Asbury University is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

university in

Wilmore, Kentucky Wilmore is a home rule-class city in Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 3,686 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the United States Census Burea ...

. Although it is a non-denominational school, the college is aligned with the

Wesleyan-Holiness movement The Holiness movement is a Christian movement that emerged chiefly within 19th-century Methodism, and to a lesser extent other traditions such as Quakerism, Anabaptism, and Restorationism. The movement is historically distinguished by its empha ...

. The school offers 50-plus majors across 17 departments. In the fall of 2016, Asbury University had a total enrollment of 1,854: 1,640 traditional undergraduate students and 214 graduate students. The campus of

Asbury Theological Seminary Asbury Theological Seminary is a Christian Wesleyan seminary in the historical Methodist tradition located in Wilmore, Kentucky. It is the largest seminary of the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. It is known for its advocacy of egalitarianism, giving ...

, which became a separate institution in 1940, is located across the street from Asbury University.

History

Asbury College was established in 1890 by

John Wesley Hughes John Wesley Hughes (May 16, 1852 - February 22, 1932) was an American minister. He was born in Owen County, Kentucky and was converted at the age of sixteen in a Methodist revival meeting in an old schoolhouse. Hughes attended Kentucky Wesleyan ...

. It was originally called the Kentucky Holiness College, but was later renamed after Bishop

Francis Asbury Francis Asbury (August 20 or 21, 1745 – March 31, 1816) was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States. During his 45 years in the colonies and the newly independent United States, he devoted his life to ...

, the "Father of American Methodism" and a circuit-riding evangelist. Asbury was instrumental in Methodist education in central Kentucky, having founded the state's first Methodist school, Bethel Academy, in 1790; its site lies near High Bridge, only about four miles (6 km) south of Wilmore. After being pushed out as President of Asbury College in 1905, Hughes went on to found another college, Kingswood College, in

Breckinridge County, Kentucky Breckinridge County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,432. Its county seat is Hardinsburg, Kentucky. The county was named for John Breckinridge (1760–1806), a Kentucky Attorney ...

. Kingswood College no longer exists. Despite his disappointment over being removed at Asbury, Hughes wrote in his 1923 autobiography: "Being sure I was led of God to establish (Asbury College), it being my college child born in poverty, mental perplexity, and soul agony, I loved it from its birth better than my own life. As the days have come and gone, with many sad and broken-hearted experiences, my love has increased. My appreciation of what it has done, what it is doing, and what it promises to do in the future, is such that I am willing to lay down my life for its perpetuation." In 1928, Hughes was invited to break ground for Asbury College's new chapel, Hughes Auditorium, which is still in use today. In 2001 The Kinlaw Library was completed. It was named in honor of Dennis F. Kinlaw and his wife Elsie. It contains over 150,000 items in several collections. There are three floors and most of the collections are on the main and top floors. The college's immediate past president, Sandra C. Gray, was inaugurated as the seventeenth president of Asbury on October 5, 2007. She was the institution's first female president. On March 5, 2010, Asbury College became Asbury University. The current president is Kevin Brown, a former faculty member of the Howard & Beverly Dayton School of Business. He was inaugurated as the eighteenth president on March 6, 2020.

Presidents

Presidents of the institution include: *

(1890–1905) * Francis F. Fitch (1905) *

Benjamin Franklin Haynes Benjamin Franklin Haynes (1851–1923), usually known as B. F. Haynes, was a Methodist and later Nazarene minister and theologian from Tennessee. He was associated with the Holiness movement. He was founding editor of the ''Tennessee Methodist''. ...

(1905–1908) * Newton Wray (1908–1909) *

Aaron S. Watkins Aaron Sherman Watkins (November 29, 1863 – February 9, 1941), born in Ohio, was a president of Asbury College in Kentucky. Before his ordination as a Methodist minister, he practiced law with his brother. He was the grandfather of Prohibit ...

(1909–1910) *

Henry Clay Morrison Henry Clay Morrison (March 10, 1857 — March 24, 1942) was a Methodist evangelist, editor, and president of Asbury College. He is not to be confused with Henry Clay Morrison (b. May 30, 1842), a Methodist bishop from Tennessee. Family Morriso ...

