Alabama A&M University

Alabama A&M University
Motto Service is Sovereignty
Type Public, HBCU
Land-grant university
Space-grant
Established 1875
President Andrew Hugine, Jr.
Undergraduates 4,505 (Fall 2015)[1]
Postgraduates 1,123 (Fall 2015)[2]
Location Normal, Alabama, U.S.
34°47′05″N 86°34′12″W / 34.784643°N 86.569950°W / 34.784643; -86.569950Coordinates: 34°47′05″N 86°34′12″W / 34.784643°N 86.569950°W / 34.784643; -86.569950
Campus Suburban, 880 acres (3.6 km2)
Colors Maroon and White
         
Athletics NCAA Division I FCS
Southwestern Athletic Conference
Nickname Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs
Affiliations APLU
ASGC[3]
ORAU
ACES
AASCU
Sports 15 Varsity sports
Mascot Butch
Website www.aamu.edu
Alabama A&M University Historic District

AAMU Campus Quadrangle, 2016
Area 291 acres (118 ha)
Architectural style Classical Revival, Modern Movement
NRHP Reference # 01001407[4]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP December 31, 2001
Designated ARLH August 25, 1994[5]

Alabama A&M University is a public, historically black, land-grant university located in Normal, a neighborhood of Huntsville, Alabama, United States.[6][7] AAMU is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Founded in the 1870s as a normal school, it took its present name in 1969. Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University Historic District, also known as Normal Hill College Historic District, has 28 buildings and 4 structures listed in the United States National Register of Historic Places.

Alabama A&M was established by an act of the Alabama State Legislature in 1875. By 1878, the state appropriation increased to $2,000 and the school changed its name to the State Normal and Industrial School. In 1885 the name was changed to State Normal and Industrial School of Huntsville. By 1890, the school site became known as Normal, Alabama, and a post office was established. In 1891, the school was designated as a Land-Grant college through legislative enactment under the terms of the Morrill Act of 1890. In 1896, its name was changed to The State Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes. In 1919, the school became the State Agricultural and Mechanical Institute for Negroes. In 1948 it was renamed the Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical College. AAMU became fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1963. In June 1969, the school adopted its current name. The new millennium saw the construction of the West Campus Complex, the erection of the 21,000-seat Louis Crews Stadium, the renovations of buildings and the moving of athletic programs to the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The School of Engineering and Technology facility was built in 2002, and the Ph.D. program in Reading and Literacy was established. Dr. Andrew Hugine was approved by the Board of Trustees as the 11th president on June 18, 2009. In 2015, the Board of Trustees approved out-of-state scholarships for the Fall 2016 semester. The scholarships are contingent on prospective students meeting various academic qualifications.

Campus

The campus grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The J.F. Drake Memorial Learning Resources Center was renovated in 2002, adding over 15,000 square feet (1,400 m²), an interactive Distance Learning Auditorium, conference, study and class rooms, lounges, and computer lab. The State Black Archives Research Center and Museum is located in the James H. Wilson Building, a national registered historical structure. Louis Crews Stadium is the sixth largest stadium in Alabama. Elmore Gymnasium is home to the basketball teams, and was once rated as one of the toughest places for opponents to play. In 1994, the Mamie Foster Student Living/Learning Complex was erected. Groundbreaking was held for new School of Business facility in 1995 and stadium and residence hall construction began. The Engineering and Technology building construction was completed in 2002 and opened for classes in January 2003. The campus is served by the Bulldog Transit shuttle bus system. A new 600-bed residence hall is under construction. The Normal Historic Preservation Association was incorporated on April 15, 2009 to help preserve and protect the Alabama A&M University National Historic District.

Academics

Colleges and Schools

Faculty

Students

National Space Science and Technology Center

The National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) is a joint research venture between NASA, Alabama A&M and six other research universities of the state of Alabama, represented by the Space Science and Technology Alliance. The aim of the NSSTC is to foster collaboration in research between government, academia, and industry.

Alabama Cooperative Extension System

The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 established The Alabama Cooperative Extension System. The system provides educational outreach to the citizens of Alabama on behalf of the state's two land grant universities: Alabama A&M University and Auburn University. [10] The system employs more than 800 faculty, professional educators, and staff members operating in offices in each of Alabama’s 67 counties and in nine urban centers covering the major regions of the state.[11][12] In conjunction with the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, the system also staffs six extension and research centers located in the state’s principal geographic regions.[11] Since 2004, "Alabama Extension" has functioned primarily as a regionally based system in which the bulk of educational programming is delivered by agents operating across a multi-county area and specializing in specific fields. County extension coordinators and county agents work with regional agents and other extension personnel to deliver services to clients within their areas.[11]

