Stetson University

Stetson University

Former names	DeLand Academy (1883–1885) DeLand College (1885–1886) DeLand University (1886–1889) John B. Stetson University (1889–1994)
Motto	Pro Deo et Veritate (Latin)
Motto in English	"For God and Truth"
Type	Private university
Established	1883 (1883)
Founder	Henry Addison DeLand
Accreditation	SACS
Religious affiliation	Protestant (Southern Baptist) (1885–1907; 1919–1995) No affiliation (1995–present)
Academic affiliations	ICUF
Endowment	$387 million (2022)
President	Chris Roellke
Provost	Elizabeth A. Skomp
Academic staff	265
Students	4,330
Undergraduates	3,084
Postgraduates	1,246
Location	DeLand , Florida , United States 29.0350°N 81.3026°W / 29.0350; -81.3026
Campus	Small city, 185 acres (75 ha)
Other campuses	Gulfport Kissimmee Tampa
Colors	Green and white
Nickname	Hatters
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS - ASUN PFL MAAC FIRA
Mascot	John B.
Website	stetson.edu

Stetson University is a private university with its main campus in DeLand, Florida, United States. Established in 1883 as DeLand Academy, it was later renamed John B. Stetson University in honor of a donor. The university's main campus in DeLand spans 175 acres and has Florida's oldest collection of education-related buildings, including DeLand Hall, the state's longest-standing building used for higher education.

The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and is composed of four colleges and schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Music, the School of Business Administration, and the Stetson University College of Law, Florida's first law school.

History

The first charter stated that the objective of the university should be "to promote the general interests of education, and to qualify its students to engage in the learned professions or other employments of society, and to discharge honorably and usefully the various duties of life."

Stetson University was founded in 1883 and was first known as DeLand Academy, after the principal founder of the town, Henry Addison DeLand. In 1887, the institution was incorporated as DeLand University, but in 1889, its name was changed to John B. Stetson University. to honor John B. Stetson, the well-known hat manufacturer who made generous donations to the university and served alongside Henry A. DeLand as a founding trustee.

The first director of the academy was John H Griffith, a minister. When the college was founded, John Franklin Forbes took over as the first President. Lena B. Mathes was an early faculty member. Lincoln Hulley served as president from 1904 to 1934.

Until 1995, Stetson had an affiliation with the Florida Baptist Convention and was considered a “Baptist school".

Campus

Flagler Hall

President's House

Stetson University is located roughly halfway between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Florida in a town called DeLand, Florida. The main campus sits just north of the downtown area. The DeLand campus is home to the university's College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business Administration, School of Music, and most graduate programs.

The 175-acre (0.71 km²) campus in DeLand is nationally designated by the National Register of Historic Places as the Stetson University Campus Historic District for Florida's oldest collection of education-related buildings.

DeLand Hall

Main article: DeLand Hall

DeLand Hall opened in 1884. The original cost of the building was $4,000. DeLand Hall was known as the first academic building on campus. Today, it is known as the oldest building in Florida in continuous use for higher education. DeLand Hall houses the Office of the President and the offices of other administrators.

Lynn Business Center

The Lynn Business Center is home for the university's School of Business. The Lynn Business Center is known on campus as the LBC. Constructed in 2003, Stetson's Lynn Business Center earned LEED certification and became not only Stetson's first green building on campus, but also the first green building in the state of Florida.

Elizabeth Hall

The Elizabeth Hall houses a number of departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. The South end of the building is home to the Lee Chapel. Elizabeth Hall is an official symbol of the undergraduate campus. The name Elizabeth Hall came from founder John B. Stetson's wife, Elizabeth. Designed after Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the building is three stories of patterned brick, with a four-story central brick pavilion topped by a white cupola. The building had once served as the college of natural sciences, as well as the library before the introduction of Sampson Hall, which held the books until the Dupont-Ball library was constructed. Currently, the building houses the offices of the faculty and the philosophy department, the department of political science, and the economics department on the first floor. The first floor also houses the Brown Center for Teaching Excellence, made possible by a multimillion-dollar gift from board members Hyatt and CiCi Brown. The second floor houses the offices of the faculty and the computer science department.

