MBA program spurs Bryan College name change

With the addition of a graduate program, Bryan College changed its name to Bryan University Aug. 23, the day of its 30th anniversary.

"It was part of our own organization's decision in our future strategic plan. We thought that it would better reflect who we are and what we're doing," said Bryan University President and CEO Brian Stewart.

He said the addition of a 50-week Master of Business Administration to the school's lineup led to accreditation of university status by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. According to the ACICS, "university" may be used once an institution offers a master's degree.

"The primary element of it is that an institution should have a graduate degree of some kind," Stewart added.

The school opened as Bryan Travel College in 1982, became Bryan Career College in the early 1990s and adopted the Bryan College moniker in early 2000, he said. The university now operates four brick-and-mortar locations in Springfield, Columbia, Topeka, Kan., and Rogers, Ark., as well as an online division and a broadcasting school, the Broadcast Center, in St. Louis.

Scott Haar, executive director of the Springfield campus, noted the university also recently added bachelor's degrees in allied health and business administration, and he said the school has plans to serve international students.

"We felt like the name change to university was an important piece of those future plans," Haar said.