Hendrix College

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Hendrix College
Motto	Unto the Whole Person
Established	1876
Type	Private
Endowment	$162 million
President	J. Timothy Cloyd
Faculty	88
Undergraduates	1,042
Postgraduates	7
Location	Conway, Arkansas, USA
Campus	Suburban, 160 acres (City of Conway, Faulkner County, Arkansas)
Religious Affiliation	United Methodist Church
Mascot	Warrior
Website	www.hendrix.edu

Hendrix College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church, and located in Conway, Arkansas. The student body averages around 1,100 attendees, with over 80% living on campus. In US News and World Report's America's Best Colleges Hendrix is ranked annually in the top tier of liberal arts colleges. In the 2007 edition Hendrix is ranked 69th in the nation. In recent years, more than half of the student population has come from out-of-state, chiefly from those states contiguous to Arkansas, but also from places as far away as Maine, Minnesota, California, Iran, Nepal, Hungary, and Russia. Hendrix also hosts roughly six to ten international exchange students each year, and over 40% of graduating seniors have studied abroad. Although the college is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the school's atmosphere is liberal and secular. Hendrix is a member of the Associated Colleges of the South.

Contents 1 College history 2 Academics 3 Student Life 4 Campus buildings 4.1 Academic and administrative buildings 4.2 Residence Halls 4.3 Recreational buildings 5 Notable alumni 6 Notable Faculty 7 External links 8 References

[edit] College history

Hendrix College was founded as a primary school called Central Institute in 1876 at Altus, Arkansas, by Rev. Isham L. Burrow. In 1881 it was renamed Central Collegiate Institute when secondary and collegiate departments were added. By 1886 three conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South had purchased the school. This began the school's relationship with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and later The Methodist Church, and United Methodist Church. The Central Collegiate Institute was renamed Hendrix College in 1889 after Rev. Eugene Russell Hendrix, a presiding bishop over three Arkansas Methodist conferences. This same year the primary school was discontinued. From this point on Hendrix College was considered the Methodist male college of Arkansas. Although it was considered a male college, women students were allowed to enroll if they wished. In 1890 after receiving bids from seven other Arkansas towns, Conway was chosen as the new location for the college by the Hendrix Board of Trustees. A publication by the U.S. Office of Education in 1900 stated that Hendrix College had the highest standards for admission and graduation of any Arkansas institution of higher learning, public or private. By 1925 the secondary department was discontinued. A bid was accepted in 1929 to merge the college with Henderson-Brown College, a private college in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The merger created Hendrix-Henderson College. The newly formed college was planning to move the school to Little Rock, Arkansas, but the city of Conway was able to raise $150,000 to keep the school located at Hendrix's campus. Two years later the name of the college was reverted back to Hendrix College after a short period of being named Trinity College, which met with strong opposition from many students and alumni. The college then merged again with Galloway Women’s College in Searcy, Arkansas in 1933. Hendrix College retained its location and facilities during this merger as well.[1]

[edit] Academics

• The academic core consists of three components – The Collegiate Center, Learning Domains, and Capacities. The Collegiate Center assures students the opportunity to engage in thought about cultures and contemporary issues. The Learning Domains afford multiple options for acquiring a basic understanding of the content, disciplinary styles, and modes of inquiries of the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences in ways that may cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. The Capacities requirement recognizes that all students must exhibit basic proficiencies in fundamental skills used across multiple disciplines.

• Majors are offered in almost thirty disciplinary fields and include opportunities for interdisciplinary studies. Minors in more than thirty areas complement the majors and allow students opportunities to pursue additional academic interests. The College’s curricular structures are intended to guide students in a coherent process of learning while encouraging all students to exercise responsibility in constructing individual programs of study.

• Hendrix instituted a program in 2005 entitled Your Hendrix Odyssey: Engaging in Active Learning. This program is notably similar to programs at other private liberal arts colleges that were instituted in previous years. Apparently, the goal of the program is to expand and formalize currently available options for undergraduate research, study abroad, artistic development, internships, service experiences, and other hands-on activities. Students have the opportunity to apply for funding for their projects every semester.

• From 1969 to 2002, Hendrix used a trimester system that differed from the usual semester system that most colleges use. The semester system at Hendrix, however, still fails to conform to the standard "credit-hour" schedule in place at other schools. Nearly every course at Hendrix is worth the same single-credit value, regardless of the amount of time spent in class, the work load, or the difficulty of the class.

• The college does not offer classes during the summer months. Instead, the campus is used as a conference center and (usually) to host the Arkansas Governor's School.

• The school offers Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees as well as a Masters program in Accounting. A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) is not offered, but Hendrix is known to have strong natural science departments. A combined engineering program allows students to obtain both a B.A. from Hendrix and a B.S. degree in engineering from Columbia University, Vanderbilt University, or Washington University. [2]

[edit] Student Life

• There are no fraternities or sororities allowed on campus. Instead, social activities are organized by the residence halls. Notable annual campus events, such as Toga and Ghost Roast, are hosted by Martin Hall, one of two all male residence halls. These events have recently come under scrutiny by the administration and are in danger of being shut down. Another source for activities is student organizations. There are approximately 65 student organizations that offer a wide range of activities for students. Each pays a student activity fee which provides funding for student organizations. This fund is allocated by the Hendrix Student Senate Social Committee, or SoCo, is the largest student organization with a budget for the 2005-2006 academic year of $100,000, used to bring entertainers and events to campus. SoCo members are peer-elected each year and represent each hall and class.