Lee Chapel

Lee Chapel is located in the historic Elizabeth Hall. It is a 100-year-old performance hall that seats 700. The acoustical properties are well-suited for classical music performances. It was built in 1897 and dedicated to the memory of John B. Stetson's late son, Ben, who died at age 6. It is currently named after H. Douglas Lee, who served as Stetson's eighth president from 1987 until 2009. It accommodates up to 787 people. William Sharp, an art professor, designed all the stained glass windows in the chapel. The organ is a 1961 Beckerath Organ. It is made up of 2,548 pipes and came here in 56 crates from Hamburg, Germany. It took three men two months to build. Along with many Stetson musicians and renowned traveling musicians; William Jennings Bryan, Ralph Nader, Jimmy Carter, Robert Frost, and Desmond Tutu are among the notables who have spoken in Lee Chapel.

Recent Enhancements

In 2018, Stetson University announced a $18 million donation to construct a new science building on the DeLand campus and enhance science programs. This donation was made by Hyatt and Cici Brown. Prior to that, over $17 million in new construction took place at the DeLand campus to create the Rinker Welcome Center, Carlton Union Building, among many other things.

Stetson University College of Law

Main article: Stetson University College of Law

The Stetson University College of Law, was founded in 1900 in DeLand. It was closed from 1942 to 1946 due to the Second World War. In 1954, the law school was relocated to Gulfport, Florida where Stetson Law still exists today. The Stetson University College of Law was the first law school in Florida.

Housing and residential life

The residential campuses in DeLand and Gulfport became smoke-free and tobacco-free on August 1, 2014.

Academics

Stetson University offers more than 55 majors and minors leading to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Music (B.M.), Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.), and Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) degree. There are 18 graduate programs in Business, Law, Education, Counseling, and Master of Fine Arts. The Juris Doctor and Master of Laws are offered by the Stetson College of Law, which guarantees admission to Stetson graduates who meet certain academic requirements. Dual degree programs are offered in law and business administration, and in pharmacy and business administration.

The university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The student-faculty ratio is 12–1. Total full-time faculty in all Stetson's colleges and schools is 265.

College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences is the liberal arts heart of the university, with 19 academic departments and several interdisciplinary programs. The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest college on campus in terms of total undergraduate majors and total number of faculty. The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most diverse of Stetson University's colleges and schools; it includes the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, education and the arts. There is a student to faculty ratio of 12:1.

School of Music

Rated one of the finest undergraduate-only music schools in the country, Florida's first collegiate school of music has an enduring tradition of top-notch instruction. Its small size allows an intimate atmosphere and interaction between students and faculty. There is a select enrollment of just over 300 majors and minors and 52 artist-scholar faculty. Performance opportunities for students include the symphony orchestra, band, choirs, opera, musical theater, jazz, chamber music, and solo recitals. The curriculum includes degree options in performance, education, theory, and composition. Music students may combine music study with business, pre-law, and many other fields. The School of Music has been an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music since 1938, and is included in Parade Magazine's national "College A-List" in the category highlighting Arts Programs

Music students can opt for the Bachelor of Music in Music Technology, and a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Arts-Sound is also available. Through the collaboration of the music and business schools, students can earn an undergraduate music degree and a graduate business degree in five years.

School of Business Administration

The School of Business Administration opened its doors in 1897 and today is one of 178 business schools worldwide to be accredited in both accounting and business by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (A.A.C.S.B.). The School of Business Administration features a range of traditional and non-traditional majors. Each major offers a customized field of study for a specific business discipline. Undergraduate majors include accounting, management, finance, international business, management information systems, marketing, family business, and general business. Masters programs include MBA, EMBA, and MAcc. The accounting program is one of only 182 worldwide that is accredited by AACSB International. The School of Business Administration is recognized by The Princeton Review as a Best Business School (Southeast).

