Washington Adventist University is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

Seventh-day Adventist The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbat ...

university in

Takoma Park, Maryland Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, D.C., Washington, and part of the Washington metropolitan area. Founded in 1883 and incorporated in 1890, Takoma Park, informally called "Azalea ...

History

Washington Adventist University was established in 1904 by the

Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sa ...

as Washington Training College. In 1907, it was renamed Washington Foreign Mission Seminary, in 1914, Washington Missionary College, in 1961, Columbia Union College, and in 2009 received its current name. In 2007, WAU nearly accepted a $25 million bid for the radio station owned by WAU, WGTS 91.9FM, from

American Public Media Group American Public Media Group (APMG), formerly the Minnesota Communications Group, is the non-profit parent organization of Minnesota Public Radio, American Public Media, and Southern California Public Radio. Jean Taylor is APMG's President and C ...

. WGTS listeners and supporters ran multiple campaigns against the sale for months before the board of trustees voted against selling the radio station in September 2007. WAU would have used the sale payment to pay down about $5 million in debts and to increase its endowment of $4 million. The school, which has an enrollment of about 1,000 students, also anticipated that the proceeds would pay for constructing the first new building on campus in 37 years. In 2008, President Weymouth Spence announced he would eliminate or freeze up to 22 faculty and staff positions in order to restructure the school's curriculum and relieve WAU's multimillion-dollar debt. The announcement came as part of Spence's plan to restructure WAU into a health science-focused institution. As a result, some students and faculty expressed uncertainty and displeasure to local and school-wide media regarding the change in school focus.

Academics

WAU is accredited by the

Middle States Commission on Higher Education The Middle States Commission on Higher Education, abbreviated as MSCHE and legally incorporated as the Mid-Atlantic Region Commission on Higher Education, is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit membership organization that performs peer evalua ...

and approved by the

Adventist Accrediting Association The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath ...

of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Professional accreditations include the Department of Baccalaureate and Higher Degree Programs of the National League for Nursing, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, and the Maryland State Department of Education. The university offers undergraduate Associate and bachelor's degrees, as well as several certificate programs. Graduate programs include the following:

MBA A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular a ...

, Masters of

Nursing Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...

with Business Leadership, Masters in Public Administration, Masters of Religion, and Masters in Psychology. Adult evening courses towards accelerated bachelor's degree programs are also available from the School of Graduate and Professional Services. The current president of the college is Weymouth Spence, who has announced plans for structural changes to attempt to revitalize the school. The changes are described in detail in a document called ''The Plan''. President Spence succeeded

Randal Wisbey Randal may refer to: People Given name *Randal and Randall (given names), English-language masculine given names. *Randal Gaines, American politician *Rand Paul, United States Senator Surname *Allison Randal, a linguist, software developer and aut ...

, who left in 2007 for

La Sierra University La Sierra University (La Sierra or LSU) is a Private university, private, Seventh-day Adventist university in Riverside, California. Founded in 1922 as La Sierra Academy, it later became La Sierra College, a liberal arts college, and then was ...

. The resident agent is The Corporation Trust, Inc., in

Baltimore, MD Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-larges ...

Student life

The student body is diverse with students attending from a reported 40 states and 47 countries. WAU has 16 separate student clubs/organizations, including 6 honor societies. WAU is recognized with a premier music department and award-winning music ensembles. The New England Youth Ensemble (NEYE), WAU's resident orchestra, is one of North America's most traveled orchestras. Under the direction of faculty member Preston Hawes, the Carnegie Scholars Program of the NEYE affords qualified students a mentoring relationship with professional musicians of its parent organization, the New England Symphonic Ensemble, the resident orchestra of MidAmerica Productions in New York City. The Music Department features two choral groups, the Columbia Collegiate Chorale, and the elite performing vocal ensemble ProMusic. The Washington Concert Winds holds a yearly band festival where a newly commissioned work, composed specifically for the occasion is premiered each spring semester. The Music Department is housed in a newly constructed building, the Lois and Leroy Peters Music Center. Other groups include the following: Peters Music Center - WAU 09

*BSU Gospel Choir *

Mock trial A mock trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisti ...

team *Newspaper/college journal *

Ethnic An ethnicity or ethnic group is a group of people with shared attributes, which they collectively believe to have, and long-term endogamy. Ethnicities share attributes like language, culture, common sets of ancestry, traditions, society, re ...

groups *

Political groups This is a list of political groups by country. A political group, also known as a political alliance, coalition or bloc, is cooperation by members of different political parties on a common agenda. This usually involves formal agreements between ...

*Social service groups *

Student Association A students' union or student union, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social, organization ...

WAU also features a Sports-Acrobatics Exhibition Team. The Acro-Airs have performed across the country and for a variety of venues. The team does performances at schools and community events where they spread the message of healthy living including abstaining from drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Washington Adventist University's Acro-Airs also perform half-time shows for NBA games. They have performed at games for the Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, and others. A recent performance was at the "Discover Strathmore Open House 2009", which was sponsored in part by the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Baily Circus. The ''Columbia Journal'' serves as the campus newspaper. Many of the student body are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, though students of all faiths and belief systems may enroll. Weekly church services are held at the campus church, Sligo Church.

Athletics

The Washington Adventist athletic teams are called the Shock. 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 higher education, colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic schola ...

(NAIA), primarily competing as an NAIA Independent within the Continental Athletic Conference since the 2014–15 academic year. They also compete as a member of the

United States Collegiate Athletic Association The United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) is a national organization for the intercollegiate athletic programs of 72 mostly small colleges, including community/junior colleges, across the United States. The USCAA holds 15 national ...

