Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 18:39, 21 March 2008

Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) is a private evangelical Christian liberal arts college located in Marion, Indiana that is affiliated with the Wesleyan Church denomination. IWU is the largest member of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. The university offers various liberal arts (including 78 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, the university plans to offer a Master of Divinity degree as part of an accredited seminary in the near future.

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, becoming Ball State University. Because the Indiana Conference of The Wesleyan Methodist Church operated the Fairmount Bible School 10 miles south of Marion, a group of local citizens asked them to move to the vacant property and open a normal school in Marion. So in 1918 – 1919 the church raised $100,000 to endow the school, moved the Fairmont Bible School to Marion, and added a new teacher education program to become Marion College. The date of incorporation was 1919, and the first classes were offered in the fall of 1920.

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, 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.

Having already established a solid liberal arts college, in 1983, its 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 radically since 1985 when the first courses were offered. IWU has now become the fastest-growing university in Indiana and one of the fastest-growing in the U.S. 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, Shelbyville, Kokomo, and Columbus, Ind.; Louisville and Lexington, Ky.; 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. IWU's CAPS program is the second largest adult education program in the United States, after the University of Phoenix.

In 2000, IWU 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 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 schools of higher education in the US and Canada), IWU has become its largest member with nearly 15,000 students enrolled as of September 2007. IWU now employs more than 200 full-time faculty, over 400 full-time administrative and staff members and over 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 Bible college into one of the largest and most successful evangelical Christian universities in the world. Dr. Barnes now serves as university chancellor.

Honors

In 2007, IWU 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.

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."

IWU 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.

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.

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

Two faculty members have recently received Fulbright research grants.

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.

Enrollment

Indiana Wesleyan University’s total enrollment has grown tremendously the past 20 years, from a student total of 2,000 in 1987 to nearly 15,000 in 2007. This rapid growth has made IWU the largest institution in the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (the main organization of Christ-centered, four-year, liberal arts institutions in the U.S and Canada), the largest private university in the state of Indiana and the fastest-growing university in Indiana.

The population of traditional students living in university-owned residence facilities has increased from 442 students in 1989 to nearly 2,500 in the fall of 2007.

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 11,500 students in the fall of 2007. With IWU’s continued expansion around the Midwest, enrollment in the adult programs is projected to double during the next ten years.

Recently, the Board of Trustees voted to double the undergraduate student population to 6,200. Eventually, the university's total student body will surpass the 30,000 mark, making it the largest evangelical Christian university in the world. However, President Smith has stated that the current emphasis is on improving the academic reputation of the university.

Main Campus

Indiana Wesleyan University is noted for its award-winning 300 acre main campus in Marion, Indiana. During the past two decades, over $200 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, Indiana 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) recently approved by the Board of Trustees, scheduled for completion in 2010. With 4,000 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.

Athletics

IWU offers eight intercollegiate sports for both men and women. The Wildcats compete in the Mid-Central College Conference, in which they are the conference's winningest school in history, and IWU is a member of the NCCAA Division I and NAIA Division II (but will be promoted to Division I soon).

IWU is also home to MCC conference president, Dr. Mike Fratzke, who was recently voted the 2007 NAIA Athletics Director of the Year.

IWU has earned a national reputation for athletic excellence and in recent years, has dominated the MCC. IWU has won the Mid-Central Conference Commissioners 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.

2006-2007

The 2006-2007 school year was a record year for IWU sports, winning conference championships in 10 of the 14 MCC sports, which is a conference record. Both the men's and women's soccer and basketball teams captured MCC championships, the first school to do so. In addition, the men's golf team captured its second straight NCCAA National Championship and the women's tennis team won the NCCAA National Championship as well (the program's third overall). However, the story of the year was the record-breaking women's basketball team, who captured the first NAIA National Championship in school history. The Wildcats posted a perfect 38-0 record, becoming the first basketball team in NAIA history to go undefeated.

2007-2008

The 2007-2008 school year started well for the Wildcats, including MCC championships in men's (2nd in a row) and women's soccer (10th in a row), women's tennis (16th in a row), men's (3rd in a row) and women's cross country, women's volleyball (2nd in a row), and men's golf.