(1910–1925; 1933–1940) * Lewis Robeson Akers (1925–1933) * Z.T. Johnson (1940–1966) * Karl K. Wilson (1966–1967) * Cornelius R. Hager (1967–1968; 1981–1983; 1992–1993) * Dennis F. Kinlaw (1968–1981; 1986–1991) * John N. Oswalt (1983–1986) * Edwin G. Blue (1991–1992) * David J. Gyertson (1993–2000) * Paul A. Rader (2000–2006) * William C. Crothers (2006–2007) * Sandra C. Gray (2007–2019) * Kevin J. Brown (2019–present)

Academics

Students come from 44 states and 43 countries. Nearly 90 percent of the university's students live on campus. Eighty-two percent of the school's faculty hold terminal degrees in their field of study. The university offers master's degrees in education and alternative certification programs. Internships, exchange programs, missions, and community service opportunities are available and are part of the curriculum in nearly every major. Asbury has a large general education requirement ranging from 39 to 57 semester hours. The college has a 12:1 student to faculty ratio. The school has a retention rate of 82 percent on average. Undergraduate programs are divided into three distinct units: *College of Arts and Sciences *School of Communication *School of Education The School of Graduate and Professional Studies houses all graduate programs.

Athletics

The Asbury athletic teams are called the Eagles. The university is a member of the

NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that choose not to offer athletic scholarships to their stu ...

ranks, primarily competing as an NCAA D-III Independent under provisional/reclassifying status since the 2021–22 academic year. They are also a member of the

National Christian College Athletic Association The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) is an association of Christian universities, colleges, and Bible colleges in the United States and Canada whose mission is "the promotion and enhancement of intercollegiate athletic co ...

(NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the Mid-East Region of the Division I level. The Eagles previously competed competing in the

River States Conference The River States Conference (RSC), formerly known as the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC), is a List of college athletic conferences in the United States, college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of I ...

(RSC; formerly known as the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) until after the 2015–16 school year) of the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its stu ...

(NAIA) from 1971–72 to 2020–21. Asbury competes in 17 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field and volleyball; and co-ed sports include cheerleading. Club sports include roundnet, disc golf, and pickleball. Track & field is the school's most recent varsity program and will begin competition in the 2023–24 academic year.

Move to NCAA Division III

On March 25, 2021, Asbury announced it had been approved to begin an expedited three-year transition into

from the NAIA. During this transition it will be allowed to compete in Division III competition but will not be eligible for any NCAA post-season play. The school also announced it would compete in post-season competitions of the NCCAA during this time of transition.

Gallery

File:Asbury University Students.JPG, The official colors for Asbury University are Purple and White, as worn by these students. File:Asbury University Administration Building 1.jpg, The administration building. File:Asbury University Archways.JPG, The arches overlooking the green provide cover from the elements and from snow during the winter months. File:Asbury University Media Communications Building.JPG, Miller Center for Media Communications. File:Asbury University Student Center 1.JPG, The Student Center. File:Asbury University First Building.JPG, The Old Asbury Building (in white) was the first building, serving as the single schoolhouse for education. It is now used for prayer and meditation. File:Asbury University Library 1.JPG, The Kinlaw Library

Notable alumni

There are more than 20,000 living alumni, who live in all 50 US states and at least 80 countries. Notable alumni include: * Frederick Bohn Fisher (Class of 1902) – Bishop of the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. In ...

in India * Andrew N. Johnson (Class of 1903) – Methodist minister, U.S. vice presidential candidate from the

Prohibition Party The Prohibition Party (PRO) is a political party in the United States known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages and as an integral part of the temperance movement. It is the oldest existing third party ...

(

1944 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 2 – WWII: ** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...

) * Luther B. Bridgers (Class of 1906 – did not graduate, Honorary Doctorate 1921) – pastor, evangelist, hymnwriter ("He Keeps Me Singing") * E. Stanley Jones (AB, 1907) –

Missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...

Evangelist Evangelist may refer to: Religion * Four Evangelists, the authors of the canonical Christian Gospels * Evangelism, publicly preaching the Gospel with the intention of spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ * Evangelist (Anglican Church), a c ...

