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Indiana Wesleyan University

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Indiana Wesleyan University
File:Indianawesleyanlogo.jpg
Former names
Marion College (1920-1988)
MottoCharacter. Scholarship. Leadership.
TypePrivate
Established1920
AffiliationWesleyan Church
EndowmentUS $60 million [1]
ChancellorDr. James Barnes
PresidentDr. Henry Smith
ProvostDr. David Wright
Academic staff
200
Students15,442[2]
Undergraduates3,201[2]
Postgraduates839[2]
Location
United States Marion
,
IN
,
USA
CampusSuburban
350 acres (1.4 km2)
NewspaperThe Sojourn
ColorsRed and Gray   
NicknameWildcats
File:Iwuwildcatslogo.png
AffiliationsCCCU
MCC
MascotWesley Wildcat
Websitewww.indwes.edu
File:Iwulogo.jpg

Indiana Wesleyan University (commonly referred to as IWU) is a private, Evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located in Marion, Indiana that is affiliated with the Wesleyan Church denomination. IWU is the largest member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and the second-largest Evangelical university in the United States in total students, second only to Liberty University.[3]

The University offers various liberal arts (including 87 undergraduate majors) and professional educational programs leading to the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Education and Master of Business Administration degrees, along with a doctoral program in Organizational Leadership. In addition, a new Master of Divinity degree program will be offered in the fall of 2009.[4]

History

The University mission states: "Indiana Wesleyan University is a Christ-centered academic community committed to changing the world by developing students in character, scholarship, and leadership." IWU's original campus, well recognized in Indiana for teacher education and a college of business, was known first as Marion Normal College (1890-1912) and then reopened as Marion Normal Institute (1912-1918).

In 1918 the Marion Normal Institute relocated to Muncie, Indiana, and merged with the Indiana Normal Institute to form what would eventually become known as Ball State University. Because the Indiana Conference of The Wesleyan Methodist Church operated the Fairmount Bible School 10 miles (16 km) south of Marion, a group of local citizens asked them to move to the vacant property and open a normal school in Marion. So from 1918–1919 the conference raised $100,000 to endow the school, moved the Fairmount Bible School to Marion, and added a new teacher education program to become Marion College. The actual year of incorporation was 1919; however, the first classes were not offered until the fall of 1920, which became the official year of inception.[5]

From 1920 to 1988, Marion College operated as a developing liberal arts institution with growing programs, offering the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science degrees since the first graduating class of 1921. A Master of Arts in Theology was begun in 1924 and offered continuously until 1950. Master’s degree programs were initiated again in 1979 in Ministerial Education and Community Health Nursing. Master’s degree programs were begun in Business in 1988, in Primary Care Nursing in 1994, and in Counseling in 1995.

A new administration was initiated by the Board of Trustees with the presidency of Dr. James Barnes in 1987. The name of the institution was changed to Indiana Wesleyan University in 1988, reflecting the influence of the institution across the state - well beyond the boundaries of the city of Marion, its connection with The Wesleyan Church and Christian higher education, and the development of increasing numbers of graduate programs.[6]

File:IWUseal.gif
IWU Seal

Having already established a solid liberal arts college, in 1983, University leadership decided to begin offering courses and degrees to working adults during evening hours and Saturdays, forming what would eventually become the innovative College of Adult and Professional Studies (CAPS). This decision proved to be very successful and massively affected IWU’s future, wiping out the school's sizable debt and funding the expansion and revitalization of the Marion campus, eventually transforming the college into a major evangelical Christian university. The CAPS program provides the majority of the funding used in campus renovation and construction projects, keeping student tuition at a relatively low level compared with other similar colleges.

Enrollment in the CAPS program has grown tremendously since 1985 when the first courses were offered. IWU has grown by more than 200 percent since 1990 to educate nearly 15,000 students, 11,500 of whom are taking courses online or at IWU's CAPS educational centers in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. Site-based classes are held at 11 education and conference centers: Indianapolis (2), Fort Wayne, IN, Shelbyville, IN, Kokomo, IN, and Columbus, IN; Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky; and Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Dayton, Ohio. Classes are also held at more than 80 off-campus locations in Indiana. Many private universities across the country are attempting to copy IWU's successful program.[7]

In 2000, the University organized its academic structure into three colleges; the College of Arts and Sciences (traditional four-year liberal arts education), the College of Graduate Studies (traditional semester-based graduate degrees), and the College of Adult and Professional Studies (non-traditional, accelerated programs for working adults).

IWU is currently the fastest-growing university and the largest private university in Indiana. Among the 105 members of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (the main organization of evangelical colleges in the US and Canada), IWU is by far its largest member with nearly 15,000 students enrolled as of September 2007. The next largest member, Azusa Pacific University, has less than 8,000 students. The University currently employs more than 200 full-time faculty, over 400 full-time administrative and staff members, and more than 700 adjunct faculty members.

