STETSON UNIVERSITY

'Stetson University' is a private, co-educational, liberal arts university that consistently earns high rankings in national college guides. In the 2007 U.S. News and World Report guide, Stetson ranks 2nd (tied with Elon) in the category of Southern Masters-granting institutions. The university's College of Arts & Sciences, School of Business Administration and School of Music are housed at the historic main campus in DeLand, Florida, United States. The university system also includes the Stetson University Center at Celebration and two Stetson University College of Law campuses in Tampa Bay.

Contents

Campus

History

Alternate View on Florida's First University

Students

Student Government

Athletics

Intercollegiate Athletics

Intramural Program

Student Life

Model United States Senate Program

Notable alumni

See also

External links

Campus

Stetson's main campus is situated just north of the historic downtown area of DeLand, Florida, about halfway between Orlando and Daytona Beach. The main campus is a nationally designated National Historic District. Stetson has a satellite campus in Celebration, Florida and a law school with two locations in Gulfport, Florida and Tampa, Florida.
DeLand Campus:

★ College of Arts & Sciences

★ School of Music

★ School of Business Administration [1]

★ Graduate College
There are over 60 undergraduate majors and minors offered on the main campus.
Gulfport Campus:

★ Stetson University College of Law
Celebration Campus:

★ Stetson University Center at Celebration
Tampa Campus:

★ The Tampa Law Center (Stetson Law)

History

Florida's first private university, Stetson University was founded in 1883 by Henry A. DeLand, a New York philanthropist, as DeLand Academy. In 1887, the Legislature of the State of Florida enacted the Charter of DeLand University as an independent institution of higher learning. The university's name was changed in 1889 to honor John B. Stetson, the nationally-known hat manufacturer who gave generously of his time and means to advance the quality and reputation of the institution, and who served, with Mr. DeLand and others, as a founding trustee of the University. The first charter stated that the objective of the University should be "to promote the general interests of education, and to qualify its students to engage in the learned professions or other employments of society, and to discharge honorably and usefully the various duties of life."
Today, Stetson University is a non-sectarian, comprehensive, private university composed of individually strong undergraduate programs in various colleges and schools, and a selected group of academically distinctive graduate, professional, and continuing education programs.

Alternate View on Florida's First University

As noted above, Stetson University was founded in 1883. The University of Florida, located at Gainesville, claims to have been founded in 1853. As reflected in the article on the University of Florida, the institution that was founded in 1853 was the East Florida Seminary in Ocala. The Florida Agricultural College was founded in 1884 in Lake City. It was not until 1905 that the Florida Legislature adopted the Buckman Act, combining the two institutions, adopting the name University of Florida, and moving the institution to Gainesville. By 1905, Stetson University had been in existence for more than 20 years. In the view of many, including Gilbert Lycan, a Stetson history professor who wrote the University's official centennial history in 1983, Stetson University is Florida's first University, public or private.

Students

In Fall 2006 there were 2273 undergraduates and 432 graduate students enrolled at Stetson (not including the College of Law), from 44 states and over 37 foreign countries. 42% are male, 58% female.

Student Government

Student governance at Stetson consists of an executive and unicameral legislative branch.
The executive branch consists of a Student Body President, Student Body Vice President, Tresurer, Secretary and Historian. The Student Body President and Student Body Vice President are elected in annual elections held in the spring, after which the President appoints the Tresurer, Historian and Secretary. The Vice President appoints the committee chairs for each committee. The committees consist of Academic Affairs, Campus Life, Community Relations, Financial Affairs, First Year Students, Food Services, Policy Reform, Residential Life, and Social Responsibility. The senate seats are elected for each residence hall, and then a Senator is appointed to represent each student organization.

Athletics

Intercollegiate Athletics

Stetson is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and both men’s and women’s teams
compete on a Division I level in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The basketball and baseball teams play national schedules and have
achieved national rankings.
Men’s Teams include: Baseball, Basketball, Crew, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, and Tennis. Women’s Teams include: Basketball, Crew, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, and Volleyball.

Intramural Program

The Intramural Program offers students the opportunity to manage, officiate, direct and
participate in physical activities with the conviction that this participation will promote stability,
coordination, sportsmanship, and a sense of leadership which will touch all aspects of their lives. The
following sports are available to both men and women:
Basketball, Indoor Volleyball, Swimming, Bowling, Kickball, Table Tennis, Darts, Soccer , Ultimate Frisbee, Dodge Ball, Sand Volleyball, Water Polo (Inner tube), Flag Football, Softball

Student Life

There are 6 social sororities on campus: Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Xi Delta, Delta Delta Delta, Pi Beta Phi, Zeta Tau Alpha and Sigma Alpha Iota. Also, 7 social fraternities: Alpha Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Phi, Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Sigma Kappa, Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Nu, and Sigma Phi Epsilon.
In addition to these, there are about 20 honorary organizations and over 100 other student organizations on campus. The HATS (High Achieving Talented Students) Program ^[1] serves gifted and high achieving 4th - 9th grade students through Saturday and summer programs, scholarships, and above-level testing.
Each February, Stetson University’s Departments of Continuing Education
and Religious Studies host the Florida Winter Pastors’ School, an event popular with clergy from across North America.

Model United States Senate Program

Stetson University hosts the nation's first and oldest college-level Model United States Senate program every year in March. Each year, students from colleges and universities around the nation gather at Stetson University for this three-day event. The Model U.S. Senate reproduces the actual procedures and activities of the United States Senate in an effort to provide experience and education for the student participants. Each student is assigned a Senator in one of five legislative committees. Each committee is responsible for researching a variety of bills and crafting appropriate amendments. In addition, the Model Senate attracts national speakers and lecturers, including former and sitting United States Senators. Stetson Model U.S. Senate Website

Notable alumni

★ J. Barry Griswell - Chairman & CEO of Principal Financial. Des Moines, Iowa

★ Max Cleland, former U.S. Senator, head of U.S. Veterans' Administration

★ Dr. James Merritt, former President of the Southern Baptist Convention, current pastor and CEO of television show Touching Lives

★ George Winston, new age recording artist

★ E. Clay Shaw, Jr., U.S. Representative

★ Charles E. Merrill, co-founder of Merrill Lynch

★ Kevin Nicholson, 2004 Olympian

★ Lawrence R. Johnston, CEO, Albertsons

★ Richard J. McKay, president and general manager, Atlanta Falcons

★ Ted Cassidy, actor who played Lurch on the TV show, "The Addams Family"

★ Craig Crawford, television political commentator, writer, and columnist for the Congressional Quarterly (1978)

★ Roy Geiger - United States Marine Corps general

★ Joe Negron, Florida State legislator and Republican nominee to succeed ex- Rep. Mark Foley in the 16th Congressional District

★ Joseph Edwards Hendricks was a United States Representative from Florida

★ Emmett Wilson was a United States Representative from Florida.

★ Davis Mallory - cast member of the .

★ Jessica Rafalowski, Miss Florida USA 2008

See also

★ Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida

External links

★ Stetson University (official site)

★ Stetson University 2006-07 Fact Book (.pdf)

★ Stetson U. College of Law (official site)

★ Stetson Center in Celebration (official site)

★ Stetson University Model United States Senate (official site)

★ Stetson University Sigma Nu Chapter (official site)