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John Brown University
2000 W. University St., Siloam Springs, AR 72761479-524-9500
jbuinfo@jbu.edu
Christ Over All Since 1919
John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked university (The Wall Street Journal) and top-ranked regional university (U.S. News), JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 36 states and 38 countries.
More than a degree.
Educational Philosophy
Education at John Brown University has never been merely academic. John Brown Sr., founder and first president of the institution, was committed to a well-rounded philosophy of Biblical-based studies that focused on the holistic development of students - head, heart and hand.
Head
Learn to think critically and pursue truth. A JBU education is not about facts that you'll soon forget. It's about training your mind to think creatively and solve complex problems so that it can serve you well for the rest of your life.
Heart
Engage in faith and community. You'll connect with others, experience profound personal growth and develop a way of life in which you are deeply aware of God's calling and choose to live in response.
Hand
Develop practical career skills and serve others. We train you to be excellent in your profession but more importantly to honor God and serve others in every facet of life.

On-Campus Undergraduate
JBU offers 52 majors for high school graduates and transfer students seeking a traditional college experience at our main campus.
Online Undergraduate
Designed for working students who are looking to earn their bachelor's degree fully online, JBU offers eight online programs.
Graduate
Earn a master's degree in business, education, cybersecurity and counseling, with many programs offered fully online.
More about JBU
Who We Are
We are a top-ranked Christ-centered, interdenominational university committed to integrating faith and learning, fostering holistic spiritual formation, promoting pragmatic liberal arts education, and preparing people to follow Christ’s call to serve others in all areas of life.
Established in 1919 by evangelist Dr. John E. Brown Sr., JBU was created to combine Christian liberal arts education with an emphasis on specialized vocational training. While we may not train airplane mechanics today, a "head, heart, hand" education with "Christ Over All" is still our focus.
The university has no denominational affiliation and admits students of any faith. JBU is a vibrant and growing independent Christian university of the arts, sciences and professions.
What We Believe
As a Christian institution, John Brown University holds to the interdenominational doctrinal position identified by the following statements:
- We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative word of God.
- We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
- We believe that, for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary.
- We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
- We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
- We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
As adopted by the National Association of Evangelicals.
Mission, Vision, Values
Mission
John Brown University provides Christ-centered education that prepares people to honor God and serve others by developing their intellectual, spiritual and professional lives. JBU’s mission is summarized in its two historic mottos: "Christ Over All" and "Head, Heart and Hand."
Vision
A Christ-centered, interdenominational university that leads the nation in integrating faith and learning, fostering holistic spiritual formation, promoting pragmatic liberal arts education, and preparing people to follow Christ’s call to serve others in all areas of life.
Values
- Christ-centered. We pray and worship together as a community; we submit to God’s truth and authority as expressed faithfully through His inspired Scriptures; we seek to restrain evil and to promote good through our work and service; and we educate students to serve Christ and His Kingdom because we are followers of Jesus Christ, the incarnate and visible person of the triune God.
- Pursuit of Learning. We educate students to seek, and exemplify ourselves, a globally-aware, holistic, curious and lifelong pursuit of learning because God created the world good and it is part of our worship of God to learn as much as we can about Him and His world.
- People. We make decisions that benefit students; we extend hospitality to strangers; we recognize the God-given gifts of our colleagues; we act and treat each other with integrity; we respectfully engage and encourage a variety of differences among people; we nourish relationships; and we study and learn in community because God has created people in His image.
- Service. We listen and learn from others, recognize and meet their needs and engage and create cultures to imagine new opportunities for people to flourish because God has called us to love our neighbor.
- Stewardship. We strive to be wise stewards of our time, talents, and financial and natural resources because this world belongs to God.
- Excellence. We seek to do all things well and then strive to do them better because God calls us to do all things in honor of Him.
Leadership
JBU President Dr. Charles Pollard oversees the mission of JBU — educating the whole person "head, heart, hand." During President Pollard's tenure, which began in 2004, the university has been blessed to receive over $312 million in gifts, to grow its endowment from $50 million to over $160 million, and to complete 17 major building projects.
The following are members of the Presidential Cabinet:
- Dr. Steve Beers, VP for Student Development
- Mr. Don Crandall, VP for Enrollment Management
- Dr. Ed Ericson, VP for Academic Affairs
- Mrs. Julie Gumm, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer
- Dr. Kim Hadley, VP for Finance and Administration
- Dr. Jim Krall, VP for University Advancement
- Dr. Ted Song, Chief Diversity Officer
Our Programs
Traditional Undergraduate
Nearly 1,200 students are enrolled in one of JBU's more than 40 traditional undergraduate programs where we are committed to providing them with an academically-challenging educational experience.
