Faulkner University
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2009) |
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| Motto | For God and For You |
|---|---|
| Type | Private |
| Established | 1942 |
| Affiliation | Churches of Christ |
| Endowment | $15.4 million[1] |
| President | Billy D. Hilyer |
Academic staff | 118 |
| Students | 3,574 |
| Undergraduates | 2,212 |
| Location | , , |
| Campus | Urban, 74 acres (.29 km²) |
| Athletics | NAIA Region XIII MSC (football only) SSAC (all other sports) |
| Colors | Blue, White |
| Nickname | The Eagles |
| Website | www.faulkner.edu |
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Faulkner University is a private Christian university, located in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, and affiliated with the Church of Christ. The University was founded in 1942 as Montgomery Bible School. In 1953 the school's name was changed to Alabama Christian College (ACC). In 1965, the college was moved to its present location on Atlanta Highway. 1975 marked the beginning of the school's satellite campuses in Mobile, Huntsville and Birmingham. In 1985, the school was renamed to Faulkner University in honor of Dr. James H. Faulkner, Sr., a longtime supporter and chairman of the board.
Academic Programs and Facilities
Faulkner University is made up of Five Colleges along with 12 Departments and over 40 majors.
The five colleges include:
Alabama Christian College of Arts and Sciences
The Alabama Christian College of Arts and Sciences provides the University the liberal arts core curriculum. The study of the liberal arts is approached through the lens of the Christian worldview and includes the study of the Bible and related courses as part of the curricular core. Apart from the baccalaureate degree in these disciplines the college also offers the general Associate of Arts and Associate of Science Degrees.
The College of Education
The College of Education is an NCATE-accredited school of education offering degrees in both Class B and Alternative A teacher certification degree areas approved by the Alabama State Department of Education. The college's faculty is committed to helping students become well-rounded professionals. The faculty members are particularly devoted to guiding students in their pursuit of service to the community while also developing their professional skills. Faculty and students can be found working with inner city youth at Common Ground Ministries, special needs students at the Children’s Center Montgomery, and similar community organizations.
College of Education students are often recognized for their scholarly achievements, campus leadership roles, and service to the community. Our students represent the true Faulkner spirit in their desire to be servant leaders. Our alumni have gone on to serve their communities through the field of education in leadership roles at the local, state, and national level.
Harris College of Business and Executive Education
The programs offered in the Harris College of Business & Executive Education are designed to develop and enhance leadership qualities in men and women preparing them for roles in the free enterprise system of the business community. The College emphasizes the integration of Christian values with business in its traditional and executive programs. The Harris College of Business & Executive Education operates within a quality student/teaching oriented environment and adapts a futuristic approach in graduating educated students interested in what an education enables them to be as well as what it enables them to do.
V.P. Black School of Biblical Studies
The College of Biblical Studies offers the following degrees and major tracks:
Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies
•Biblical Text Track - designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for serious study and research in the Biblical text. Provides a solid academic foundation for graduate study in Biblical Studies. •Biblical Languages Track - designed to provide students with the ability to read the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek languages, as well as developing the knowledge and skills necessary for academic study and research in them. Provides a solid academic foundation for graduate study in both the Old and New Testaments. • Missions Track - designed to prepare graduates to be effective communicators of the gospel in both foreign and domestic fields and in a variety of cultures. • Ministry Track - designed to prepare students to be effective expositors and communicators of the Word of God, especially from the pulpit. • Youth and Family Ministry Track - designed to equip graduates with the necessary knowledge and relational skills to effectively meet the needs of today's church families.
Second Major in Vocational Ministry - designed to better equip Christians to fulfill their calling to serve Jesus Christ through their vocations. A primary major outside the College of Biblical Studies is required.
Kearley Graduate School of Theology Beginning in the fall of 2013, The Kearley Graduate School of Theology will seek to excel in biblical scholarship and Christian ministry in order to instill in students a balance between truth and deeds, faith and works, and knowledge an wisdom.The Master of Arts in Biblical Studies degree and all future graduate programs will be administered and overseen by the Kearley Graduate School of Theology
Faulkner Law
Students who enroll in this program should be prepared to devote substantially all of their time to the study of law. More than 60% of the required curriculum in this traditional program is satisfied in the first full year of study, allowing students the opportunity to undertake more course work in areas of special interest in subsequent years.
