Jarvis Christian University recently made its debut, after remaining a college for years. The change is not only in the name, but in the opportunities the HBCU can offer as well. Learn more from Ana Conejo at Longview News-Journal.
Jarvis Christian College held a name-changing ceremony Friday evening in celebration of its transition to Jarvis Christian University.
For JCU, it’s not only a name change but a chance for the campus to serve more people and expand its opportunities, said President Lester C. Newman.
“It’s a historic day for Jarvis Christian University, as you know we were Jarvis Christian College, and now we’re expanding opportunities that we provide for the community to students and now we become a university. This is a great day. Not all schools can do this; you have to go through a process, and we were fortunate to be able to do that,” he said.
Newman now refers to JCU as a “communiversity” as he wants others to know that it provides more than a regular campus and is a school for the community.
“When we say communiversity, we want the community to think about us when they think about education. I want them to think more than getting a college degree,” she said. “We do workforce development. As a matter of fact during summer, we have enrichment programs with kids from 5 years old up to 16. We don’t only give them an opportunity to have recreation, but we also have educational opportunities for them.
“If you want to be exposed to anything that is educational, then Jarvis is the place for you, and we want to be that institution in that community.”
Now that JCU is a university, the transition means the campus provides graduate degrees to incoming students, which will be starting in January in some fields.
During Friday’s event, signs all over the campus were unveiled with the new name.
Newman said graduates during Saturday’s spring commencement will be the first class to graduate from Jarvis Christian University, as their degree will also have the new name.
For information on JCU and its new programs, go to www.jarvis.edu .
