University of Jamestown

University of Jamestown
Former names
Jamestown College (1883–2013)
MottoLatin: Lux et Veritas
Motto in English
Light and Truth
TypePrivate university
Established1883; 143 years ago (1883)
Religious affiliation
Christian
Academic affiliations
APCU
Endowment$45 million
PresidentPolly Peterson
ProvostPaul J. Olson
Students1,290
Location
Jamestown, North Dakota
,
U.S.

46°54′50″N 98°41′53″W / 46.914°N 98.698°W / 46.914; -98.698
CampusUrban, 110 acres (45 ha))
Colors   
Orange & Black
NicknameJimmies
Sporting affiliations
NCAA – NSIC – ACHA
MascotJimmie
Websitewww.uj.edu

 

The University of Jamestown is a private Christian university in Jamestown, North Dakota, United States. It was started in 1883 by the Presbyterian Church. The school has about 1,300 students enrolled. It has always been co-educational. Until August 2013, the school was called Jamestown College.

History

The Unruh and Sheldon Center for Business and Computer Science

The University of Jamestown was started as Jamestown College in 1883. It closed during the depression of 1893. The school opened again in 1909. It has stayed open ever since.

In 1979, Jamestown College's football team went to the NAIA National Championships.

Two graduates have become Rhodes Scholars.

In 2013, Jamestown College changed its name to the University of Jamestown.

Sports

The Jamestown sports teams are called the Jimmies. The university is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Jimmies are members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Three sports that the NSIC does not have play elsewhere—men's soccer and women's wrestling as independents, and men's volleyball in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Previously, the Jimmies were members of the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA). They were members from 2013–14 to 2017–18, and again in 2024–25. The Jimmies previously played in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) from 2018–19 to 2023–24, and in the Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC) from 2000–01 to 2011–12. They were also NAIA Independent within the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) during the 2012–13 school year.

Jamestown plays in 24 sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, soccer, track and field (indoor and outdoor), volleyball and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, ice hockey, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, track & field (indoor and outdoor), volleyball and wrestling; and co-ed sports include eSports and shotgun sports.

Notable people

People who were students as the school

  • Richard K. Armey (1962), U.S. Representative from Texas and House Majority Leader
  • Ron Erhardt (1953), head coach of the NFL New England Patriots
  • Ralph R. Erickson (1980), chief judge on the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota and judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  • Jessica Haak, member of the North Dakota House of Representatives
  • Donald D. Lorenzen (1920–1980), Los Angeles, California, City Council member, 1969–1977
  • George W. Johnson, President of George Mason University (1979–1996)
  • John Knauf, justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court (attended but graduated elsewhere)
  • Cory Mantyka, Canadian football player
  • Barbara McClintock (1976), illustrator and author of children's books
  • David Nething, member of the North Dakota State Senate
  • Raquel Pa'aluhi, professional Mixed Martial Artist, competed for Invicta FC
  • Alvin Plantinga (1950), John A. O'Brien Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, author and philosopher
  • Jasper Schneider, administrator of the USDA Rural Utilities Service
  • Kurt Schork (1969), reporter
  • Kyle Schweigert, head football coach at the University of North Dakota
  • J. J. Syvrud, American football player

People who have taught at the school

  • Larry Woiwode, author and poet, serving as Poet Laureate of the State of North Dakota since 1995
  • William A. Wojnar, classical organist and professor emeritus of Music

References

  1. 1 2 3 "University of Jamestown - Best Colleges - Education - U.S. News & World Report". USNews.com. U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on 2014-09-21. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
  2. ↑ "Our Mission". University of Jamestown. 2020. Archived from the original on October 14, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Our History". University of Jamestown. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Jamestown College is now University of Jamestown" (Press release). University of Jamestown. August 21, 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-10-22. Retrieved 2013-08-21.
  5. ↑ "NAIA Football Championship History" (PDF). naia.org. National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. 2008-01-03. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-10-29. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  6. ↑ "Rhodes Scholarships: Number of Winners by Institution" (PDF). U.S. Rhodes Scholarships: Number of Winners by Institution, U.S. Rhodes Scholars 1904–2018.
  7. ↑ "NSIC extends invitation to the University of Jamestown". northernsun.org. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  8. ↑ "UJ Joins Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference". University of Jamestown. 2023-11-21. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  9. ↑ "University of Jamestown Joins GLVC as Associate Member in Men's Volleyball" (Press release). Great Lakes Valley Conference. July 8, 2025. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  10. ↑ Fairbanks, Katies. "UJ starting up eSports team". The Jamestown Sun. Archived from the original on April 4, 2017. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  11. ↑ Shapiro, T. Rees (2017-06-03). "George W. Johnson, college president who transformed GMU, dies at 88". Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-06-24.
  12. ↑ "John Knauf". www.ndcourts.gov. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  13. ↑ "Jamestown College – Women's Wrestling Program History". Archived from the original on 2011-01-21.
  14. ↑ "Raquel Pa'aluhi – Invicta Fighting Championships". Archived from the original on 2025-01-26. Retrieved 2025-10-21.

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