Alderson-Broaddus College
Encyclopedia
Alderson–Broaddus College — informally known as "A–B" — is a private, four-year liberal arts college
affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA
and the West Virginia Baptist Convention located in Philippi, West Virginia
, USA. Alderson–Broaddus was formed in 1932 by the union of two Baptist institutions: Alderson Academy (founded 1901) and Broaddus College (founded 1871; moved to Philippi, 1901).
Noted for its health science, natural science, education and music programs, the college offers a variety of majors in five academic divisions: Education and Special Programs, Health Sciences, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences.
The college sponsors The West Virginians, a premier touring music ensemble offering sacred and secular music as ambassadors of the college and the state of West Virginia
.
The college's sports teams are known as the "Battlers" (harkening back to the 1861 Battle of Philippi
). Their colors are blue and gold and they compete in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
, a member of the NCAA
's Division II.
, Virginia
, in 1871 by Edward Jefferson Willis, a Baptist minister who named the new college after Rev. William Francis Ferguson Broaddus, a prominent Baptist minister at the time of the American Civil War
. In response to economic hard times, Broaddus College was moved across the Allegheny Mountains
to Clarksburg
in 1876. The college was moved again to the small town of Philippi in 1901. The other institution, Alderson Academy and Junior College, was founded in Alderson
in 1901 by Emma Alderson, a committed Baptist laywoman. As the years passed, Broaddus became a junior college, then a senior college, and Alderson Academy added junior college status. Financial hardship in the late 1920s led to a decision to merge the two colleges, which shared common missions and outlooks as Baptist and liberal arts institutions.
Since its founding, Alderson–Broaddus has been committed to a strong liberal arts education. As such, the College seeks to imbue students with an appreciation of literature and the arts, Christian faith, music and the sciences. In more recent times, the College has focused on developing programs in the natural and applied sciences as well. In 1945, Alderson–Broaddus developed the first four-year nursing
and the first radiologic technology
programs in West Virginia.
A portion of the physical assets of Storer College
, a historically black
Baptist college founded 1867 in Harpers Ferry
were transferred to Alderson–Broaddus in 1964 and became the “Storer Scholarship” given annually to African-American students.
In 1968, the College pioneered the nation's first four-year physician assistant program, an innovation that has had significant influence on the development of the physician assistant profession nationwide. From this program emerged in 1991 the College's first graduate degree offering, the Physician Assistant Master's program.
and the community of Philippi with its county courthouse, church spires and the historic Philippi Covered Bridge
used by both Confederate and Union troops during the first land battle of the Civil War.
Since 1998, Alderson–Broaddus has added programs in digital art
, marketing
, family studies, RN-BSN and LPN-BSN degree completion programs for nurses and a surgery track in the College's Master's Physician Assistant program. A–B also recently added two on-line certificates in business fundamentals and computer science
; and in the spring of 2002 opened the Mollohan Workforce Training Center.
Phil Cline,
Chip Shaffer,
Robert Kittle,
Matthew Ballard,
Jean Cunningham,
Pam Wilt,
Valerie Woodruff,
Ruth Wilcox,
Annette James,
Mary Poling,
Joe Miller,
Ed Grose
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA
American Baptist Churches USA
The American Baptist Churches USA is a Baptist Christian denomination within the United States. The denomination maintains headquarters in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The organization is usually considered mainline, although varying theological and mission emphases may be found among its...
and the West Virginia Baptist Convention located in Philippi, West Virginia
Philippi, West Virginia
Philippi is a city in — and the county seat of — Barbour County, West Virginia, USA. The population was 2,870 at the 2000 census. In 1861, the city was the site of the Battle of Philippi, known as "The Philippi Races"...
, USA. Alderson–Broaddus was formed in 1932 by the union of two Baptist institutions: Alderson Academy (founded 1901) and Broaddus College (founded 1871; moved to Philippi, 1901).
Noted for its health science, natural science, education and music programs, the college offers a variety of majors in five academic divisions: Education and Special Programs, Health Sciences, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences.
The college sponsors The West Virginians, a premier touring music ensemble offering sacred and secular music as ambassadors of the college and the state of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
.
The college's sports teams are known as the "Battlers" (harkening back to the 1861 Battle of Philippi
Battle of Philippi Races
The Battle of Philippi—also known mockingly as "The Philippi Races"—was fought on June 3, 1861, in and around Philippi, Virginia as part of the Western Virginia Campaign of the American Civil War...
). Their colors are blue and gold and they compete in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which historically operated exclusively in the state of West Virginia, but has now expanded into Pennsylvania...
, a member of the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
's Division II.
History
Alderson–Broaddus College derives its hyphenated name from the merging of two Baptist institutions in 1932. The older of the two, Broaddus College, was founded in WinchesterWinchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, in 1871 by Edward Jefferson Willis, a Baptist minister who named the new college after Rev. William Francis Ferguson Broaddus, a prominent Baptist minister at the time of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. In response to economic hard times, Broaddus College was moved across the Allegheny Mountains
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
to Clarksburg
Clarksburg, West Virginia
Clarksburg is a city in and the county seat of Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, in the north-central region of the state. It is the principal city of the Clarksburg, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area...
in 1876. The college was moved again to the small town of Philippi in 1901. The other institution, Alderson Academy and Junior College, was founded in Alderson
Alderson, West Virginia
Alderson, a town in the US State of West Virginia, is split geographically by the Greenbrier River, with portions in both Greenbrier and Monroe Counties. Although split physically by the river, the town functions as one entity, including that of town government...
in 1901 by Emma Alderson, a committed Baptist laywoman. As the years passed, Broaddus became a junior college, then a senior college, and Alderson Academy added junior college status. Financial hardship in the late 1920s led to a decision to merge the two colleges, which shared common missions and outlooks as Baptist and liberal arts institutions.
