Central Institute (1876–1881) Central Collegiate Institute (1881–1889) Hendrix College (1889–1929), Hendrix-Henderson College (1929–1930) Trinity College (1930)
Hendrix College was founded as a primary school called "Central Institute" in 1876 atAltus, Arkansas, by Rev. Isham L. Burrow.[5] In 1881 it was renamed "Central Collegiate Institute" when secondary and collegiate departments were added.[6] The next year the first graduating collegiate class, composed of three women, were awardedMistress of English Literature degrees.[6] In 1884, three conferences of theMethodist Episcopal Church, South purchased the school.[7] This began the school's relationship with theMethodist Episcopal Church, South and laterThe Methodist Church and theUnited Methodist Church. The Central Collegiate Institute was renamed "Hendrix College" in 1889 in honor of Rev.Eugene Russell Hendrix, a presiding bishop over three Arkansas Methodist conferences.[8] This same year, the primary school was discontinued.[8]
Hendrix College was initially designated a male college, but by the time of the name change in 1889, the college allowed for the enrollment of women who were interested in the college's course of study.[9]In 1890, after receiving bids from seven other Arkansas towns, the Hendrix Board of Trustees chose Conway as the new location for the college.[10] College literary societies thrived at Hendrix from the 1890s through the 1930s, and they included theHarlan Literary Society, its rival—the Franklin Literary Society, and for women—the Hypatian Literary Society. Secondary education was discontinued in 1925. In 1929 the college merged with Henderson-Brown College, a private school inArkadelphia, Arkansas now known asHenderson State University, which briefly created "Hendrix-Henderson College". Two years later the name reverted to Hendrix College.[11] The merger resulted in Hendrix Bull Dogs becoming the Hendrix Warriors, and the college newspaper, theBull Dog, being renamed theCollege Profile.[9]
The newly expanded college planned to move toLittle Rock, Arkansas, but the city of Conway was able to raise $150,000 to keep the school.[9] In 1930 the name was briefly changed to Trinity College but reverted to Hendrix College after opposition by students, alumni and townspeople.[12] The financially troubled "Galloway Woman's College" inSearcy, Arkansas was absorbed by Hendrix in 1933 during theGreat Depression.[13]
Dr. Karen K Peterson became the college’s thirteenth president on June 1, 2023.[14]
Hendrix is a primarily undergraduate institution with 34 majors and 38 minors, including a master's of accounting degree. The student body is about 1400, with students coming from most U.S. states and from over a dozen foreign countries.[28] Notable are the Rwandan Presidential Scholars. Hendrix is the lead institution in a consortium of 19 private and public higher education institutions that together host over 220 students fromRwanda.[29]
The Student Senate is the governing body of the student association. It has officers that are elected campus-wide along with representatives from each class, residence hall and apartment building.[30]
Hendrix has no socialfraternities orsororities.[31][32] There are 65 student organizations that offer a wide range of activities, funded by a student activity fee. The largest student organization is Social Committee, or SoCo, which plans the major events on campus. The Office of Student Activities organizes weekend and Wednesday evening events. Major social events are usually held in "The Brick Pit," an outdoor area in the center of the campus. The most famous event is "Shirttails," a freshman dance-off that includes a serenade by the men's dorms.[6]
Hendrix College has its own radio station. Founded in 1971 and first broadcasting in 1973, KHDX-FM 93.1 is Hendrix College's student-run radio station, with a 10-watt broadcast that reaches Hendrix Campus and the surrounding Conway area. Additionally, as of 2017, KHDX Radio is a founding member of the Arkansas College Radio Association.[33]
Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football (added back in 2013 after being discontinued in 1960), golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball.[citation needed]
In fall 2013, Hendrix was recognized as one of the country's top "Up and Coming" liberal arts colleges for the sixth consecutive year byU.S. News & World Report.[38] The 2014US News Best Colleges guide lists Hendrix as No. 11 in a group of liberal arts colleges that demonstrate "A Strong Commitment to Teaching."[39] Hendrix is the only Arkansas institution to appear in the 2014US News Best Colleges ranking of the top 100 private national liberal arts colleges. Hendrix was listed among the top liberal arts colleges "based on their contribution to the public good" byWashington Monthly.[40] Hendrix is among the country's top 100 most financially fit private colleges, according to a list published byForbes magazine[41] and is ranked No. 158 on the magazine's list of America's Top Colleges and No. 115 in a list of private colleges in the nation."[42] Hendrix is among the top colleges profiled inThe Princeton Review'sThe Best 378 Colleges (2014). Hendrix was selected for inclusion in theFiske Guide to Colleges 2014 based on academic ratings, price category, and quality of student life on campus.[43]
Hendrix was named in 2010 as one of "The Top 50 Schools That Produce Science PhDs" byCBS MoneyWatch.com which compiled its rankings using data from TheNational Science Foundation.[44] TheInstitute of International Education awarded Hendrix with a 2012Andrew Heiskell Award for International Exchange Partnerships as project coordinators of the Rwanda Presidential Scholars Program.[45] Hendrix has ties with Rwanda going back to 2007, and in 2019 announced annual assistance to two graduates of Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology to attend Hendrix.[citation needed]
There are 36 buildings on campus, three of which are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Since the mid-1990s, the college has pursued a master plan for campus construction, developed in consultation with the architectural design firmDuany Plater-Zyberk & Co.