• The Office of Student Activities also plans events on weekends and often on Wednesday nights. Major social events are frequently held in "The Brick Pit" (formerly the "Brick Patio"), an outdoor area in the center of the campus. Additionally, the campus is located approximately 30 miles from Little Rock, which offers additional night life options. This is particularly important because Faulkner County is a dry county.

• Hendrix is often considered to be progressive socially. Students of different backgrounds and lifestyles interact, attend the same social events, and stay in the same dormitories. Additionally, Hendrix has historically had a high level of student activism. Despite the progressive nature of the school, it still lacks much of a minority presence on campus.

• The Student Senate is the governing body of the student association. Along with campus-wide elected officers, students elect representatives from each class and residence hall.

[edit] Campus buildings

Since the mid-1990s, the college has been pursuing a master plan for campus construction, developed in consultation with architectural design firm Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co. Currently, there are 36 buildings on campus, three of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRoHP).

[edit] Academic and administrative buildings

• Admin Houses: Career services, counseling services, cottage.
• Art Complex: Art department.
• Charles D. Morgan Center for Physical Sciences/Acxiom Hall: Chemistry department, Physics department.
• Bailey Library
• Buhler Hall: Office of Student Affairs.
• D. W. Reynolds: Biology department, Psychology department.
• Ellis Hall: Office of Admissions, Financial Aid,(NRoHP).
• Fausett Hall: Office of Administration, English department, Foreign Language department.
• Greene Chapel: School's official chapel, venue for annual Candlelight Carol service.
• I.T.: Information technology offices.
• M. C. Reynolds: Mathematics and Computer Science department.
• Mills Center: Cabe Theater, Economics and Business department, Education department, History department, Politics department, Sociology department.
• Murphy Building: Hendrix-Murphy Foundation.
• Physical Plant (Originally built as short-term housing and called “East Hall”)
• Public Safety
• Raney Building: Religion and Philosophy department.
• Staples Building: Large auditorium, also houses Greene Chapel.
• Trieschmann Building: Music department, Dance studio, Reves Recital Hall.

[edit] Residence Halls

• The Eco-House: Co-Ed house with an emphasis on environmental sustainability.
• Apartments on Clifton Street
• Couch Hall: Co-ed residence hall.
• Front Street Apartments
• Galloway Hall: Female residence hall (on National Register of Historic Places).
• Hardin Hall: Male residence hall.
• Martin Hall: Male residence hall (on National Register of Historic Places).
• The Quad: Six co-ed residence houses.
• Language House: Single-language themed co-ed house. Rotates annually between French, German, and Spanish.
• Raney Hall: Female residence hall.
• Veasey Hall: Female residence hall.
• White House & Brick House Not owned by Hendrix, however rented almost exclusively to Hendrix students.

[edit] Recreational buildings

• Hulen Hall: The Burrow campus center, cafeteria, post office, bookstore, The Profile student newspaper, KHDX radio station, Student Senate, and other activity offices.
• Greene Chapel/Staples Auditorium: Large auditorium and small chapel.
• Grove Gym: Physical Education department, basketball court, swimming pool, free weights room.
• Mabee Center: Basketball court, volleyball court, racquetball courts, indoor tennis courts, fitness room.
• Wellness and Athletics Center: New athletics center due to open in late 2007.

[edit] Notable alumni

• Mary Steenburgen: Academy Award-winning American actress and wife of Ted Danson.
• Sarah Caldwell: notable opera conductor; first female conductor of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City; in 1996 she won the National Medal of Arts.
• Susan Dunn: opera singer.
• May Ann Gwinn: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist;
• Wilbur D. Mills: former Congressman; Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, resigned in disgrace after getting caught in a fountain with Fanne Foxe.
• Natalie Canerday: actress; notable roles in Sling Blade and October Sky, minor roles in Walk the Line and the movie version of Biloxi Blues.
• Roger Clinton: brother of United States President Bill Clinton; Roger attended Hendrix College for about two years before dropping out due to drug and alcohol abuse.
• Hayes Carll: country singer-songwriter; Americana Award winner.
• Dr. Harry M. Meyer, Jr.: world renowned virologist, lead developer of rubella vaccine, first director of the U.S. Bureau of Biologics and first director of the combined Center for Drugs and Biologics.
• Professor Steven Ozment: McLean Professor of Ancient and Modern History at Harvard University and author of several award-winning books, including A Mighty Fortress: A New History of the German People."
• William Ragsdale: Actor. Star of movie Fright Night and television series Herman's Head.
• P. Allen Smith: nationally-known garden designer.
• Jo Luck: CEO of Heifer International, a world hunger organization
• Joan Wagnon: former mayor of Topeka, Kansas (1997-2001) and current Kansas Secretary of Revenue.

[edit] Notable Faculty

• Dr. Todd Berryman
• Dr. Timothy Cloyd
• Dr. Alan Shackelford
• Dr. Alex Vernon
• Dr. Rebecca Resinski
• Dr. Jay McDaniel
• Dr. Jay Barth
• Dr. John Sanders
• Dr. Frances Flannery-Dailey
• Dr. Karen Griebling
• Dr. Alice Hines

[edit] External links

• Hendrix College -- official website

[edit] References

Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
Austin • Birmingham-Southern (2007) • Centre • Colorado College • DePauw • Hendrix • Millsaps • Oglethorpe • Rhodes • Sewanee • Southwestern • Trinity (Texas)