Student life

Student activities

The Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development (OSALD) provides services, programs and co-curricular experiences that provide students with opportunities to develop skills, improve leadership competencies, and enrich their college experience. OSALD has oversight of and provides assistance to several student-led organizations:

Other student organizations

  • AAMU Cheerleaders
  • AAMU Marching Maroon & White (marching band)
  • The Dancin' Divas
  • AAMU Gospel Choir
  • Sigma Tau Epsilon professional fraternity Rho chapter
  • Phi Beta Lambda business fraternity, Xi Xi chapter
  • Eta Kappa Tau Engineering and Technology Fraternity, Alpha chapter
  • Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, Pi Epsilon chapter
  • Nu Rho Sigma fine arts fraternity, Alpha Alpha chapter
  • Sigma Alpha Iota music fraternity for women, Theta Zeta chapter
  • Tau Beta Sigma honorary band sorority, Theta Iota chapter
  • Voluptuous Bulldog Beauties (VBB)-Women's Plus Size Organization, and Dance Team
  • AAMU Southern Belles
  • The Collegiate 100 Black Men Of America
  • Student Government Association
  • AAMU Democrats
  • AAMU University Choir
  • M.A.N.U.P "Men of America Nurturing and Ushering Progress"
  • Marketing Club
  • Poetry Club
  • Ward Modeling Troop, Incorporated
  • House Arrest Two Championship Dance Team Incorporated
  • Trendsetters Fashion Club
  • Alima Dance Company
  • P.O.W.E.R.(Placing Opportunities Within Everyone's Reach) Mentor Program
  • Forestry club/ Fire dawgs

Alabama A&M University Choir

The Alabama A&M University Choir became the first HBCU choir to be invited to attend the American Choral Festival in Germany. On Thursday, January 21, 2010 the choir performed a historical concert at the Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA) Annual Conference. This was a historical event because the choir was the first HBCU Choir in the state to perform at that conference. In 2014, the choir was invited by the Distinguished Concerts International of New York (DCINY)to be presented in concert at the Lincoln Center in New York, NY.

Athletics

AAMU "Interlock" Logo

AAMU "Interlock" Logo

Robert Mathis played at AAMU from 2000 to 2003, winning multiple All-SWAC honors and breaking conference sack records

Robert Mathis played at AAMU from 2000 to 2003, winning multiple All-SWAC honors and breaking conference sack records

Alabama A&M's sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (Football Championship Subdivision, formerly I-AA for football) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Alabama A&M's colors are maroon and white and their mascot is the Bulldog. The Alabama A&M Department of Athletics sponsors men's intercollegiate basketball, football, baseball, cross country, golf, tennis and track & field along with women's intercollegiate tennis, basketball, soccer, track, cross country, bowling, volleyball and softball. Also offered are men's and women's swimming clubs. The football team's home games are played at Louis Crews Stadium. Both men's and women's basketball home games are played in Elmore Gymnasium, affectionately known by fans as "The Dog House."[13] Prior to joining the SWAC, Alabama A&M competed in the NCAA Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1941 to 1998. While in the SIAC, Alabama A&M won 11 conference championships in women's volleyball, 7 conference championships in football, 7 in cross-country, 9 in men's basketball, 2 in women's basketball, and 2 in baseball.

Notable athletes include Pro Football Hall of Famer and 4-time Super Bowl Champion John Stallworth, NFL Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champion Robert Mathis, two-time NFL Pro Bowler Howard Ballard, Olympic Gold Medalist Jearl Miles Clark, Andre Brick Haley, Desmond Cambridge, Obie Trotter, and Mickell Gladness. Cambridge currently holds the NCAA single season steals record. Trotter is 4th all-time single season steals, and Gladness is 2nd all-time in blocks in a season. Gladness set an NCAA Division I single game record with 16 blocks against Texas Southern on February 24, 2007. [14] No other player in Division I history has even recorded 15 blocks in a single game.[15]

Media

Alabama A&M University is the licensee for National Public Radio affiliate station WJAB 90.9, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week on campus.[16] WJAB airs various public affairs programming, as well as live coverage of Bulldog athletic events.

Alumni and Other Notable People

See also

References

Additional reading

  1. Morrison, Richard David. History of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University: 1875–1992. Huntsville, Ala. : Liberal Arts Press, c1994.
  2. "Results". Archived from the original on 11 December 2005. Retrieved 23 November 2005. 
  3. "Historically Black Colleges and Universities". Archived from the original on 10 December 2005. Retrieved 23 November 2005. 
  4. "WJAB Jazz & Blues!!". Archived from the original on 8 November 2005. Retrieved 23 November 2005. 
  5. Saintjones, Jerome. (2011) Normal Index Online. Alabama A&M University. Normal, AL.
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