Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) is a private

evangelical Christian Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual expe ...

university headquartered in Marion, Indiana, and affiliated with the

Wesleyan Church The Wesleyan Church, also known as the Wesleyan Methodist Church and Wesleyan Holiness Church depending on the region, is a Methodist Christian denomination in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Namibia, Sierra Leone, L ...

. It is the largest private university in Indiana. The university system includes IWU—Marion, where nearly 3,000 students are enrolled in traditional programs on the main campus in Marion and IWU-National & Global which consists of 6,800 adult learners who study online or onsite at 15 education centers in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. In addition 535 graduate students are currently enrolled at Wesley Seminary. IWU offers more than 80 undergraduate degrees and 57 graduate degrees including 9 doctorate degrees. Its students represent more than 80 Christian denominations and come from 11 countries.

History

IWU's campus was known first as Marion Normal College (1890–1912) and then as Marion Normal Institute (1912–1918). In 1918, the Marion Normal Institute relocated to Muncie, Indiana, and merged with the Indiana Normal Institute. After the union failed, the buildings and grounds were purchased for the State of Indiana and formed the basis for Ball State University. Because the Indiana Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church operated the Fairmount Bible School south of Marion, local citizens asked them to move to the vacant property and open a normal school in Marion. So from 1918 to 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.Elder, Marjorie. ''The Lord, The Landmarks, The Life''. Marion: Indiana Wesleyan University, 1994. From 1920 to 1988, Marion College operated as a developing liberal arts institution with growing programs, offering Bachelor of Arts and 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. Having already established a 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 IWU National & Global. This decision proved to be very successful and massively affected IWU's future, eventually eliminating the school's sizable debt and funding the revitalization and expansion of the Marion campus, transforming the college into a major evangelical Christian university. To this day, IWU National & Global provides the majority of the funding used in campus renovation and construction projects, keeping student

tuition Tuition payments, usually known as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in Commonwealth English, are fees charged by education institutions for instruction or other services. Besides public spending (by governments and other public bo ...

at a relatively low level compared with other similar colleges. Enrollment in IWU National & Global has grown substantially since 1985 when the first courses were offered. IWU has grown by more than 200 percent since 1990 to educate nearly 14,000 students, over 10,000 of whom are taking courses online or at IWU National & Global's regional Education Centers in Indiana,

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, and

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

. Site-based classes are held at 14 Education Centers: Indianapolis North and West, Fort Wayne, Kokomo, Greenwood,

Merrillville Merrillville is a town in Ross Township, Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 35,246 at the 2010 census. Merrillville is in east-central Lake County, in the Chicago metropolitan area. On January 1, 2015, Merrillville became the ...

, and Marion, Indiana;

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

, Columbus and

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater D ...

;

Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...

, Lexington, and

Florence, Kentucky Florence is a home rule-class city in Boone County, Kentucky, United States. Florence is the second largest city located in Northern Kentucky, after Covington, and part of the Greater Cincinnati Metropolitan Area. The population was 31,946 at ...

. Programs are also available at a number of learning sites located throughout Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. Since 1997, most of these programs have been available online. 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. Barnes served as president from 1987 to 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. Barnes served as the university's first chancellor from 2006 to 2010. In 2006 Dr. Henry Smith succeeded Barnes as president. In 2010, the Student Center was renamed the Barnes Student Center, in his honor. In 2008, the Board of Trustees approved a motion to begin the process of establishing

Wesley Seminary Wesley Seminary is an evangelical Christian theological seminary that was founded by the Wesleyan Church denomination and Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU). Wesley Seminary is located on Indiana Wesleyan University's main campus in Marion, In ...

at Indiana Wesleyan University, an evangelical

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...

affiliated with both the university and the Wesleyan Church. In 2009, the seminary was approved and accredited and opened for the fall 2009 semester. It offers the Master of Divinity degree along with other graduate theological degrees and has its own building, a result of the university receiving a substantial donation from the Green family, owners of the

Hobby Lobby Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., formerly Hobby Lobby Creative Centers, is an American retail company. It owns a chain of arts and crafts stores with a volume of over $5 billion in 2018. The chain has 969 stores in 47 US states. Hobby Lobby is owned by ...

