Arkansas Tech University
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Former name | Second District Agricultural School (1909–1925) Arkansas Polytechnic College (1925–1976) |
|---|---|
| Type | Public university |
| Established | 1909 |
| President | Russell Jones |
| Students | 9,487 (fall 2023)[1] |
| Undergraduates | 8,808[1] |
| Postgraduates | 679[1] |
| Location | , Arkansas , United States |
| Campus | City, 516 acres (2.09 km2) |
| Colors | Green and gold[2] Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content. Page Template:Legend/styles.css has no content. |
| Nickname | Wonder Boys (men) Golden Suns (women) |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division II – GAC |
| Mascot | Wonder Boys & Golden Suns |
| Website | www |
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Arkansas Tech University (ATU) is a public university in Russellville, Arkansas, United States. The university offers programs at both baccalaureate and graduate levels in a range of fields. The Arkansas Tech University–Ozark Campus, a two-year satellite campus in the town of Ozark, primarily focuses on associate and certificate education.
History
Early history (1909–76)
In 1909, Act 100, passed by the Arkansas General Assembly and signed by Governor George Donaghey, provided for the creation of one agricultural high school in each of four districts stipulated in the act, with what would eventually become Arkansas Tech University in the Second District.[3][4][5]
The schools were to teach horticulture and textile making in addition to agriculture. The location for each of the four schools was to be chosen by that district's five trustees, appointed by the Governor, taking into consideration "the nature of the soil, healthfulness of location, general desirability, and other material inducements offered, such as the donation of buildings, land or money." The four schools eventually evolved into four present-day institutions of higher learning. The First District Agricultural School at Jonesboro evolved into Arkansas State University; the Second District Agricultural School in Russellville is today's Arkansas Tech University; the Third District Agricultural School in Magnolia became Southern Arkansas University; and the University of Arkansas Monticello began as the Fourth District Agricultural School.[5]
After evaluating proposals from Fort Smith, Morrilton, Ozark, and Russellville, on February 10, 1910, Second District Agricultural School trustees announced that the school would be located in Russellville.[6] Construction of the school's Main Building began on April 10, 1910,[7] with contracts for additional buildings let in June 1910.[8] On October 26, 1910, the first classes were held in Russellville. The original purpose of the school was to offer a secondary (or high school) education in agricultural and technical subjects.[9] Later, the school took on the first two years of college instruction, and the school's name was changed to Arkansas Polytechnic College by the General Assembly in 1925 to reflect this change in purpose. The school became a two-year junior college in 1927 and, at the end of the 1929–1930 academic year, stopped offering high school classes.[10]
Recent history (1976–present)
The school took on its current name of Arkansas Tech University on July 9, 1976.
In the fall of 2003, Arkansas Tech University announced it intended to take over the state vocational school, Arkansas Valley Technical Institute, in Ozark, the seat of Franklin County. As of July 1, 2004, the Ozark campus has acted as a satellite campus of Arkansas Tech and has begun offering coursework leading toward an Associate of Applied Science degree in various subjects.
From 1997 to 2015, enrollment at Arkansas Tech increased by 183 percent. The fall of 2015 marked the 17th consecutive year that Arkansas Tech established a new institutional record for largest enrollment, then 12,054 students, making ATU the third largest institution of higher learning in the state.
| Term | Total students |
|---|---|
| Fall 2009 | 8,814 |
| Fall 2010 | 9,815 |
| Fall 2011 | 10,464 |
| Fall 2012 | 10,950 |
| Fall 2013 | 11,369 |
| Fall 2014 | 12,002 |
| Fall 2015 | 12,054 |
| Fall 2016 | 11,894 |
| Fall 2017 | 11,830 |
| Fall 2018 | 12,101 |
| Fall 2019 | 11,829 |
| Fall 2020 | 10,829 |
| Fall 2021 | 9,640 |
| Fall 2022 | 9,445 |
| Fall 2023 | 9,487 |
Arkansas Tech has invested $180 million in upgrades to its infrastructure since 1995 and the university has added more than 40 new academic programs of study under the leadership of Robert C. Brown, who has served as president of Arkansas Tech since 1993. In April 2014, Robin E. Bowen was selected by the university trustees to succeed Brown. When she took office on July 1, 2014, she became the first woman to lead a four-year, public Arkansas university.[11] Russell Jones was named interim president at Arkansas Tech by the ATU Board of Trustees on August 17, 2023. The board elected him president on June 20, 2024, and he officially took office on July 1, 2024.
