Judson College: Helping Young Women Belong, Believe, and Become Since 1838
For 179 years, Judson College has been committed to Christian higher education especially for young women. Judson remains committed to the vision of her Alabama Baptist founders, who believed their institution should be, first and foremost, “a place of Christ.” The theme for life at Judson this year is, “belong, believe, become”.
If you were to ask Judson students how they chose their college, many would tell you that they felt a strong sense of belonging the first time they stepped onto campus. As Alabama’s only college for women and one of the few remaining Christian colleges in the nation, Judson takes great pride in its close-knit campus community. Three new faculty members joined an already well-qualified roster this year. These faculty members, along with a dedicated staff, seek to know each student--not only her name, but her story and her aspirations.
A vibrant student leadership program helps students increase their self-awareness and confidence, while promoting an even greater sense of belonging. In any given year, 20-25% of the student body holds a leadership position on campus. Judson’s musical ensembles and basketball, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, and English and Western Intercollegiate Horse Show Association teams provide additional ways for students to connect with each other, with the college, and with Christ.
At Judson, students are given opportunities to deepen their faith through weekly Chapel services, small group Bible studies, and by becoming “doers of the word”. This year, Judson students participated in spring break mission trips, sharing Christ with immigrants from Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist backgrounds and aiding the work of local churches. Students who participated in summer missions served as far away as Costa Rica, Guatemala, Uganda, and Myanmar.
Judson students actively seek to be the hands and feet of Christ here in Alabama, as well. More than 80% of students voluntarily participate in community service each year. Their desire to serve, along with the dedication of Judson’s faculty, staff, and community partners, has led to Judson’s classification by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a leader in community engagement. Judson is one of only four schools in Alabama--and the only private school in the state--to hold this distinction.
The Judson experience continues to prepare young women to become all that God calls them to be. Over the past 20 years, 96% of students have enrolled in graduate school or been employed within a year of their graduation. This year’s graduates included a student who won a national research award, a student who participated in one of the most significant archaeological digs in recent history, and a student who will spend her life strengthening Baptist congregations in Myanmar. They follow in the footsteps of alumnae that include the woman who made the highest recorded score on the written OB/GYN board exam, the woman who opened the first domestic violence shelter in Alabama, and the first and one hundredth Baptist missionaries to Japan.
Judson College wishes to thank our friends in Alabama Baptist churches across the state for their support. From 1838 until now, you have been faithful partners as we have helped young women belong, believe, and become. Your generous gifts to the Cooperative Program allow us to provide an outstanding educational experience to the future leaders of our churches, businesses, and communities in an environment that is unapologetically Christian.