corporation. Wesley is the first officially affiliated seminary in the history of the Wesleyan Church. In 2012 Smith announced his resignation as president and reassignment as chancellor. He was succeeded as president by Dr. David Wright, who was inaugurated in 2013. In 2013, the board of trustees voted to acquire Wesley Institute (now Excelsia College), in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Australia, to create IWU's first international campus. The university was granted an exception to

Title IX Title IX is the most commonly used name for the federal civil rights law in the United States that was enacted as part (Title IX) of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other educat ...

in 2017. Homosexual acts are prohibited for students, including kissing and all acts "equated culturally with homosexual behavior." In 2022 Wright resigned and Dr. Jonathan Kulaga was named the university’s tenth president. IWU is 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 U.S. and Canada), IWU is its largest member with nearly 10,000 students enrolled as of 2022.

Academics

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 arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...

Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of pre ...

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast t ...

Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accoun ...

, and Master of Divinity degrees, along with a doctoral program in Organizational Leadership. 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). In 2009, the university realigned its academic structure into five Principal Academic Units: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Adult and Professional Studies, the Graduate School, the School of Nursing, and Wesley Seminary.

Rankings

In 2013, the university was ranked 17th out of more than 150 universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report. 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.

Enrollment

Indiana Wesleyan's total enrollment has grown from a student total of 2,000 in 1987 to nearly 14,000 in 2017. This growth has made IWU the largest institution in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and the largest private university in the state of Indiana. The population of traditional students living in on-campus residence facilities increased from 442 students in 1989 to nearly 2,600 in the fall of 2008. There are nearly 3,200 students (undergraduate and graduate) enrolled at IWU's Marion campus as of 2017. Enrollment in IWU National & Global's programs has grown from 1,250 students in 1989 to more than 10,000 students as of 2017.

Main campus

Indiana Wesleyan University has a main campus in Marion, Indiana. Since 1990, nearly $250 million has been spent on new construction and renovation, and the campus is valued in excess of $360 million. In the past 30 years, over 50 construction projects have been completed, including more than 15 residence facilities and 16 academic/administrative buildings, along with 11 adult and professional studies structures around the Midwest. Of special note are the university's student residence facilities, including 9

dormitories A dormitory (originated from the Latin word ''dormitorium'', often abbreviated to dorm) is a building primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people such as boarding school, high school, college or university s ...

(all built since 1990) and several apartment structures. IWU was ranked #1 in the 2018 "Best College Dorms in Indiana" list and #16 on the United States list. The university is unique from most colleges in having air conditioning in every room and no community showers in any facility on campus. The university built the $22 million Chapel Auditorium (where chapel services are held three days a week), which was dedicated in January 2010. With 3,800 seats, it is one of the largest

theaters Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

in the Midwest. As one of the largest facilities of its kind in the nation, it was designed to attract major events to Marion, such as musical artists, speakers, and conventions. Visiting artists have included Relient K, Switchfoot, the Gaither Vocal Band,

Michael W. Smith Michael Whitaker Smith (born October 7, 1957) is an American musician who has charted in both contemporary Christian and mainstream charts. His biggest success in mainstream music was in 1991 when " Place in This World" hit No. 6 on the '' ...

, and

Lauren Daigle Lauren Ashley Daigle () (born September 9, 1991) is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter. After being signed to the label Centricity Music, she released her debut album, '' How Can It Be,'' in 2015. It reached No. 1 on ...

. In 2016, IWU broke ground on a 2,500 seat, state of the art football stadium that cost approximately $9 million. Wildcat Stadium was completed prior to the 2018 football season. File:Iwupac.jpg, Phillippe Performing Arts Center (1996) File:Iwuhodsonhall.jpg, Hodson Hall (1996) File:Iwupresidentshome.JPG, President's Home (1998) File:IWUmaxwellcenter.jpg, Maxwell Center for Business and Leadership (1998) File:Iwurecreationcenter.JPG, Recreation and Wellness Center (1999) File:Iwuburnshall.JPG, Burns Hall (2000) File:Iwuglobetheatre.jpg, Globe Theatre, Student Center (2001) File:Williamsprayerchapel.jpg, Williams Prayer Chapel (2001) File:Johnwesleystatue.jpg, John Wesley Statue (2003) File:Iwulibrary.JPG, Jackson Library (2003) File:IWUwesleyadministrationbuilding.jpg, John Wesley Administration Building (1894,2003) File:Iwuscripturehall.jpg, Scripture Hall (2001) and Old University Fountain (2003) File:Iwulodges.JPG, Upperclassman Lodges (2005) File:Iwustudentcenter.JPG, Student Center (1994,2001,2006) File:Iwustudentcentermall.jpg, Student Center Mall (2006) File:Iwustudentcenterpiazza.JPG, Student Center Piazza (2006) File:IWUnorthhall.jpg, Beckett Hall (2007) File:Iwuelderhall.JPG, Elder Hall (2007) File:Iwuchristianministriescenter.JPG, Noggle Christian Ministries Center (1986,2008) File:Iwuchapel.JPG, University Chapel (2010) File:Iwu seminary 1.jpg, Wesley Seminary (2013) File:OTT-Hall.jpg, Ott Hall of Science and Nursing (2014) File:IWU-plaza01.jpg, Eastburn Plaza and New University Fountain (2016)

