Bethel University (Tennessee)
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Bethel University is a private Cumberland Presbyterian-affiliated university in McKenzie, Tennessee with
satellite campus A satellite campus, branch campus or regional campus is a campus of a university or college that is physically at a distance from the original university or college area. This branch campus may be located in a different city, state, or country, ...
es in Jackson, and
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. It is
accredited Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...
to award degrees up to the
master's A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
level.


History


Founding in McLemoresville

Bethel Seminary was founded in 1842 in
McLemoresville, Tennessee McLemoresville is a town in Carroll County, Tennessee, Carroll County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 352 at the 2010 census. It is notable primarily as the birthplace, and final resting place, of television star Dixie Carter and h ...
, and renamed to Bethel College in 1847. The seminary was overseen by the
West Tennessee West Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee that roughly comprises the western quarter of the state. The region includes 21 counties between the Tennessee and Mississippi rivers, delineated by state law. Its geography consists ...
Synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...
of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church The Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination spawned by the Second Great Awakening. Matthew H. Gore, The History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Kentucky to 1988, (Memphis, Tennessee: Joint Heritage Committee, 2000 ...
, who also oversaw 82 other schools at varying points in its own history. In 1851, the West Tennessee Synod founded a Theology Department at the school. This was prompted by other schools attempting to start theology departments in order to acquire more support from church leadership. The school closed in 1861 due to the start of the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
. The building were used as barracks by both the American and Confederate armies during the conflict. An interesting anecdote involved a large refracting
telescope A telescope is a device used to observe distant objects by their emission, Absorption (electromagnetic radiation), absorption, or Reflection (physics), reflection of electromagnetic radiation. Originally, it was an optical instrument using len ...
that was captured by the U.S. troops who thought it the barrel of a brass
cannon A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during th ...
. The telescope was later returned to the college by the troops and is still reportedly in the care of the college. The school reopened in 1869.


Move to McKenzie

In 1872, Bethel President W.W. Hendrix led the initiative to move Bethel from McLemoresville to its current location in McKenzie, where the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway intersected the Louisville & Nashville Railway. A large, 2.5 story brick building was erected on the north side of town, on land purchased from local James M. McKenzie. In the 1920s, the Cumberland Presbyterian Church implemented upgrades to the school, expanding the campus and curriculum. This was aided by a donation from the estate of Iowa businessman John T. Laughlin, who bequeathed $100k to the church in his will. From 1924 to 1928, an additional four buildings were constructed on the campus. The new administration building, a 2.5 story brick building, was designed by Missouri architect A. F. Lindsey. In May 1975, comedian Bob Hope made an appearance at Bethel College as part of a fundraiser for the school.


Renamed to Bethel University

The school assumed its current name in 2009. On August 4, 2014, Bethel University and the Board of Trustees officially announced Walter Butler as its 40th president, a position he held on an interim basis since August 1, 2013 after longtime President Robert Prosser retired. In the 2010s, Bethel University began renovating and building new facilities to accommodate its rapidly growing enrollment numbers. This included a new student center, football stadium, three new dorm buildings, and a new basketball arena. Additionally, the seminary, library, and old cafeteria buildings were extensively renovated to serve the changing needs of the school's academic programs. On May 8, 2010, the university held a dedication service for its newest building, the Ray and Linda Morris Science Complex, featuring new laboratories, additional classrooms, and a lecture hall. Also dedicated that year was a new residence hall, University Hall, which houses up to 250 students. June the following year saw the reopening of the Odom Hall math building after extensive renovations, along with Heritage Hall, a new three-story residence hall which was dedicated in August 2011. The university's most ambitious construction plan also saw its first of four phases completed in August 2011. Phase I of the Vera Low Center for Student Enrichment features a new cafeteria, student services offices, bookstore, enrollment offices and a student activities room. Phase II of the Rosemary and Harry L. Crisp Arena, which opened in Spring 2012, consists of a new gymnasium, athletic training facilities, offices, and a fitness center for students, faculty, and general public. Phase III, the Cumberland Chapel, was under construction . In conjunction with the Henry County Medical Center, in November 2012, Bethel University opened its new satellite campus for the Physician Assistant Program along with the medical centers' new Diagnostic Center.


Student body

The bulk of students attending Bethel University are residents of Tennessee, but the student body typically represents students from 45 states and 25 countries. Bethel Seminary's enrollment in 1852 was 172. Bethel College's enrollment in 1955 was believed to be about 460 students. Bethel University student enrollment as of Fall 2017 consisted of 4,579 students.