Facilities on National Register of Historic Places
Several Tech buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[12]
- Caraway Hall — residence hall, renovated in 2024
- Old Art Building — retired academic building, now known as Browning Hall, renovated in 2013 to house administrative offices
- Hughes Hall — residence hall, renovated in 2010
- Techionery — academic building, mainly used as a theatre shop and performance space by the ATU Theatre Department
- Williamson Hall — academic building, renovated in 2003 to include kitchen facilities
- Wilson Hall — residence hall
Academics
ATU underwent academic restructuring in 2022 placing programs into four colleges:[13][14]
- College of Arts & Humanities
- College of Business and Economic Development
- College of Education & Health
- College of STEM
The university also has several academic centers:
- Academic Advising Center
- Center for Teaching and Learning
- Museum
- Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center
- Student Support Services
Athletics
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| White | Template:Bartable | ||
| Hispanic | Template:Bartable | ||
| Black | Template:Bartable | ||
| Two or more races | Template:Bartable | ||
| Asian | Template:Bartable | ||
| International student | Template:Bartable | ||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | Template:Bartable | ||
| Economic diversity | |||
| Low-income[a] | Template:Bartable | ||
| Affluent[b] | Template:Bartable | ||
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Arkansas Tech participates in NCAA Division II athletics as a charter member of the Great American Conference. Tech was a member of the Gulf South Conference from 1995 to 2011. Previously, Tech was a member of the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The university fields four men's and six women's varsity sports, as well as a club sports program:
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Facilities
Arkansas Tech University has dual nicknames: men's athletic teams are called the Wonder Boys, while the women's teams are called the Golden Suns.
- Chartwells Women's Sports Complex (tennis, softball)
- Hull Building (Athletic Training, Athletic Performance Development, intramurals)
- Baswell Field (baseball, capacity 600)
- Thone Stadium at Simmons Bank Field (football, capacity 6,500)
- Tucker Coliseum (basketball/volleyball, capacity 3,500)
Nicknames
On November 15, 1919, John Tucker, a 17-year-old freshman from Russellville, scored two touchdowns and kicks two extra points to lead the Second District Agricultural School Aggies to a 14–0 upset win over Jonesboro. In newspaper accounts following the game, Tucker and his teammates were referred to as "Wonder Boys," and the nickname remains to this day. Tucker was labeled as "The Original Wonder Boy" and was associated with the school for the rest of his life. He went on to play on the University of Alabama's Rose Bowl team in 1931 and served Arkansas Tech in a variety of roles – including coach, athletic director and chemistry professor – between 1925 and 1972. Two buildings on the Tech campus – Tucker Coliseum and Tucker Hall – are named in his honor.[16]
Tired of being referred to as the Wonder Girls or Wonderettes, the female athletes of Arkansas Tech held a contest in the spring of 1975 to determine what their new mascot would be. Several names were nominated, but in the end, the athletes selected Golden Suns as their new nickname.[17]
Notable alumni
- Denny Altes (Bachelor of Business Administration), clergyman and Republican former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from District 63; former member of the Arkansas State Senate and former Senate Minority Leader
- Stan Berry, politician
- Leon L. "Doc" Bryan (Class of 1942), U.S. Navy veteran, Arkansas Hall of Distinction member,[18] Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representatives (1965–1995), Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives (1993–1995), honored with the naming the Doc Bryan Student Services Center[19] by the ATU Board of Trustees in 1998
- John Burris, member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Boone County
- Robert E. Dale (bachelor's degree in mathematics), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from District 68 in Pope and Van Buren counties; former member of the Dover School Board in Dover[20]
- Eliah Drinkwitz (B.A. social studies education, 2004), Head Football Coach, University of Missouri.[21]
- Trevor Drown (Class of 2001), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Pope and Van Buren counties since 2015; Libertarian Party U.S. Senate nominee in 2010[22]
- Jane English (Class of 1981, economics/finance), Republican member of the Arkansas State Senate from District 34 in Pulaski County[23]
- Jon Eubanks (B.S. in accounting, 1990), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Logan County[24]
- Elizabeth Gracen (attended), former Miss America in 1982; won the contest when she was a junior accounting major at Arkansas Tech[25]
- Kevin Hern (B.S. 1986), Republican U.S. representative for Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District, 2018–present[26]
- Michael Lamoureux, Republican; former Arkansas State Representative from District 68 (Pope County) 2005–2009; former Arkansas State Senator from District 4, 2009–2013; former Arkansas State Senator from District 16 (Newton and Pope counties and parts of Boone, Carroll and Van Buren counties) 2013–2014; chief of staff to the governor of Arkansas 2015–present
- Andrea Lea (B.S. in emergency administration and management), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Russellville since 2009; candidate for state auditor in 2014[27]
- Kelley Linck (B.S. in business administration, 1986), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Marion County since 2011[28]
- Tanner Marsh, Montreal Alouettes quarterback of the Canadian Football League.[29]
- Eddie Meador, Los Angeles Rams safety (1959-70); six-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro selection who intercepted a Rams franchise record 46 passes.[30]
- Rebecca Petty (B.S. in criminal justice, 2013), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Benton County since 2015; advocate of child crime victims, resident of Rogers, Arkansas[31]
- Scott Richardson (bachelor's degree in computer and information sciences, master's degree in information technology), member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
- Marcus Richmond (B.S. in physical education), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from multi-county District 21 in western Arkansas[32]
- Tray Scott (Class of 2008), defensive line coach at the University of Georgia[33]
- Greg Standridge (B.S. in business, 1987), Republican member of the Arkansas State Senate for Pope, Newton, Boone, Carroll and Van Buren counties since 2015; insurance agent in Russellville[34]
- Boyd Anderson Tackett, Democratic U.S. representative from Arkansas's 4th congressional district, 1949–1953[35]
- Steve Womack (B.A., 1979), Republican U.S. representative from Arkansas's 3rd congressional district, 2010–present[36]
Notes
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- ^ The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.
