Maranatha Baptist University, private Baptist liberal arts university in Watertown, Wisconsin
Maranatha Baptist University is a private Bible college in Watertown, Wisconsin, with fewer than 1,300 students spread across a 79-acre campus. The institution offers degrees from associate to doctorate level in theology, education, nursing, and other fields, maintaining a focus on biblical teaching and Christian formation.
Founded in 1968, the university purchased its initial campus from a Catholic organization and opened with 173 students and 27 instructors. Old Main, one of the oldest buildings on campus dating to the late 1800s, was originally constructed for a different college before becoming part of the institution that year.
The name 'Maranatha' comes from Aramaic and means 'Lo, He cometh', reflecting the school's Christian foundation. Music is woven into daily campus life, with student ensembles regularly performing in chapels and churches throughout the region.
Visitors should expect daily chapel services that offer insight into campus community life and the school's spiritual rhythm. The 79-acre campus sits in a quiet part of town and is easily walkable, with shaded areas and green spaces throughout where visitors can observe student life.
Founder B. Myron Cedarholm raised the funds for the original campus, an achievement still honored in the 1996 Cedarholm Library. The institution ran a football program for decades before discontinuing it in 2017, marking a significant shift in athletic priorities.
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