Midland University: Difference between revisions

Midland University was founded as an educational institution in 1883 as '''Luther Academy'''. The original building, located in [[Wahoo, Nebraska]], was dedicated on November 10, 1883, the 400th anniversary of [[Martin Luther]]’s birth.<ref>Christensen, W., & Wilhite, A. (2007). With Fervent Prayers and Buoyant Hopes. (p.3). Fremont, NE: Midland Lutheran College</ref> The current college is also a product of Midland College, an institution founded in 1887 by the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.<ref>Christensen, W., & Wilhite, A. (2007). With Fervent Prayers and Buoyant Hopes. (p. 123). Fremont, NE: Midland Lutheran College</ref> '''Midland College''', originally located in [[Atchison, Kansas]], moved to the college's current location in [[Fremont, Nebraska]] in 1919.<ref name="Christensen, W. 2007 p. 65">Christensen, W., & Wilhite, A. (2007). With Fervent Prayers and Buoyant Hopes. (p. 65). Fremont, NE: Midland Lutheran College</ref> Luther Academy, later named Luther College, combined with Midland College as '''Midland Lutheran College''' in 1962.<ref name="Christensen, W. 2007 p. 65"/>

Midland Lutheran College was renamed '''Midland University''' in 2010. Along with the name change, the institution also changed its official colors from black and orange to navy blue and orange.<ref name=AP>{{cite news |url=http://journalstar.com/news/local/education/article_22f1164c-bebc-11df-804b-001cc4c03286.html |title=Midland Lutheran College now Midland University |date=September 12, 2010 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> In order toTo attract students, the junior college also began investing in new programs and athletic teams in 2010. In 2010, the institution added five new varsity and club teams, including men's and women's wrestling, men's and women's bowling, competitive cheer/dance, and women's lacrosse.<ref name=AP/> In 2011–12, according to government statistics, Midland spent $5.5 million on athletic scholarships and operations and received $9.5 million in tuition and fees paid by athletes.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://norfolkdailynews.com/sports/midland-using-sports-to-increase-enrollment/article_027e0dfa-074a-11e3-b7e3-0019bb30f31a.html |title=Midland using sports to increase enrollment – The Norfolk Daily News : Sports |newspaper=The Norfolk Daily News|access-date=2016-03-07}}</ref>

In 2011, Midland introduced a program guaranteeing that participating students would graduate in four years. The school's freshman enrollment increased by 32% from fall 2011 to fall 2012; then-president [[Ben Sasse]] (who went on to serve as United States senator from Nebraska from 2015 to 2023, and was the 13th President of the University of Florida, Gainesville) attributed this growth, in part, to the new policy.<ref>O'Brien, Maggie. [http://www.omaha.com/article/20121002/NEWS/121009967 "Midland U's 4-year graduation guarantee credited for record freshman class".] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130619220402/http://www.omaha.com/article/20121002/NEWS/121009967 |date=2013-06-19 }} [http://www.omaha.com/ ''Omaha World-Herald''.] 2012-10-02. Retrieved 2013-11-13.</ref>

In 2010, the school claimed to have a [[graduate placement]] rate of 100% for nursing students and 90% for education students.<ref>Midland University Office of Admissions, Aug., 2010, statistics</ref>

Midland University offers over 60 student clubs and organizations and several intramural sports offerings, including basketball, sand- volleyball, dodgeball, ultimate- frisbee, and softball.

The Midland athletic teams are called the Warriors. The university is a member of the [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics]] (NAIA), primarily competing in the [[Great Plains Athletic Conference]] (GPAC) for most of its sports since the 1969–701969–1970 academic year. The university's official colors are navy blue and orange.

The Warriors softball team appeared in two [[Women's College World Series]] (WCWS) in 1970 and 1971.<ref name="Plummer">{{cite book|title=A Series Of Their Own: History Of The Women's College World Series|first1=William|last1=Plummer|first2=Larry C.|last2=Floyd|year=2013|publisher= Turnkey Communications Inc.|location= Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States|isbn=978-0-9893007-0-4}}</ref> The Midland Wildfire dance team has won the Great Plains Athletic Conference title from 2014 to 2019, andplus the 2017 and 2019 NAIA national titletitles.

The NAIA announced the Scholar- Teams for the 2016–17 academic year. Midland's (Neb.) women's volleyball team, Arizona Christian's women's cross country team, and Indiana Tech's women's golf team and all tied with a NAIA-best combined grade point average of 3.90 this year. The three teams have been selected to share the title of Scholar-Team of the Year.

[[Category:EducationalUniversities institutionsand colleges established in 1883]]