Both the men's and women's soccer teams and the women's volleyball team (6th in a row) secured MCC Tournament championships as well. The men's soccer team posted a 14-3-1 regular season record, the best in program history, reached #6 in the NAIA national rankings (also a record mark), and won the NCCAA Midwest Regional Championship, as well as being ranked #1 in the NCCAA national poll for most of the season. The women's soccer team also won the NCCAA National Championship (the program's fourth overall) and finished with a season record of 21-2-1, the best in school history. IWU was well on its way to securing its seventh straight MCC Commissioners Cup.

In December, the women's basketball team broke a 24 year old NAIA record by winning their 48th consecutive game. Despite losing 4 starters from the previous season, they started 2007-2008 18-0, extending their record mark by winning a staggering 56 consecutive games. The historic streak was snapped, however, on January 12, 2008 in a loss to MCC rival Bethel College. Despite being picked to finish fourth in the preseason MCC coaches poll, the Wildcats exceeded expectations and finished the season in second place in the MCC, behind Bethel College. In the MCC Tournament championship, the Wildcats lost again to Bethel for the third time in the season. However, IWU receieved an at-large bid to the NAIA National Tournament, where, though favored, they lost in the first round against William Jewell College. The women ended their season with a 28-6 overall record, 3 of the losses coming against Bethel.

While the women's season started brightly and faded at the end, the men's was the exact opposite. Following a record season in which they were MCC champions and qualified for the Elite Eight for the first time at the NAIA National Tournament, the men were picked to finish first again in the preseason MCC coaches poll. However, they finished a disappointing fourth with a poor 9-7 conference record. More misery ensued with a shocking loss at home to arch-rival Taylor University in the MCC Tournament first round, which ensured that there would be no return trip to the NAIA's. Despite another bad loss at home to MCC rival Spring Arbor University in the NCCAA Regional Final, the Wildcats still qualified for the NCCAA National Tournament in Oakland City, Indiana, as the #1 seed. On March 20, 2008, IWU avenged their earlier loss to Spring Arbor by defeating them 74-61 in the National Championship. The Wildcats finished the season with an overall record of 23-11. The NCCAA national title was the program's first since IWU won it at home in 1995, and the second in program history.

The men's basketball national championship was IWU's third NCCAA national title during the 2007-2008 school year. The women's soccer team won their championship in November and the men's indoor track and field team won their national championship in February. In March, IWU clinched their record seventh straight MCC Commissioners Cup, with a 22 point lead over nearest rival, Bethel College.

Championships

Mid-Central College Conference Championships (111, conference record)

• Baseball (4) - 1975, 1980, 1983, 1985
• Men's Basketball (1) - 2007
• Women's Basketball (6) - 1994, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007
• Men's Cross Country (17) - 1973, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007
• Women's Cross Country (9) - 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007
• Golf (11) - 1977, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2007
• Men's Soccer (5) - 1993, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2007
• Women's Soccer (11) - 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
• Softball (4) - 1989, 1992, 2005, 2006
• Men's Tennis (13) - 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
• Women's Tennis (16) - 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
• Men's Track and Field (4) - 1982, 1983, 1994, 2007
• Women's Track and Field (6) - 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007
• Volleyball (4) - 1999, 2002, 2006, 2007

• Men's sports began MCC play in 1968
• Women's sports began MCC play in 1986

NAIA National Championships, Division II (1)

• Women's Basketball - 2007 (Record-setting 38-0)

NCCAA National Championships, Division I (20)

• Men's Basketball - 2008
• Men's Indoor Track and Field - 2008
• Women's Soccer - 2007
• Women's Tennis - 2007
• Men's Golf - 2006
• Men's Golf - 2005
• Women's Tennis - 2005
• Women's Indoor Track and Field - 2004
• Women's Cross Country - 2003
• Women's Tennis - 2003
• Women's Indoor Track and Field - 2003
• Women's Track and Field - 2003
• Women's Basketball - 2002
• Women's Soccer - 2000
• Volleyball - 2000
• Women's Soccer - 1999
• Women's Soccer - 1997
• Men's Basketball - 1995
• Men's Track and Field - 1994
• Volleyball - 1985