Fausett Hall: Office of Administration, English department, Foreign Language departments.
Greene Chapel: School's official chapel, venue for annual Candlelight Carol service.
I.T.: Information technology offices
Mills Center: Cabe Theater, Economics and Business department, Education department, History department, Politics and International Relations department, Sociology and Anthropology department.
Bertie Wilson Murphy Building: Hendrix-Murphy Foundation.
Physical Plant: (Originally built as short-term housing and called "East Hall")
Public Safety: Mainly deals with security and parking issues.
Staples Auditorium: Large auditorium, also houses Greene Chapel.
Trieschmann Building: Music department, Dance studio, Reves Recital Hall, and Trieschmann gallery.
Student Life and Technology Center: Office of Student Affairs, Social Committee, Master Calendar, cafeteria, the Burrow (student deli), Oathout Technology Center (computer lab), IT Help Desk, Odyssey, and Career Services. It also contains all student activities and organization offices, theKHDX radio station, the Religious Life Suite, Residence Life offices and the post office.
Hardin Hall: Male residence hall whose namesake, G.C. Hardin, was a 1905 graduate.[49]
Huntington Apartments: College-owned apartments on Clifton Street.
Martin Hall: Male residence hall (NRHP) named in honor of Conway civic leader Capt. W. W. Martin, who worked to bring Hendrix to Conway[50]
The Houses: Four co-ed residence houses: Cook, Dickinson, McCreight, and Browne.
Brown House and Stella Boyle Smith House (commonly Smith House): Two co-ed residential houses close to The Houses.
Language House: Single-language themed co-ed house. Rotates annually among French, German, and Spanish.
Raney Hall: Female residence hall named in 1960 for Alton B. Raney, a former trustee of the college.[46]
Veasey Hall: Female residence hall named to honor former trustee Ruth Veasey.[51]
The Market Square Three mixed-use buildings with commercial space on the ground floors and student apartments on the upper floors, part of the Village at Hendrix, a New Urban-style housing development project.[52]
Miller Creative Quad co-ed dormitory on the second and third floors above the Windgate Museum of Art
Wellness and Athletics Center: Houses the Physical Education department, basketball courts, a swimming pool, a free weights room, lacrosse field, an indoor track, a soccer field, and a baseball field. The area between the building and the sports fields is designated Young-Wise Memorial Plaza and houses theYoung Memorial and sculptures to honor alumni who died in Afghanistan.[53] The underpass nearby, which connects the building to the main campus and runs under Harkrider Street, is the location of an interactive art exhibit byChristopher Janney titledHarmonic Fugue.[54]
Tim Griffin: Attorney General of Arkansas, U.S. Representative for the Second District of Arkansas, interim U.S. Attorney, Justice Department official, aide toKarl Rove
Jay McDaniel: Professor of Religion, who is known in academic circles for process theology and ecological theology
Wilbur D. Mills: former U.S. Representative for the Second District of Arkansas (1939–1977), Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, played a large role in the creation ofMedicare
Tommy Sanders: Sportscaster and host of ESPN Outdoors
Benjamin Schumacher: U.S. theoretical physicist, known for contributions to field of quantum information including development of what is now known as Schumacher compression
^Conway, Hendrix College 1600 Washington Avenue; Map, Arkansas 72032 USA N. 35° 05 89380 W. 92° 26 55150 Work 501-329-6811 Work toll-free 1-800-277-9017; Directions."Dr. Karen K. Petersen Named 13th President of Hendrix College".Hendrix College. RetrievedJune 5, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Conway, Hendrix College 1600 Washington Avenue; Map, Arkansas 72032 USA N. 35° 05 89380 W. 92° 26 55150 Work 501-329-6811 Work toll-free 1-800-277-9017; Directions."Hendrix Recognized Nationally for Innovation and Teaching Excellence".Hendrix College. RetrievedMarch 23, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
