Alaska Pacific University
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Former names
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Alaska Methodist University (1957-78) |
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| Type | Private |
| Established | 1957 |
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Religious affiliation
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United Methodist Church |
| President | Don Bantz |
| Students | 722 |
| Location |
Anchorage, Alaska, United States 61°11′21″N 149°48′15″W / 61.1893°N 149.8042°WCoordinates: 61°11′21″N 149°48′15″W / 61.1893°N 149.8042°W |
| Affiliations |
IAMSCU Eco League |
| Website | www |
Alaska Pacific University (APU) is a small liberal arts college located in Anchorage, Alaska, that emphasizes experiential and active learning. The university is a member of the Eco League, a group of five small universities and colleges with strong programs in Psychology and Environmental Studies as well as related topics.
Alaska Pacific University, chartered as Alaska Methodist University by the Territory of Alaska in 1957, dedicated its campus on June 28, 1959. Alaska Pacific University is the most recent of the more than 1200 United Methodist educational institutions founded in America over the last 200 years.
When the first students enrolled in classes beginning October 1, 1960, campus facilities were limited and consisted only of Grant Hall—the academic and student center—and Gould Hall, the student residence. As enrollments and programs grew significantly, other buildings were added, including the Atwood Center, the Ruth and Homer Moseley sports center (1982), and the Carr Gottstein Academic Center (1992).
After a 1977 reorganization led by new president Glenn Olds from Kent State University, and assisted by Natale Sicuro from Kent, academic programs were restructured, and in November 1978 Alaska Methodist University was renamed Alaska Pacific University to better reflect its educational mission and geographical location. Although the university continues to be firmly rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition of United Methodism, it espouses no narrow sectarian or doctrinal creed and welcomes all learners and teachers who wish to engage in the search for truth. In 1991, the university established the Cardinal Newman Chair of Catholic Theology through an endowment from the Catholic Archdiocese—a significant example of the university’s ecumenism.
The Early Honors Program is both an alternative to the senior year in high school and a challenging springboard into college. During both semesters, Early Honors students enroll in a common university-level curriculum which is intended to satisfy the senior level requirements of the Anchorage and Mat-Su School Districts. Depending on the student's remaining requirements, they will have the opportunity to select courses from the Alaska Pacific course catalog relevant to their academic interests. The Fall Block starts off the Early Honors program with Critical Thinking. Students move into the Session in late September and finish their semester by mid-December. Many of the students elect to participate in the Study Abroad option for the Spring Block but alternatives are available on-campus. The Spring Session begins in early February. The Early Honors program is heavily promoted within Anchorage and high school students are very prominent on campus and in classes.
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