[ ABOUT FRIENDS: FACT SHEET ]
Friends University Fact Sheet
Friends University is a comprehensive, independent university. It is the largest, independent institution of higher learning in Kansas. Founded in 1898, Friends provides a non-denominational, Christian environment for students of all ages.
Enrollment
Relligious Affiliation
Academics
Campus & Facilities
Miscellaneous Friends Facts
Location
Friends University's main campus is located in Wichita, Kansas. The beautiful, park-like expansive campus exists in a quiet residential community that offers easy access to the benefits of a large city. In addition to the Wichita campus, Friends University also has facilities located in Topeka and Lenexa, Kansas that offer programs to adult students. Friends also offers these programs in other cities around the state.
Enrollment
Enrollment has increased rapidly in recent years, more than doubling in the past 12 years. Classes are small, ranging in size from as few as 10 to a maximum of 50. The student population is diverse, with a variety of ages, backgrounds and cultures represented.
Religious Affliation
A nondenominational Christian university, Friends is not affiliated with a specific religious organization. The University was originally founded in 1898 by the Society of Friends (better known as the Quakers) who operated the University until the 1930s. At that time, governance of the institution was turned over to an independent Board of Trustees. Representatives from the Society of Friends continue to serve on the board, but the church no longer controls the institution. Friends University provides a welcoming Christian environment for students of all denominations and belief systems.
Academics
Friends University offers associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees through three colleges: the College of Adult and Professional Studies, College of Business, Arts, Science and Education, and the Graduate School. Five baccalaureate degrees are offered with more than 40 degree options. The University also offers 12 master's programs. Multiple programs are offered for adult students who already have some college credit and want to complete their degrees while maintaining full-time employment. The University also offers a program for working adults who want to complete the first two years of college. Friends University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504, 800-621-7440. Some programs also have program-specific accreditation.
Campus & Facilities
There are 15 buildings on the Wichita campus, including the 119-year-old Davis Administration Building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The University is currently undertaking a $7 million renovation of this historic building. The Olive White Garvey Business and Technology BuildingÊ features cutting-edge technology and design to enhance students' learning experiences. Friends has recently expanded its science and fine arts facilities and constructed a new building for its marriage and family graduate programs, as well as new residence halls.
Miscellaneous Friends Facts
- Friends University was named for four years in a row as one of the 100 Best College Buys in the United States by The Student Guide to America's 100 Best College Buys, a publication based on research by Institutional Research and Evaluation in Gainesville, Ga.
- When it was built in the late 1800s, Davis Administration Building (then known as University Hall) was the largest educational facility under one roof west of the Mississippi. The Richardson Romanesque building is best known for its 148-foot clock tower.
- Friends is one of only a handful of colleges and universities that offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in ballet. Another program unique among higher education is the Bachelor in Zoo Science program. This program features a partnership with the Sedgwick County Zoo.
- Friends has made a significant commitment to improving facilities, landscaping and technology for the benefit of students during the past 10 years.
- Students have access to state-of-the-art technology that is the most advanced among Kansas' private institutions.
- Landscaping improvements have greatly enhanced the park-like appearance of campus, including the creation of the Rose Window Plaza area in front of Davis Administration Building.
- The historic Davis Administration Building is undergoing the final stages ofÊa $7 million restoration to ensure the Wichita landmark will be able to serve students for another 100 years.
- Friends University's Singing Quakers are an internationally acclaimed vocal organization. The group has performed at the White House and Carnegie Hall and has toured nationally and internationally.
- Friends was one of the first colleges and universities in Kansas to offer a unique program specifically structured to allow adults to complete their bachelor's or master's degree coursework in two years or less by attending class one night a week.
- Friends has maintained reasonable, moderate tuition increases in recent years. In 1990, the University was the third most expensive private institution of higher education in Kansas. Today, Friends is in eighth place in a ranking of tuition and fees among 13 private universities and colleges in Kansas.
- Friends University's endowment has grownÊto more thanÊ$20 million.
- Friends University's athletic teams are known as the Friends University Falcons. At one time, the University's teams were known as the Fighting Quakers, a historical oxymoron.
- Friends celebrated its centennial from September 1998 to May 1999.
