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Park University#Park–Gilbert Buccaneers

{{Short description|Private university in Parkville, Missouri, US}}

{{Infobox university

| name = Park University

| image = Park University seal.svg

| image_size = 200

| motto = Fides et Labor

| mottoeng = Faith & Work

| established = {{start date and age|1875}}

| former_names = Park College (1875–2000)

| city = Parkville, Missouri

| country = U.S.

| type = Private university

| president = Shane B. Smeed

| provost = Michelle Myers

| students = 6,389 (Fall 2023){{Cite web|url=https://dhewd.mo.gov/data/documents/Fall2023EnrollmentReport.xlsx|title=Enrollment Report for Missouri Public and Comprehensive Independent Institutions|date=December 1, 2024|accessdate=February 3, 2024|work=Missouri Department of Higher Education}}

| undergrad =

| postgrad =

|athletics_affiliations = NAIA – HAAC (Parkville)
NAIA – Cal Pac (Gilbert)

|sports_nickname = Pirates (Parkville),
Buccaneers (Gilbert)

| colors = Canary and Wine{{cite book |url=https://www.park.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/park-brand-guidelines.pdf |title=Park University Brand Guidelines |date=February 1, 2022 |access-date=August 2, 2022}}
{{color box|#9D2235}} {{color box|#F5A81C}}

| mascot =

| affiliations =

| website = {{URL|www.park.edu}}

| address =

| coor = {{Coord|39.1899|-94.6801|format=dms|display=inline,title|type:edu_region:US-MO}}

| logo = Park University logo.svg

}}

Image:Mckay-hall-parkville.jpg

Park University is a private university in Parkville, Missouri, United States. It was founded in 1875.{{cite web | title=College Navigator - Park University | website=National Center for Education Statistics |publisher=U.S. Department of Education | year=2017 | url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=park+university&s=all&id=178721| access-date=2018-08-23}}{{Cite web |title=Mission, Vision, History and Affiliations - Park University - Modern Campus Catalog™ |url=https://catalog.park.edu/content.php?catoid=5&navoid=485#:~:text=for%20a%20lifetime.-,History%20of%20Park%20University,national%20leader%20in%20higher%20education |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=catalog.park.edu}}

In the fall of 2023, Park had an enrollment of 6,389 students.

History

The school which was originally called Park College was founded in 1875{{Cite web |title=Mission, Vision, History and Affiliations - Park University - Modern Campus Catalog™ |url=https://catalog.park.edu/content.php?catoid=5&navoid=485#:~:text=for%20a%20lifetime.-,History%20of%20Park%20University,national%20leader%20in%20higher%20education |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=catalog.park.edu}} by John A. McAfee on land donated by George S. Park with its initial structure being the stone hotel Park owned on the bluff above the Missouri River.

The original concept called for students to receive free tuition and board in exchange for working up to half day in the college's farm, electrical shop or printing plant. According to the terms of the arrangement if the "Parkville Experiment" did not work out within five years, the college grounds were to revert to Park.[https://archive.org/details/centennialhisto00stevgoog/page/n68 Centennial History of Missouri: (the Center State) One Hundred Years in the Union, 1820-1921 By Walter Barlow Stevens –1921 – S.J. Clarke Publishing – Page 41] (available on print.google.com)

There were 17 students in the first school year and in the first graduation class there were five women. McAfee led until his death in 1890. His son Lowell M. McAfee became the second president of Park until stepping down in 1913. The first international student at Park University arrived in 1880 from Japan.

The defining landmark of the campus is Mackay Hall, named after Carroll County, Illinois banker Duncan Mackay who donated $25,000 in materials for the structure shortly before his death.Decatur Daily Dispatch - Among Our Neighbors - 1890-09-11 The building was constructed using limestone mined on the campus grounds and built with the labor of students. Construction began in 1883 and was finished by 1893. Mackay Hall is the main focal point of the campus and dominates the hillside, overlooking the town of Parkville. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

For decades the school was affiliated with the Presbyterian Church but it no longer has that affiliation.{{When|date=March 2011}} The college has had a relationship with the military since 1889. However, the relationship was greatly expanded in the late 1960s with the establishment of a Military Degree Completion Program and later in 1972 with the Military Resident Center System. Park's total enrollment has grown from its small base since 1996 when it first began offering online courses.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3J50QZDutT8C&dq=%22Park+University%22+Parkville+1996&pg=PA215|title=Distance Learning Programs 2004|date=September 2003|isbn=9780768911596|access-date=22 May 2015}} In 2000, it was renamed Park University.

Locations

=Parkville campus=

The flagship campus of Park University is in the city of Parkville, Missouri. The Park University Graduate School is in downtown Kansas City. There are 41 campuses in 22 U.S. states{{cite web|url=http://www.park.edu/about-park/at-a-glance.html|title=Park University|work=park.edu|access-date=22 December 2017}} including four campuses in the Kansas City area (downtown Kansas City, Independence, Lenexa, and Parkville) and a campus center in Austin, Texas. Most of the satellite campuses are on or near United States military bases and share quarters with other businesses/organizations.

