Wabash College

Wabash College is a private liberal arts men's college located in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Founded in 1832, by a group of Dartmouth College graduates and Midwestern leaders, the institution was originally named "The Wabash Teachers Seminary and Manual Labor College". It was later renamed Wabash College in 1851. The college was founded with the intention of providing classical and English education to young men in the region, aiming to develop future educators and clergy.

Caleb Mills, a Dartmouth alumnus and graduate of Andover Theological Seminary, was the first faculty member of Wabash College. He played a pivotal role in shaping the institution's academic character and later became instrumental in establishing Indiana's public education system. The college's mission is to educate men to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively, and live humanely.

As of 2024, Wabash College enrolls approximately 835 undergraduate students. The academic program is structured into three divisions: natural sciences, humanities and arts, and social sciences. Students can choose from 36 majors and minors, with popular fields of study including rhetoric, economics, history, and biology. A distinctive feature of the Wabash curriculum is the comprehensive examination process for seniors, which includes both written and oral components to assess students' mastery in their major disciplines.

Wabash College is one of only three non-religious, all-male, four-year colleges remaining in the United States, alongside Hampden–Sydney College and Morehouse College. The college maintains a strong tradition of single-sex education, emphasizing close-knit community and leadership development.

History

Wabash College was founded on November 21, 1832, by a group of Presbyterian ministers and laymen in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Seeking to bring classical and moral education to the American frontier, the founders envisioned a “classical and English high school, rising into a college as soon as the wants of the country demand.” The next day, they dedicated the campus grounds in prayer while kneeling in the snow—a moment that became symbolic of Wabash’s spiritual and intellectual mission.

Classes began in 1833 on education, and Elihu W. Baldwin became the college’s first president in 1835. Early instruction emphasized Classical education, Theology, and a short-lived Manual labor school model. Despite early financial hardship and a devastating fire in 1838, Wabash quickly rebuilt. It developed a distinguished faculty, notably Caleb Mills, a founder of Indiana Department of Education, and Edmund Otis Hovey, who served as professor, trustee, treasurer, and fundraiser for over four decades.

By the mid-19th century, Wabash had become known for its liberal arts education, rooted in classical studies, rhetoric, and moral philosophy. Student life was centered around literary societies such as the Euphronean and Calliopean, which provided early platforms for oratory and debate.

Under President Joseph F. Tuttle (1862–1892), the campus added buildings such as Center Hall and Peck Hall, while Wabash increasingly emphasized scientific education alongside the classics.

In the 20th century, President George L. Mackintosh (1903–1926) instituted major reforms, including the development of the Wabash Plan, which emphasized faculty-student dialogue, senior comprehensive exams, and a distinctive curriculum rooted in interdisciplinary learning. During World War I, Wabash hosted a Student Army Training Corps unit, and during World War II, the college trained Navy officers through the V-12 Navy College Training Program.

The postwar period brought enrollment growth through the G.I. Bill and further academic reform. Despite broader national trends toward coeducation, Wabash remained a men's college, reaffirming that identity via a campus-wide referendum in 1992. In 1996, under the direction of James Fisher, Wabash became the first college in America to stage Tony Kushner's ''Angels in America''.

In the 21st century, Wabash has prioritized global learning, undergraduate research, and leadership programs like WabashX. The college maintains vibrant traditions such as Chapel Sing, Ringing In and Out, and the annual Monon Bell Classic against DePauw University. With a strong alumni network, modern facilities, and enduring commitment to the liberal arts, Wabash continues its mission: “to educate men to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively, and live humanely.”

Academics

Wabash College offers a liberal arts education leading exclusively to the Bachelor of Arts degree. All students follow a structured curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, effective communication, ethical reasoning, and global citizenship.

Students complete general education requirements in three academic divisions: Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences. They must also demonstrate core competencies in writing, oral communication, quantitative reasoning, and diversity and inclusion. One of the college’s signature academic features is the comprehensive examination, a capstone assessment required of all seniors in their major field.

