Colleges and Universities in Searcy, Arkansas: A Comprehensive Overview

Searcy, Arkansas, offers a variety of higher education options, ranging from a private Christian university to a community college campus. This article provides an overview of the colleges and universities serving Searcy, including Harding University and ASU-Beebe Searcy Campus, as well as information on other nearby institutions, costs, job market outlook, and community involvement.

Harding University

Harding University is a private Christian university located in Searcy, Arkansas, United States. It was founded in April 1924 in Morrilton, Arkansas, after the merging of Arkansas Christian College of Morrilton, Arkansas, and Harper College of Harper, Kansas. The university was named after James A. Harding.

History and Evolution

Initially, Harding University advocated pacifism and political disengagement, influenced by figures like James A. Harding and David Lipscomb, aligning with trends in many evangelical Christian movements during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, this changed during the Cold War.

Harding became involved in producing animated cartoons promoting free-market capitalism to combat communism. These included "Make Mine Freedom" (1948) and "Meet King Joe" (1949), produced by John Sutherland Productions and funded by Alfred P. Sloan of General Motors Corporation. These animations contrasted American values with Soviet communism.

President George S. Benson established the National Education Program (NEP) to advocate belief in God, the Constitution, and free enterprise within an "Americanism" program. The NEP coordinated speaking engagements, produced media, and attracted donations from companies like Boeing and Gulf Oil. The NEP's activities, including seminars for employees and distribution of Benson's lectures, sparked controversy, with concerns raised about their use in the military. The NEP was labeled a "Radical Right" organization, which Bales responded to in his 1965 book Americanism under Fire.

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The close ties between Harding and the NEP delayed the college's accreditation until 1954, when the school incorporated it as a separate entity. Benson, Ganus, and Bales continued their involvement, and the NEP board remained nearly identical to the college's.

Integration and Social Issues

During the segregation era in the United States, Harding University remained racially segregated for much of George S. Benson's tenure as president. Benson defended the delay in integrating, arguing that mixing races was against the divine order. In 1957, student body president Bill Floyd circulated a "statement of attitude" indicating Harding was ready to integrate, signed by over 75% of students, faculty, and staff.

In 1953, Norman Adamson became the first black person accepted to Harding. By 1969, Harding had only 20 black students out of a student body of over 2,000. While president Clifton L. Ganus, Jr. stated that he did not "see any Biblical injunction against it", he discouraged interracial relationships. The Harding administration cautioned students against interracial relationships and informed their parents in writing, a policy that drew anger from some white students' families.

Recent Developments

In 2020, a former graduate launched a petition to rename the Benson auditorium due to Benson's racist views. Facing this controversy and a decline in enrollment, the board dismissed McLarty, with former president David Burks resuming control.

Campus and Academics

The Harding University campus includes the George S. Benson Auditorium, Brackett Library, the American Studies Building, and the David B. Burks American Heritage Building. Recent additions include dormitories and expansions of the cafeteria, student center, and art department. The Rhodes-Reaves Field House, originally an airplane hangar built for France in WWII, serves as the volleyball and basketball teams' venue. The Dean L.C. Sears House, named for the first dean of Harding University, was a historic house registered in the National Register of Historic Places. The Reynolds Center was created through and named for philanthropist Donald W. Reynolds.

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Harding maintains permanent campuses in Florence and Athens. Structurally, the university comprises nine separate colleges: the College of Allied Health, the College of Arts & Humanities, the College of Bible & Ministry, the Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration, the Cannon-Clary College of Education, the Carr College of Nursing, the College of Pharmacy, the College of Sciences, and the Honors College. The university also has a School of Theology in Memphis.

In 1953, Harding established the School of American Studies as an extension of President Benson's National Education Program to teach the principles of the United States Constitution. Harding supports a chapter of Kappa Omicron Nu, a national honor society for colleges and universities with a strong humanities program and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Athletics

Harding has competed in the NCAA at the Division II level since 1997, joining the Great American Conference (GAC) in 2011. Men's sports include Soccer, Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Tennis, and Track and Field. The sporting facilities include First Security Stadium, Ganus Activities Complex, Stevens Soccer Complex, Jerry Moore Field (baseball), Berry Family Grandstand (softball), Harding Tennis Complex, and the Rhodes-Reaves Field House. In 2019, a new indoor football facility was dedicated in honor of coach Ronnie Huckeba.

