View source for Arizona Christian University

{{Short description|Private University in Glendale, Arizona}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox university
| name = Arizona Christian University
| native_name = 
| latin_name = 
| image =  Arizona christian univ seal.png
| image_size = 150
| motto = Transforming Culture with Truth
| established = {{Start date and age|1960}}
| type = [[Private university]]
| religious_affiliation = [[Non-denominational]] [[Christianity|Christian]]
| accreditation = [[Higher Learning Commission|HLC]]
| endowment = 
| administrative_staff = 125
| faculty = 36 full-time
| president = [[Len Munsil]]
| provost = 
| students = 1,082
| undergrad = 
| postgrad = 
| doctoral = 
| city = [[Glendale, Arizona]]
| country = U.S.
| coor = 
| campus = Suburban, {{convert|73|acre|ha}}
| former_names = Southwestern Conservative Baptist Bible College (1960–)<br />Southwestern College (1961–2011)
| colors = Red & Yellow<br />{{Color box|#d6281d|border=darkgray}}&nbsp;{{color box|#ffcc00|border=darkgray}}
| mascot = Phoenix bird (Stormin' Normin)
| sports_nickname = Firestorm
| athletics_affiliations = [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics|NAIA]] – [[Great Southwest Athletic Conference|GSAC]]<br />NAIA – [[Frontier Conference|Frontier]] (football)<br />NAIA – [[Cascade Collegiate Conference|CCC]] (wrestling)<br />NAIA – [[Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference|PCSC]]<br />[[National Christian College Athletic Association|NCCAA Division I]] – West
| academic_affiliations = [[Council for Christian Colleges and Universities]], [[Association for Biblical Higher Education]]
| website = {{url|https://www.arizonachristian.edu/| arizonachristian.edu}}
| logo =  Arizona Christian University triangle logo.png
| logo_size   = 200
| footnotes = 
}}

'''Arizona Christian University''' is a [[Private university|private]] Christian university in [[Glendale, Arizona]], United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arizonachristian.edu/contact|title=Contact ACU|work=Arizona Christian University}}</ref>

== History ==
{{Infobox US university ranking
| USNWR_REG = 18 of 45
| Wamo_BAC = 234 of 242
}}

Founded in 1960 as '''Southwestern [[Venture Church Network|Conservative Baptist]] Bible College''', Arizona Christian University's original campus was located at 2625 E. Cactus Road,<ref>{{cite web |title=Contact ACU |url=https://www.arizonachristian.edu/contact/ |website=Arizona Christian University |access-date=26 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170212131852/https://www.arizonachristian.edu/contact/ |archive-date=12 February 2017}}</ref> in north-central [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]. Since its founding, the university has undergone a number of name changes, including '''Southwestern College''', until its name was finally changed to '''Arizona Christian University''' in January 2011.{{cn|date=September 2023}}
 
The university was founded to prepare students for careers in vocational ministry and missions, offering degrees in Biblical Studies and Christian Ministries. In 1972 the college first received accreditation with the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) and added regional accreditation through the [[Higher Learning Commission]] (HLC) in 1992.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

ACU’s become a non-denominational Christian college in 2007. In 2012, under the leadership of ACU President [[Len Munsil]], the university received approval from the [[Higher Learning Commission]] (HLC) to offer degrees in biology, communication, and political science. Additional undergraduate degree programs are being planned.{{cn|date=September 2023}} In March 2017, ACU received HLC approval to offer online degrees.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

[[Len Munsil]] assumed the presidency of Arizona Christian University in 2010.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

During Munsil's tenure, ACU enrollment has grown from around 400 to more than 1,000 total students, and in 2021 achieved its seventh straight year of record enrollment.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hake|first=Cale|date=2021-08-20|title=ACU Welcomes Largest Freshman Class in History to Campus - Arizona Christian University|url=https://www.arizonachristian.edu/2021/08/20/acu-welcomes-largest-freshman-class-in-history-to-campus/,%20https://www.arizonachristian.edu/2021/08/20/acu-welcomes-largest-freshman-class-in-history-to-campus/|access-date=2021-08-25|language=en-US}}</ref>

