Christian Brothers University (CBU) College Visit

CBU is a small, red brick, Lasallian focused school of 2000 students located in the heart of Memphis. CBU’s mission is to promote:

• Intellectual growth
• Spirit and faith of service to others
• Active concern justice
• Sensitivity to the dignity of the human person

This philosophy permeates the campus; the admission director said, “send us your kids and we’ll take good care of them.” To that end they have several students on the Autism spectrum and also offer scholarships and support for DACA students.

Academics

Engineering (chemical, civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering; engineering management) is one of the top programs on campus and the facilities are robust in terms of building opportunities. Other strong programs include health science, business, cybersecurity and digital forensics. The curriculum is largely hands-on versus theoretical. CBU provides lots of exposure to careers through shadowing, externships, and coops. FedEx is a great resource for these experiences.

FedEx sponsors six full scholarships as part of The Pascal Fellowship. This program is designed for outstanding students who are seeking a major in Computer Science and Mathematics. Students may double major in any other field. Preference is given to students from the region with a 30 or higher Math ACT (or 700 or higher Math SAT) and a minimum GPA of 3.5. Internships and guaranteed jobs are included in the scholarship program.  

CBU’s science program offers partnerships with University of Tennessee health sciences. Most students go there for pharmacy. CBU is starting health science major and looking to offer a BSN in nursing in the future. Currently, most of the health science programs are pre-health science. Many students spend the first two years at CBU and then transfer into Nursing at University of Memphis.   

The CBU Honors program allows students access to special-topic courses and the opportunity to live in the Honors LLC. Each year members of the honors school run September of Service, an organized 30-day program of giving back to the community.

CBU’s department of career services helps students get jobs within the local area with large connections with the Memphis business community.                                           

Social Life

CBU encourages on-campus living and offers Living Learning Communities including sustainability, engineering, business and honors. About 50% of students commute, many for financial reasons. 60% of the freshman class lives on campus.

Since 50% of the students commute to campus, many go home over the weekends, however there are still a number of students who remain on campus. The student board also recently helped secure a lounge for commuter students and residential students to convene while on campus.  Students hang out with friends, explore various neighborhoods in Memphis, study, or play sports (Division II). 12% are active in Greek life and many students participate in a wide variety of service projects facilitated by CBU.

There is a modern, state-of-the art three-story academic and student center on campus.  Student gather to go to classes, grab some food, or attend meetings. The building is all glass with a staircase surrounded by large windows overlooking the courtyard.

Student Body

The students we met were: Athletic, Hipster, Diverse, Kind, Friendly, Service-oriented, First-generation, Local, Urban

CBU is a regional campus. 70% of students come from TN with the majority from 200-mile radius and 10% from beyond that. Out of state students are often from neighboring states such as Arkansas and Mississippi. The student body is comprised of 38% minority, 29% Catholic, 51% Male, and 49% Female

Surrounding Area

The campus is located right in the middle of Memphis. There are several local neighborhoods within 5-10 minutes away where students go out. Downtown Memphis is about 15 minutes away.

Admissions and Financial Aid

CBU goes out its way to give students a chance regardless of their academic record.

Minimum acceptances include a 19 ACT with a 3.0 GPA or 21 ACT with a 2.5 GPA. Test scores are superscored and GPA is weighted.

CBU also offers merit scholarships to 97% of their students ranging from $10,000 to a full ride Tuition, room and board is $ 41,000, but scholarships are offered for leadership as well as academics. Full tuition scholarships are competitive, and students need to come on campus and compete for them. CBU has a strong scholarship program for DACA students funded by donors.

Summary

CBU offers a wealth of real-world learning opportunities in a highly personalized learning environment.

Christian Brothers’ University

650 E Pkwy S

Memphis, TN 38104

(901) 321-3000