On July 1, 2006, Dr. Henry Smith succeeded Dr. James Barnes as president of IWU. Dr. Barnes served as president from 1987-2006 and is credited with transforming IWU from a small, struggling Christian college into one of the largest and most successful evangelical Christian universities in the world. Dr. Barnes now serves as University Chancellor.[8]

In 2008, the Board of Trustees approved a motion to begin the process of establishing Wesley Seminary, an evangelical seminary affiliated with both the University and the Wesleyan Church. The seminary is expected to be launched in 2010, pending accreditation approval, and would eventually have its own building and housing for students. It would offer the Master of Divinity degree (approved in early 2009), along with other graduate theological degrees. Wesley would be the first officially affiliated seminary in the history of the Wesleyan Church.[9]

Honors

In 2007, the University was named "One of the Top Masters Universities in the Midwest" by U.S. News and World Report, ranked 62nd among 138 schools. In the 2008 edition, IWU jumped up to 31st in the rankings and in the 2009 edition, the University moved up to 28th.[10]

The New Media Consortium recently recognized IWU as a world leader in its innovative approaches to the use of technology. IWU is the first member institution of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities to be selected. President and CEO of the New Media Consortium, Dr. Larry Johnson, identifies IWU as "a place where smart, creative people are devising innovative solutions to challenges we all face in teaching and learning. The dedication to excellence here is palpable, and students and faculty are the clear beneficiaries."[11]

The University was one of 12 independent colleges chosen nationally to receive the Foundation of Excellence Award from the Policy Center on the First Year of College. As a result, the university is helping to develop programs and best practices that many institutions across the country will view as the gold standard for outstanding first-year programming.[11]

The Best Christian Workplaces Institute, a research-based organizational and human resources consulting firm, recently named the University one of the three Best Christian Workplaces in America. The Institute has surveyed 400-plus Christian organizations, with more than 40,000 employees, during the last four years.[11]

The Center for Life Calling and Leadership has developed a national reputation for excellence grounded in groundbreaking research and innovative application.[11]

Two faculty members have recently received Fulbright research grants.[11]

The University has also been named one of the "Top Ten Conservative Colleges" in the U.S. by the Young America's Foundation four years in a row.[12]

The University has the largest adult education program in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. In 2008, the CCCU selected IWU to establish The Research Center in Adult Learning, a joint project with the CCCU.[11]

Enrollment

Indiana Wesleyan's total enrollment has grown tremendously the past 20 years, from a student total of 2,000 in 1987 to over 15,000 in 2008. This rapid growth has made IWU the largest institution in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, the largest private university in the state of Indiana, and the fastest-growing university in Indiana.

The population of traditional students living on-campus residence facilities has increased from 442 students in 1989 to nearly 2,600 in the fall of 2008.

Enrollment in the College of Adult and Professional Studies programs has increased more than 900 percent, from 1,250 students in 1989 to more than 12,000 students in the fall of 2008. With IWU’s continued expansion around the Midwest, enrollment in the adult programs is projected to double during the next decade.

Main Campus

Indiana Wesleyan University is noted for its award-winning 350-acre (1.4 km2) main campus in Marion, Indiana. During the past two decades, nearly $250 million in new construction and renovation have transformed IWU into a debt-free, student-focused, state-of-the-art university. Since 1990, over 50 construction projects have been completed, including 20 residence halls and 16 academic/administrative buildings, along with 11 adult and professional studies structures around the Midwest. Fort Wayne-based architectural firm, Design Collaborative, has designed the majority of the campus facilities. A national poll recently ranked IWU's campus #1 in the U.S. among Evangelical Christian universities. IWU has also been ranked #1 in the nation for spiritual atmosphere by Campus Life magazine.

As the University continues to grow, new facilities are constantly being built. Chief among them is a new $22 million chapel/auditorium (where required chapel services will be held 3 days a week) currently under construction and scheduled for completion in January 2010. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 4, 2008. With 3,800 seats, the new chapel will be one of the largest theaters in the Midwest. It will even be larger than the famous Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, home of the Academy Awards.

  • Phillippe Performing Arts Center (1996)
    Phillippe Performing Arts Center (1996)
  • Jackson Library (2003)
    Jackson Library (2003)
  • Student Center (1994,2001,2006)
    Student Center (1994,2001,2006)
  • Globe Theatre, Student Center (2001)
    Globe Theatre, Student Center (2001)
  • Student Center Mall (2006)
    Student Center Mall (2006)
  • Student Center Piazza (2006)
    Student Center Piazza (2006)
  • Maxwell Center for Business and Leadership (1998)
    Maxwell Center for Business and Leadership (1998)
  • Recreation and Wellness Center (1999)
    Recreation and Wellness Center (1999)
  • Burns Hall of Science and Nursing (2000)
    Burns Hall of Science and Nursing (2000)
  • Williams Prayer Chapel (2001)
    Williams Prayer Chapel (2001)
  • John Wesley Statue (2003)
    John Wesley Statue (2003)
  • John Wesley Administration Building (1894,2003)
    John Wesley Administration Building (1894,2003)
  • President's Home (1998)
    President's Home (1998)
  • Noggle Christian Ministries Center (1984,2008)
    Noggle Christian Ministries Center (1984,2008)
  • Hodson Hall (1996)
    Hodson Hall (1996)
  • Scripture Hall (2001) and University Fountain (2003)
    Scripture Hall (2001) and University Fountain (2003)
  • Upperclassman Lodges (2005)
    Upperclassman Lodges (2005)
  • North Hall (2007)
    North Hall (2007)
  • Elder Hall (2007)
    Elder Hall (2007)
  • New College Wesleyan Church (2007)
    New College Wesleyan Church (2007)

Society of World Changers

The Indiana Wesleyan University Society of World Changers was established in 2003 "to honor exemplary individuals who are impacting their professions with a vibrant Christian faith, who embody the mission and vision of the University, and whose lives demonstrate ways students can become world changers."

