Anderson University

Anderson University: Providing Knowledge for the Journey

Anderson UniversityAnderson University Girls on Steps web3 traces its origin to one of the first institutions of higher learning for women in the United States. The Reverend William B. Johnson, a Baptist minister who served as the first president of the Southern Baptist Convention, founded the Johnson Female Seminary in the village of Anderson, South Carolina in 1848.

The seminary was forced to close during the Civil War and did not reopen, but in time a new generation carried on what had begun at that institution. A group of public-spirited citizens, desirous of having an institution of higher learning in Anderson, offered 32 acres of land and $100,000 to the South Carolina Baptist Convention in 1910, and Anderson College opened its doors in 1912. It operated as a four-year college for women until 1930, when it became coeducational.

The institution has expanded and grown over the years, adding its first graduate program in 2004 and assuming university status in 2006 to better reflect the quality, breadth, and maturity of the academic program and the entire institution. In 2005, Anderson University was named for the first time to the top tier of private comprehensive colleges and universities by U.S. News and World Report, a ranking it has improved upon nearly each year since. And in 2012, Anderson University officially became a Level V university as it began its first doctoral program to complement its masters and baccalaureate degrees.

AU_HospitalMgmtConf_webToday, Anderson University boasts a lively campus atmosphere with dozens of organizations ranging from Baptist student groups to academic and service organizations. Enrollment has grown more than 100% since 2002 and now numbers over 3,200 students. The university seeks to equip students to have the skills, knowledge, and dispositions to impact their communities and the world through their professional contributions and spiritual gifts.

“Over my 33 years in accounting, I have worked with many auditors, including being an auditor myself in public accounting for 6.5 years. CapinCrouse has impressed me far more than any other auditing firm I know,” says Kristie Cole, Controller at Anderson University. “The entire team, from partners, managers, and administrative assistants, as well as the audit and tax staff, are approachable, efficient, knowledgeable, and helpful in every area of our institution, not only at year-end but throughout the year. Their knowledge and experience in not-for-profits and institutions of higher education has proven to be invaluable to Anderson University. CapinCrouse’s mission aligns very well with our mission at Anderson University. It is a privilege to partner with such a fine Christian firm.”

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Photos and video courtesy of Anderson University.