East Texas Baptist University

East Texas Baptist University

Other name	ETBU
Former names	College of Marshall (1912–1944) East Texas Baptist College (1944–1984)
Motto	May the Light on the Hill Never Die
Type	Private university
Established	1912[1]
Religious affiliation	Baptist General Convention of Texas
Endowment	US $56,158,298[2]
President	J. Blair Blackburn
Undergraduates	1,771[3]
Location	Marshall, Texas , U.S. 32.5559°N 94.3732°W / 32.5559; -94.3732
Campus	Suburban[4]
Colors	Navy blue & gold[5]
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division III – American Southwest Conference[5]
Mascot	Tiger[5]
Website	www.etbu.edu

East Texas Baptist University (ETBU) is a private Baptist university in Marshall, Texas, United States. It is affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

History

ETBU is located on the site of the former Van Zandt Farm at the highest altitude in Harrison County. ETBU was founded as the College of Marshall in 1912, after a campaign to create a Southern Baptist college in East Texas. The campus' first building, Marshall Hall, was completed in 1916. It was designed to house a gymnasium, library, chapel/theatre, administrative offices and classrooms. The College of Marshall opened the following year in 1917 as a two-year junior college and academy. The college was greatly enlarged during the tenure of President Frank Shelby Groner who served as president of the college from 1928 until 1942. It became East Texas Baptist College in 1944.^[6]

In June 2015, J. Blair Blackburn, a native of Minden, Louisiana, was inaugurated as the 13th president of East Texas Baptist University. He succeeded Samuel "Dub" Oliver, who became in 2014 the president of Union University in Jackson, Tennessee.^[7]

In 2015 the university applied for and received an exception to Title IX allowing it to discriminate against LGBT students for religious reasons.^[8]

Accreditation

ETBU is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.^[9] It also is accredited by The Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas^[10] for Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), the Commissions of Collegiate Nursing Education,^[11] and the National Association of Schools of Music.^[12]

Campus

Security

During the day, the campus is patrolled by the on-campus security officer. Security cameras record 24 hours a day and are monitored from 8:00 am – 10:00 pm. Call boxes are placed in strategic locations around campus. At night, the campus is monitored by private security officers (off-duty Marshall City Police Officers).^[13]

Academic buildings

Marshall Hall, construction completed in 1916

Feagin Hall, built in 1948

• Marshall Hall
• Scarborough Hall
• Rogers Spiritual Life Center
• Ornelas Student Center
• Dean Healthplex
• Craig Hall
• Harvey Daniel Bruce Hall
• Murphy Science Building^[14]
• Bennett Student Commons
• Redwine Instrumental Music Building^[15]
• Jenna Guest Music Building^[15]
• Fred Hale Business Building
• Mamye Jarrett Library
• Meadows Hall

Residence halls

• Centennial Hall
• Feagin Hall
• Fry Hall
• Linebery Hall
• Mabee Housing Complex
• Ornelas Residential Center
• Oaks on Grove
• University Apartments
• University Park Row Apartments

Athletics

The East Texas Baptist football team in action against the Texas A&M–Commerce Lions in 2014

Woods Field

Men's athletics

• Football
• Basketball
• Baseball
• Cross Country
• Track & Field
• Soccer
• Tennis
• Ice Hockey
• Bass Fishing
• Golf
• Lacrosse

Women's athletics

• Basketball
• Cross-Country
• Track & Field
• Soccer
• Softball
• Tennis
• Volleyball
• Cheerleading
• Pom
• Aerobics and Tumbling

Intramural Sports

• Basketball
• Flag-Football
• Kickball
• Soccer
• Softball
• Volleyball

Mascot

The mascot for ETBU is a tiger, "Toby" and recently added, "Tabby." ETBU also has a live Tiger mascot named "Sarge" who is housed off campus.^[5]

Notable alumni

• Chris Dier, author and teacher^[16][17]
• Rick Edmonds, Southern Baptist pastor and politician^[18]
• Sam B. Hall, politician and judge^{[19][full citation needed]}
• Cameron McCasland, film and television producer^[20]

Sponsored Christian camps

As of 2019, East Texas Baptist sponsors Mission 58 Christian Camps.^[21]

Gallery

• 
  Entrance to ETBU
• 
  Scarborough Hall, built in 1948
• 
  Meadows Hall
• 
  Marshall Hall showing the Light on the Hill
• 
  Scarborough Cross and Marshall Hall
• 
  Scarborough Cross and Harvey Daniel Bruce Hall
• 
  A plate with description under Scarborough Cross
• 
  Ornelas Spiritual Life Center
• 
  Feagin Hall
• 
  Fred Hale School of Business
• 
  ETBU quad

References

1. "HilltopNews_sept_2004.pdf" (PDF). Hilltop News. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-10-10. Retrieved 2008-03-15. Since its founding in 1912
2. "USNews.com: America's Best Colleges 2008: East Texas Baptist University: At a glance". USNews.com. 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
3. "ETBU Celebrates Record Student Enrollment". etbu.edu. |date=2022-09-02
4. "College Search - East Texas Baptist University- About ETBU - At a Glance". College Board. 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-10.
5. "East Texas Baptist University- About ETBU". ETBU. 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
6. Songe, Alice. American Universities and Colleges: A Dictionary of Name Changes." Scarecrow Press (Metuchen, NJ: 1978), p. 60.
7. "Minden native elected ETBU president". Minden Press-Herald. April 9, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
8. Anderson, Nice (December 18, 2015). "Religious colleges get exemptions to anti-bias law; critics denounce 'hidden discrimination' against LGBT students". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
9. "Results". Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. 2005. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
10. "Member Lists" (PDF). Texas Board of Nursing. 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-01-06. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
11. "CCNE Accredited Nursing Degree Programs". Archived from the original on 2006-05-24. Retrieved 2006-05-26.
12. "Member Lists". National Association of Schools of Music. 2003. Archived from the original on 2011-05-25. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
13. "Safety & Security". ETBU. 2007. Archived from the original on 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
14. "Murphy Science Center". ETBU. 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-31.^{[dead link‍]}
15. "Facilities". ETBU. 2008. Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
16. Dier, C. (2017-10-16). 1868 St. Bernard Parish Massacre, The: Blood in the Cane Fields. ISBN 978-1625858559.
17. "Louisiana Department of Education announces 2020 Teacher and Principal of the Year". KATC. 2019-07-20. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
18. "Rep. Rick Edmonds (R-LA 66th District)". cigarrights.capwiz.com. Archived from the original on May 29, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
19. "Bioguide Search". bioguide.congress.gov.
20. "RESOLUTION NO. RS2009-600".
21. mission58camp.com

External links

• Media related to East Texas Baptist University at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website
• East Texas Baptist athletics website