ACU Viewbook 2021-22

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IGNITE YOUR PASSION College refines you into the person you dream of

becoming. Whatever it is that excites you, that gives you meaning and pulls you forward, we want to foster that passion to its full potential. At Abilene Christian University, you’ll be challenged with rigorous academics. You’ll also build solid relationships with professors who will personally engage with you and inspire you to discover what it means to ignite your passion. The impact you want to make through your life? It begins here as part of an invigorating community of scholars, dreamers and achievers who believe as you do – that we need courageous leaders and creative thinkers, risk takers and game changers – like you – to set the world on fire.


ELEVATE YOUR LEARNING “The academics are so good here. Everything is taught phenomenally. No matter what your learning style, the professors are invested in your success.” Olivia invested 12 years into her developing talent with the violin, and she wanted to carry it forward into college despite not pursuing a degree in music. Instead, this mechanical engineering major knew she belonged at ACU when a professor valued her dedication as much as she did, awarding her individual consideration for a non-major scholarship. “I love it here. We’re held to a higher standard of academic integrity, and I like being with people in that same mindset.” While Olivia’s musical opportunities have expanded, so too has her plan for her future. Her greatest desire is to serve people through building- and disaster-relief missions, and she’s combining her love for architecture and physics into a mechanical engineering degree to do so. But before she gets there, she has her eyes set on a research position in ACU's groundbreaking NEXT Lab to gain hands-on learning experience that propels her momentum forward.

Olivia Peters

Mechanical engineering major from Midland, Texas


A National Leader in Student Success ACU is a four-year private Christian university with a reputation of exceptional academics and national recognition, consistently ranking among the best colleges.

7

Colleges

79 Majors 164

It’s time to ignite your passion and move toward your goals. Our comprehensive offering of majors and their numerous concentrations allow you to focus on what drives you forward as you’re inspired by faculty who share your excitement. With your future in mind, ACU offers accelerated degree programs so you can work on your graduate degree while earning your bachelor’s. Explore your options at acu.edu/majors.

Areas of study

12

Accelerated degree programs

6

Research institutes, centers and labs

15:1

Student/faculty ratio

5,293

Students enrolled

$21,500

Average scholarship and grant package


ENTERTAIN YOUR POSSIBILITIES “ACU is genuinely my second home. I’ve had so many people make me feel accepted and loved, so I want to make others feel that way.” Maya has been involved in ACU’s exciting campus activities since she attended leadership camps in high school. As a third-generation Wildcat, it’s practically in her blood. Her grandmother was the first, an international student from the Republic of Philippines, then her father. Now Maya is making her own mark on campus. A leader in her sorority and at Midnight Worship, Maya sums up the ACU experience in two words: community and relationship. “I love seeing people I know but also meeting somebody new every day. I have made friends here who will be involved in the rest of my life.” Maya entertains the possibilities that come her way through ACU. She’s inspired by the passion burning in others, and as the volunteer coordinator for Midnight Worship, she’s excited to connect them to their own opportunities and see it all come together when hundreds of students rise together in worship. These bridge-building skills Maya is practicing now are going to serve her well when she completes her degree in finance and carries her light forward. Maya Villanueva

Finance major from Modesto, California


This Is Your Community ACU’s vibrant student life hosts more than 100 organizations, clubs and reasons to get together. Greek life, intramurals, academic honor societies, service groups, celebrations of diversity and more build the community foundation here. Wherever you want to connect, there’s a place for you to belong and add your talents.

100+ 35% 13

Student organizations of students involved in Greek Life

Sororities and fraternities

1,800

Students involved in 42 intramural sports

Expand Your Horizons Our community travels well beyond our campus. Take the opportunity to study abroad at one of our residential programs in Germany, Uruguay or England, immersing yourself in a new culture, a new perspective, a new experience that brings you closer to your purpose and grows your connections.


