Southwestern Adventist University

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Southwestern Adventist University is a liberal arts university located in the city of Keene, in Johnson County, Texas, about an hour south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. It is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Southwestern is one of 18 colleges and universities in North America operated by the church.

Southwestern Adventist University
(SWAU)

Motto
Established	1893
Type	Private
President	Dr. Eric Anderson
Dean	David Knight
Staff	115
Undergraduates	900
Postgraduates	30 Caucasian: 41% Hispanic: 23% African America: 19% Asian/Pacific Islander: 8% Native American: 1% Other: 8%
Location	Keene, Texas, USA
Address	100 West Hillcrest Drive, Keene, TX 76059
Telephone	(817) 645-3921
Student/Faculty Ratio	15:1
Colors	burgundy and Gold
Nickname	SWAU
Mascot	Knight
Affiliations	Seventh-day Adventist Church
Website	Official Website

1 History
2 Accreditation
3 Mission
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

In 1892, Seventh-day Adventists living near Dallas chose a committee to locate property for a school in Johnson County. The committee members personally financed the purchase of 800 acres, five miles east of Cleburne, for $8,000.

On January, 6, 1894, a school building was completed. It doubled as a church which was organized with 67 members. The next day, school opened with 56 students in all grades. The enrollment soon increased to 90 as other families moved to the new town soon to be named Keene.

December 20, 1902 was an important day in Keene as the first train pulled into town. Local citizens had raised $3,000 to get a passenger train on the 10-mil stretch from Cleburne to Egan. The new railroad had one stop, Keene’s little depot. The train, operated by a steam engine called Old Betsy had a coal car, wooden baggage car and passenger coach. It served as the primary means of transportation for 20 years. Old Betsy is now the name of Keene’s main street, which follows the route of the original railroad track.

In the late 1800s, a group of pioneers acted on their conviction that classroom learning and work experience compliment each other to make a quality education. The result, Southwestern Adventist University was founded in 1893 as Keene Industrial Academy. Junior college level work was first offered in 1916 and the name was changed to Southwestern Junior College. The name was changed to Southwestern Union College in 1963. In 1977, the college was renamed Southwestern Adventist College. Graduate level work was first offered in 1987; nine years later the institution changed its name to Southwestern Adventist University. The University has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools since 1958; first as a Level I institution (associate degrees), then in 1970 as a Level II institution (baccalaureate degrees), and since 1989 as a Level III institution (graduate degrees).

[edit] Accreditation

Southwestern Adventist University was founded in 1893 as Keene Industrial Academy. Junior college level work was first offered in 1916 and the name was changed to Southwestern Junior College. In anticipation of offering baccalaureate work, the name was changed to Southwestern Union College in 1963. The first bachelor level classes were offered in 1967. In 1977, the college was renamed Southwestern Adventist College, reflecting its denominational affiliation. Graduate level work was begun in 1987; nine years later the institution changed its name to Southwestern Adventist University. The University has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools since 1958; first as a Level I institution (associate degrees), then in 1970 as a Level II (baccalaureate degrees), and since 1989 as a Level III institution (graduate degrees)

Southwestern Adventist University is accredited by the Commission of Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award: Associate, Bachelor's, and Master's degrees.

In addition, the University is currently accredited by the following accrediting bodies:

Council on Social Work Education
General Conference Accrediting Association of SDA Schools, Colleges, and Universities
International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
Texas Education Agency
Texas Board of Nurse Examiners
National League for Nursing

The University is a member of the following: