East Texas Baptist University (ETBU) is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...

university in

Marshall, Texas Marshall is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat of Harrison County, Texas, Harrison County and a cultural and educational center of the Ark-La-Tex region. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the population of ...

, United States. It is affiliated with the

Baptist General Convention of Texas The Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), more commonly known as the Texas Baptists, is a Baptist Christian denomination in the U.S. state of Texas. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist World Alliance. Tex ...

History

ETBU is located on the site of the former

Van Zandt Van Zandt, van Zandt or Vanzandt, is a surname of Dutch language, Dutch origin. van (Dutch), Van Zandt or its variants may refer to: People *Van Zandt Williams (1916–1966), President of the Optical Society of America and Director of the Americ ...

Farm at the highest altitude in Harrison County. ETBU was founded as the "College of Marshall" in 1912, after a campaign to create a

Southern Baptist The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization, the largest Protestantism in the United States, Pr ...

college in

East Texas East Texas is a broadly defined cultural, geographic, and ecological region in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas that consists of approximately 38 counties. It is roughly divided into Northeast Texas, Northeast, Southeast Texas, Sout ...

. The campus' first building, Marshall Hall, was completed in 1916. It was designed to house a gymnasium, library, chapel/theatre, administrative offices and classrooms. The College of Marshall opened the following year in 1917 as a two-year

junior college A junior college is a type of post-secondary institution that offers vocational and academic training that is designed to prepare students for either skilled trades and technical occupations or support roles in professions such as engineering, a ...

and academy. The college was greatly enlarged during the tenure of President

Frank Shelby Groner Frank Shelby Groner (January 7, 1877 – November 8, 1943) was an American lawyer, pastor of Baptist churches, chairman of the Southern Baptist Hospital Commission, executive secretary of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, director of fund-rai ...

who served as president of the college from 1928 until 1942. It became "East Texas Baptist College" in 1944. In June 2015, J. Blair Blackburn, a native of

Minden, Louisiana Minden is a small city in and the parish seat of Webster Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 11,928. The Main Street district of Minden ...

, was inaugurated as the 13th president of East Texas Baptist University. He succeeded Samuel "Dub" Oliver, who became in 2014 the president of

Union University Union University is a private Baptist university in Jackson, Tennessee, with additional campuses in Germantown and Hendersonville. The university is affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). It was estab ...

Jackson Jackson may refer to: Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson South, Queensland, a locality in the Maranoa Region * Jackson oil field in Durham, ...

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

. In 2015 the university applied for and received an exception to

Title IX Title IX is a landmark federal civil rights law in the United States that was enacted as part (Title IX) of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receiv ...

allowing it to discriminate against

LGBT LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...

students for religious reasons. In June of 2024 ETBU announced a merger with B.H. Carroll Theological Institute expanding the institution to a level VI institution of higher learning.

Accreditation

ETBU is

accredited Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body (such as certification body, inspection body or laboratory) against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to ...

by the Commission on Colleges of the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is a regional educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. As of 2022, the organization oversees ap ...

. It also is accredited by The Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas for

Bachelor of Science in Nursing The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN, BScN) also known in some countries as a Bachelor of Nursing (BN) or Bachelor of Science (BS) with a Major in Nursing is an academic degree in the science and principles of nursing, granted by an accredited ...

(BSN), the Commissions of Collegiate Nursing Education, and the

National Association of Schools of Music The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) is an association of post-secondary music schools in the United States and the principal U.S. accreditor for higher education in music. It was founded on October 20, 1924, and is based in Resto ...

Campus

Security

During the day, the campus is patrolled by the on-campus security officer. Security cameras record 24 hours a day and are monitored from 8:00 am – 10:00 pm. Call boxes are placed in strategic locations around campus. At night, the campus is monitored by private security officers (off-duty Marshall City Police Officers).

Academic buildings

*Marshall Hall *Scarborough Hall *Rogers Spiritual Life Center *Ornelas Student Center *Dean Healthplex *Craig Hall *Harvey Daniel Bruce Hall *Murphy Science Building *Bennett Student Commons *Redwine Instrumental Music Building *Jenna Guest Music Building *Fred Hale Business Building *Mamye Jarrett Library *Meadows Hall

Residence halls

*Centennial Hall *Feagin Hall(Closed) *Fry Hall *Linebery Hall *Mabee Housing Complex *Ornelas Residential Center *Oaks on Grove *University Apartments *University Park Row Apartments *Foote Hall at Tiger Yard

Athletics

The East Texas Baptist University athletics teams are nicknamed ''Tigers''.

Mascot

The mascot for ETBU is a tiger, "Toby" and recently added, "Tabby." ETBU also has a live Tiger mascot named "Sarge" who is housed off campus.

Notable alumni

* Chris Dier, author and teacher *

Rick Edmonds Richard Phillip Edmonds Jr. (born September 12, 1956), is an American pastor and politician from the U.S. state of Louisiana. A Republican, he is a member of the Louisiana Senate from East Baton Rouge Parish. He previously served in the Louisian ...

, Southern Baptist pastor and politician *

Sam B. Hall Samuel Blakeley Hall Jr. (January 11, 1924 – April 10, 1994) was an American lawyer, politician, and judge. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas's 1st congressional district from 1976 to 1985 and a United Sta ...

, politician and judge * Cameron McCasland, film and television producer

Gallery

File:ETBU entrance (street view).jpg, Entrance to ETBU File:Scarborough Chapel (front) edit.jpg, Scarborough Hall, built in 1948 File:Meadows Hall front with parking space - 2.jpg, Meadows Hall File:Marshall Hall with the Light in the foreground.jpg, Marshall Hall showing the ''Light on the Hill'' File:Scarborough Cross and Marshall Hall.jpg, Scarborough Cross and Marshall Hall File:Scarborough Cross with Harvey Daniel Bruce Hall in Background.jpg, Scarborough Cross and Harvey Daniel Bruce Hall File:Some_words_inscribed_under_the_Scarborough_Cross.jpg, A plate with description under Scarborough Cross File:Ornelas Spiritual Life Center chapel building from across North Grove Street.jpg, Ornelas Spiritual Life Center File:Feagin Hall from the street (side view).jpg, Feagin Hall File:Fred Hale School of Business East Texas Baptist University.jpg, Fred Hale School of Business File:ETBU Quad.jpg, ETBU quad

References

External links

*
Athletics website
{{Portal bar, Architecture, Christianity, Schools, Texas 1912 establishments in Texas Buildings and structures in Harrison County, Texas Council for Christian Colleges and Universities Universities and colleges established in 1912 Education in Harrison County, Texas Marshall, Texas Private universities and colleges in Texas Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Universities and colleges affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas