Alabama A & M University

Situated on a serene 1,173-acre suburban campus just a short distance from downtown Huntsville, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University is a comprehensive public land-grant institution that combines professional, vocational, and liberal arts education. As a historically black university member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Alabama A&M is recognized by the Diverse Issues in Higher Education for having one of the most diverse campus communities of over 5,500 students. In fact, the U.S. News and World Report has ranked AAMU as the 20th best historically black college in the nation.

First founded in 1875 by a former slave named William Hooper Council, the university was initially opened as the Huntsville Normal School in downtown Huntsville. In 1890, the school was designated as a land-grant institution by the federal government and the name was changed to the State Agricultural and Mechanical College for Negroes due to its focus on industrial education. It was not until 1969 that it officially became Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University and was moved to its current campus with the unique distinction of being designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of New York's Central Park.

Fully accredited with a "Class A" rating by the South Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Alabama A&M awards 41 baccalaureate, 23 master's, one educational specialist, and four doctoral degrees in a wide range of subjects. Among the highest ranked programs offered at AAMU are rehabilitation counseling, social work, speech-language pathology, physics, biological sciences, and special education. Along with the traditional courses delivered on-campus, the university also provides online degree programs to meet the diverse educational needs of returning students and working adult professionals.

In order to aid in the overall educational experience, Alabama A&M is home to over 115 registered student organizations, including the first HBCU choir to be invited to attend the American Choir Festival and the gold award-winning AAMU Dairy Team. Nicknamed the Bulldogs, Alabama A&M also offers varsity basketball, football, volleyball, baseball, bowling, soccer, softball, golf, track and field, tennis, and cross country for competition in the NCAA Division I Southwestern Athletic Conference. Some of the most notable former Bulldogs are singer Ruben Studdard, NFL Pro-Bowler John Stallworth, author Marc Lacy, and Olympic gold-medal winner Dannette Young.