| Aurora University | |
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| Motto: | Sapientes abscondunt scientiam |
| Established: | 1893 |
| Type: | Private |
| President: | Dr. Rebecca L. Sherrick |
| Provost: | Dr. Andrew P. Manion |
| Undergraduates: | Aprx. 4,000 |
| Postgraduates: | Aprx. 2,000 |
| Location: | Aurora, IL, USA |
| Campus: | 268 acres |
| Athletics: | 18 NCAA Division III teams |
| Colors: | royal blue and white |
| Nickname: | Spartans |
| Website: | www.aurora.edu |
Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois, USA is a private liberal arts college that admits both male and female students to four-year undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree programs. Aurora University has two campuses: the main campus in Aurora, Illinois and the George Williams campus in Williams Bay, Wisconsin near Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Academics Aurora University is organized into three colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education, and the College of Professional Studies. The College of Professional Studies is itself organized into four schools: the Dunham School of Business, the School of Nursing, the School of Health and Physical Education, and the School of Social Work. Aurora University is on a semester academic year with additional May term and either an additional full summer semester or two half-summer terms, depending on the course. Aurora University is a writing intensive school, requiring multiple writing assignments in almost every class. A grade of "C" or better is required to pass required writing-intensive interdisciplinary studies courses such as "Culture, Diversity, and Expression."
History
Aurora University was founded as Mendota Seminary in Mendota, Illinois in 1893 for the training of ministers and lay workers of the Advent Christian Church. In its first few years, the seminary changed its name to Mendota College and open its enrollment to the public as a liberal-arts college. In 1911, citizens of Aurora donated land for the construction of a new college. Also that same year, Charles Eckhart, who founded the predecessor of the Auburn Automobile Company, donated money to build the first buildings of what was to become in 1912 Aurora College, the relocated former Mendota College. In 1971 Aurora College legally separated from the Advent Christian Church. In 1985, Aurora College changed its name to Aurora University and organized its degree-granting programs into three colleges.
In 1992, George Williams College, a college established in 1890 by the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) merged into Aurora University. Founded as the YMCA Training School in Chicago, Illinois, it became the YMCA College in 1913 and George Williams College in 1933 before moving near Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Athletics
Aurora University athletics are an affiliate of the NCAA Division III. The school sponsors 19 teams, which are named the Spartans. The Spartan football team participates in the Illini-Badger Conference and all other Spartans teams participate, as of the 2006–2007 season, in the Northern Athletics Conference, which comprises teams from the former Northern Illinois—Iowa Conference and the Lake Michigan Conference. Forty percent of all campus residents and a number of commuters partake in intercollegiate sports.
The Spartans men's baseball team has earned 17 NCAA tournament bids since 1987. Throughout their playoff success the club has appeared in a school record six national championships (World Series), taking runner-up in 1990. The men are led by Shaun Neitzel, an area native of the Fox Valley region. Neitzel has captured such titles as ABCA and conference coach of the year. The program has produced 22 All-Americans and multiple draft picks including Aurora's most recent, Brady Salter of Plainfield, Illinois to the New York Yankees. Present pitching coach and alumnus Alex Chapple hurled back-to-back no-hitters in 2006 on the program's trip to Appleton, Wisconsin for its most recent World Series appearance. Such a feat has occurred once before by Cincinnati Reds pitcher Johnny Vandermmeer in 1938. The Spartans have posted an impressive winning percentage of over .750 over the past decade, ranking among the nation's top five NCAA III programs.
External links
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