Jacksonville University (JU) is a private university located in Jacksonville, Florida, on the shore of the St. Johns River. JU was founded in 1934 as William J. Porter University
(actually a two-year college). The school changed its name to Jacksonville Junior College in 1935.
The college became Jacksonville University in 1956 after having moved to its current location six
years earlier. The current school president is Dr. Kerry D. Romesburg.
JU's colors are forest green and white, with black and gray as tertiary colors. their school mascot is the Dolphins. The school is the first NCAA sports team to have chosen the Dolphin as a mascot. Over 3,000 students
attend Jacksonville University from 47 states and 27 different countries.
In 2006, in the U.S. News and World Report list of "America's Best Colleges", Jacksonville University placed in the first tier
among more than 150 master’s universities in the South for the fourth year in a row. The category includes colleges and
universities that offer a full range of undergraduate programs and provide graduate education, but few, if any, doctoral
programs. JU continues to be recognized in the rankings for small classes, a small student-to-faculty ratio, quality faculty,
competitive admission policies and rising alumni giving rates.
Academics
Jacksonville University is known for its aeronautics program. Unique to such a university program, JU has joined forces with
Delta Connection Academy, owned and operated by Delta Air Lines, to provide high quality
flight training to its aviation students. A leader in the regional airline industry, Delta Connection Academy has hiring agreements with the largest regional airlines including
Atlantic Southeast Airlines, American Eagle Airlines, Chautauqua Airlines,
Comair Airlines, and Trans States Airlines.
In addition, the Jacksonville University Flight Team competes in National Intercollegiate Flying Association Regional and National Safety and
Flight Evaluation Conference (SAFECON) against other universities. JU Flight Team has qualified from Regional competitions to
earn spots in the National competitions for the past four years. The best team performance came in 2007. The program is the third
largest in the nation behind Spartan School in Tulsa, OK and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University in Daytona Beach, FL.
Jacksonville University Flight Team placed 10th in the nation at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s (NIFA)
Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference (SAFECON) held in Columbus, Ohio, May 7-12. “Among the many trophies JU won, our team
earned the prestigious Collegiate Aviation Progress Award given to the school that has made the greatest improvements in the
nation,” said Juan Merkt, director of JU’s aeronautics program. “Jacksonville University moved from 20th place overall last year
to 10th this year, so this is indeed an impressive accomplishment.” JU also placed 10th overall in Flight Events and eighth in
Ground Events.
Jacksonville University also has a renowned nursing program, dance program, marine science program, as well as the
second-largest NROTC program in the nation. The Davis Student
Commons centervopened October 2006, and the long-dormant Swisher Theatre opened to much local fanfare in January 2007, and the
school had received some of the highest faculty-student ratio markings from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS). In addition, new residence halls will be opening in Fall of 2007.
Athletics
JU sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (I-AA for football) in the Atlantic Sun Conference, except for
football, in which they compete in the Pioneer Football League (the Atlantic Sun
Conference does not sponsor football).
JU has been noted for its basketball program, which has produced professional
stars such as Artis Gilmore, Otis Smith
and Dee Brown. In 1970, JU became the smallest school (by enrollment)
to ever make it to the Final Four. After defeating
St. Bonaventure in the national semi-finals, the team that starred Gilmore,
Pembroke Burroughs and Rex Morgan, lost to Sidney Wicks, Curtis Rowe, and UCLA in the National Championship Game. The following year, JU became the first
school to average 100 points per game but could not repeat their miracle run in the tournament.
In 1998, the university launched a football program for the first time. Playing in NCAA Division I-AA (non-scholarship), the
Dolphins were coached by Steve Gilbert from the programs inception until his dimissal after the 2006 season. Under Gilbert, the
Dolphins won the Pioneer Football League South Division title in 2001, before
losing to Dayton in the PFL Championship Game.
On January 2, 2007 the Dolphins named former University of Florida and
NFL quarterback Kerwin Bell their new football coach. Bell previously coached at Trinity Catholic High School (Celtics), in
Ocala, FL with ex-Florida Gator wide receiver Ricky Nattiel.
Greek Life and Student Life
The school's Greek system, consisting by some estimates of 30% of the school, includes the Sigma
Chi, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Lambda Chi
Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, FIJI,
Sigma Nu, Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternities and the Delta Delta Delta,
Alpha Epsilon Phi, Alpha Delta Pi,
Gamma Phi Beta, Alpha Kappa
Alpha,Delta Sigma Theta, and Gamma Eta
sororities.
Fifty-three percent of all students live on campus in one of five different residential halls and 8 different apartment style
housing. Most residence halls provide academic and social events as well as host programs that acclimate incoming students to the
college experience.
While Greeks do offer some social events, many residence halls host their own events, though alcohol policies are strictly
enforced. The school has one of the lowest number of binge drinking documentations in the country, but does not restrict alcohol
on campus.
The student center of the University (The Davis Student Commons Building) includes a state-of-the-art fitness center
overlooking the St. John's River, a sports-themed dining facility named Nellie's (after the school mascot), a game room for all
campus community members, and serves as a focial point for campus life. The facility opened in October 2006.
Student life at Jacksonville University includes opportunities in a diverse range of activities and organizations. Besides
fraternities and sororities, there are multicultural groups, arts groups, political and social action groups, service and
professional groups, religious groups, sports and recreation groups, academic and professional groups, and special interest
groups. Campus media organizations include the student newspaper (The Navigator), the campus radio station (WFIN), the literary
and arts magazine (The Aquarian), and the yearbook (The Riparian). The Student Government Association also serves the needs of
the students through the 26 senators elected from each class at the school. In addition, the Florida Leader magazine ranked JU as
the third-best positive student life experience out of the 28 private colleges and universities in the state, citing the small
campus size, peer and faculty relationships, and the close-knit campus community that JU has to offer.
In 2007, the film “Slow Motion Sickness”, produced by four JU students and Sigma Chi brothers, was named Best Picture at the
Campus MovieFest Florida finale April 5 in Orlando.
The film came in 3rd place at the national finale in Atlanta, GA. The film was also
awarded the Golden Tripod Award for best special effects.
Notable Alumni
- Tom McMillan - former Major
League Baseball shortstop and member of the inaugural 1977 Seattle Mariners team.
- David Walker, Comptroller General of the United
States
- Artis Gilmore, NBA Basketball
Star in the 1970s and 1980s
- Otis Smith, NBA Basketball Star
in the 1980s and 1990s and currently the General Manager of the
Orlando Magic.
- Dee Brown, NBA Boston Celtics, former NBA All-Star Dunk Contest Winner and now Community Ambassador for the Orlando Magic.
- Bob Moore, composer and conductor
- Tony Steve, composer and percussionist
- Roy Lantz, Executive Vice President of American Recruiters
- Bill Boston, composer and orchestrator
- Frank Pace, Hollywood Producer
- Donald Doddridge, President of America's Blood Centers
- Paul Perez, Chief Compliance Officer for Fidelity National Financial
- Tommy Krizanovic, Forward for the MLS
team FC Dallas
See also
External links
Coordinates: 30°′″N 81°′″W / 30.353206,
-81.604568
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
