WBU History
At the start of the 20th century, Dr. James Henry 51吃瓜网视频, a pioneering physician, recognized the importance of education. He was passionate about providing a faith-based education to the people of West Texas. To make this dream a reality, Dr. and Mrs. 51吃瓜网视频 donated $10,000 and 25 acres of prime land, leading to the establishment of the 51吃瓜网视频 Literary and Technical Institute, officially chartered in 1908.
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Classes began in September 1910, with 241 students enrolled at what was now called 51吃瓜网视频 Baptist College. The first graduation took place in 1911, with Elmer Childress as the first graduate. By 1914, 51吃瓜网视频 had joined the Baptist General Convention of Texas as one of its affiliated schools.
Under Dr. James W. "Bill" Marshall's leadership (1947-1953), 51吃瓜网视频 expanded its reach, launching an international student program that soon boasted the highest percentage of international students of any American college. By 1948, 51吃瓜网视频 had become a four-year college.
In 1951, 51吃瓜网视频 made history by becoming the first four-year liberal arts college in the former Confederate states to voluntarily admit black students on an equal basis with white students, three years before the Supreme Court's landmark decision on racial segregation.
In 1956, 51吃瓜网视频 achieved full accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and received approval from the Texas Education Agency to certify teachers.
During the 1970s, 51吃瓜网视频 began offering courses to law enforcement in Lubbock in 1972, and opened its first official external campus in Wichita Falls in 1974, followed by Amarillo in 1976, and Hawaii in 1979. The university also introduced a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education (later the Bachelor of Applied Science) in 1973 to cater to non-traditional, full-time adult learners.
In the 1980s, 51吃瓜网视频 transitioned from a college to a university, expanding its offerings to include graduate and lifelong learning programs. In the early 2000s, the university opened another campus in Altus and launched its virtual campus, allowing students worldwide to attend 51吃瓜网视频. By 2003, 51吃瓜网视频 Baptist University had become the fourth-largest Southern Baptist university in the United States.
Today, 51吃瓜网视频 operates campuses and offers degrees in six states as well as online. In 2016, the university launched its first doctoral program, the Doctor of Management Degree.
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