HOUSTON BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
7502 Fondren, 77074
(281) 649-3000
From the March 2007 SCAN:
SPOTLIGHT ON: HOUSTON BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
If you have been in Sharpstown for any length of time, you have noticed the beautiful campus of Houston Baptist University (HBU), located on Fondren between US 59 and Beechnut. Behind the frontage is truly a wonderful place.
On our visit, we were greeted with smiles and warm welcomes. We were given a tour of the campus, which is clean and inviting. The Morris Columns, 10 columns which were once part of the original Galveston County courthouse and survived the Hurricane of 1900, are now displayed in the Holcombe Mall and reflect the reverence of HBU: standing tall, representing the 10 Commandments. The campus looks just like the college you always dreamed of going to – just big enough without being too big, and with plentiful and convenient parking. It is clear that the campus is designed to accommodate students’ every need: there is wireless internet access available campus-wide, and computer labs are available in buildings as well as dorms. They also have a library, campus newspaper, radio station, TV station, a coffee/smoothie bar, quick stop restaurant, a full service cafeteria, a Kinko’s/FedEx on site, access to the Memorial Hermann Wellness Center for their students, and 24/7 campus police.
To encourage a true college experience, students who have less than 96 credit hours and unmarried are required to live on campus or at home – freshman dorms are available, and Husky Village apartments for upperclassmen. The typical dorm room is almost nicer than my house – and has maid service! Even the HBU Husky mascot, Kiza, lives on campus with a student.
HBU has been ranked as one of “America’s Best Colleges” and ranked 11th in “Best Value-Great Schools at Great Prices” in the same region. They offer a full range of classes and majors, undergraduate and graduate programs including Pre-Med, Nursing (the program is very popular and very competitive), Education (their students begin teaching as freshmen), Christianity, as well as Business, English, Finance, Sociology, etc. HBU is also excited about a revitalized Arts Program when their new Cultural Arts Center is completed this summer. Most of their degree plans are double majors.
Founded in 1960, HBU has continued to grow over the years over the years. Not only have they continued to build and upgrade on campus, but HBU owns and continues to purchase residential homes in Sharpstown as university housing (for single family use, of course). They have a vibrant sports program including baseball, softball, basketball and new soccer fields along Fondren which are ready for the Fall season. The Cultural Arts Center will not only house educational endeavors, but a chapel, 1200-seat theater, and three museums open to the public: The Dunham Family Bible in America Museum, The Museum of Southern History (relocated from Ft. Bend county), and The Museum of American Architecture and Decorative Arts.
You can see for yourself what HBU has to offer: Husky Central will be happy to arrange a tour, and if you are or have a student interested in attending HBU, Spring Preview Weekend March 23-24, 2007 is a great chance to experience what the university has to offer – including an overnight stay in the dorms! For more information, contact the Office of Admissions at (281)649-3211 or email ctownsend@hbu.edu. Visit HBU on the web at www.hbu.edu.