Two Tennessee schools earned spots in the top three in a ranking of beautiful Christian college and university campuses.
Bryan College in Dayton was #2 and Union University in Jackson was #3 on the list of the “50 Most Beautiful Christian Colleges and Universities 2017” compiled by Christian Universities Online, an independent resource for prospective students and their families researching Christian higher education. The #1 spot went to Dallas Baptist University in Texas.
Schools included in the ranking are members or member eligible of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). Schools were evaluated based on continuity of campus, architectural style, signature buildings and natural setting.
Bryan College, located north of Chattanooga, has around 1,500 students, 1,400 of them undergraduates.
“Set on a large rural campus, Bryan College is nestled in the beautiful Tennessee mountains and features a contemporary architectural style that favors clean lines,” says an article on the Christian Universities Online website.
Rudd Auditorium, the signature building, is “a unique and beautiful structure,” the article says, adding that the three arches in front are depicted in the school logo.
“Located next to Chickamauga Lake, Bryan College borders the Dayton Municipal Park and the campus flows well with its natural surroundings with an abundance of green lawns and deciduous trees,” the article says.
Union University is affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention and has more than 3,500 students, including more than 2,500 undergraduates. The West Tennessee school has a large 300-plus acre campus off a main highway close to local dining and shopping areas.
“The layout of the campus is well planned and is centered around the university’s clock tower with a beautiful fountain located near the entrance of the university’s signature building,” the article says. “Most of the buildings feature a beautiful classic-revival architectural style with its red brick and white pillars.”
A tornado in 2008 destroyed buildings and landscaping, but Union has “rebuilt or renovated much of the campus, resulting in a beautiful and fresh design,” the article notes.
