roy Gingrich Bible Commentaries and author of many books presenting the Bible in outline form
• Dana Key, Producer, Ardent Recording Studios
• Brad Kimberlin, Athletic Director, SBEC (Southern Baptist Educational Center), Southaven, MS
• Toni Lamparter Mabry, Author, "Chance Encounters: The Story of the Innkeeper's Son"
• Bobby McGraw, http://www.bobbymcgraw.com, National Speaker with New Hand Industries and Global Youth Ministry
• Willis T. Yates, President, Y&W Technologies
• Melvin D. Watkins Jr., Pastor, Mt. Vernon Baptist Church-Westwood, Memphis, TN
• Shawn Monique Clay Anderson, Youth Pastor, Word of Faith Christian Center, Memphis, TN,http://www.wodfm.org/

External links

• Victory University
• Victory University Athletics