College of Law

Main article: Stetson University College of Law

Florida's first law school, the ABA-accredited College of Law has educated lawyers, judges and community leaders for over a century. Consistently placing in the top tier in achievement for trial advocacy and legal writing, the college has been a member of the Association of American Law Schools since 1931.

Libraries

History

Before the first library was established in 1887, DeLand University had started to accumulate a small collection of books. At this time, fewer than 1,300 volumes were housed on bookshelves in Deland Hall, sharing space with the science lab. The library collection began to expand rapidly in November 1887 when the college was selected to become Florida's first repository for federal government documents.

DeLand University was renamed John B. Stetson University in 1889 and was the first university in Florida to employ a full-time librarian. In 1888, Warren Stone Gordis was hired by the university to be a language professor. In addition to teaching Greek and Latin, Gordis built and organized the library's collections and trained library assistants.

In 1906, the university received $40,000 from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Elizabeth S. Stetson, wife of John B. Stetson, matched Carnegie's contribution allowing for the Sampson Library to be built as a Carnegie library, one of 14 in the state. Opening in 1908, it was named after university trustee C.T. Sampson, who was a major donor to the Stetson library fund. In 1964, the duPont-Ball Library became the campus's new main library building.

duPont-Ball Library

The duPont-Ball Library's databases provide access to 50,000 full-text journals, magazines and newspapers. As of October 2022, the library's physical collection contains 934,251 items organized by Library of Congress Classification.

The Stetson University Archives include memorabilia, photographs, yearbooks, newsletters and other documents related to the university's history. The archives also contain special collections not directly related to the university's history, including the Treasure Collection of Rare Books, the Max Cleland Collection, the Regar collection, and the Greenlaw Collection, which includes signed, first-edition children's books.

The duPont-Ball Library is the oldest federal depository in Florida, established in 1887. The library has been receiving State of Florida publications since 1968.

The library also houses the Innovation Lab, a makerspace for students, faculty and staff to use to create projects for classes, labs, research projects, or just for fun. The Innovation Lab features 3D printers, virtual reality technology, and workstations for soldering, woodworking, sewing, and more. The library also provides 3D scanning and printing, Google Glass, a variety of tablets, and lifeloggers (small wearable cameras that shoot high-definition photos that can be streamed live across the Internet).

Dolly & Homer Hand Law Library

The Stetson University College of Law libraries in Gulfport and Tampa support the research efforts of students, faculty, staff, bench and bar. The Gulfport campus library is open to the public. The combined collections of statutes, court reports, journals and treatises, in a variety of formats, is above the median size of academic law libraries in the United States.

Special programs

A variety of special academic programs are available to students, such as the Roland George Investments Program, where business students manage a real portfolio of more than $2.8 million, the Honors Program, where students and faculty collaborate in an interdisciplinary community, the Nina B. Hollis Institute for Education Reform, which attempts to improve education from preschool through college, the Stetson Institute for Social Research, which provides services to outside agencies, the Family Enterprise Center, offering a major in family business, as well as the Centurion Sales Program providing advanced training in professional sales. Stetson is also the home of the Community Education Project, a higher education in prison program that operates at Tomoka Correctional Institution in Daytona Beach.

Stetson University also offers special programs for students up through ninth grade. Working in collaboration with the Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development at the University of Iowa, Stetson University sponsors the HATS (High Achieving Talented Students) Program. HATS serves K–9th grade students who participate in gifted programs or have scored at or above the 95th percentile on any subject area on the FCAT, ITBS, CTBS, or other standardized test. HATS offers Saturday and summer enrichment programs, scholarships, and above-level testing.

International education

Stetson University offers study abroad programs at a number of universities in Spain, France, Germany, Mexico, England, Scotland, Russia, Austria, and China, as well as an option for study in Washington, D.C.