Inductees usually receive their awards during IWU's fall or spring convocations (depending on the schedule of the recipient), where they receive an honorary doctorate degree and have a life size bronze bust unveiled in the rotunda of the Jackson Library. The five current inductees include: former producer, sports executive, and author Bob Briner (2003), Christian author Frank Peretti (2004), Focus on the Family founder James Dobson (2005), famed neurosurgeon Benjamin Carson (2007), and former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy (2008).[13]

Athletics

Main article: Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats

The University offers eight intercollegiate sports for both men and women. The Wildcats compete in the Mid-Central College Conference and are the conference's winningest school. IWU is also a member of the NAIA Division II and NCCAA Division I.[14]

Former athletic director, Dr. Mike Fratzke, was the MCC conference president and was voted the 2007 NAIA Athletics Director of the Year.[15]

The University has earned a national reputation for athletic excellence and in recent years, has dominated both the MCC and NCCAA. IWU has won the MCC Conference Commissioner's Cup a record seven consecutive years, and placed among the Top 20 in the NAIA United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup Standings nine straight years. The University was awarded the 2008 President's Cup of the NCCAA as the best overall athletic program in the nation. IWU has also won 9 national championships in the last three years alone.

Championships

The men's sports began MCC play in 1968 and the women's sports began MCC play in 1986. The University holds the record for MCC conference championships with 117 titles.

Mid-Central College Conference Championships
Sport Total Years won
Baseball 4 1975, 1980, 1983, 1985
Men's Basketball 2 2007, 2009
Women's Basketball 6 1994, 2002-2005, 2007
Men's Cross Country 17 1973, 1981-1986, 1989-1993, 2000, 2001, 2005-2007
Women's Cross Country 10 1998-2005, 2007, 2008
Golf 11 1977, 1981-1985, 1987, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2007
Men's Soccer 6 1993, 1994, 1998, 2006-2008
Women's Soccer 11 1996, 1998-2007
Softball 4 1989, 1992, 2005, 2006
Men's Tennis 14 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984-1987, 1989, 1990, 2002-2004, 2006, 2008
Women's Tennis 17 1992-2008
Men's Track and Field 4 1982, 1983, 1994, 2007, 2008
Women's Track and Field 6 1999, 2002-2005, 2007
Volleyball 4 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007

The University has 24 national championship titles, including 1 NAIA national championship from the record-setting 2006-2007 women's basketball team that went 38-0. The other 23 titles are NCCAA national championships.[16]

NAIA National Championships
Sport Total Years won
Women's Basketball 1 2008
NCCAA National Championships
Sport Total Years won
Men's Basketball 2 1995, 2008
Women's Basketball 2 2000, 2002
Women's Cross Country 1 2003
Golf 2 2005, 2006
Men's Soccer 1 2008
Women's Soccer 4 1997, 1999, 2000, 2007
Women's Tennis 4 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008
Men's Track and Field 2 1994, 2008
Men's Indoor Track and Field 1 2008
Women's Track and Field 1 2003
Women's Indoor Track and Field 2 2003, 2004
Volleyball 2 1985, 2000
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References

  1. ^ http://www.americanexecutive.com/content/view/5971/102/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5971&Itemid=102
  2. ^ a b c http://www.indwes.edu/news/ArchiveNews/2008/IWU-Has-Record-Enrollment.htm
  3. ^ CCCU : About Us | Members
  4. ^ http://www.indwes.edu/news/ArchiveNews/2009/New-Master-of-Divinity-Degree.htm
  5. ^ Elder, Marjorie. The Lord, The Landmarks, The Life. Marion: Indiana Wesleyan University, 1994.
  6. ^ Elder, Marjorie. The Lord, The Landmarks, The Life. Marion: Indiana Wesleyan University, 1994.
  7. ^ http://caps.indwes.edu/aboutCaps/
  8. ^ Indiana Wesleyan University
  9. ^ http://www.indwes.edu/alumni/graphics/2008-Spring-Triangle.pdf
  10. ^ http://www.indwes.edu/news/2008/IWU-Moves-up-in-US-News-Rankings.htm
  11. ^ a b c d e f Indiana Wesleyan University | Alumni
  12. ^ Young America's Foundation In The News
  13. ^ http://www.indwes.edu/news/2008/Tony-Dungy-honored.htm
  14. ^ Indiana Wesleyan University Athletic Department
  15. ^ Indiana Wesleyan University Athletic Department
  16. ^ Indiana Wesleyan University Athletic Department - Quick Facts
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