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Birmingham–Southern College

Motto	Pro Christo et Republica (Latin)
Type	Private
Established	1856
President	Daniel B. Coleman
Undergraduates	1305
Location	Birmingham , Alabama , United States
Campus	192 acres (0.78 km2)
Colors	Black and Gold
Affiliations	SAA (NCAA Division III)
Mascot	Panthers
Website	www.bsc.edu

Birmingham–Southern College (BSC) is a private liberal arts college in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. Founded in 1856, the college is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). More than 1300 students from 33 states and 16 foreign countries attend the college.^[1] Birmingham–Southern has a 13:1 student-faculty ratio, and 96% of full-time faculty hold a doctorate or the highest degree in their field.^[2]

History

Ginkgo Tree by Munger Hall

Birmingham–Southern College is the result of a merger of Southern University, founded in Greensboro, Alabama, in 1856, with Birmingham College, opened in 1898 in Birmingham, Alabama. These two institutions were consolidated on May 30, 1918, under the name of Birmingham–Southern College. Phi Beta Kappa recognized Birmingham–Southern in 1937, establishing the Alabama Beta chapter. Only ten percent of the nation's institutions of higher education shelter Phi Beta Kappa chapters, and Birmingham–Southern College is one of only three sheltering institutions in the state of Alabama.

On March 21, 2011, General Charles Krulak was named the 13th president of Birmingham–Southern College. Krulak officially retired on June 1, 2015 and was succeeded by Dr. Edward F. Leonard, III, the 14th president of the College.^[3]

A delegation from BNU-HKBU United International College was invited by the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS), a consortium of 16 liberal arts colleges in the US, to explore collaborative ties. UIC visited three of the ACS member institutions between 17 and 25 April. The delegates discussed exchange opportunities and collaborative projects with Birmingham–Southern College.^[4]

Recognition

According to such diverse and national measures as Colleges That Change Lives and the Princeton Review's Best 377 Colleges, Birmingham–Southern is one of America's best liberal arts colleges. As determined by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation, four of Alabama's “Best Professors” in recent years teach at BSC, with Prof. Laura Stultz being named Professor of the Year for 2013.^[5][6]

Courses of Study

The college currently offers five bachelor's degrees in more than 50 programs of study, as well as interdisciplinary and individualized majors and dual degree programs.

Campus

The campus is situated on 192 wooded acres three miles west of downtown Birmingham. The college has 45 academic, residential, administrative, and athletics buildings/facilities. Some highlights:

Elton B. Stephens Science Center: Housing the natural sciences, the 100,000-square-foot, $24.1 million Stephens Science Center.^[7]

Stephens Science Center

Norton Campus Center: The hub of campus, the Norton Campus Center houses the bookstore, cafeteria, post office, and student lounge areas as well as offices for student development, residence life, and counseling and health services.

Munger Memorial Hall: The architectural centerpiece of campus, Munger Hall, built in the 1920s, houses administrative offices and a 900-seat auditorium.

Berte Humanities Center: Named in honor of former BSC President Neal Berte, the Humanities Center opened in 2004 and houses the foreign languages lab, the academic resource center (ARC), and classrooms designed for BSC's small student-to-faculty ratio.

College Theatre: With a split-revolve-lift stage, the main theatre can host a variety of set designs.

Lakeview Residence Halls: The first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) residence halls in Alabama, Lakeview North and South opened in 2010 and offer suite-style living for upperclass students.^[8]

Lakeview Dorm South

Hilltop Village Apartments: Recently renovated, the Hilltop Village apartment complex contains sixteen buildings that house approximately 350 students.

Urban Environmental Park: The Urban Environmental Park features a 1.5 acre lake, walking paths, and Wi-Fi internet.

N.E Miles Library: The N.E. Miles Library includes a collection of 257,000 volumes, 57,000 government documents, and more than 20,000 recordings, compact discs, and DVDs. More than 135 online databases provide access to the full text of over 40,000 periodicals and numerous e-books. The library also features an auditorium, study areas, conference rooms, and an electronic classroom.^[9]

Striplin Fitness and Recreation Center: The main facility for campus recreation, Striplin features two basketball courts, an indoor jogging track, racquetball courts, a golf simulator, an indoor swimming pool, and strength training and cardiovascular workout rooms.

Student life

Interest groups

Norton Campus Center

A sampling of the more than 80 student interest groups on campus:

• Allies


• Art Students League


• Black Student Union


• BSC Debate Society


• BSC Bass Fishing Team


• BSC Pantherettes Dance Team


• BSC Ultimate Frisbee


• Coalition for Human Dignity


• College Democrats


• College Republicans


• Cross Cultural Committee


• Film Club


• Honor Council


• Multi-Cultural Awareness Organization


• Reformed University Fellowship (R.U.F.)


• Student Government Association


• Quest II: The Student Programming Board (Plans and programs all major on/off - campus entertainment including concerts, talent show, and more)


• Soccer club


• Wesley Fellowship^[10]
  

Greek life

Urban Environmental Park

Fraternities and sororities organize campus social events and service projects.