Student Life

Spring Sing is an annual musical production held during Easter Weekend, featuring performances by the social clubs. Students produce a periodical called The Bison. The university sponsors student-led "social clubs" that serve a similar social networking function to the Greek system. Harding prohibits formation of local chapters of national social fraternities and sororities, with one exception being Delta Phi, a chapter of Pi Sigma Epsilon.

Student Conduct

Students at Harding University are expected to maintain Christian morality, integrity, orderliness and personal honor. The Faculty Handbook requires Churches of Christ membership of all faculty members. Daily chapel service is mandatory for undergraduate students. Students enrolled in nine or more hours must attend a Bible class that meets at least three hours a week each semester. The consumption, possession, or storage of alcoholic beverages is prohibited. The use of nicotine in any form is not permitted. Single undergraduate students under 22 are required to live on campus. Visiting in the residence of a single member of the opposite sex without permission is prohibited. Students are not to visit "inappropriate" places of entertainment such as dance clubs or bars.

Harding explicitly regulates sexual relationships among students and staff, adhering to the principle that marriage is between one man and one woman and that gender identity is determined by birth sex. Students are prohibited from being married to or dating a person of the same sex or engaging in behavior suggesting a romantic relationship with a person of the same sex. Sexual relationships outside the context of marriage are considered unacceptable.

Notable People

Notable people associated with Harding University include James W. James Dickey, basketball coach, Jack P. Michael A. Thomas H. Carroll D. J.N. George S. Clifton L. Ganus Jr.

ASU-Beebe Searcy Campus

ASU-Beebe Searcy Campus focuses on career and technical education in high-demand fields. The campus offers programs with tiered completion levels, including Certificates of Proficiency for entry-level employment and Technical Certificates for advanced skills and licensure.

Training is available in Automotive Service Technology, Computerized Machining Technology, Diesel Technology, EMT/Paramedic, Health Information Assistant, Heating-Ventilation and AC, Industrial Technology, Marine Outboard Motor Service Technician, Power Sports Technology, Practical Nursing, and Welding. The campus also offers general education courses leading to an Associate degree for transfer to a 4-year university.

The Regional Career Center at ASU-Beebe Searcy Campus provides career-focused programs to high school students with hands-on training in areas such as Automotive Repair, Allied Health and Medical Professions, Computerized Machine Technology, Marine Outboard Motor Service, and Welding Technology. The campus is located at 1800 East Moore Ave.

Other Colleges and Universities Near Searcy

While Harding University and ASU-Beebe Searcy Campus are located directly in Searcy, several other institutions are located nearby, offering a range of programs and degrees:

Central Baptist College: A four-year private college where Bachelor's degrees are the most popular.
Hendrix College: A four-year private college where Bachelor's degrees are the most popular.
Lyon College: A four-year private college where Bachelor's degrees are the most popular.
University of Central Arkansas: A four-year public college where Bachelor's degrees are the most popular.

Cost and Accreditation

The average annual tuition at nonprofit schools near Searcy, Arkansas, is $21,324. Several institutionally accredited colleges and universities serve the area.

Searcy, Arkansas Job Market Outlook

In 2024, there were approximately 488,116 jobs in the Searcy, Arkansas area. From 2023 to 2024, job growth in Searcy was above the national average, at 2.2%, with 58,959 job openings.

Community Involvement

Searcy provides an ideal environment for Harding's community to thrive, with a small-town atmosphere and recent investments in a 20-year master plan. These plans include improvements to the parks system, bike and pedestrian trail system, and infrastructure. Citizens have also voted to fund a new community center, an outdoor water park, new ball fields, a food truck park, and the development of Riverside Park.

Harding University and the Searcy community have an integrated partnership, with faculty and students actively involved in community projects. Students are encouraged to align their passions and talents with local organizations, nonprofits, and churches.

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