University of Evansville

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The University of Evansville
Motto	Civic Mission…Sacred Trust
Established	1854 (details)
Type	private coeducational
Endowment	$68.7 million [1]
President	Stephen G. Jennings
Faculty	177
Students	2,350
Undergraduates	2,200
Postgraduates	150
Location	Evansville, Indiana, USA
Campus	Urban; 100 acres (0.32 km²)
Athletics	14 Division I NCAA teams, called Purple Aces
Colors	Purple and White
Mascot	Ace Purple
Affiliations	United Methodist Church
Website	www.evansville.edu

The University of Evansville (UE) is a small (approximately 2400 students), private university located in Evansville, Indiana. Founded in 1854 as Moores Hill College, it is located on the east side of the city of Evansville, just south of the Lloyd Expressway. It is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The University features liberal arts and sciences degrees, most with strong cooperative learning opportunities both on and off campus.

UE operates a satellite campus, Harlaxton College, in Grantham, England. UE athletic teams participate in NCAA Division I athletics as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. The teams are known as the Purple Aces. The University is known as a leader in the area of New Formalism poetry as the home of The Formalist and its successor journal, Measure. The University of Evansville Press also publishes exclusively books and anthologies on formal poetry, including an annual winner of its Richard Wilbur Award.

Contents 1 Academics 1.1 Colleges and Schools 1.2 Accreditations 2 History 3 Athletics 3.1 Purple Aces & Ace Purple 3.2 Intercollegiate teams 3.3 School Spirit 4 Campus 5 Greek Life 6 Notable alumni 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Academics

[edit] Colleges and Schools

The University of Evansville is academically organized into three colleges and two schools:

• College of Arts & Sciences
  • containing the Departments of: Archaeology and Art History + Art + Biology + Chemistry + Communication + English + Foreign Languages + History and Geography + Law, Politics, and Society + Mathematics + Music + Philosophy and Religion + Physics + Psychology + Theatre
• College of Education & Health Sciences
  • containing the School of Education
  • containing the Departments of: Exercise and Sports Studies + Nursing and Health Sciences + Physical Therapy
• College of Engineering & Computer Science
  • containing the Departments of: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science + Mechanical and Civil Engineering +
• School of Business Administration
  • containing the Department of Accounting and Business Administration

[edit] Accreditations

The electrical and mechanical engineering programs have been continuously accredited by ABET since 1970. The civil engineering and computer engineering programs have been continuously accredited by ABET since 1997.^[2]

[edit] History

History at a glance

Moores Hill Male and Female Collegiate Institute	Established	1854
	Opened	1856
	Location	Moores Hill, IN USA
Moores Hill College	Renamed	1887[3]
	Closed	1917[3]
Evansville College	Reopened	1919
	Location	Evansville, IN USA
University of Evansville	Renamed	1967

The University of Evansville began in 1854 after Moores Hill Male and Female Collegiate Institute was founded in the little town of Moores Hill in southeastern Indiana. The first college building at Moores Hill was completed on December 1, 1856, although the opening day of classes for the new college was held in the building on September 9 of that year.

On March 21, 1917, George S. Clifford made a presentation at a special session of the Indiana Conference of the Methodist Church proposing to move the college to Evansville, Indiana. Clifford had prepared a map showing that if a circle with a 50-mile radius was drawn around each of the colleges within the state, none touched Evansville. After deliberation, the school was relocated to Evansville in 1919 and renamed Evansville College. In 1967, after continued growth and organizational changes, the name was changed to the University of Evansville with the approval of the Indiana State Legislature.

[edit] Athletics

[edit] Purple Aces & Ace Purple

The University of Evansville's nickname, the Aces, was acquired after an opposing coach cracked a joke after losing to the Evansville College Pioneers in the 1920s. Dan Scism, the sportswriter credited with first using the name 'Aces' in headlines, said he did so at the suggestion of basketball coach John Harmon in 1926. "Prior to that the Aces had been called Pioneers," Scism said, "but Coach Harmon suggested I call them the Aces because he was told by Louisville's coach that he didn't have four aces up his sleeve, he had five!"