Fraternities

• 
  Kappa Alpha Order 1882


• 
  Alpha Tau Omega 1885


• 
  Sigma Nu 1987


• 
  Theta Chi 1942


• 
  Sigma Chi 1991


• 
  Sigma Alpha Epsilon 1878


• Alpha Phi Alpha


• 
  Lambda Chi Alpha 1924 (closed 1983)

Sororities

• 
  Zeta Tau Alpha 1922


• 
  Alpha Omicron Pi 1925


• 
  Alpha Chi Omega 1926


• 
  Pi Beta Phi 1927-1989, recolonized 1991


• 
  Gamma Phi Beta 1930-1957


• 
  Kappa Delta 1930


• 
  Delta Zeta 1963-1974


• 
  Chi Omega 1989


• 
  Alpha Kappa Alpha 1979-2006

Athletics

Bill Battle Coliseum, the home court of Birmingham-Southern men and women's basketball teams.

Birmingham–Southern athletic teams are known as the Panthers. Birmingham–Southern is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and competes at the Division III level in the Southern Athletic Association. the college was originally a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and enjoyed a successful run in NAIA prior to joining the NCAA. After three years as a Division I member, the college moved to Division III in 2006.^[11] Panther Stadium, home to the college's football program, hosted its first home football game on November 8, 2008. The stadium features an athletic building that includes a press box, coaches' offices, meeting rooms, athletic training room, officials' dressing room, and locker rooms for football, lacrosse, track and field, and cross country. The college currently fields 22 sports, nine men's and nine women's, including:^[12]

Notable alumni

• 
  William Acker – United States District Judge
  


• 
  Robert Aderholt – United States Congressman from Alabama (1997–present)


• 
  Laurie C. Battle – United States Congressman from Alabama (1947–1955)


• 
  Richmond C. Beatty (BA 1926) - academic, biographer and critic^[13]
  


• 
  Harvie Branscomb – Chancellor, Vanderbilt University (1946–1963)


• 
  Lewis C. Branscomb (1865-1930) - Methodist minister^[14]
  


• 
  Charles Brooks – Editorial cartoonist


• 
  Pat Buttram – Actor (sidekick of Gene Autry in films, and Mr. Haney in the TV series Green Acres)


• 
  Howard Cruse – Cartoonist


• 
  Charles Gaines – Author, journalist, screenwriter, editor; Cine Gold Eagle Awards, National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy Award
  


• 
  Alexander Gelman – Theatre Director, Organic Theater Company, Chicago


• 
  Rebecca Gilman – American playwright
  


• 
  Jennifer Hale - Voice Actress


• 
  Howell Heflin – U.S. Senator from Alabama (1978–1997)


• 
  Perry O. Hooper, Sr. – 27th Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court
  


• 
  Alexa Jones – former Miss Alabama and news reporter


• 
  Hugh Martin – Broadway and film composer and arranger, including movie musical Meet Me In St. Louis, starring Judy Garland.


• 
  Walter P. McConaughy - Career diplomat and US Ambassador to Burma, South Korea, Pakistan, and Taiwan.


• 
  John B. McLemore - (Dropout after 3 years) Antique clock restorer, and focus of "This American Life" podcast "S- Town"


• 
  Morgan Murphy – Food critic and author


• 
  Joe Nasco - Professional Footballer


• 
  Sena Jeter Naslund – Author


• 
  LaFayette L. Patterson – United States Representative


• 
  Howell Raines – Executive editor, The New York Times (2001–2004); Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing, 1992


• 
  Ray Reach – Jazz pianist, vocalist, arranger, composer, producer and educator. Director of Student Jazz Programs at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.


• 
  Glenn Shadix – American actor


• 
  Daryl Shore – Professional soccer player and coach


• 
  Morgan Smith Goodwin – Actress, Spokesperson for Wendy's


• 
  Luther Leonidas Terry – Surgeon General of the United States (1961–1965)


• 
  Martin Waldron (1925–1981) – Winner of the 1964 Pulitzer Prize
  


• 
  Ray Wedgeworth – Jacksonville State University head coach: basketball (1951–1953), football (1953), and baseball (1964–1970)


• 
  Frederick Palmer Whiddon – President, University of South Alabama (1963–1998)


• 
  Robert Lee Williams – 3rd Governor of Oklahoma (1915–1919)


• 
  John H. Yardley – Pathologist

College presidents

Edwards Bell Tower and the academic quad

• 1918–21: Cullen C. Daniel
  


• 1921–37: Guy E. Snavely
  


• 1938–42: Raymond R. Paty
  


• 1942–55: George R. Stuart
  


• 1955–57: Guy E. Snavely
  


• 1957–62: Henry K. Stanford
  


• 1963–68: Howard M. Phillips
  


• 1968–69: Robert F. Henry
  


• 1969–72: Charles D. Hounshell
  


• 1972–75: Ralph M. Tanner
  


• 1976–2004: Neal R. Berte
  


• 2004–10: G. David Pollick
  


• 2011–15: Charles C. Krulak
  


• 2015-2016: Edward F. Leonard III
  


• 2016–2018: Linda Flaherty-Goldsmith
  


• 2018–present: Daniel B. Coleman
  

References

Further reading

• Joseph H. Parks and Oliver C. Weaver, Birmingham-Southern College, 1856-1956. Nashville, TN: Parthenon Press, 1957.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Birmingham-Southern College.

• Official website


• Birmingham–Southern Athletics website

Coordinates: 33°30′54″N 86°51′11″W / 33.515°N 86.853°W / 33.515; -86.853