Majors and minors

Wabash offers more than 25 majors and minors across the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Popular majors include Political Science, Economics, Psychology, Biology, and Rhetoric. Interdisciplinary and special programs include:

* Philosophy, Politics and Economics
* Global health
* Gender studies
* Multicultural American Studies

Students may also propose independent majors with faculty approval.

Rankings

Wabash is consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the United States. In its 2024 rankings, '' U.S. News & World Report'' placed Wabash:

* 54th in National Liberal Arts Colleges
* 5th in Best Undergraduate Teaching

''The Princeton Review'' (2024 edition) recognized Wabash in several categories:

* 4th in Best Alumni Network
* 6th in Most Accessible Professors
* 9th in Best Classroom Experience

Wabash is also frequently ranked among the top U.S. colleges for alumni giving and faculty accessibility

Comprehensive examinations

All Wabash seniors are required to pass a comprehensive examination in their major field of study, a hallmark of the college's academic program. These exams assess students' mastery of core disciplinary concepts, their ability to synthesize information, and their written and oral communication skills.

Student life

As of 2024, Wabash College enrolled 822 undergraduate students. The college remains one of the few all-male liberal arts institutions in the United States.

Racial and ethnic breakdown

''Source
Wabash College Diversity Disclosure Report, 2024
'

Socioeconomic Breakdown

''Source
U.S. News & World Report
2024''

Traditions

One of Wabash's most symbolic ceremonies is Ringing In Saturday, which marks the beginning of each student’s college experience. Incoming freshmen are formally welcomed by the dean of students, the dean of admissions, the president of the alumni association, and the college president. Each student is ceremonially “rung in” by the president using the same bell that Caleb Mills, the college’s first teacher, used in the 1830s.

During Homecoming Week, Wabash hosts Chapel Sing, a spirited and widely recognized tradition where fraternity pledges (and independent students) attempt to sing the college fight song, '' Old Wabash'', in unison before a panel of judges. Organized by the Student Senate and the Sphinx Club, Chapel Sing symbolizes school pride and serves as a rite of passage.

Student government

The Wabash College student government is formally known as the Student Body of Wabash College. It operates under a tripartite structure with executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Student organizations

Wabash supports a diverse array of student-led clubs and organizations. Groups represent interests including academics, community service, performing arts, political advocacy, identity and culture, and recreation. All organizations are eligible to receive funding through the Student Senate, which manages the student activity fee assessed each semester.

The college newspaper, ''The Bachelor,'' has been continuously published since 1908 and covers news, sports, editorials, and student opinion.

Fraternities

Approximately 50–60% of Wabash students join one of the college’s fraternities, which play a significant role in social, residential, and extracurricular life. The first chapter, Beta Theta Pi, was founded at Wabash in 1846 and has remained active since.

The Gentleman's Rule

Wabash College does not employ a traditional student code of conduct. Instead, the institution relies on a single guiding principle known as the Gentleman’s Rule:

The student is expected to conduct himself at all times, both on and off campus, as a gentleman and a responsible citizen.

This rule entrusts students with personal responsibility for their actions and is considered the college’s oldest and most defining tradition. It is enforced through community standards, administrative discretion, and peer accountability rather than a formal disciplinary code.

Endowment

As of June 30, 2023, Wabash College's endowment was valued at approximately $391 million, equating to about $462,700 per student. This positions Wabash among the top liberal arts colleges in the United States in terms of endowment per student.

Giant Steps campaign

From July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2023, Wabash College conducted the "Giant Steps" campaign, the largest fundraising effort in its history. The campaign raised over $250 million from 12,029 donors who made 82,272 gifts, surpassing the original goal of $225 million.

A notable contribution to the campaign was a $40 million gift from alumni Paul Woolls ’75 and his wife, Betty O’Shaughnessy Woolls, marking the largest single donation in the college's history.

Endowment management

In 2015, Wabash College partnered with Strategic Investment Group to serve as its outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO). This collaboration has yielded significant returns; over a seven-year period, endowment returns exceeded benchmarks by $14.1 million.

