Jacksonville University

In 1934, a visionary named William J. Porter took an audacious leap of faith and planted the seeds for a grand institution of learning, initially called William J. Porter University. He envisioned a university that would evolve and grow with time just as a seed transforms into a towering tree. Operating out of the third-floor auditorium of the First Baptist Church Educational Building in Jacksonville's heart, the humble beginnings resonated with the zest of 60 eager students who enrolled in its first year.

As the institution grew, it evolved into the Jacksonville Junior College in 1935, showing the first signs of the transformation Porter had dreamed of. The fluttering years saw the university seeking the comfort of new addresses, three times in total, before finally grounding its roots in the embracing lands of Jacksonville's Arlington neighborhood in 1947. This relocation became a necessity owing to the influx of determined GI bill students post World War II, thirsty for knowledge and eager to shape their futures.

1950 marked a monumental year with the construction of the first official building on the newly purchased land, thus truly birthing the campus that students now call home. This coincided with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) gracing the institution with full accreditation as a two-year college - a mark of recognition that gave it the wings to soar high.

In a historical merger with the Jacksonville College of Music in 1958, the institution underwent yet another transformation, reincarnating as the Jacksonville University. With this, the inaugural class of 100 students began their stride towards their dreams in 1959 and, in a landmark moment, received their graduation caps in 1961. This was a proud year for everyone as JU basked in the glory of securing full accreditation as a four-year school from SACS.

During the popping sixties, the university bloomed like a morning sunflower. With every sunrise, the expanding student population called for the construction of dormitories, and two new colleges opened their door. As part of the infrastructural growth, the much-loved Swisher Gymnasium also found its place on the picturesque campus. It's worth noting that Botts Hall, the university's sixth student dormitory, was inaugurated in 1968, offering an exquisite view of the university's continued growth.

JU students witnessed a real-life spectacle in 1970 as Artis Gilmore led the University's basketball team to the NCAA Division I Championship. However, trials and tribulations followed in the next decade as challenges came knocking in the form of a decrease in student enrollment and financial difficulties. This called for courageous initiatives and the 1990s, JU answered by undergoing another transformation – this time as a stellar liberal arts college.

1997 was yet another significant year that saw a blistering wave of new constructions - a spanking new cafeteria, a Visual Arts Annex, and the Villages Apartments, which offered students a homely haven in the heart of the campus. However, in an echo of destruction followed by new creation, the university bid adieu to Merrill and Grether Hall in 2007, making room for the Oak Hall and a modern parking garage.

Playing a pivotal role in documenting the university's journey, George Hallam collaborated with JU and its diligent library staff to narrate the institution's glorious history in 'Our Place in the Sun'. Creating ripples with its soul-stirring tales of the university's evolution from 1934 through spring 1988, the book continues to inspire students and faculty alike. Alongside, other university publications like the 'JU Navigator', 'the Riparian', and 'The Wave' magazine have been instrumental in chronicling the institution's progress over the decades.