Undergraduate research

In addition to the completion of a "senior thesis" project compulsory for graduation, students have the opportunity to develop their own research projects and be involved in faculty research. Two distinct programs foster undergraduate research: the SURE (Stetson Undergraduate Research Experience) Grant competition, which provides summer stipends and faculty mentors for selected student research projects; and Stetson Showcase, a day-long event that encourages all undergraduates to share their research with the Stetson community.

Continuing education

The university offers departments and program that specialize in services to lifelong learners and organizations outside the Stetson community.

• The Elderhostel – or Road Scholar – program allows individuals older than the traditional university age to attend classes on campus and in the region for a week, and offers specialized courses based on the university's curriculum.
• Each February, the departments of Continuing Education and Religious Studies co-host the Florida Winter Pastors’ School, which in 2010 celebrated its 25th anniversary.
• Each summer, week-long Destination Science camps are offered for youth ages 6–11, who attend sessions such as "Robots vs. Aliens" and "'G' Force Rockets and Moon Blasters."
• Stetson Lifelong is a program that provides community residents an educational place for intellectual discussion and social interaction. Launched at the Celebration campus in 2012.
• Stetson HATS (High Achieving Talented Students) is a year-round academic enrichment program that provides educational opportunities for high-achieving Florida students.

Rankings

Academic rankings
Master's
Washington Monthly	316
Regional
U.S. News & World Report	4
National
Forbes	439
WSJ/College Pulse	368

Student life

Student body composition as of May 2, 2022

Race and ethnicity	Total
White	56%	56
Hispanic	19%	19
Black	9%	9
Other	7%	7
Foreign national	6%	6
Asian	2%	2
Economic diversity
Low-income	37%	37
Affluent	63%	63

Stetson has approximately 20 honorary academic and professional organizations and over 100 other student organizations on campus, including Phi Beta Kappa (first private university in Florida to be granted a chapter); the Floyd M. Riddick Model United States Senate program; The Reporter, Florida's oldest college newspaper; Model United Nations; Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Professional Fraternity; Psi Chi, an international psychology honors fraternity; Alpha Kappa Delta, an international sociology honor society; Alpha Kappa Psi business professional fraternity; Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership fraternity; Poetry at an Uncouth Hour (a poetry reading club); Hatter Harvest (organic community garden); Touchstone, the student literary magazine, and many others.

There are several religious organizations on campus as well, including Baptist Collegiate Fellowship; Catholic Campus Ministry; Wesley House (Methodist Ministry); Muslim American Student Organization; Hillel, a Jewish student organization; Renown, an interfaith group; and Shield, a Pentecostal organization.

There are also a number of multicultural and social justice organizations on campus, including the Black Student Association, the Hispanic Organization for Latin American Awareness (HOLA), Organization for Students Actively Pursuing Equality (OSAPE), STAND (the student-run branch of the Genocide Intervention Network), and Kaleidoscope (the LGBT alliance on campus).

There is also an Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) unit that students can participate in on-campus through Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University. Successful completion of the ROTC program allows university students to be commissioned in the United States Army as a Second Lieutenant, and requires a post-graduation service commitment.

The Greek Community at Stetson is about twenty-nine percent of the student body being a member of a fraternity or sorority.

There are six Panhellenic social sororities on campus: Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Xi Delta, Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Alpha Theta, Pi Beta Phi, and Zeta Tau Alpha, two Divine 9 organizations Sigma Gamma Rho and Phi Beta Sigma, and eight IFC social fraternities: Alpha Tau Omega, Delta Sigma Phi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Pi Kappa Alpha, Pi Kappa Phi, Phi Sigma Kappa, Sigma Nu and Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Stetson is also home to chapters from Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a music fraternity for men, and Sigma Alpha Iota, a music fraternity for women.

Movies

Several movies have been filmed on the Stetson campus, as well as in the City of DeLand. Among them are Ghost Story (1981), starring John Houseman and Fred Astaire; The Waterboy, featuring Adam Sandler; Walt Before Mickey, which starred Thomas Ian Nicholas, Jon Heder and Armando Gutierrez; From Earth to the Moon; First of May; and Estás nominado: Cuando la realidad supera a la ficción.