The college employs a 12-quarter rolling average to determine its annual endowment draw, which was set at 5.5% for fiscal years 2022 and 2023. This approach aims to provide a predictable stream of funding while preserving the endowment's long-term purchasing power.

Financial aid and scholarships

Approximately 99% of Wabash students receive some form of financial aid, supported in part by the endowment. The college's commitment to affordability is reflected in its extensive scholarship offerings, many of which were expanded through the Giant Steps campaign.

Athletics

Wabash College competes in NCAA Division III as a member of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). The college fields 13 intercollegiate varsity sports, all for men, consistent with its status as one of the nation’s last remaining all-male colleges. The school’s athletic teams are known as the Little Giants.

Since 2021, Wabash has fielded a varsity men's volleyball team, competing in the Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League, as the NCAC sponsors volleyball only for women. Wabash's athletic cheer is "Wabash Always Fights", and the college maintains a strong tradition of athletic excellence, student involvement, and alumni support.

The school's varsity sports include: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling.

National championships

Wabash has won several NCAA Division III national team and individual championships.

Rivalries

Wabash College maintains one of the oldest and most storied football rivalries in the United States with DePauw University through the annual Monon Bell Classic. First played in 1890, the game has been held annually since 1911 (with exceptions during World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic) and features the two Indiana schools vying for the 300-pound locomotive bell known as the Monon Bell.

Historical highlights

Inter-collegiate football at Wabash dates back to 1884, when student-coach Edwin R. Taber assembled a team and defeated Butler University by a score of 4–0 in the first intercollegiate football game in the history of the state of Indiana.Ancestry.com
Edwin R. Taber

Wabash’s athletic history also includes early success in basketball, where the Little Giants reached the Final Four of the 1982 NCAA Division III Tournament, and in wrestling, where the program has produced multiple individual NCAA champions and team podium finishes in recent years.

Notable people

References

Further reading

* Aaron, Robert W. "Wabash College: Her Square Dances with Coeducation." ''Journal of the Student Personnel Association at Indiana University'' (2006): 25-38
online
* Boyd, Ernest L. "Ezra Pound at Wabash College." ''Journal of Modern Literature'' 4.1 (1974): 43-54. The poet was fired as an instructor in 1908
online
* Burns, David G. "William Norwood Brigance and Wabash College." ''Communication Quarterly'' 34.4 (1986): 349-356. An eminent speech scholar
online
* Fraker, Anne T., and Ann T. Fraker. "Caleb Mills: Schools, Christianity, and Civilization in the West." ''American Presbyterians'' 70.3 (1992): 151-162.
* Gronert, Theodore G. (1958). ''Sugar Creek Saga: A History and Development of Montgomery County''. Wabash College.
* Harvey, Robert S., ed. (1982). ''These Fleeting Years: Wabash College 1832–1982''. Crawfordsville: R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co.
* Lind, L. R. "Early Literary Societies at Wabash College." ''Indiana Magazine of History'' (1946): 173-176
online
* Osborne, James Insley, and Theodore Gregory Gronert. ''Wabash College: The First Hundred Years, 1832-1932'' (1932).

Primary sources

* Mills, Frank Moody. ''Early Days in a College Town: And Wabash College in Early Days and Now, with Autobiographical Reminiscences'' (1924)
online
* Trippet, Byron K. "The role of a faculty in college administration." ''AAUP Bulletin'' 43.3 (1957): 484-491; by the Dean
online
* Wabash College. ''Catalogue of Wabash College 1893-94'' (1894)
online
* ''Wabash College: The Annual Catalogue 1916'' (1916)
online

External links

*

Athletics website

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1832 establishments in Indiana
Buildings and structures in Montgomery County, Indiana
Education in Montgomery County, Indiana
Educational institutions established in 1832
Liberal arts colleges in Indiana
Men's universities and colleges in the United States
American manual labor schools
Private universities and colleges in Indiana
Crawfordsville, Indiana