Trivia

• Michael Moffitt, Vice President for Student Development, is a former tight end for the Green Bay Packers NFL club and his wife, Latrese, Director of Multicultural Student Services, is a former Olympic track star.
• On February 27, 2008, Tony Dungy, head coach of the Indianapolis Colts NFL club, spoke at IWU, received an honorary doctorate of humanities degree, and was inducted into the Society of World Changers.
• In 2007, Dr. Benjamin Carson, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, spoke at IWU, received an honorary doctorate of humanities degree, and was inducted into the Society of World Changers.
• In 2005, noted evangelical leader, Dr. James Dobson, spoke at IWU's academic convocation, received an honorary doctorate of humanities degree, and was inducted into the Society of World Changers.
• Best-selling author and leadership guru, Dr. John Maxwell, serves on the Board of Trustees and the Maxwell Business Center is named in honor of him and his family.
• Actor and evangelist Kirk Cameron spoke in chapel in 2003.
• Best-selling author Frank Peretti spoke in chapel in 2002 and was inducted into the Society of World Changers in 2003.
• In 2001, Fox News Channel's Col. Oliver North (ret.) spoke at Indiana Wesleyan following the terrorist attacks on 9/11 in a packed PPAC auditorium, sponsored by the College Republicans.
• Current Republican mayor of Marion, Wayne Seybold, attended IWU and competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics.
• With 4,000 seats, IWU's new chapel will be the largest auditorium in Indiana and one of the largest in the U.S. when completed in 2010. It will even be larger than the famous Kodak Theatre in L.A.
• If current growth goals are met, IWU will become the largest evangelical Christian university in the world.

References

1. Indiana Wesleyan University | Alumni
2. Indiana Wesleyan University
3. Indiana Wesleyan University
4. Indiana Wesleyan University
5. CCCU : About Us | Members
6. Indiana Wesleyan University
7. Indiana Wesleyan University | Alumni
8. Indiana Wesleyan University | Alumni
9. Indiana Wesleyan University | Alumni
10. Indiana Wesleyan University | Alumni
11. Indiana Wesleyan University | Alumni
12. Indiana Wesleyan University | Alumni
13. Young America's Foundation In The News
14. Indiana Wesleyan University Athletic Department
15. Indiana Wesleyan University Athletic Department
16. College of Arts and Sciences - Indiana Wesleyan University
17. Indiana Wesleyan University Athletic Department
18. Mid-Central College Conference - 2007 Men's Soccer
19. Indiana Wesleyan University Athletic Department - 2007-08 Women's Basketball
20. http://www.iwuwildcats.com/sport/5/7.php
21. http://www.iwuwildcats.com/sport/5/6.php
22. http://www.iwuwildcats.com/article/439.php
23. http://www.mid-centralconf.org/index.php
24. http://www.iwuwildcats.com/f/Quick_Facts.php
25. http://www.indwes.edu/news/2008/Tony-Dungy-honored.htm

• About Indiana Wesleyan University
• Society of World Changers

External links

• Official website
• Official athletics website
• Website of the Wesleyan Church

v t e Colleges and universities in the Indianapolis metropolitan area
Public institutions	Ball State University‡ Indiana University Indianapolis Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana (Central Indiana Region) Purdue Polytechnic‡ Purdue University Global‡ Purdue University in Indianapolis‡ Vincennes University‡
Private institutions	Anderson University Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary Butler University Christian Theological Seminary College of Biblical Studies DePauw University Franklin College Indiana Bible College Indiana Institute of Technology‡ Indiana Wesleyan University‡ Marian University Martin University Oakland City University‡ Trine University‡ Union Bible College University of Indianapolis
For-profit institutions	American College of Education Chamberlain University College of Nursing‡ Fortis College‡ International Business College Lincoln Tech‡ Salem University‡ South College‡
Defunct	Harrison College Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis ITT Technical Institute
Footnotes	The ‡ symbol denotes institutional branches whose main campuses are located outside the Indianapolis metropolitan area.

v t e Universities and colleges in the Louisville metropolitan area
ATA College Bellarmine University Brown Mackie College Campbellsville University Daymar College Eastern Kentucky University-Fort Knox regional campus Galen College of Nursing Indiana Institute of Technology Indiana University Southeast Indiana Wesleyan University Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana Jefferson Community and Technical College Louisville Bible College Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary National College Northwood University Purdue University College of Technology Simmons College Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Boyce College) Spalding University Sullivan University (College of Technology and Design • Spencerian College) University of Louisville (College of Business • Speed School of Engineering • Brandeis School of Law • School of Medicine) University of Phoenix Webster University Western Kentucky University-Fort Knox regional campus
Kentucky portal

• Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
• Universities and colleges affiliated with the Wesleyan Church
• Universities and colleges in Indiana