Indiana Wesleyan University

IWU's campus was known first as Marion Normal College (1890–1912) and then as Marion Normal Institute (1912–1918).[6]

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 10 miles (16 km) 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.[7]

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.

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 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, and Kentucky. Site-based classes are held at 14 Education Centers: Indianapolis North and West, Fort Wayne, Kokomo, Greenwood, Merrillville, and Marion, Indiana; Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Dayton, Ohio; Louisville, Lexington, and Florence, Kentucky. 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.[8]

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.[7]

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.[9]

In 2008, the Board of Trustees approved a motion to begin the process of establishing Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University, an evangelical seminary 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 corporation. Wesley is the first officially affiliated seminary in the history of the Wesleyan Church.[10][11]

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.[12]

In 2013, the Board of Trustees voted to acquire Wesley Institute (now Excelsia College), in New South Wales, Australia to create IWU's first international campus.[13]

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 14,000 students enrolled as of 2017. The next largest member, Azusa Pacific University, has approximately 10,000 students as of 2018.

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, Bachelor of Music, Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, and Master of Divinity degrees, along with a doctoral program in Organizational Leadership.[14]

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.[15][16]

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.[19]

Indiana Wesleyan University is noted for its award-winning 320-acre (130 ha)[20] 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.[19][21]

Of special note are the university's student residence facilities, including 9 dormitories (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.[22]

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 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, and Lauren Daigle.

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.[23]

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  Phillippe Performing Arts Center (1996)
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  Hodson Hall (1996)
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  President's Home (1998)
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  Maxwell Center for Business and Leadership (1998)
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  Recreation and Wellness Center (1999)
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  Burns Hall (2000)
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  Globe Theatre, Student Center (2001)
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  Williams Prayer Chapel (2001)
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  John Wesley Statue (2003)
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  Jackson Library (2003)
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  John Wesley Administration Building (1894,2003)
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  Scripture Hall (2001) and Old University Fountain (2003)
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  Upperclassman Lodges (2005)
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  Student Center (1994,2001,2006)
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  Student Center Mall (2006)
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  Student Center Piazza (2006)
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  Beckett Hall (2007)
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  Elder Hall (2007)
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  Noggle Christian Ministries Center (1986,2008)
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  University Chapel (2010)
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  Wesley Seminary (2013)
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  Ott Hall of Science and Nursing (2014)
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  Eastburn Plaza and New University Fountain (2016)

IWU National & Global is represented in regional Education Centers throughout the midwest in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. Site-based classes are held at 14 Education Centers: Indianapolis North and West, Fort Wayne, Kokomo, Greenwood, Merrillville, and Marion, Indiana; Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Dayton, Ohio; Louisville, Lexington, and Florence, Kentucky.

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.[24]

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 in Orange County, California and Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church 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, England; York Minster, York, England; Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, England; St Paul's Cathedral, London, England; Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, Paris, France; and St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. 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.[25] 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.

Indiana Wesleyan is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and competes in the Crossroads League. The Wildcats also compete as a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division I level.[26] Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, and track and field (indoor and outdoor). Women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field (indoor and outdoor), and volleyball. IWU also fields a co-ed competitive cheer team. 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 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.[27]

• Joseph Kofi Adda - Member of Parliament in Ghana
• Brandon Beachy - Pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Jean Breaux - Indiana State Senator representing the 34th District
• André Carson - U.S. Representative from the 7th Congressional District
• R. Sheldon Duecker - American Bishop of the United Methodist Church
• Laurell K. Hamilton - New York Times Bestselling Author
• Ghassan Hitto - former opposition Prime Minister of Syria
• Keith O'Conner Murphy - Singer and Songwriter, Rockabilly Hall of Fame, Stacy, Polydor (UK)and King Records (US)
• Jerry Pattengale - Founder of Purpose-Guided Education, Director of Green Scholars Initiative, Executive Director at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.[30]
• John M. Pratt - Famous tax resistor
• Dan Seaborn - Evangelist, founder of Winning At Home, Inc.
• Silky Nutmeg Ganache - Drag Queen and Contestant on Season 11 of RuPaul's Drag Race
• Randy Truitt - Indiana State Representative from the 26th District

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