The M. B. Myers Fine Arts Center houses the music and theater departments, as well as the Great Books Honors College. It was constructed in 1977 as a student center but was later converted to the current Fine Arts Center in 1982.
Education classes are held in Leonard Johnson Hall, which includes a curriculum lab, an education center and an education department. Criminal Justice classes are held in the Joe Greer Hall.
The Great Books Honors College serves Faulkner's brightest students with 5 core classes grounded in the Great Books. These classes are discussion based, and expose students to authors ranging from Homer and Aquinas to Nietzsche and Plato, among many others.
The Linda Brooks Hall houses biology, chemistry and physics labs, along with a greenhouse. There is also an Instructional Support Lab which provides tutorial assistance with students struggling academically.
The Thomas Goode Jones School of Law contains seven classrooms, a mock courtroom, and three seminar rooms. The law school was granted American Bar Association provisional accreditation on June 10, 2006. On December 6, 2009, the American Bar Association's Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar granted full approval to Faulkner University's Thomas Goode Jones School of Law.
Graduates of Thomas Goode Jones School of Law who took the Alabama State Bar Exam for the first time in July 2012 passed at a rate of 95.1%.This passage rate for first-time takers was the highest among all Law schools in the state of Alabama.
In October of 2012 The Law School won the Lone Star Classic Mock Trial Competition in San Antonio, Texas. Sixteen schools from across the nation, including six U.S. News’ top-ten trial advocacy law schools, were invited to compete in the tournament hosted by St. Mary’s Law School. Faulkner defeated Michigan State, Stetson and Cumberland to reach the finals for the fourth straight year. Faulkner Law went on to win it all against an excellent Georgia State team in the championship round.
April of 2013 Faulkner Law won the 2013 American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution Representation in Mediation Competition.
In the ten Regional Competitions, 110 teams from 59 law schools competed for the right to advance to the National Finals. Ten teams were invited to compete at the National Competition consisting of students representing the following schools: Chapman University School of Law, Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, Fordham University School of Law, Hamline University School of Law, Liberty University School of Law, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, and West Virginia University College of Law.
After two preliminary rounds on April 3rd the teams from Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, Chapman University School of Law, Fordham University School of Law, and Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, at Arizona State University advanced to the Semi-Final Round on April 4th. The teams from Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law and Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, at Arizona State University advanced to the Championship Round where Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law students Ashley Norgard and Joshua Bradshaw prevailed.
Accreditation
Institutional Accreditation
Faulkner University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s and juris doctor degrees.
Thomas Goode Jones School of Law Faulkner University's Thomas Goode Jones School of Law is fully approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). Graduates are eligible to sit for the bar exam in any state.
Specialty Accreditations
Legal Studies
Faulkner University's Legal Studies program, offered on the Main Campus in Montgomery, Alabama, is approved by the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Paralegals.
Teacher Education
Faulkner University's Teacher Education programs in the Alabama Christian College of Arts and Sciences are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
Campus
Athletic events and daily chapel services are held in Tine Davis Gymasium. The university has added the Student Multiplex, which includes a weight room, racquetball courts, a running track, basketball/volleyball courts, a game room, and four new classrooms. Football has recently been added to the varsity sports program at Faulkner.
The university has five dormitories for students. Burton and Baldwin and a new dormitory that opened in August of 2012 provide housing for upperclass male students while Davis dorm provides housing for freshmen men. Harris dormitory provides housing for women. Upperclassmen who are either a senior or 21 years or older are able to live in the Harrison apartments which offer a living area consisting of four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, a fully equipped kitchen and a laundry room. The J. L. Perry Building contains the school's cafeteria, a coffee shop, the post office, and the book store.
The Harris College of Business is a 41,000-square-foot (3,800 m2) building near the main entrance of the campus. The department of Business along with the Admissions Office, Human Resources, and University Advancement departments are housed here.