Student government

Established in 1908, the Stetson University Student Government Association is the representative and executive decision-making body for all undergraduate students in the Stetson community. Student governance at Stetson consists of two branches, an executive and a unicameral legislative branch. The executive branch consists of the president, the vice president, the secretary of communication, the secretary of finance, and the secretary of student involvement. The president and vice president are elected annually in the spring. After installment, the President appoints the secretaries of communication, finance, and student involvement.

Patrick Smith Model United States Senate

Stetson University hosts the nation's first and oldest college-level Model United States Senate program (established in 1970) every year in March. Each year, students from colleges and universities around the nation gather at Stetson for the three-day event. The Model Senate reproduces the actual procedures and activities of the U.S. Senate in an effort to provide experience and education for the student participants. Each student is assigned as a Senator in one of five legislative committees and is responsible for researching a variety of bills, and crafting appropriate amendments. In addition, the Model Senate attracts national speakers and lecturers, including former and sitting U.S. senators.

Athletics

Main article: Stetson Hatters

Intercollegiate athletics

Men's Teams Basketball Baseball Rowing|Crew Cross country Golf Soccer Tennis Football	Women's Teams Basketball Softball Rowing|Crew Cross country Golf Soccer Tennis Volleyball Sand Volleyball Lacrosse

Stetson is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and the university's 18 intercollegiate men's and women's teams compete on the Division I level in the ASUN Conference, the Pioneer Football League (Football Championship Subdivision - FCS) and MAAC – Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The school's mascot is "John B.", a stylized version of John B. Stetson, the benefactor for whom the university is named. The basketball, baseball, men's and women's tennis, women's golf, men's and women's soccer, sand volleyball and softball teams have either earned conference championships or gained national rankings or recognition.

One of the high-profile sports at Stetson is baseball. Since 1970, the baseball program has earned seven ASUN Conference championships and 16 trips to the NCAA Regionals. In 2013, women's basketball made its third NCAA tournament appearance. The team won the A-Sun Conference Championship in 2005, 2011, and 2013. Stetson also has a signature win in the 2024 NCAA regional against the University of Alabama. Stetson participated in football from 1901 until 1956 achieving an all-time record of 155–127–27 (.545). The football team earned its 100th victory in 1935. In 2010, university officials gathered information and evaluated the feasibility of starting a Division I-AA (now Football Championship Subdivision) non-scholarship program. In March 2011, SU President Wendy B. Libby announced the return of Hatters Football. and the addition of women's lacrosse. In July 2011, Stetson named Roger A. Hughes as head football coach. Stetson's sand volleyball team had its inaugural season in 2012, after the sport was officially approved for conference play. In 2013, both the lacrosse and football teams played their first games.

Stetson's main rivals include Jacksonville University and Florida Gulf Coast University.

Athletic facilities

• The J. Ollie Edmunds Center – basketball and volleyball, 4,000-seat multipurpose arena, athletic offices, weight room
• Athletic Training Center – a $6.7 million complex that opened in August 2012, home to football practice fields, as well as soccer + lacrosse game and practice fields
• Patricia Wilson Softball Field, the 2009 Softball Field of the Year
• The Wilson Athletic Center – sport and exercise science department, fitness and activity rooms
• Mandy Stoll Tennis Center – next to the soccer field
• Melching Field at Conrad Park – baseball stadium (off campus)
• Victoria Hills Golf Club (off campus)
• Hollis Center
• Sandra Stetson Aquatic Center- a $7 million aquatic center, opened in 2019, houses the Men's and Women's Crew teams as well as the Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience.
• Spec Martin Stadium—6,000 seat off campus football stadium

