University of Alabama Dean to be Provost at Samford University
Samford University recently announced it has named J. Michael Hardin, Ph.D., Dean of the Culverhouse College of Commerce at the University of Alabama, as its new provost, effective July 1, 2015, Tuscaloosa News reports. The Baptist-affiliated university based in Birmingham, Ala. selected Hardin after a national search, vetting more than 100 candidates for the position. Hardin has served as the dean of UA’s business school since August 2011; he has also been a professor of business and professor of statistics in the Culverhouse school. He will be replacing J. Bradley Creed, who has held the post since 2002 and will become president of Campbell University in North Carolina July 1, 2015.
Bethel University Ranked Second in Nation by BestColleges.com
Bethel University, the largest Christian-affiliated private school in Tennessee, has been ranked second in the nation by BestColleges.com on its list of Best Online Christian Liberal Arts Colleges for 2015 according to the Leaf Chronicle. The institution was chosen based on the criteria of academic merit as well as its overall strengths, including acceptance and graduation rates, enrollment and retention. Bethel was one of the first colleges to offer bachelor’s degree programs catered towards adult professionals in the early 1900s and now serves more than 3500 students via its online program.
Campbell University Banks Future on Healthcare
Private, faith-based Campbell University has invested heavily in an ambitious plan to develop several new healthcare programs at the school, launching three health sciences programs since 2011 with more on the way. First came its physician assistant program (2011), then the medical school (2013), physical therapy (2014), and now, a nursing school, on which Campbell broke ground in March. Plans for an occupational therapy school are also in the works. According to the News Observer, President Jerry Wallace believes pursuing the establishment of high-quality programs in health-related fields will enable Campbell to remain competitive in higher education and keep up with the growing demand for healthcare professions. The pursuit has been successful so far — in the past three years, pass rates in the pharmacy school for board exams ranged from 93 to 99 percent.
Santa Clara University Ranked 6th Best Catholic University in the U.S
Silicon Valley’s Santa Clara University (SCU) has been named the 6th best Catholic university in the U.S. by College Factual, a data analysis company. The organization commended SCU for having some of the highest retention rates across the nation, with 95 percent of freshman students returning for their second year and an 86 percent graduation rate. The comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university was also honored for its “rigorous and rewarding education,” as well as the opportunities it offers students to pursue and explore their faith, stated a release on SCU’s website. Additional criteria for the rankings include student test scores, loan default rates, educational resources, and post-graduation earnings.