LET YOUR FUTURE TAKE FIRE

“Art has always been my central focus. I studied abroad in Germany my freshman year, and it was the most remarkable experience of my life. I want to travel, and art is my way to do that.” When he was a sophomore in high school, a class field trip to ACU brought Daylon to a campus he could see himself on some day. It was ACU’s intentional pursuit of his interests that stood out against the other universities recruiting him. Daylon’s true passion has always been art with the goal to obtain the university degree necessary to make his mark in the illustrative design world. And the support he receives from the faculty and staff have him prepared for the next steps. “The professors here are amazing. Life demands the best of you, and they prepare us in class to handle it. They emphasize to keep pushing and expose us to the realities of the field. These are people who care about their students and want to help us as best they can. They know what we’re good at – our strengths, our portfolios – and then they equip us to be versatile so that we’re prepared to go anywhere. I’m prepared for the world.” Daylon Franklin

Graphic design major from Dallas, Texas


Strengthen Your Future Our students achieve a variety of career opportunities as they pursue their passions beyond campus. With a Career Center that builds relationships with many well-known employers and then prepares students to meet with them, it’s no wonder our students secure so many exciting internships that allow them to thrive.

96%

of May 2019 graduates were employed or enrolled in grad school within six months

90%

of ACU graduates who apply are accepted into law school

85%

acceptance rate into medical or dental schools by ACU applicants in the past five years

Employers hiring ACU interns and graduates • AT&T • CBS News Network • Citibank • Country Music Television • Cook Children’s Medical Center • Dell • Edward Jones • Google • IBM • iHeartMedia • Lockheed Martin • Michael Kors • Major League Baseball clubs • National Hockey League clubs • PricewaterhouseCoopers • Peterbilt • Raytheon • Southwest Airlines • Walt Disney World


LEAN IN TO YOUR PURPOSE

“I want to be a voice for the voiceless. If I can be their megaphone, it’s going to stretch me and grow me as I do kingdom work.” Fueled by advocacy and the pursuit of intentional relationships with others, Mackenzie is ready to set the world on fire. This social work major carries the ACU sense of community beyond campus as the liaison for World’s Backyard, a student organization providing outreach to refugees in Abilene. Mackenzie’s role as the liaison has her in a unique position to learn. Challenged by her peers and professors, she’s growing from a “do it on my own” mentality into a team player. “I’m learning I shouldn’t do it on my own. That we’re learning on this spiritual journey together. Our small classes mean our professors know us. They want to help us grow academically, but more than that, to cultivate community.” Feeling like there’s more she can be doing as a social worker, Mackenzie recently added pre-law to her courses. Her passion is palpable, and at ACU, she’s learning how to funnel it into the greatest impact for those she serves.

Mackenzie Stevens

Social work major from Abilene, Texas


Loving Our Neighbors Our calling is to serve our neighbors without boundaries. God equips us to serve others. Whether it’s a school down the street or a medical clinic in a Honduran village, we extend our community wherever we go to provide a listening ear, build a source for clean water or address malnutrition. And while we serve, we learn so much more from these communities about the meaning of “neighbor.”


Take in Abilene’s Charm

To know Abilene Christian University is to know Abilene itself.


This hospitable city of nearly 120,000 remains community-minded at its heart, with services and amenities that make it feel like home. Abilene offers a historic downtown with featured arts and restaurants while new developments such as Allen Ridge continue to rise on and around campus. Two and a half hours west of Dallas/Fort Worth, easy transportation options are available, including the Abilene airport. ACU is located in the northeast corner of Abilene with a beautiful 262-acre campus. Whether you want to be in the heart of the action around here at the McGlothlin Campus Center or prefer to take a leisurely walk along the Lunsford Foundation Trail, our spaces provide the environment you need to study, play and explore. Sound too good to be true? Come see for yourself. Schedule your visit to ACU. acu.edu/visit

46

Nations represented by ACU students

52

States and territories represented

Amarillo

Lubbock

ABILENE El Paso

Dallas Fort Worth Waco

Midland/Odessa Austin

Houston San Antonio


Light It Up Purple Abilene Christian teams have made headlines around the world for their athletic accomplishments


As members of NCAA Division I and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), our student-athletes and coaches prove each day how determination, resiliency and desire to be one’s best earns titles, trophies and respect as one of the most accomplished programs in intercollegiate athletics. Wear your purple, and we’ll see you at the game.

17

NCAA Division I sports played at ACU

64

NCAA team national team championships

5th

most national team championships in NCAA history

39

Olympians

28

world records set by Wildcats in track and field


Undergraduate Admissions ACU Box 29000, Abilene, Texas 79699-9010 800-460-6228 • 325-674-2300 acu.edu

IT’S TIME TO IGNITE YOUR PASSION

Apply to ACU! apply.acu.edu/apply


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