, Author, and Theologian * J. Waskom Pickett (Class of 1907) –

to India * Lela G. McConnell (Class of 1924) – founder of the

Kentucky Mountain Holiness Association The Kentucky Mountain Holiness Association (KMHA) is a Christian denomination in eastern Kentucky aligned with Holiness Methodist beliefs. The Association was begun in 1925 by Lela G. McConnell, a deaconess in the Methodist Episcopal Church. The As ...

* Z.T. Johnson (Class of 1925) – Methodist minister, Asbury College President (1940–1966) * Edward L.R. Elson (Class of 1928) – pastor of

National Presbyterian Church The National Presbyterian Church is a Christian congregation of approximately 1,500 members of all ages from the greater metropolitan Washington, D.C., area. The mission statement of the church is "Leading People to Become Faithful Followers of J ...

in Washington, D.C.;

Chaplain of the United States Senate The chaplain of the United States Senate opens each session of the United States Senate with a prayer, and provides and coordinates religious programs and pastoral care support for senators, their staffs, and their families. The chaplain is appoi ...

(1969–1981) * Anna Talbott McPherson (Class of 1929) – author of more than 22 biographies, book illustrator and artist *

James B. Pritchard James Bennett Pritchard (October 4, 1909 – January 1, 1997) was an American archeologist whose work explicated the interrelationships of the religions of ancient Palestine, Canaan, Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon. Pritchard was honored with the Go ...

(Class of 1930) – Biblical archaeologist * Mack B. Stokes (Class of 1932) – retired Bishop of the

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelical ...

* Cornelius R. Hager (Class of 1934) – three-time President of Asbury College (1967–1968; 1981–1983; 1992–1993) * Laton E. Holmgren (Class of 1936) – General Secretary of the

American Bible Society American Bible Society is a U.S.-based Christian nonprofit headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As the American member organization of United Bible Societies, it supports global Bible translation, production, distribution, literacy, engage ...

(1963–1978) * Wayne K. Clymer (AB, 1939) – a Bishop of the

* Dennis F. Kinlaw (Class of 1943) – Author, Theologian, Evangelist, Asbury College President (1968–81; 1986–91) * Rosalind Rinker (Class of 1945) – Author of '' Prayer: Conversing with God'', selected by ''

Christianity Today ''Christianity Today'' is an evangelical Christian media magazine founded in 1956 by Billy Graham. It is published by Christianity Today International based in Carol Stream, Illinois. ''The Washington Post'' calls ''Christianity Today'' "evange ...

'' magazine as the #1 most influential book shaping the way evangelicals think *

Ben Campbell Johnson Ben Campbell Johnson (born March 28, 1932 in Elba, Alabama; died June 2, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia) was an American ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and a Professor Emeritus of Evangelism and Spiritual Direction at Columbia Theo ...

(Class of 1953) - Professor Emeritus of Evangelism at

Columbia Theological Seminary Columbia Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian seminary in Decatur, Georgia. It is one of ten theological institutions affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). History Columbia Theological Seminary was founded in 1828 in Lexington, Geo ...

, Author * Dean Jones (Class of 1953 – did not graduate, Honorary Degree 2002) – actor *

Ernie Steury Ernest Millard Steury (January 3, 1930 – April 4, 2002) was an American physician and Christian missionary to Kenya. Steury was born in Berne, Indiana to David and Mary Habegger Steury. In 1948, while attending a church service in his hometown, ...

(Class of 1953) – Missionary Doctor, Tenwek Hospital, Kenya *

Paul Rader Paul Alexander Rader (born March 14, 1934), is an American religious leader, who was the 15th General of the Salvation Army from 1994 to 1999, and was the President of Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, from 2000 to 2006. Biography Born in N ...

(Class of 1956) – General of

Salvation Army Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...

(1994–1999), Asbury College President (2000–2006) *

Joe Frank Harris Joe Frank Harris (born February 16, 1936) is an American businessman and Democratic politician who served as the 78th Governor of the U.S. state of Georgia from 1983 to 1991. Early life and career Harris was born in the Atco Mill Village o ...