Education centers

IWU National & Global is represented in regional education centers throughout the Midwest in Indiana,

, and

. Site-based classes are held at 14 education centers: Indianapolis North and West, Fort Wayne, Kokomo, Greenwood,

, and Marion, Indiana;

, Columbus and

;

, Lexington, and

Society of World Changers

IWU created the Society of World Changers in 2003 to recognize nationally renowned figures who have exemplified the concept of world changers (those who impact their secular sphere of influence for Christianity) and whose lives can serve as an inspiration to future generations. Each year a World Changers Convocation is held on IWU's Marion campus to induct a new member into the Society and celebrate his or her accomplishments. A life-size bronze bust of each inductee is placed on permanent display in the Society of World Changers Hall of Honor located in the rotunda of the Jackson Library.

Music

The university's music department is most noted for its premier choir, the University Chorale. Throughout the year, the eighty voice ensemble regularly travels to many states, singing in churches across the country and performing before thousands of people each year. Most notably, the Chorale has performed several times at the internationally recognized

Crystal Cathedral Christ Cathedral (Latin: ''Cathedralis Christi''; Spanish: ''Catedral de Cristo''; Vietnamese: ''Nhà Thờ Chính Tòa Chúa Kitô''), formerly and informally known as the Crystal Cathedral, is an American church building of the Diocese of Or ...

Orange County, California Orange County is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,186,989, making it the third-most-populous county in California, the sixth-most-populous in the United States, a ...

and

Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church is a Christian megachurch within the Presbyterian Church in America located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was founded in 1960 by D. James Kennedy (1930–2007), who served as the church's senior pastor until s ...

in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The group has also toured throughout Europe on several occasions, singing in venues such as St. Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland;

St Michael and All Angels' Church, Haworth St Michael and All Angels' Church is the Church of England parish church of Haworth, West Yorkshire. The current structure, the third church building on the site, was built between 1879 and 1881 although parts of the original medieval church b ...

, England;

York Minster The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, North Yorkshire, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Arch ...

, York, England;

Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the Anglican diocese of Oxford, which consists of the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. It is also the chapel of Christ Church, a college of the University of Oxford. This dual r ...

, England; St Paul's Cathedral, London, England; Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Paris, France; and

St. Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal e ...

Vatican City Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Città del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),—' * german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '—' (in Austria: ') * pl, Miasto Watykańskie, cf. '—' * pt, Cidade do Vati ...

. The choir is made up of students in a variety of majors. Auditions are held at the beginning of each school year as hundreds of students audition for the open spots. Other ensembles at IWU include University Singers, University Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, One Voice, His Instrument, and Master's Praise. These groups perform on campus and regionally on a regular basis. Throughout the school year, students also perform a wide variety of solo and joint recitals. The Phillippe Performing Arts Center is home to the IWU Music Department.

Athletics

The Indiana Wesleyan (IWU) athletic teams are called the Wildcats. The university is a member of the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its st ...

(NAIA), primarily competing in the Crossroads League (formerly known as the Mid-Central College Conference (MCCC) until after the 2011–12 school year) since the 1973–74 academic year; while its football team competes in the Mideast League of the

Mid-States Football Association The Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA. Member institutions are located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Missouri. The MSFA was organized in 1993, and on-field competition b ...

(MSFA) and its women's swimming team competes in the Mid-South Conference (MSC). They were also a member of the

National Christian College Athletic Association The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) is an association of Christian universities, colleges, and Bible colleges in the United States and Canada whose mission is "the promotion and enhancement of intercollegiate athletic ...

(NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the Midwest Region of the Division I level. IWU competes in 23 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis and track and field (indoor and outdoor). Women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; and co-ed sports include competitive cheer.

Accomplishments

Indiana Wesleyan is the winningest school in Crossroads League history. IWU won the league Commissioners Cup a record twelve consecutive years, and placed among the Top 20 in the NAIA United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup Standings 13 straight years. The Women's Tennis Team has won the Crossroads League Conference Championship 31 years in a row. They have won more matches than any other tennis team in any division since 2014. The Men's Tennis Team won a record 41 matches in the 2021-22 season. No other tennis team at any level has won more than 39 matches in a given season. The university was awarded the 2008 NCCAA President's Cup as the best overall athletic program in the nation, and shared the award with Cedarville University in 2009, the fourth time IWU won the award.

Championships

Men's sports began Crossroads League play in 1968 and women's sports began league play in 1986. The university holds the record for Crossroads League championships with 180 titles as of 2021. The university has won 31 national championship titles, including 2 NAIA national championships from the record-setting 2006–2007 women's basketball team that went 38-0 and the 2012–2013 women's basketball team. IWU has won an additional 3 NAIA national championships in 2014, 2016 and 2018 in men's basketball. Katie Wilson and Lucia Solis won the 2015 ITA NAIA National Tennis Doubles Title. The other 26 titles are NCCAA national championships.

Notable alumni

Joseph Kofi Adda Joseph Kofi Kowe Adda (22 April 1956 – 14 October 2021) was a Ghanaian politician, who served as a Member of Parliament and also the Minister for Aviation in the New Patriotic Party government under President Akufo-Addo until January 2021. ...

, Member of Parliament in Ghana *

Brandon Beachy Brandon Alan Beachy (born September 3, 1986), is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers. Amateur career Beachy attended Northwestern Senior Hig ...

, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers * Jean Breaux, Indiana state senator representing the 34th District *

André Carson André D. Carson (born October 16, 1974) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2008. A member of the Democratic Party, his district includes the southern four-fifths of Indianapolis, including Downtown Indianap ...

, U.S. representative from the 7th Congressional District * R. Sheldon Duecker, bishop of the United Methodist Church * Marc Griffin, lawyer, world's youngest judge * Laurell K. Hamilton, ''New York Times'' bestselling author * Ghassan Hitto, former opposition prime minister of Syria *

Keith O'Conner Murphy Keith O'Conner Murphy (Keith Murphy) is an American songwriter, singer and recording artist. His contributions to the rockabilly genre of rock and roll music were recognized in 2002 when he was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. He is a ...

, singer and songwriter, Rockabilly Hall of Fame, Stacy, Polydor (UK) and King Records (US) * Jamar Newsome - professional football player * Jerry Pattengale, founder of purpose-guided education, director of Green Scholars Initiative, executive director at the

Museum of the Bible The Museum of the Bible is a museum in Washington D.C., owned by Museum of the Bible, Inc., a non-profit organization established in 2010 by the Green family. The museum documents the narrative, history, and impact of the Bible. It opened on No ...

in Washington, D.C. *

John M. Pratt John Morgan Pratt (March 23, 1886, Sharpsville, Indiana – June 15, 1954, Chicago, Illinois) was a tax resistance leader, activist in the Old Right, publicist and newspaper man. Along with James E. Bistor, he led what was probably the large ...

, tax resister *

Silky Nutmeg Ganache Reginald Homer Steele (born December 31, 1990), better known by the stage name Silky Nutmeg Ganache, is an American drag performer from Chicago, Illinois, who came to international attention in 2019 when she competed on the eleventh season of ...

, drag queen and contestant on Season 11 of

RuPaul's Drag Race ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, VH1 (season 9–14) and, beginning with the f ...

''and RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 6.'' *

Randy Truitt Randy Truitt is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives representing District 26 which includes portions of Tippecanoe and Warren County. He was first elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2008. Prior to 2008, he was ...

, Indiana state representative from the 26th District.'' *

Kyle Mangas Kyle Mangas (born April 8, 1999) is an American basketball player for BC Šiauliai of the Lithuanian Basketball League. He played college basketball for the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats. In his junior season, he won the Bevo Francis Award and was nam ...

- professional basketball player * Jordan Weidner - professional basketball player

References

External links