- ^ The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.
References
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- ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Enrollment Statistics | Arkansas Tech University". www.atu.edu. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Academic Brand Standards Manual (PDF). Retrieved December 5, 2016.
- ^ Script error: No such module "Template wrapper".
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Session at Old State House Evokes Memory of Act 100 and A-State's Founding". A-State News. Arkansas State University. July 2, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Smith, Doug (August 21, 2009). "100 and growing—ASU, Tech, SAU and UAM began humbly". Arkansas Times. Arkansas Times. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Silva, Rachel (2009). "Arkansas Listings in the National Register of Historic Places: One Hundred Years of Arkansas Tech University". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. 68 (4): 442–450. JSTOR 40543604. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
A board of trustees for the Second District Agricultural School had been appointed by September 1909 and tasked with finding a location for the school as well as the construction of school buildings, hiring of staff, and development of curriculum. In order to be considered as a site for the school, towns had to pledge at least $40,000 and 200 acres. Fort Smith, Morrilton, Ozark, and Russellville all submitted bids. Russellville's bid included $40,000, 220 acres, and free electricity and water for three years, and on February 10, 1910, the trustees announced that the Second District Agricultural School would be located there.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Silva, Rachel (2009). "Arkansas Listings in the National Register of Historic Places: One Hundred Years of Arkansas Tech University". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. 68 (4): 442–450. JSTOR 40543604. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
Designed in the Colonial Revival style, it was a three-and-one-half-story brick building with a tile roof. The building had two front-gabled wings connected by a recessed hipped roof section with dormer windows. The front and side entrances had arched openings accentuated by pilasters, a simple entablature, and a balustrade flush with the wall. When it opened, the Main Building had rooms for cooking, laundry, a soil laboratory, and an auditorium as well as the president's office and classrooms (Old Main was demolished in the 1970s).
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Silva, Rachel (2009). "Arkansas Listings in the National Register of Historic Places: One Hundred Years of Arkansas Tech University". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. 68 (4): 442–450. JSTOR 40543604. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
Contracts were let in June 1910 for the construction of two men's dormitories, two women's dormitories, a dining hall, and a heating plant. Each dormitory accommodated thirty-five students.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Silva, Rachel (2009). "Arkansas Listings in the National Register of Historic Places: One Hundred Years of Arkansas Tech University". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. 68 (4): 442–450. JSTOR 40543604. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
Initially, the four agricultural schools offered a secondary (or high school) education in agricultural and technical subjects, but by the 1921–1922 school year the Second District Agricultural School offered freshman-level college classes.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Silva, Rachel (2009). "Arkansas Listings in the National Register of Historic Places: One Hundred Years of Arkansas Tech University". The Arkansas Historical Quarterly. 68 (4): 442–450. JSTOR 40543604. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.LAKANA (April 22, 2014). "Election of New Arkansas Tech University President is Historic for State". Retrieved February 16, 2017.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."National Register of Historical Places - ARKANSAS (AR), Pope County". Retrieved February 16, 2017.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Programs of Study". ATU Undergraduate Catalog. Arkansas Tech University. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Academic Restructuring Plan Approved by ATU Board". Arkansas Tech News. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."College Scorecard: Arkansas Tech University". College Scorecard. United States Department of Education. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Turrentine, G. R.; Tucker, John E. "History of Arkansas Polytechnic College" (PDF). Arkansas Tech University. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 20, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Arkansas Tech University Athletics". Retrieved February 16, 2017.
- ^ Arkansas Hall of Distinction member
- ^ Doc Bryan Student Services Center
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Robert Dale, R-68". arkansashouse.org. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Eliah Drinkwitz - Head Coach - Staff Directory". University of Missouri Athletics. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Trevor Drown". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Jane English's Biography". votesmart.org. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Jon Eubanks, R-74". arkansashouse.org. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
- ^ Thomas DeBlack. "A Century Forward: The Centennial History of Arkansas Tech University." Walsworth Publishing Company. 2016.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Kevin Her". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Andrea Lea, R-71". arkansashouse.org. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Kelley Linck, R-99". arkansashouse.org. Archived from the original on January 4, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Wonder Boy Tanner Marsh for the Win!". Sporting Life Arkansas. September 4, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Eddie Meador Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Rebecca Petty's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Marcus Richmond's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Tray Scott - Football Coach".
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Greg Standridge's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Boyd Anderson Tackett". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Steve Womack". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
External links
- No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.
- Arkansas Tech Athletics website
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