Academics

Bethel University consists of three colleges: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Professional Studies, and the College of Health Sciences. The university offers Associates,
Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
,
Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...
,
Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...
in
Nursing Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...
,
Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...
,
Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular ...
, and
Master of Science A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medici ...
degrees through a variety of academic programs. Since 1988, it has hosted the two-day academically based Hendrix Scholarship Competition offering full tuition and board for the winner, with full tuition for the runner up. Students who qualify may enter the Honors program, receiving a $10,000 scholarship per academic year. Bethel University is accredited by the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is a regional educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. As of 2022, the organization oversees ap ...
.


Arts

Music,
drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
and
performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which involve the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. P ...
are organized through a variety of entities within Bethel University. The academic branch of Bethel University houses the department of music, as well as the department of theatre. The department of music offers academic classes that fulfill requirements for graduation in the areas of music education, music performance, music business, and church music. Music performing ensembles found in the department of music include the Wildcat Marching Band, Academic Concert Symphonic Band, Academic Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Brazilian Drum Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, Jazz Band, Choir (Bethel University Singers,) Chamber Choir, and various student-led performing groups. Students can receive healthy scholarships (regardless of their academic major) through membership in the Wildcat Marching Band, Wildcat Symphonic Band, and the Bethel University Singers. The department of theatre offers traditional performance experiences through productions that span through both fall and spring semesters. Renaissance performance groups include: The Renaissance Choir, Vocal Authority, The Renaissance Quartet, The Renaissance Bluegrass Bands, Renaissance Theatre, Renaissance ACTS, and The Renaissance Regiment.


Athletics

The Bethel athletic teams are called the Wildcats. The university is a member of the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for higher education, colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic schola ...
(NAIA), primarily competing in the
Mid-South Conference The Mid-South Conference (MSC) is a List of college athletic conferences in the United States, college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member institutions are located in Kentuc ...
(MSC) in all sports since the 2020–21 academic year (after spending a year as an affiliate member for certain sports from 2003–04 to 2019–20). Prior to joining the Mid-South as a full member, the Wildcats previously competed in the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC; formerly known as Georgia–Alabama–Carolina Conference (GACC) until after the 2003–04 school year) from 2013–14 to 2019–20; in the defunct TranSouth Athletic Conference (TranSouth or TSAC) from 2006–07 to 2012–13 (which they were a member on a previous stint from 1996–97 to 1997–98); and in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC; now currently known as the River States Conference (RSC) since the 2016–17 school year) from 1998–99 to 2005–06; as well as being a charter member of the Volunteer State Athletic Conference (VSAC).Bethel Athletics
/ref> Their mascot is the Wildcat. Bethel competes in 21 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, and track & field (indoor and outdoor); while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; and co-ed sports include archery, bass fishing, cheer, eSports and shooting sports. Former sports included, swimming, bowling, in-line hockey, triathlon, and dance.


Intramurals

Bethel offers intramural sports in a wide variety of areas. Activities include:
beach volleyball Beach volleyball is a team sport played by two teams of two to four players each on a sand court divided by a net. Similar to indoor volleyball, the objective of the game is to send the ball over the net and to ground it on the opponent's side o ...
,
dodge ball Dodgeball is a team sports, team sport in which players on two opposing teams try to throw balls and hit opponents while avoiding being hit themselves. The objective of each team is to eliminate all members of the opposing team by hitting them w ...
, co-ed
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
,
tennis Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...
,
softball Softball is a Variations of baseball, variation of baseball, the difference being that it is played with a larger ball, on a smaller field, and with only underhand pitches (where the ball is released while the hand is primarily below the ball) ...
,
flag football Flag football is a variant of gridiron football (American football or Canadian football depending on location) where, instead of Tackle (football move)#Gridiron football, tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or ...
,
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
, and many other events.


Accomplishments

Some of the sport teams' accomplishments include: * Men's Soccer – NAIA National Champions 2008. Played four of five years at the National Tournament. * In-Line Hockey – D-I NCRHA National Champions in 2011–2012; SECRHL Southeastern Champions, NCRHA Final Four D-II in 2010. * Bass Fishing – Southern Collegiate Champions for 2010–2011, Match Champions, Invitation Champions, first Triple Crown Champion. * Women's Basketball – Three straight National Tournament appearances, ranked in “top ten” in the NAIA for 2010–2011.


Notable alumni

* Gin Cooley (2015), model * Andrieus A. Jones * Bob Mellow, Pennsylvania State Senator


References


External links

*
Official athletics website
{{authority control Presbyterian universities and colleges in the United States Universities and colleges established in 1842 Seminaries and theological colleges in Tennessee Education in Carroll County, Tennessee Buildings and structures in Carroll County, Tennessee Private universities and colleges in Tennessee