The Gus Nichols Library houses 105,000 volumes including reference materials, general circulation materials, electronic books and multimedia items.
The Harris-Parker Building houses the V. P. Black College of Biblical Studies. The building opened on March 3, 2003. All Bible classes are taught in this building. The building contains the Lester Chapel which can be reserved for devotionals, weddings, preacher training and other small gatherings.
Student life
All full-time students under the age of 21 who are not seniors, married, or who do not live with their parents are required to live in the dormitories.
All on-campus students and any off-campus students who have classes ending before 10:00 AM are required to attend the school's daily chapel service in the Gymnasium at 10:00 AM.
Undergraduate students are required to take a Bible course each semester for every 15 hours of non-Bible related courses.
Faulkner University does not have national fraternities or sororities. Rather, they offer gender-based social clubs. Currently, there are ten social clubs, The men's clubs are Epsilon Phi Upsilon, Kappa Sigma Phi, Zeta Eta Theta, Sigma Psi Chi and Lambda Alpha Chi. The women's clubs are: Delta Xi Omega, Phi Lambda, Alpha Alpha Alpha, Chi Omicron Chi and Alpha Delta Psi.Club members participate in Jamboree, a spring musical, intramural sports (i.e. Softball, basketball, flag football and volleyball) among many other social activities. The clubs are also involved in many service projects throughout the school year.
Faulkner Marching Band
The Faulkner University Marching Eagles Band had its debut in the Fall of 2010. The band is experiencing tremendous growth and is currently recruiting members for both marching and concert band for the 2012-2013 season.
Faulkner University Chorus
The Faulkner University Chorus is the school's large, mixed choral ensemble. The group performs a wide variety of sacred, a cappella literature. Membership is open to both music majors and non-music majors. Members are selected by audition and commit to a demanding rehearsal and performance schedule that includes many local appearances as well as an annual, extended spring tour during which the group travels throughout the United States.
Faulkner Dinner Theatre
At the Faulkner University Dinner Theatre you can enjoy Broadway-style family entertainment in a Christian based atmosphere.
Cornerstone
Since the group began in 1986, the all-male quartet, Cornerstone, has been a leader among Christian college quartets. Under the oversight of the Admissions office, they regularly perform at youth rallies, banquets, summer camps, and other special events. Members are chosen through open tryouts each year, and represent the best of the acappella musical talent on the campus of Faulkner University.
Pied Pipers
A unique and fun-loving offshoot of the theatre department, Pied Pipers is a performance troupe that specializes in improvisation, comedy, and fun skits for children. The troupe enjoys performing for and interacting with children of all ages. Throughout the year, Pied Pipers will perform at daycare centers, elementary schools and churches.
Annual Faulkner Lectures
The theme for the 2013 Faulkner Lectures is "The Power of Parables: Bible Stories that Comfort, Convict & Convert." We will be exploring the theological richness of some of the Old Testament and New Testament parables. Additionally, many presentations and panel discussions will cover pressing and important Christian topics that are designed to encourage, to fortify, and to build faith. We believe that God will touch both mind and heart as we all seek to glorify God in the church that belongs to Jesus! Make plans to be on the campus of Faulkner University for an inspirational and spiritual experience!
Athletics
Faulkner University teams, nicknamed athletically as the Eagles, are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC). The Eagles are also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, football, golf and soccer; while women's sports include basketball, golf, soccer, softball and volleyball.
The men's basketball team finished the 2007 regular season tied for first in the SSAC standings with neighboring Auburn–Montgomery. The inaugural football season started in Fall 2007 under head coach Jim Nichols, who spent the previous three years as a graduate assistant to Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville. The football team now competes in the Mid-South Conference. After playing their home games at Cramton Bowl in downtown Montgomery for the first four years of the program, Faulkner opened its new 5,000 seat on campus stadium September 22, 2012 with a 43-41 victory against Lindsey Wilson College in front of a nearly sold out crowd.
One of the few NAIA schools in the country to have its own radio network that covers all basketball and football games. The Faulkner Radio Network was started in 1997 by then local talk show host Doug Amos, who also handles the play by play duties. He was joined on the broadcasts by color analyst Darrell Dapprich in 1998.