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
and the first radiologic technology
Radiologic technologist
A radiologic technologist, also known as medical radiation technologist and as radiographer, performs imaging of the human body for diagnosis or treating medical problems...
programs in West Virginia.
A portion of the physical assets of Storer College
Storer College
Storer College was a historically black college located in Harpers Ferry in Jefferson County, West Virginia. It operated from 1865 until 1955.-Storer School:...
, a historically black
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Historically black colleges and universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community....
Baptist college founded 1867 in Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....
were transferred to Alderson–Broaddus in 1964 and became the “Storer Scholarship” given annually to African-American students.
In 1968, the College pioneered the nation's first four-year physician assistant program, an innovation that has had significant influence on the development of the physician assistant profession nationwide. From this program emerged in 1991 the College's first graduate degree offering, the Physician Assistant Master's program.
The college today
A–B remains a health-related and professional educational institution firmly rooted in the liberal arts which continues to maintain its long-time affiliation with the American Baptist Churches, USA, and the West Virginia Baptist Convention. The College currently has 15 buildings located on a 170 acre (0.6879662 km²) campus with approximately 800 students, about 300 of which live on campus. The campus occupies a rolling hilltop overlooking the Tygart Valley RiverTygart Valley River
The Tygart Valley River — also known as the Tygart River — is a principal tributary of the Monongahela River, approximately long, in east-central West Virginia, USA...
and the community of Philippi with its county courthouse, church spires and the historic Philippi Covered Bridge
Philippi Covered Bridge
The Philippi Covered Bridge, on the Tygart River, is the main local landmark and historical icon of Philippi, West Virginia, USA.The celebrated bridge was commissioned by the General Assembly of Virginia and constructed in 1852 by Lemuel Chenoweth, a well-known Appalachian bridge builder, to...
used by both Confederate and Union troops during the first land battle of the Civil War.
Since 1998, Alderson–Broaddus has added programs in digital art
Digital art
Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process...
, marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
, family studies, RN-BSN and LPN-BSN degree completion programs for nurses and a surgery track in the College's Master's Physician Assistant program. A–B also recently added two on-line certificates in business fundamentals and computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
; and in the spring of 2002 opened the Mollohan Workforce Training Center.
Miscellany
- The oldest extant building on the campus, Whitescarver HallWhitescarver HallWhitescarver Hall is a historic dormitory building located on the campus of Alderson-Broaddus College at Philippi, Barbour County, West Virginia. It was built in 1911-1912, and is a three story white brick building in the Neoclassical style. It measures 40 feet by 90 feet...
(circa 1911), was named for George M. Whitescarver of Pruntytown, WVPruntytown, West VirginiaPruntytown is an unincorporated town at the junction of the Northwestern Turnpike and U.S. Route 250 in Taylor County, West Virginia. It is the site of the Pruntytown Correctional Center, formerly known as the West Virginia Industrial School for Boys.- External links :**...
. The Classical Revival building was designed by the architectural firm of Holmboe and Lafferty and was placed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1990.
- Alderson–Broaddus is sponsor of the “University of Hard Knocks,” an honorary societyHonorary societyHonorary society may refer to:* honor society* professional association* learned society...
with a mission to recognize people who have made a success of their life without the benefit of higher education. The organization, founded in 1947 by late West Virginia historian and publisher Jim Comstock, voted to move its offices to the A–B campus in 1976 where it has met annually ever since.
- A–B maintains a "dry campus" policy (students may not consume alcohol). Male students are not allowed in females' rooms (and vice versa) after midnight (2:00 a.m. on weekends).
Notable A–B alumni
- Lt. Gen. John E. Jackson, President, Fork Union Military AcademyFork Union Military AcademyFork Union Military Academy is a private, military boarding school located in the town of Fork Union, Virginia. The school is more commonly known by its acronym FUMA ....
- Richard F. WilsonRichard F. WilsonRichard F. Wilson was selected to be Illinois Wesleyan University's 18th President on April 6, 2004 and took office on July 1, 2004. He was inaugurated on April 9, 2005. He had spent the previous 26 years at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, leaving as associate chancellor for...
, President, Illinois Wesleyan UniversityIllinois Wesleyan UniversityIllinois Wesleyan University is an independent undergraduate university located in Bloomington, Illinois. Founded in 1850, the central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854 with the first building erected in 1856... - Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright, first woman Adjutant GeneralAdjutant generalAn Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
of the Pennsylvania National GuardPennsylvania National GuardThe Pennsylvania National Guard is composed of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. It is one of the largest National Guards in the nation. It has the largest Army National Guard of all the states and the fourth largest Air National Guard. These forces are...
; second woman to hold such a position in the USA - Ed SchrockEd SchrockEdward Lee "Ed" Schrock is a retired career Naval officer and former Republican politician who served as a member of the U.S...
, U.S. Congressman (R., VA), 2001–2005 - Gary Long PA-C, Physician Assistant, Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic Florida 1991 to present.
Board of Directors
Ron Burbick, Chair;Phil Cline,
Chip Shaffer,
Robert Kittle,
Matthew Ballard,
Jean Cunningham,
Pam Wilt,
Valerie Woodruff,
Ruth Wilcox,
Annette James,
Mary Poling,
Joe Miller,
Ed Grose