Ensign College is a
private college
Private universities and private colleges are higher education institutions not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. However, they often receive tax breaks, public student loans, and government grants. Depending on the count ...
in
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Salt ...
, United States. Founded in 1886, the college is owned by
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...
(LDS Church) and operates under its
Church Educational System
The Church Educational System (CES) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non–Latter-day Saint elementary, sec ...
. It also includes an
Institute of Religion and is accredited by the
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
History
The ''Salt Lake Stake Academy'' was founded in 1886, with high school,
normal, business and college courses of study. The school had 84 students upon its opening. The first classes were held in the
Social Hall. By 1895 was offering a four-year course of study culminating in a
Ph.B. degree.
LDS University never became a fully functioning university and was displaced as the church's preeminent higher learning center by
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...
in the early 20th century. The college was closely linked with
Latter-day Saints High School, which counted among the graduates
George W. Romney (1926) and
Gordon B. Hinckley (1928).
In 1927, the name of LDS University was changed to ''LDS College'' and then to LDS Business College (LDSBC), as the other higher-education functions were gone. Two of the school's presidents were
James E. Talmage and
Bryant S. Hinckley.
For many years, the college was located in a
former mansion several blocks east of the
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is a Temple (LDS Church), temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. At , it is the Comparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sa ...
, at 411 East South Temple. As part of the LDS Church's efforts to revitalize downtown
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...
, it moved to the
Triad Center in 2006.
Russell M. Nelson, the LDS Church's current
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
, initially took classes at LDSBC but later transferred to the
University of Utah
The University of Utah (the U, U of U, or simply Utah) is a public university, public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret (Book of Mormon), Deseret by the General A ...
to complete his studies.
The college is named after
Ensign Peak, where
Latter-day Saint immigrants waved a flag two days after their first arrival in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake in 1847.
The college's slogan is "Developing capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ."
On September 1, 2020, LDSBC was renamed Ensign College. In the fall of 2021, Ensign College will begin offering four-year
Bachelor of Applied Science degrees in
business management
Business administration is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization.
Overview
The administration of a business includes the performance o ...
,
information technology
Information technology (IT) is a set of related fields within information and communications technology (ICT), that encompass computer systems, software, programming languages, data processing, data and information processing, and storage. Inf ...
, and
communications
Communication is commonly defined as the transmission of information. Its precise definition is disputed and there are disagreements about whether Intention, unintentional or failed transmissions are included and whether communication not onl ...
.
List of presidents
The following is a list of presidents of the institution:
*
Karl G. Maeser (principal in charge): 1886–88;
* Willard Done (acting principal): 1886–88;
*
James E. Talmage: 1888–92;
* Willard Done: 1892–99;
* Joshua H. Paul: 1899–1905;
*
Willard Young: 1905–15;
* Guy C. Wilson: 1915–26;
*
Feramorz Y. Fox: 1926–48;
* Kenneth S. Bennion: 1948–61;
* R. Ferris Kirkham: 1961–86;
* Kenneth H. Beesley: 1986–91;
* Stephen K. Woodhouse: 1992–2008;
* J. Lawrence Richards: 2008–17;
* Bruce C. Kusch: 2017–present
See also
*
List of colleges and universities in Utah
The following is a list of accredited colleges and universities in the U.S. state of Utah.
Public institutions
All public institutions in the state of Utah are managed by the Utah System of Higher Education, which consists of eight public col ...
*
LDS Philanthropies
References
Bibliography
* Beesley, K. H. (1992). LDS Business College. In D. H. Ludlow (Ed.), ''Encyclopedia of Mormonism''. New York: Macmillan.
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ensign College
1886 establishments in Utah Territory
Church Educational System
Education in Salt Lake City
Universities and colleges established in 1886
Properties of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah
Universities and colleges accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Universities and colleges affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Universities and colleges in Salt Lake County, Utah
Private universities and colleges in Utah