Alabama State University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Alabama State University

Former name	Lincoln Normal School of Marion (1867–1887) Normal School for Colored Students (1887–1929) State Teachers College (1929–1948) Alabama State College for Negroes (1948–1954) Alabama State College (1954–1969)
Type	Public historically black university
Established	1867; 158 years ago (1867)
Academic affiliations	TMCF
Endowment	$111 million (2021)
President	Quinton T. Ross Jr.
Provost	Carl Pettis
Students	5,475
Undergraduates	5,116
Location	Montgomery , Alabama , United States
Campus	Urban, 172-acres
Newspaper	The Hornet Tribune
Colors	Black and Old gold
Nickname	Hornets and Lady Hornets
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS – SWAC

Alabama State University (ASU, also called Bama State or Alabama State) is a public university in Montgomery, Alabama. It is known as a historically black university. This means it was first set up to educate African American students.

ASU was founded in 1867, right after the Civil War. It was one of many "normal schools" created back then. These schools trained teachers for the growing number of public schools. ASU was one of 23 such schools started to train African Americans to teach. Many of these schools later grew into colleges and then universities. Alabama State University is also a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

Discovering ASU's History

Alabama State University began in 1873 as the Lincoln Normal School of Marion. It was located in Marion. In 1874, the state of Alabama officially took over the school. This made it America's first state-supported school for Black students. From the start, ASU focused on training teachers.

The second president, William Burns Paterson, started in 1878. He is seen as a founder of ASU. He led the school for 37 of its first 48 years. Paterson was key in moving the school to Montgomery in 1887.

In 1887, the university opened in its new Montgomery home. But a court ruling made the school change its name. It became the Normal School for Colored Students. The new campus was chosen in 1889.

Over the years, the school grew. It became a junior college, then a four-year college in 1928. Its name changed several times:

• 1929: State Teachers College
• 1948: Alabama State College for Negroes
• 1954: Alabama State College
• 1969: The school officially became Alabama State University.

In 1995, a court decision helped ASU grow even more. It added new study programs and received money for scholarships. It also got funds for new buildings, like a health sciences center.

The university also has its own radio stations. WVAS-FM started in 1984. It now reaches many counties and streams online. In the early 1990s, ASU also helped start WAPR-FM. This station reaches a wide area in central Alabama.

In 2021, ASU received a huge grant of $24.7 million. This money from the U.S. Department of Education helps local students get ready for college. It was the largest grant in the university's history.

Leaders of ASU: University Presidents

Interim presidents are not included here.

What Can You Study at ASU?

ASU has eight main colleges and schools where students can earn degrees:

• College of Business Administration
• College of Education
• College of Health Sciences
• College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• College of Science, Mathematics & Technology
• College of Visual & Performing Arts
• Division of Aerospace Studies
• Continuing Education

Alabama State offers many different programs. There are 47 degree programs in total. These include 31 bachelor's degrees, 11 master's degrees, and three doctoral programs. Students can earn a doctorate in Educational Leadership, Physical Therapy, or Microbiology. ASU also has an Honors Program for students who achieve high grades.

ASU has a special partnership for engineering students. If you want to study engineering, you can start at ASU. Then you can easily transfer to Auburn University or the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). This way, you can get a science degree from ASU and an engineering degree from Auburn or UAB in about five years.

Alabama State University is officially recognized by many groups. This means its programs meet high standards.

Research and Learning Centers

ASU has several centers focused on research and special studies:

• Center for Nanobiotechnology Research
• Research Infrastructure & Minority Institutions
• Center for Leadership & Public Policy
• East Asian Institute for Business Research and Culture
• Urban Economic Research Development Center
• National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African-American Culture

Exploring the ASU Campus

ASU campus building

ASU's campus is in a city and covers 172 acres. It has many buildings made of red brick in a classic style. There are also modern buildings.

Key places on campus include:

• The ASU Acadome: A large 7,400-seat building for academics and sports.
• The Levi Watkins Learning Center: A five-story library with over 267,000 books.
• The John L. Buskey Health Sciences Center: A large, modern building for health studies. It has classrooms, labs, and clinics.
• WVAS-FM 90.7: The university's own public radio station.

Life as an ASU Student

Alabama State University has almost 6,000 students. They come from over 40 states and more than 20 countries. About 40% of the students are from outside Alabama.

ASU Sports: The Hornets

The Hornets outdoor track team celebrating a victory at the 2023 SWAC Outdoor Track & Field Championship

ASU has many sports teams for men and women. These include football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and track. The teams are called the Hornets. They compete in NCAA Division I sports. This is the highest level of college sports. ASU is part of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The university's colors are black and old gold.

The Mighty Marching Hornets Band

The Mighty Marching Hornets and Sensational Stingettes

Alabama State's marching band is famous! It's known as "The Mighty Marching Hornets." The band has been invited many times to the Honda Battle of the Bands. This is a big event for marching bands from historically black colleges.

The Mighty Marching Hornets were even in a TV show called Bama State Style. They also appeared in a movie called Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk. In 2017, a video of their 2012 halftime show got over three million views online! The band performed in the 2019 Rose Parade in California. In 2023, ASU was the first historically black university to host the Honda Battle of the Bands.

The band has special dance groups too. "The Sensational Stingettes" started in 1977. They have appeared in music videos and TV shows. "The Honey-Beez" started in 2004. This dance group is made up of plus-size young women. They even appeared on America's Got Talent and had their own show on Snapchat.

The Bama State Collegians Jazz Band

The Bama State Collegians is a big band jazz orchestra at Alabama State University. In the 1930s, a famous jazz trumpeter named Erskine Hawkins led the band. He is in both the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. After moving to New York City, the Collegians became the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra. They had many hit songs, like "Tuxedo Junction" and "After Hours." "Tuxedo Junction" became a very popular song during World War II.

Student News and Yearbook

Students at ASU have their own publications:

• The Hornet Tribune: This is the student newspaper.
• The Hornet: This is the student yearbook.

See Also

• WVAS 90.7 FM Radio, Alabama State radio station
• Magic City Classic, One of the largest HBCU events and FCS football games in the nation
• Turkey Day Classic, One of the oldest HBCU football classics in the nation

Famous People from ASU

Notable Teachers and Staff at ASU