History of BJU

Greenville, SC (1940s)

construction campus Dr. Bob Jones Jr. societies

In 1946, Dr. Bob Jones Sr. announced that the school would move to a larger site, and by September, construction of the new campus had begun in Greenville, South Carolina. With the addition of six academic colleges, Bob Jones College became Bob Jones University in 1947. That same year, the Board of Trustees elected Dr. Bob Jones Jr. to be president of the University. Just like his father, Dr. Bob Jones Jr. upheld the University's foundation on the Scriptures while emphasizing the fine arts.

Greenville, SC (1950s)

student center Rodeheaver Auditorium art gallery present day art gallery

On October 1, 1947, the University welcomed over 2,500 students to the new campus. The school continued to add to the original eighteen buildings as time and money allowed. Early in his career, Dr. Jones Sr. recognized the power of the media. The move to Greenville provided both the space and finances for the University to start its own radio station, WMUU, and a Christian films department, Unusual Films. To provide an even greater cultural exposure for the students, Dr. Jones Jr. founded the BJU Museum & Gallery in 1951. Visitors from around the world come to Greenville to view one of America’s finest collections of Italian paintings.