=Gilbert campus=

In 2018, the university opened a campus center in Gilbert, Arizona, in the city's Heritage District. Park leased {{convert|11000|sqft|m2}} at the University Building.{{cite news |last1=Staff |title=Park University to expand campus in downtown Gilbert |url=https://ktar.com/story/2680894/park-university-to-expand-campus-in-downtown-gilbert/ |access-date=1 April 2020 |publisher=KTAR News |date=1 April 2020}} The university continued to expand the Gilbert campus in 2019, leasing an additional {{convert|7000|sqft|m2}} and extending the initial three-year term with the city to five years. The university continued to expand the Gilbert campus with the addition of college athletics. Initially playing as an independent during the 2019–20 academic year, the university announced membership in the NAIA and California Pacific Conference (Pac West) starting in 2020–21.{{cite news |last1=VSN Staff |title=NAIA Approves Five Institutions for Membership |url=http://www.victorysportsnetwork.com/Clip/news/naia-approves-five-institutions-for-membership.htm |access-date=31 March 2020 |publisher=Victory Sports Network |date=31 March 2020}}

Rankings

  • Ranked second in the “online and nontraditional” category on the Military Times’ "Best for Vets: Colleges 2016" list.{{cite web|title=Best for Vets: Colleges 2016|url=http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/best-for-vets/2015/11/09/best-vets-colleges-2016-our-top-175-schools/75311832/|access-date=7 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160121150511/http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/best-for-vets/2015/11/09/best-vets-colleges-2016-our-top-175-schools/75311832/|archive-date=21 January 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}
  • Ranked second among all private colleges/universities in the country with a 9.5 percent annual ROI by 2015 PayScale College ROI Report.{{cite web|title=PayScale College ROI Report|url=http://www.payscale.com/college-roi|access-date=7 March 2016}}
  • 2015-16 Colleges of Distinction list.{{cite web|title=Colleges of Distinction|url=http://www.collegesofdistinction.com/|access-date=7 March 2016}}
  • Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the 126-165 best Midwest college in 2018.{{cite web|title=Park University|url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/park-university-2498|website=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=February 16, 2018}}

Athletics

= Park Pirates =

The athletic teams of the Park University main campus are called the Pirates. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) since the 2020–21 academic year. The Pirates previously competed in the American Midwest Conference (AMC) from 2009–10 to 2019–20; which they were a member on a previous stint from 1986–87 to 1993–94; and in the defunct Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC) from 1994–95 to 2008–09.

Park competes in 18 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; and co-ed sports include eSports.

The Department of Athletics at Park University was led by Claude English, Director of Athletics, who was also the Pirates’ men's basketball coach from 1992 to 2005 and retired in 2021. From 1980 to 1984, English was the head men's basketball coach at his alma mater, the University of Rhode Island, and he played one season in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1970–1971.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Seven former Park Pirates competed for the Kansas City Comets of the Major Arena Soccer League {{as of|2020|lc=y}}.Homegrown Talent: Pirates to Comets. Major Arena Soccer League. Retrieved 2 April 2020. https://www.maslsoccer.com/news/homegrown

==Championships==

  • 2018 Women's Volleyball (NAIA National Champions)
  • 2017 Men's Volleyball (NAIA Invitational Tournament)
  • 2014 Women's Volleyball (NAIA National Champions)
  • 2014 Men's Volleyball (NAIA Invitational Tournament)
  • 2012 Men's Volleyball (NAIA Invitational Tournament)
  • 2008 Men's Volleyball (NAIA Invitational Tournament)
  • 2003 Men's Volleyball (NAIA Invitational Tournament)

= Park–Gilbert Buccaneers =

The athletic teams of the Gilbert campus of Park University (Park–Gilbert) are called the Buccaneers. The university added a college athletics program to the Gilbert campus center in 2019. After playing as independent institution during the 2019–20 academic year, the university announced membership in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) starting in the 2020–21 academic year.

Park–Gilbert competes in 15 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.

Notable people

=Faculty and staff=

  • Stanislav Ioudenitch (Professor of Music and Piano) - Pianist and gold medalist of Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2001
  • Kay Barnes (Senior Director for University Engagement) - Former mayor of Kansas City and candidate for Congress in 2008{{cite news | url=http://news.park.edu/pub/news_00510.shtml | title=Mayor Kay Barnes to Join Park University, Lead New Center | publisher=Park University | date=April 4, 2007 | access-date=2008-10-17 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716173536/http://news.park.edu/pub/news_00510.shtml | archive-date=July 16, 2012 }}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{commons}}

{{Portal|Arizona}}

  • {{Official website|http://www.park.edu}}
  • [http://www.parkathletics.com/ Park Pirates athletics website]
  • [http://www.gilbert.parkathletics.com/ Park–Gilbert Buccaneers athletics website]

{{Colleges and universities in Missouri}}

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Category:Private universities and colleges in Missouri

Category:Kansas City metropolitan area

Category:Private universities and colleges in Texas

Category:Universities and colleges established in 1875

Category:Buildings and structures in Platte County, Missouri

Category:Education in Platte County, Missouri

Category:1875 establishments in Missouri