(USCAA) since the 2013–14 academic year. The Shock previously competed in the

NCAA Division II NCAA Division II (D-II) is the intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to both the larger and better-funded Division I and to the scholarship-free environment ...

ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent, which they withdrew from at the end of the 2012–13 school year. Washington Adventist compete in nine intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include basketball, cross country and soccer; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, softball, soccer and volleyball. The university also houses a showcase

acrobatics Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance (ability), balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sports, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most ...

team known as the Acro-Airs.

Intramurals

In addition to intercollegiate athletics, WAU offers

intramural sports Intramural sports are recreational sports organized within a particular institution, usually an educational institution, for the purpose of fun and exercise. The term, which is chiefly North American, derives from the Latin words ''intra muros'' m ...

for men and women. Sports facilities and activities are available to students. A volleyball club, fitness club, sports fields, and weight room complement the program.

Accomplishments

The 2008 men's baseball team won the USCAA National Championship, the first national championship in the school's history. The "Iron Nine" of the Washington Adventist University baseball team played in three national championship games between 2006 and 2009. Along with winning the title in 2008 they have been national runners-up in 2006 and 2009.

Withdrawals

In recent years, WAU eliminated their men's volleyball program, along with the baseball, softball, and men's and women's track and field program.

Study abroad opportunities

Washington Adventist University co-sponsors Adventist Colleges Abroad, a program in which qualified students study overseas while completing requirements for graduation at Washington Adventist University. This language and cultural immersion is available in eight locations: Argentina, Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Spain, WAU undergraduate students may also study business courses in England through an exclusive partnership program with Newbold College just outside London, England.

Notable alumni

Leonard Lee Bailey Leonard Lee Bailey (1942–2019) was an American surgeon who garnered international media attention in 1984 for transplanting a baboon's heart into a human infant. Bailey was born on August 28, 1942, in Takoma Park, Maryland. In 1964, he graduate ...

– 1964 – pediatric heart

surgeon In medicine, a surgeon is a medical doctor who performs surgery. Even though there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon is a licensed physician and received the same medical training as physicians before spec ...

Roscoe Bartlett Roscoe Gardner Bartlett Jr. (born June 3, 1926) is an American politician who served a member of the United States House of Representative from 1993 to 2013. He is a member of the Republican Party and was a member of the Tea Party Caucus. At ...

– 1947 – Republican in

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

formerly representing

Maryland's 6th congressional district Maryland's 6th congressional district elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives from the northwest part of the state. The district comprises all of Garrett, Allegany, Frederick, and Washington counties as well as a po ...

Hans-Jørgen Holman Hans-Jörgen Holman (20 February 1925 – 6 August 1986) (also Hans-Jörgen Holmen-Guttormsen) was a Norwegian-American pianist/ harpsichordist and professor of music at Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan. Holman specialized in Medieval ...

, Norwegian-American musicologist and educationalist. * H. M. S. Richards – 1919 – pioneer radio broadcaster and founder of the

Voice of Prophecy The ''Voice of Prophecy'', founded in 1929 by H. M. S. Richards, is a Seventh-day Adventist religious radio ministry headquartered in Loveland, Colorado. Initially airing in 1929 on a single radio station in Los Angeles, the ''Voice of Proph ...

media ministry * Rachel Roy – 1996 – fashion designer *

Thomas L. Saaty Thomas L. Saaty (July 18, 1926 – August 14, 2017) was a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, where he taught in the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business. He is the inventor, architect, and primary theoretici ...

– 1948 – mathematician and inventor of the

Analytic Hierarchy Process In the theory of decision making, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), also analytical hierarchy process, is a structured technique for organizing and analyzing MCDA, complex decisions, based on mathematics and psychology. It was developed by ...

Nicholas Sarwark Nicholas Joel Sarwark (born August 27, 1979) is an American attorney and businessman who served as the 19th chair of the Libertarian National Committee (LNC), the governing body of the Libertarian Party. Prior to his election in 2014, he served ...

– 1998 – Libertarian Party activist * Benjamin G. Wilkinson – major contributor to the

King-James-Only Movement The King James Only movement (also known as King James Onlyism or KJV Onlyism) asserts that the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is superior to all other English translations of the Bible. Adherents of the movement, mostly certain Conse ...

with his book ''

Our Authorized Bible Vindicated ''Our Authorized Bible Vindicated'' is a book written by Seventh-day Adventist Church, Seventh-day Adventist scholar Benjamin G. Wilkinson advocating the King-James-Only Movement, King James Only (KJO) position, published in 1930. It asserted tha ...

'' *

Ted N. C. Wilson Theodore Norman Clair Wilson (born May 10, 1950) is an ordained minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and currently serves as the List of presidents of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, President of the General Conference o ...

– 1971 – General Conference president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church *

Charles F. McMillan Charles F. McMillan (October 25, 1954 – September 6, 2024) was an American nuclear physicist and served as the 10th director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. His appointment was effective June 1, 2011. He succeeded Michael R. Anastasio. ...

– 1977 – tenth director of the

Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos National Laboratory (often shortened as Los Alamos and LANL) is one of the sixteen research and development Laboratory, laboratories of the United States Department of Energy National Laboratories, United States Department of Energy ...

References

External links

*
Official athletics website
{{Authority control Seventh-day Adventist universities and colleges in the United States Universities and colleges in Montgomery County, Maryland Universities and colleges established in 1904 USCAA member institutions Buildings and structures in Takoma Park, Maryland 1904 establishments in Maryland Liberal arts colleges in Maryland Private universities and colleges in Maryland