In 2001 the Eagles won the NAIA Basketball National Championship behind notable players such as Treives Henry and Paul Little who won the Chuck Taylor Most Valuable Player Award. The same year, the Men’s Baseball team won the NCCAA national championship. During the 2012 Football Season Ray-Ray Armstrong transferred from the University of Miami after playing three seasons for the Hurricanes, and was scheduled to play his senior season for the Eagles, unfortunately he was found to be ineligible by the NAIA. Armstrong remained with the program as an assistant coach.
May 30, 2013 The Eagles Baseball team won the schools first ever NAIA Baseball National Championship. The Faulkner Eagles beat host and 16-time national champion Lewis-Clark State 11-4 to complete an unbeaten run in the NAIA World Series and claim the program’s first national championship. The Eagles starting pitcher Johnny Shuttlesworth took home All-Tournament Team and World Series Most Valuable Player honors after the completion of the tournament.
Notable alumni and faculty
- Bobby Bright - United States Congressman from Alabama[2]
- Shane Reynolds - Retired Major League Baseball pitcher[citation needed]
- Patricia M. Smith - Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court[3]
- Michael A. O'Donnell - a former professor and dean with Faulkner University who is an author, researcher, and international lecturer with a Ph.D. from Kansas State University and is best known for his Adolescent Wellness Research Project,[4] co-conducted with family strengths scholar Nick Stinnett, Ph.D.,[5] a professor with the University of Alabama.[6] Their research on Adolescent Wellness[7][8][9] was published in the book Good Kids (Doubleday 1995)[10][11] and was presented before the United Nations in Vienna, Austria,[12] in 1995. The United Nations also published their research in the UN Directory of International Year of the Family Research Projects in the summer of 1995.[13][14]
References
- ^ As of June 30, 2009. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2009 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2008 to FY 2009" (PDF). 2009 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments. National Association of College and University Business Officers. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
- ^ "BRIGHT, Bobby Neal, Sr., (1952 - )". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
- ^ "Patricia M Smith". Supreme Court of Alabama. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
- ^ New Man magazine, "Successful Kids Believe," Nov./Dec. 1997.
- ^ Stinnett, Nick, & John DeFrain. 1985. Secrets of Strong families. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
- ^ Abilene Reporter News, "Survey Says Normal, Happy Teens Do Exist," Jerry Daniel Reed, July 11, 1994.
- ^ Cited in DeFrain, John; Swanson, Dianne; Brand, Gail (2008) "Creating a Strong Family: Looking at Life from a Family Strengths Perspective", University of Nebraska.
- ^ Cited in DeFrain, John and Sylvia M. Asay. “Strong Families Around the World: An Introduction to the Family Strengths Perspective.” Co-published simultaneously in Marriage & Family Review Haworth Press Vol. 41, No. 1/2, 2007, pp. 1-10; and: Strong Families Around the World: Strengths-Based Research and Perspectives (ed: John DeFrain, and Sylvia M. Asay) The Haworth Press, Inc., 2007, pp. 1-10.
- ^ Cited in DeFrain, John ; Asay, Sylvia M. , "Family Strengths and Challenges in the USA", Marriage & Family Review: Vol. 41, Issue 3 & 4, 2007.
- ^ USA Today, "One Last Trip Before Kids Fly the Coop," Linda Temple, Sept. 4, 1997.
- ^ Article on "Good Kids" in Vietnamese
- ^ Delaware County Sunday Times, "O'Donnell Will Address United Nations," June 18, 1995.
- ^ Optimist, "Family Matters: Professor to Present Research to United Nations Committee," Erin House, June 1995.
- ^ Stinnett, N. & O’Donnell M.A. et al. (1995) “Adolescent Wellness and Family Strengths Research Project”. Directory of International Year of the Family IYF Research Activities, Vienna, Austria: Australian Institute of Family Studies and United Nations.
See also
External links
- Universities and colleges in Montgomery, Alabama
- Educational institutions established in 1942
- Universities and colleges affiliated with the Churches of Christ
- Universities and colleges in Alabama
- Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Southern States Athletic Conference