Forty years after Aces came into being, mascot 'Ace Purple' was created by Evansville Press artist Larry Hill. Ace Purple is a turn-of-the century riverboat gambler, appropriate since Evansville is located on the banks of the Ohio River. However, the first Ace Purple was a rough, mean-looking character who did not go over well with Aces' fans. Artist Keith Butz softened 'Ace' in 1977 into a smiling, friendly figure who remains popular with young and old alike. The student body had a nickname for 'Ace Purple' which was 'The Big Purple Pimp'. At about the same time, the official nickname for University of Evansville teams became 'Purple Aces' to include the longtime school color.

[edit] Intercollegiate teams

UE athletics now include 14 NCAA Division I varsity sports, eight for women and six for men. They include women's tennis, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's soccer, baseball, softball, and women's volleyball.

The University of Evansville athletics department was built upon a foundation of success in men's basketball, including NCAA College Division (now Division II) national championships in 1959, 1960, 1964, 1965 and 1971. The team was led by legendary coach Arad McCutchan from 1946 to 1977 who led the Purple Aces to a 515-313 record. In 1977 UE began playing in NCAA Division I athletics. Tragically, that same year on December 13, a chartered DC-3 carrying the entire UE basketball team crashed in a field near the Evansville Regional Airport. In all 29 people were killed. To remember that team, Memorial Plaza stands in the middle of campus between Olmstead Administration Hall and the Harper Dining Center, crowned by a weeping basketball fountain.

[edit] School Spirit

In 2000, the University adopted a new athletics logo that did away with the old Ace Purple logo (pictured). However, the University made sure that Ace Purple remained as a big part of home athletic events. To this day, a University of Evansville student is chosen during try-outs in August to don the Ace Purple mascot costume at all major home athletic events.

The athletic teams are supported by the university's dance team, cheer squad, and a pep band, the Aces Brass.

[edit] Campus

The university is known for its grassy open spaces and tree cover. The university landscape is generally well maintained, and many students take advantage of the spacious lawns and large shade trees.

Most of the university buildings follow an old limestone motif, the oldest building being the administration building known as Olmsted Hall which was completed in 1922. Opening to the south of Olmsted Hall is Sesquicentinial Oval, named in 2004 in commemoration of the university's 150th anniversary.

[edit] Greek Life

Sororities

• Alpha Omicron Pi 1951
• Alpha Phi 1974-1983 (closed)
• Chi Omega 1951
• Delta Omega Zeta (local) ^[4]
• Delta Sigma Theta
• Phi Mu 1952
• Zeta Tau Alpha 1964

Fraternities

• Lambda Chi Alpha 1956
• Phi Gamma Delta 1997
• Phi Kappa Tau 1968
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon 1957
• Sigma Phi Epsilon 1955
• Tau Kappa Epsilon 1957

[edit] Notable alumni

• Andy Benes, former MLB player
• Don Buse, NBA All-Star
• Jamey Carroll, MLB player
• John B. Conaway, Lieutenant General and former Chief of National Guard Bureau
• Wayne Davidson, former CEO of Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Crista Flanagan, actor, comedian MadTV
• Ron Glass, actor Firefly, Barney Miller
• Bert Harold, Captain of the Australian polo team
• David J. Lawson, a Bishop of the United Methodist Church
• Rami Malek, actor
• Jack McBrayer, actor 30 Rock
• J. Allen McCutchan, research physician
• Lisel Mueller, poet who won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1997
• Stu Riddle, former New Zealand soccer player and head coach for Kalamazoo Kingdom
• Jerry Sloan, NBA player and head coach
• The Watson Twins, Musicians
• David Weir, soccer player for Everton F.C., Rangers F.C., Hearts and Scotland
• Matt Williams, producer of The Cosby Show, Home Improvement, and Roseanne

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website
• Official athletics website
• Campus map
• Harlaxton College British campus

Missouri Valley Conference
Bradley • Creighton (Bluejays) • Drake (Bulldogs) • Evansville • Illinois State (Redbirds) • Indiana State • Missouri State (Bears) • Northern Iowa (Panthers) • Southern Illinois • Wichita State

Midwestern Undergraduate Private Engineering Colleges
Cedarville University • Indiana Institute of Technology • Kettering University • Lawrence Technological University • Milwaukee School of Engineering • Ohio Northern University • Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology • Saint Louis University • Tri-State University • University of Detroit Mercy • University of Evansville • Valparaiso University