Notable graduates of Arizona Christian University include Mark Bailey, Chancellor and former President of [[Dallas Theological Seminary]], who also began his teaching and academic administration career at then-Southwestern College.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dts.edu/about/leadership/presidentscommittee/|title=President's Committee - Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS)|access-date=26 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228062544/http://www.dts.edu/about/leadership/presidentscommittee/|archive-date=28 February 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Former [[National Basketball Association]] All-Star and coach [[Paul Westphal]] began his coaching career at then-Southwestern College, leading the school to a Christian college championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wccsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/072001aan.html|title=Paul Westphal, the former head coach of the Phoenix Suns and the Seattle SuperSonics, will be introduced tomorrow afternoon as the new head basketball coach at Pepperdine|access-date=4 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722011633/http://www.wccsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/072001aan.html|archive-date=22 July 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Cultural Research Center==
In March 2020, ACU established the Cultural Research Center in partnership with [[George Barna]], a scholar of American culture and worldview, to research and analyze the impact of the biblical worldview on American culture.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vision - Arizona Christian University|url=https://www.arizonachristian.edu/culturalresearchcenter/vision/,%20https://www.arizonachristian.edu/culturalresearchcenter/vision/|access-date=2021-09-24|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Athletics ==
{{see also|Arizona Christian Firestorm football}}
The Arizona Christian athletic teams are called the Firestorm. The university is a member of the [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics]] (NAIA), primarily competing in the [[Great Southwest Athletic Conference]] (GSAC) since the 2012–13 academic year; while its football team competes in the [[Frontier Conference]];<ref>[http://www.victorysportsnetwork.com/Clip/news/arizona-christian-firestorm-football-to-join-the-frontier-conference-in-2023.htm Arizona Christian Firestorm to Join the Frontier Conference in 2023 - News]</ref> its men's wrestling team competes in the [[Cascade Collegiate Conference]] (CCC); and its men's & women's swimming teams compete in the [[Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference]] (PCSC). The Firestorm previously competed as an [[NAIA independent schools|NAIA Independent]] within the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) from 2008–09 to 2011–12.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

Arizona Christian competes in 22 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field, volleyball and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, stunt, swimming, tennis, track & field and volleyball. Club sports include badminton, band, bowling, cheerleading, dance, debate, lacrosse and shotgun sports.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

In 2013, Arizona Christian announced that it would be adding [[Arizona Christian Firestorm football|football]] in fall 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.azcentral.com/sports/colleges/articles/20130912arizona-christian-university-starting-football-program-that-will-begin-play-in.html|title=Arizona Christian University starting football program that will begin play in 2014|work=azcentral.com}}</ref>

Jeff Rutter was named head coach in 2012. He was named NAIA National Coach of the Year in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|date=2019-04-09|title=Coach Rutter Selected Don Meyer National Coach Of The Year|url=https://www.acufirestorm.com/article/1767|access-date=2021-09-24|website=Arizona Christian University Athletics|language=en|archive-date=24 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924185200/https://www.acufirestorm.com/article/1767|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Spiritual formation ==
ACU is a [[non-denominational]], [[evangelical|evangelical Christian]] institution where applicants are required to have a personal relationship with [[Jesus Christ]] and agree to take part in ACU's spiritual formation activities, which include attending twice-weekly chapel services and taking 18 credit-hours of Bible. Upon application, students also acknowledge their agreement with the university's statement of faith.<ref>{{cite web|author=|title=Statement of Faith|url=https://www.arizonachristian.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CMPS_StatementofFaith_Flyer_Student_Digital_01_20200908.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001001913/https://www.arizonachristian.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CMPS_StatementofFaith_Flyer_Student_Digital_01_20200908.pdf |archive-date=1 October 2020 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links== 
{{ccat}}
* {{oweb}}
* [https://acufirestorm.com/ Athletics website]

{{Colleges and Universities in Arizona}}
{{CCCU}}
{{Great Southwest Athletic Conference navbox}}
{{Frontier Conference navbox}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Arizona}}

{{Coord|33.622617|-112.181550|display=inline,title}}

[[Category:Arizona Christian University| ]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1960]]
[[Category:1960 establishments in Arizona]]
[[Category:Education in Glendale, Arizona]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges in Maricopa County, Arizona]]
[[Category:Private universities and colleges in Arizona]]
[[Category:Council for Christian Colleges and Universities]]