Southwestern Christian University

Southwestern Christian University

Type	Private liberal arts university
Established	1946
Affiliation	International Pentecostal Holiness Church
President	Reggies Wenyika
Students	850 (Fall 2013)
Location	Bethany, Oklahoma, U.S.
Colors	Blue and White
Nickname	Eagles
Affiliations	NAIA – SAC NCCAA
Website	www.swcu.edu

Southwestern Christian University was founded in 1946 as Southwestern Bible College in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and was the first Pentecostal educational institution in the state. While it was established as a Bible college for the training of Christian church leaders within the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, the denomination planned to quickly expand the school into a junior college.

History

By the 1960s the college had developed a junior college program (becoming accredited in 1964) and was able to open its doors to an expanding student body. During this time it began a steady growth as one of the largest junior colleges in the country and the largest within the Pentecostal Holiness Church. These broad changes resulted in various buildings being built (Light Library, Irwin Learning Center, Mabee Science Center, and the Mash Loflin Field House) and degree offerings saw the name shifting to Oklahoma City Southwestern College (OCSC) to better reflect the scope of the expanded school.

However, in 1981 the governing body of the denomination decided to re-focus the goals of the institution. The International Pentecostal Holiness Church ended the school's junior college plan and scaled back the institution to an abbreviated form of its original design. As a result, it became a Ministry training college. In addition to this they moved to the Oklahoma City suburb of Bethany, Oklahoma. At this time the name changed from Southwestern Bible College to Southwestern College of Christian Ministries (SCCM).

In 1998, in response to changing needs, the school implemented a five-year program to change the direction of the school. A Master of Ministry graduate program was developed and added in this time period. As a result of these combined changes, in 2001 the school, Southwestern Christian University, was granted a name change by the North Central accrediting body. An integral part of Oklahoma City history for over half a century, SCU developed beyond the parameters of just a Bible college to become a full Christian liberal arts university.

Accreditation and approval

SCU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. It is approved by the General Department of Church Education Ministries of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church for training ministers, missionaries, and Christian workers and is approved by the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) to offer Bible and theology courses for teacher certification for Christian day schools.

Athletics

Official Athletics logo

Southwestern Christian teams, nicknamed athletically as the Eagles, are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC). The Eagles also compete as a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division I level. Men's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball. In 2014, basketball player Tyler Inman won the NAIA dunk contest^[1] and was drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters.^[2]

References

↑ "Tyler Inman of Southwestern Christian Captures Dunk Crown". 22 March 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
↑ "Local Basketball Player Drafted By Harlem Globetrotters". 24 June 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.

External links

Institutions of higher education in Oklahoma

Public institutions	Cameron University University of Central Oklahoma East Central University Langston University Northeastern State University Northwestern Oklahoma State University Oklahoma Panhandle State University Oklahoma State University–Stillwater Rogers State University Southeastern Oklahoma State University Southwestern Oklahoma State University University of Oklahoma University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma

Private institutions	Bacone College Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College Mid-America Christian University Oklahoma Baptist University Oklahoma Christian University Oklahoma City University Oklahoma Wesleyan University Oral Roberts University Phillips Theological Seminary St. Gregory's University Southern Nazarene University Southwestern Christian University Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology University of Tulsa

Community colleges	Carl Albert State College Connors State College Eastern Oklahoma State College Murray State College Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Northern Oklahoma College Oklahoma City Community College Redlands Community College Rose State College Seminole State College Tulsa Community College Western Oklahoma State College

Sooner Athletic Conference

Bacone College John Brown Mid-America Christian Oklahoma City St. Gregory's Southwestern Assemblies of God Southwestern Christian USAO Texas Wesleyan Wayland Baptist

NCCAA Division I - Central

Central Baptist College Central Christian College of Kansas Colorado Christian University Crowley's Ridge College Dallas Baptist University Ecclesia College Grace University McMurry University MidAmerica Nazarene University Oklahoma Christian University Oklahoma Wesleyan University Southwestern Assemblies of God University Southwestern Christian University York College

Coordinates: 35°30′46″N 97°38′29″W / 35.51278°N 97.64139°W / 35.51278; -97.64139

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