Ensign College (formerly LDS Business College[7]) is a private collegeinSalt Lake City, Utah. The college is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and operates under its Church Educational System. It also includes an Institute of Religion and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.[8]
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Former names | Salt Lake Stake Academy (1886–1890) LDS College (1890–1901) LDS University (1901–1927) LDS College (1927–1931) LDS Business College (1931–2020) |
|---|---|
| Type | Private college |
| Established | November 15, 1886; 137 years ago (1886-11-15) |
Parent institution | Church Educational System |
| Accreditation | NWCCU |
Religious affiliation | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints |
| President | Bruce C. Kusch |
Academic staff | 19 faculty, 92 adjunct faculty |
| Students | 2,200[1] officially enrolled |
Other students | Also about 2,500 BYU-Pathway Worldwide students, remote learning[2] |
| Location |
,
, United States 40°46′16″N 111°53′57″W / 40.771187°N 111.899177°W / 40.771187; -111.899177 |
| Campus | Urban, 10-story building, 151,582 square feet (14,082.4 m2)[3][4] |
| Colors | Forest Green, Gold[5] |
| Mascot | Lion[6] |
| Website | www.ensign.edu |
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The Salt Lake Stake Academy was founded in 1886, with high school, normal, business and college courses of study. The school had 84 students upon its opening.[9] By 1895 was offering a four-year course of study culminating in a Ph.B. degree.
LDS University never became a fully functioning university and was displaced as the church's preeminent higher learning center by Brigham Young University in the early 20th century. The college was closely linked with Latter-day Saints High School, which counted among the graduates George W. Romney (1926) and Gordon B. Hinckley (1928).
In 1927, the name of LDS University was changed to LDS College and then to LDS Business College (LDSBC), as the other higher-education functions were gone. Two of the school's presidents were James E. Talmage and Bryant S. Hinckley.[10][11]
For many years, the college was located in a former mansion several blocks east of the Salt Lake Temple, at 411 East South Temple. As part of the LDS Church's efforts to revitalize downtown Salt Lake City, it moved to the Triad Center in 2006.[12]
Russell M. Nelson, the LDS Church's current president, initially took classes at LDSBC but later transferred to the University of Utah to complete his studies.[13]
The college is named after Ensign Peak, where Latter-day Saint immigrants waved a flag two days after their first arrival in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake in 1847.[2] The college's slogan is "Developing capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ."[2][14]
On September 1, 2020, LDSBC was renamed Ensign College. In the fall of 2021, Ensign College will begin offering four-year Bachelor of Applied Science degrees in business management, information technology, and communications.[2][15]
The following is a list of presidents of the institution:[16]
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