Nelson University

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Nelson University, formerly Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU), is a private Christian university in Waxahachie, Texas, United States. Nelson is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges<ref>SACS COC listing Template:Webarchive. SACSCOC.org. Retrieved on 2012-03-22.</ref> and endorsed by the Assemblies of God USA.<ref>AG Colleges Template:Webarchive. AG.org. Retrieved on 2012-03-22.</ref> The university offers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in liberal arts programs as well as programs in Bible and church ministries.

On August 1, 2024, Southwestern Assemblies of God University changed its name to Nelson University.<ref>Nelson University Press Release. SAGU.edu. Retrieved on 2024-03-01.</ref>

History

Merger

Former logo

Nelson University began life as three separate Bible schools. The first, known as Southwestern Bible School, was established in 1927 in Enid, Oklahoma, under the leadership of P.C. Nelson. The second, Shield of Faith Bible Institute, was founded in Amarillo, Texas, in 1931 under the direction of Guy Shields. It included a Bible school, a grade school and a high school. The third, which was operated as Southern Bible College in connection with the Richey Evangelistic Temple, began in 1931 at Goose Creek, Texas (now Baytown), in 1931. It was started by J. T. Little in Trinity Tabernacle and moved to Houston in 1933. The school's name was then changed to Southern Bible Institute.<ref>About SAGU Template:Webarchive Sagu.edu. Retrieved on 2012-05-29.</ref>

Discrimination law exception

Nelson's handbook lists homosexuality as an offense for which a student can be expelled. In 2015, the university was granted an exception to Title IX, allowing it to discriminate against LGBT students for religious reasons. In 2016, the organization Campus Pride ranked the college among the worst schools in Texas for LGBT students.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nelson University responded to the negative ranking by saying that the anti-LGBT student policy is clearly articulated to prospective students before they attend.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2008, three members of LGBT rights group Soulforce were arrested for trying to start a protest on campus.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Academics

Amidst the physical expansion, Nelson University experienced consecutive record enrollments in Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Fall 2009, and Fall 2010, reaching a milestone of 2,064.<ref>SAGU Sees 8th Consecutive Semester Increase. Sagu.edu. Retrieved on 2012-05-29.</ref>

Athletics

The Nelson athletic teams are called the Lions. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Sooner Athletic Conference since the 2013–14 academic year.<ref>SAGU To Join Sooner Athletic Conference. SAGU.edu. Retrieved on 2012-03-22.</ref>

Accomplishments

Nelson University shares a stadium with Waxahachie High School at Lumpkins Stadium for football.

The 2012–13 school year made 2013 a record-setting year for the Nelson Lions basketball team (then known as the SAGU Lions), with the Lions achieving the NAIA second-place championship ranking.<ref>SAGU in NAIA Semifinal Game. NAIA.org. Retrieved on 2012-03-22.</ref><ref>SAGU Setback in National Championship. SAGU.edu. Retrieved on 2012-03-22.</ref>

Judah the Lion

Influenced by Vice President George Brazell's acquisition of a four-month-old lion cub named Judah, Southwestern adopted the "Lion of Judah" as its mascot in 1963.<ref>For the Whole World: A History of Southwestern Assemblies of God University, p.134</ref><ref>Mascot – Judah the Lion. Sagu.edu. Retrieved on 2012-05-29.</ref>

Notable alumni

• Gary Elkins (BS '78), former Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from his native Houston, Texas<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Mike Evans, author, journalist, Middle East commentator.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Marla Hanson, screenwriter and ex-model
• Jerry Lee Lewis, expelled for having played a boogie-woogie rendition of "My God Is Real"
• Marlin Maddoux, conservative Christian radio host and founder of Point of View Ministries
• Mike Murdock, televangelist and contemporary Christian singer-songwriter; left in 1966 after three semesters

External links

• Template:Official website
• Official athletics website