138 Points of Pride There are numerous reasons people from around the world have found the Alabama A&M University (AAMU) experience fulfilling and exhilarating. One, AAMU is a dynamic and progressive, 138-year-old land-grant institution with a strong commitment to academic excellence, quality research and service. This requires that all students, faculty, staff and closely affiliated parties remain consistent in their search for new ideas and ways to improve communities and the world. With more than 5,000 students, AAMU is a state, regional, national and international resource that has made a significant impact on the lives of people the world over. The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far... AAMU did not come by its sought-after curriculum, culture and scholarly reputation on its own. The picturesque, hillside campus is located less than five miles from downtown Huntsville. And, the vibrancy of “The Rocket City” has contributed much to AAMU’s success over the years, and the University has continually returned the favor. For instance, its numerous undergraduate and graduate degree programs—including four doctoral (Ph.D.) degree programs in Food Science, Physics, Plant and Soil Science, and Reading/Literacy—provide Huntsville many of the tools needed to sustain its unprecedented growth. Traditional and Futuristic The University undeniably progresses with the times, owing to cutting-edge programs and boastful research in agriculture, engineering, food science and physics, to name a few. Yet, AAMU holds fast to its traditional core of liberal arts, education and student volunteerism. Fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, as well as other specialty, regional and national accrediting bodies, AAMU’s academic programs have been recognized by U.S. News and World Report, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, and the Washington Monthly. Each year, several students achieve regional and national honors in their respective disciplines. Among the newer traditions are the annual Nobel laureate public lecture and the Louis Crews Classic. The University also continues to host numerous professional associations and organizations throughout the year. For instance, the campus recently hosted the 75th anniversary meeting of Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society in 2013, along with other important events noted throughout the “Points of Pride”. Moreover, in the longstanding athletics tradition, the AAMU Bulldogs compete in 17 Division I NCAA sports and are a formidable presence in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). AAMU student athletes firmly establish themselves as scholars first and foremost. For example, the men’s tennis team was the SWAC’s most scholarly group. There is so much more ... so much more. Read the following highlights and continue the discovery at www.aamu.edu.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
1. AAMU is among the Top 20 largest employers in the region. 2. Through its 5,000 students and 1,100 employees, AAMU has a $650 million economic impact on the region. 3. The annual Louis Crews Classic, held in the 21,000-seat Louis Crews Stadium, is the first football classic in North Alabama. 4. AAMU provides a quality and cost-effective education for the citizens of Alabama, and more than 70 percent of its students are Alabama residents. 5. AAMU has awarded more than 5,000 degrees in the past five years.
INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND STATE DISTINCTIONS 6. AAMU has been a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) since 1963. 7. Fredrick Law Olmstead, Sr., designer of New York’s Central Park was commissioned by the State of Alabama to layout the Alabama A&M University campus in 1928. 8. AAMU is the only 1890 land-grant university with three Ph.D. programs in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) areas. The fourth Ph.D. program (and state’s only one) focuses on Reading/Literacy. 9. The Department of Food and Animal Sciences offers the only Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) certified food science program at a historically black college or university (HBCU) in the U.S. The Food and Animal Sciences Department is one of two and the oldest Ph.D. food science program among HBCUs in the U.S. 10. In the 2012 U.S. News and World Report rankings among historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), state-supported Alabama A&M University has climbed to No. 18. 11. AAMU is 3rd in the nation in the awarding of undergraduate degrees in natural resources and conservation to African Americans (DIVERSE, 2012). 12. AAMU ranks 3rd in the nation in awarding undergraduate degrees in communications technologies/technicians (DIVERSE, 2012). 13. AAMU ranks 6th in the nation in awarding undergraduate degrees to minorities in the agriculture-related areas (DIVERSE, 2012). 14. AAMU ranks 5th in the nation in awarding undergraduate degrees to African Americans in mathematics and statistics, and 23rd in similar degrees to students in marketing
Alabama A&M University NORMAL INDEX 21