Notable alumni

Name Class year Notability References Gus Bilirakis U.S. representative, Florida's 9th Congressional District Brian Bocock Major League Baseball player – Philadelphia Phillies Jeff Bowen Author and star of Broadway play title of show Mark Brisker American-Israeli professional basketball player Wilma Burgess American country music singer; charted six singles on Billboard country charts in the 1960s and 1970s. Pat Cannon United States representative from Florida Doyle E. Carlton 1909 (b. 1885, d.1972) 25th governor of Florida, 1929–1933. Ted Cassidy Actor who played Lurch on the TV show, The Addams Family Max Cleland Secretary, American Battle Monuments Commission; former U.S. senator; former Georgia secretary of state Mack Cleveland 1949, Law 1951 Seminole County lawyer and member of both houses of the Florida State Legislature from 1953 to 1965, general counsel for Stetson University prior to 2004 Craig Crawford Television political commentator, writer, and columnist for the Congressional Quarterly (1978) James W. Crysel 1959 United States Army lieutenant general who commanded Second United States Army Jacob deGrom Major League Baseball player – Texas Rangers, 2014 National League Rookie of the Year Award winner, 2018 & 2019 Cy Young Award winner Andy Dehnart 1998 Journalist, blogger, reality television critic, creator of http://www.realityblurred.com Louis DeJoy Postmaster General and CEO of United States Postal Service Dimitri Diatchenko Actor Lenny DiNardo Major League Baseball player – Kansas City Royals William Dudley Geer First Dean of the School of Business at Samford University Pete Dunn 1970 Stetson baseball coach Jim Foley 1992 United Soccer Leagues player – Charleston Battery Andy Gardiner 1992 Florida Senate President, 2014- Roy Geiger United States Marine Corps general Logan Gilbert Major League Baseball player - Seattle Mariners Avantika Hari 2002 Filmmaker; writer and director of the award-winning Land Gold Women Mike Haridopolos 1992 Florida Senate president 2010–2012 Joseph Edwards Hendricks Former United States representative from Florida Daren Johnson 1999 Director of Golf, winner of 1 GAPGA Development Awards Corey Kluber Major League Baseball player – Cleveland Indians, two-time AL Cy Young Award Winner (2014 and 2017) Laurette T. Koellner 1980 Retired (2008) president, Boeing International Suzanne Kosmas US congressperson, 2008–2010 Alan Le May 1916 Filmmaker and writer, 1899-1964 Cindy Lovell 1994, MA 1996 Educator and writer Gerard Marino 1998 Film and video game composer Britt McHenry 2007 ESPN Reporter Richard J. McKay President and general manager, Atlanta Falcons James Merritt Former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, current pastor and CEO of television show Touching Lives Jon L. Mills 1969 Lawyer and former politician. Speaker of FL House of Representatives (1987–88), Dean of Levin College of Law Joe Negron Florida State Senator, District 28 Kevin Nicholson Former Major League Baseball player and 2004 Olympian Gary Lee Noffke American artist and silversmith Dexter Palmer 1995 Novelist Donald Payne 2016 NFL football player Luis G. Pedraja 1984 Latino theologian, philosopher, author, scholar and educator Scott Plakon Florida state representative, District 37 Shirrel Rhoades 1964 Writer, publisher, filmmaker, former executive vice president of Marvel Entertainment Nick Rickles American-Israeli baseball player Tom Riginos 1990 College baseball coach at Winthrop Adrian Rogers Pastor, conservative, author, and a three-term president of the Southern Baptist Convention Clay Shaw (1939–2013) Former U.S. Representative Yevgeni Starikov Soccer forward for FC Tom Tomsk George Tsamis Former Major League Baseball player, current manager of the St. Paul Saints William Amory Underhill 1936 (1910–1999) Public servant, lobbyist, and prominent philanthropist Corey Walden Professional basketball player, 2019 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP Lorenzo Williams NBA basketball player Emmett Wilson Former U.S. representative from Florida (1913 to 1917 George Winston New age recording artist Michael Yeargan 1969 Broadway set designer, winner of 2 Tony Awards

Max Cleland Clay Shaw Jon L. Mills Suzanne Kosmas

Further reading

• Lycan, Gilbert L. (1983). Stetson University: The First 100 Years. DeLand, Florida: Stetson University Press.

External links

• Official website
• Stetson University Athletics website