John Brown University Campus and Cathedral
John Brown University is a private college in Siloam Springs with more than 40 areas of study including engineering, education, business, counseling and graphic design. JBU hosts traditional undergrad, online and masters degree programs.
Founded in 1919, JBU also has regional educational centers in Rogers, Little Rock and Fort Smith, Arkansas. The 200-acre main campus in northwest Arkansas has been the site of the university since it was founded in 1919. JBU has over 2,000 students, around 1,300 of whom are traditional undergraduates. JBU is home to students from 41 states and 44 countries.
JBU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and competes athletically in the Sooner Athletic Conference. In 2012 and 2017, U.S. News & World Report ranked JBU first among regional baccalaureate colleges in the Southern region.
Faith in Jesus Christ is at the center of all of JBU life – from the classroom, to the athletic field, to the residence halls, even to work-study positions. JBU’s faculty and staff are here because they feel called by God to guide students to be the people God has created them to be. So, worship doesn’t just happen in chapel services at JBU; it pervades all of life as we seek to do everything for the glory of God and in service of others.
Ask anyone on our campus what JBU is all about and they will tell you that JBU’s original motto, “Christ Over All” with “Head, Heart and Hand” still unites us. It’s what makes a college education more than just a way to get a job, but a way to get a life.
College is more than just classes, books and majors. JBU has an array of extra-curricular activities, ministries and student services to help you connect with the campus and the community. Student government, internships, student-led ministries, the student newspaper and intramural sports teams are just a few of the ways you can get involved.
But beyond the programs, campus life at JBU is really about people. JBU people are real people who truly know each other, accept each other and care for each other as they strive to live the Christian life. With so many international students, missionary kids and students from all areas of the country on campus, you’re sure to meet people like you as well as people with backgrounds and experiences very different from your own.
John Brown University’s Campus:
The university’s most recognizable building, the Cathedral of the Ozarks, was completed in 1957 and, along with the two Art Buildings composes the Cathedral group. The Cathedral contains a sanctuary for chapel and other assemblies, and the back portion is a three-floor academic building housing the music department and the humanities and social sciences. The entire Cathedral group was recently renovated on the inside and resurfaced with white limestone on the exterior.
Between the Cathedral group and Walker Student Center is the campus’ main quad, which is used for recreation and relaxation by students. The student center itself houses a cafe, an open area for studying, the post office, and classrooms on the second floor. Attached to the student center is the Walker co-ed residence hall. There are three other residence halls on campus as well: J. Alvin Brown, an all-male dormitory and the oldest building on campus; Mayfield, an all-female hall, and Hutcheson, a co-ed residence hall. Also available are campus townhouses, Broadhurst duplexes and Northslope Apartments.
Other buildings on campus are the Bill George Arena, Soderquist Business Center, Bell Science Hall, Mabee Learning Resource Center, Chapman Administrative Building, Blood Memorial (Admissions) Building, Berry Performing Arts Center, Balzer Technology Center, CARE Clinic, Simmons Great Hall and the Walton Lifetime Health Complex.