JBU Online allows students with no prior college credit to earn their bachelor's degree in organizational leadership, management, liberal arts and psychology completely online.
JBU offers master’s degrees in professional disciplines through full-time or part-time enrollment. Graduate programs include degrees in the areas of business, counseling, education, higher education and cybersecurity. Classes are offered in Rogers, Little Rock, Siloam Springs and online, depending on the program.
Arkansas' #1 University
We don't do it for the accolades but they sure are nice. The Wall Street Journal has named JBU the top school in Arkansas in 2020 and 2022 college rankings.
U.S. News
In the 2022 U.S. News & World Report College Rankings, JBU ranked 10th out of 102 southern regional universities, making it the top-ranked Arkansas school in that category for the sixth consecutive year.
Best Value
Money named JBU the best value private university in a six-state region. (Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri)
Great Colleges to Work For
JBU has achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition for seven years by the Great Colleges to Work For program. JBU was also named to the Honor Roll, a status granted to only 42 colleges each year that are highlighted most across the recognition categories.
Campus Locations
Siloam Springs
Home to our traditional undergraduate programs and graduate classes in counseling and education.
2000 W. University
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
479-524-9500
jbuinfo@jbu.edu
Rogers
The Rogers Center offers master's degree programs and regional support for online undergraduate students.
John Brown University Rogers Center
2807 Ajax Avenue, Suite 200
Rogers, AR 72758
800.528.4723 | 479.631.4665
NorthwestCenter@jbu.edu
Little Rock
The JBU Little Rock Center offers master's degree programs in counseling and school counseling as well as regional support for online undergraduate students.
JBU Counseling Education Center
10816 Executive Center Drive, Suite 100
Little Rock, AR 72211
(501) 771-9000
LittleRockCenter@jbu.edu
News from JBU
JBU Names Gatlin Dean of College of Business
SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (April 26, 2023) – John Brown University has named Brad Gatlin, DBA, as the new dean of the Soderquist College of Business (SCOB), and Eva Fast, DBA, as associate dean, effective June 1.
"Dr. Brad Gatlin is uniquely qualified for this position based on his many years of service as the associate dean as well as decades of work in Christian higher education," said Ed Ericson, vice president for academic affairs. "We are fortunate to have Dr. Gatlin as our next Dean of the Soderquist College of Business."
Gatlin joined JBU in 2016 as an associate professor of management and teaches courses including strategic management and production and operations management. He has been serving as the department head of undergraduate business since 2017 and as associate dean of the SCOB since 2019.
"I am excited to lead a talented and caring group of colleagues as we design and deliver high quality, relevant curriculum with the goal of empowering students to honor God, serve others, and impact the world through the business disciplines," Gatlin said.
Gatlin received his B.S. and MBA from Bryan College and a Doctorate of Business Administration from Anderson University. Gatlin holds certifications from the Project Management Institute and serves on the board of the Christian Business Faculty Association, which awarded him the 2021 Teaching Award.
Gatlin will work closely with Fast, as associate dean and Melanie Peddicord as director of graduate business programs.
"I am grateful that I'll get to work closely with Eva Fast and Melanie Peddicord next year as we lead the College of Business together," Gatlin said. "They are wonderful colleagues who are driven by our mission and dedicated to our students.
Gatlin will assume his position on June 1, supervising all of the academic programs within the college, and will continue to teach classes.
The SCOB has 349 undergraduate students, 19 online undergraduate students and 130 graduate students. For more information, visit www.jbu.edu/business.
John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked university (The Wall Street Journal) and top-ranked regional university (U.S. News), JBU enrolls more than 2,400 students from 33 states and 44 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 50 undergraduate majors, with top programs including nursing, psychology, kinesiology, engineering, biology, family and human services, and graphic design. Eighteen graduate programs are available in business, counseling, cybersecurity, education and higher education.
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April 25, 2023
JBU College of Education and Social and Behavioral Sciences to Host Brenda Morton
SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Feb. 15, 2023) – John Brown University's college of education and social and behavioral sciences is pleased to welcome Brenda Morton to campus.
Morton is an associate professor in the college of education at the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor and co-founder of the Trauma-Informed School Initiative at George Fox University.
Morton will offer a presentation on Monday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. in Simmons Great Hall-B and will present her extensive research in the area of trauma-informed instruction.
"We recognize that school districts and the entire NWA community is working hard to support children and teens who have experienced trauma," said Curtis Cunningham, chair of the department of education. "We are thrilled to welcome Brenda Morton to join the conversation. She is a researcher, scholar and teacher who will provide great insight into ways that we can help some of the most vulnerable members of our community."