(Class of 1958) – former

Governor of Georgia The governor of Georgia is the head of government of Georgia and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor also has a duty to enforce state laws, the power to either veto or approve bills passed by the Georgia Legisl ...

* Janice Shaw Crouse (Class of 1961) – Senior Fellow at the Beverly LaHaye Institute of

Concerned Women for America Concerned Women for America (CWA) is a socially conservative, evangelical Christian non-profit women's legislative action committee in the United States. Headquartered in Washington D.C., the CWA is involved in social and political movements, t ...

Joseph R. Pitts Joseph Russell Pitts (born October 10, 1939) is a former American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1997 to 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district was based in Lancaster and Reading and included much ...

(Class of 1961) – United States Representative from

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

Ted Strickland Theodore Strickland (born August 4, 1941) is an American politician who was the 68th governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ...

(AB, 1963) – former Democratic Governor of

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

and former

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

* Leopold Frade (Class of 1965 – did not graduate) – Third Bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida and former Bishop of

Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Oce ...

* David Hager (Class of 1968) – Physician, Author * Stephen W. Wood (Class of 1973) – past member of the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to: Academics * Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager * Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, ...

(Class of 1977) – Head Basketball Coach at Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, VA * Sue Bell Cobb (Class of 1978) – former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court (first woman to hold this position) *

Joe Hilley Joseph H. Hilley (born June 29, 1956) is a New York Times Best Selling author. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama and grew up on the Gulf Coast in the town of Grand Bay, Alabama. He is a graduate of Asbury College, Asbury Theological Seminary, a ...

(Class of 1978) – ''New York Times'' best-selling author * Jody Hice (Class of 1980) - United States Representative from

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

* Stevenson Kuartei (Class of 1980) - Senator,

Palau National Congress Palau has a bicameral legislature, the Palau National Congress (''Olbiil era Kelulau''), consisting of the House of Delegates and the Senate of Palau, which both sit at the capitol complex in Ngerulmud, Melekeok State. The House of Delegates has ...

; Minister of Health, Republic of Palau (2008-12); Physician and AuthorNational Library of Australia
* Gregory Van Tatenhove (Class of 1982) – Judge of the

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky (in case citations, E.D. Ky.) is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises approximately the Eastern half of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The United States Cour ...

Andy Merrill Andrew Merrill (born November 27, 1966) is an American voice actor best known for his portrayal of the character Brak on ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' and '' Cartoon Planet''. Personal life Merrill is a graduate of Asbury University, where ...

(Class of 1990) – Voice artist, ''

Space Ghost Coast to Coast ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' is an American adult animation, adult animated comedy talk show created by Mike Lazzo for Cartoon Network and hosted by a re-imagined version of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. In contrast t ...

'', ''

Cartoon Planet ''Cartoon Planet'' is an American animated variety show that originally ran from 1995 to 1998 and 2012 to 2014 on Cartoon Network. A spin-off of ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'', the series centered on Space Ghost recruiting his imprisoned evil neme ...

'', ''

Aqua Teen Hunger Force ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' (also known by various alternative titles), sometimes abbreviated as ''ATHF'' or ''Aqua Teen'', is an American adult animated television series created by Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro for Cartoon Network's late ni ...

'', and ''

The Brak Show ''The Brak Show'' is an American adult animated sitcom created by Andy Merrill, Jim Fortier, and Pete Smith for Cartoon Network's late-night programming block, Adult Swim. ''The Brak Show'' serves as a spin-off of the animated television series, ...

'' * Jessica Ditto (Class of 2004) – White House Deputy Director of Communications for the Donald J. Trump administration *

Nathan W. Pyle Nathan W. Pyle (born 1982) is an American cartoonist and writer living in New York City. He is the creator of the popular webcomic ''Strange Planet'', which depicts a planet of blue beings discussing banal human experiences in technical language. ...

(Class of 2004) - cartoonist and writer

References

External links

*
Official athletics website
{{authority control 1890 establishments in Kentucky Council for Christian Colleges and Universities education in Jessamine County, Kentucky educational institutions established in 1890 evangelicalism in Kentucky Jesus movement private universities and colleges in Kentucky Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools NCAA Division III independents