The presentation is free and open to the public, but we ask that you register at this link.
John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked university (The Wall Street Journal) and top-ranked regional university (U.S. News), JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 37 states and 48 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 undergraduate majors, with top programs including nursing, psychology, kinesiology, engineering, biology, family and human services, and graphic design. Eighteen graduate programs are available in business, counseling, cybersecurity, education and higher education.
February 14, 2023
JBU Announces New Robotics, Game Design Majors
SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Jan 10, 2023) - John Brown University announced the addition of two undergraduate degrees, game design and robotics and mechatronics engineering, beginning in the fall of 2023.
The gaming industry, which includes tabletop, mobile, roleplaying and video games, continues to grow, with a projected market volume of $387 billion by 2026, according to Statista. Esports has become a spectator sport with a growing fanbase, amassing 532 million global viewers of professional tournaments and competitive play. JBU's Bachelor of Science in Game Design will prepare students to design games that integrate faith covertly or overtly and portray people and situations in their games. The major is designed for students to study literature, creative writing and psychology, which provides a strong foundation for designing both video games and tabletop roleplaying games.
"A game design major is an additional avenue to fulfill JBU's mission as we can prepare students to honor God and serve others in the gaming industry," said Ted Song, chair of the engineering, computer science and cybersecurity department. "Adding the major will allow JBU to attract a new student population interested in exploring the gaming field with a Christian worldview."
The new robotics and mechatronics engineering program incorporates content from electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and computer science. This new interdisciplinary major will offer students real-world experience in collaborative engineering design and production.
"The engineering industry is more interdisciplinary than ever, and the global robotics market continues to grow at a high rate," Song said. "The robotics and mechatronics engineering major will equip students to thrive in a new era of the industry that encompasses both hardware and software."
For more information about the programs, visit jbu.edu/majors/game-design/ or jbu.edu/majors/robotics-mechatronics/ or email Ted Song at TSong@jbu.edu.
John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked university (The Wall Street Journal) and top-ranked regional university (U.S. News), JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 37 states and 48 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 undergraduate majors, with top programs including nursing, psychology, kinesiology, engineering, biology, family and human services, and graphic design. Eighteen graduate programs are available in business, counseling, cybersecurity, education and higher education.
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January 10, 2023
Varsity Esports Added to John Brown University Athletics Program
SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Nov. 9, 2022) – John Brown University announced today the addition of varsity esports to the Golden Eagles Athletics program, making it the 12th intercollegiate sport.
JBU will join 700 other institutions with teams playing in the National Association of Collegiate Esports and the National Esports Collegiate Conference. The varsity team is a natural extension of the athletics program after the continued popularity of the Esports Club, which began formally in the spring of 2021 and has more than 30 active members.
“Esports is exploding in popularity. More than 150 high schools in our state have sanctioned teams,” said Robyn Daugherty, JBU athletics director. “Research shows that 80-85% of these students don’t participate in other extracurricular or athletic activities. Offering varsity esports allows us to support and engage these students in the wider JBU community.”
JBU Esports will include multiple teams competing in games such as Rocket League, Overwatch, League of Legends, Super Smash Brothers and Chess.
University scholarships are available, and recruiting is already underway. Start-up coordinator Kim Johnson, Ed.D., hopes to recruit a team of approximately 20 men and women for the 2023-24 academic year.
“I’m excited to take the esports program at JBU to the next level and create additional opportunities for student-athletes who want to represent the university while receiving an excellent education,” said Johnson. “We are thrilled about the new esports facility at Bynum Theater and look forward to its completion.”
As part of its capital campaign, JBU is raising approximately $450,000 to convert and equip Bynum Theater, located in the Walton Lifetime Health Complex, into a practice and competition space for the team. The venue will include up to 20 competition-level computers, capacity for over 100 spectators and a broadcast booth for “shoutcasters” who provide game commentary.
JBU will continue to have an Esports Club for students who enjoy competing but want to avoid making the time commitment for a varsity sport. Intramural tournaments are also offered during the school year and are open to all students.
For more information, visit www.jbuathletics.com/esports
Download the esports media kit (fact sheet, bios, game summaries)
John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked university (The Wall Street Journal) and top-ranked regional university (U.S. News), JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 37 states and 48 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and 18 graduate programs.
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November 8, 2022
Resources
Policy Information
JBU does not unlawfully discriminate based on race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, military status, or age in the administration of its educational policies, admissions, financial aid, employment, educational programs, or activities.
John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked regional university (U.S. News Best Colleges 2019), JBU enrolls more than 2,100 students from 38 states and 53 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers 41 majors, with top programs including engineering, nursing, family and human services, biology, graphic design and construction management.
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