Wilkes University
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| Wilkes University | |
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| Motto: | "Unity Amidst Diversity" |
| Established: | 1933 |
| Type: | Private, Independent-related |
| Endowment: | $44.6 million[1] |
| President: | Joseph E. (Tim) Gilmour, Ph.D |
| Provost: | C. Reynold Verret, Ph.D |
| Faculty: | 134 Full Time[2] |
| Undergraduates: | 2,245 |
| Postgraduates: | 2254 |
| Location: | Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA () |
| Campus: | Urban |
| Colors: | Blue and Gold |
| Mascot: | Colonels |
| Website: | http://www.wilkes.edu/ |
Wilkes University is a private, non-denominational American university located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It has over 2,200 undergraduates and over 2,200 graduate students (both full and part-time).[2] Wilkes was founded in 1933 as a satellite campus of Bucknell University, and became an independent institution in 1940, naming itself Wilkes College, after English colonial politician John Wilkes. The school was granted university status in 1990.
The school mascot, which was suggested by former Dean of Student Affairs Emeritus George F. Ralston, is a Colonel and the official colors are blue and yellow. The campus symbol is a letter "W" known as the "flying W" by students and alumni.
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[edit] History and Expansion
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Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. |
In 1933, Bucknell University opened "Bucknell Junior College" (BUJC) in Wilkes-Barre. BUJC attracted many students who were the first members of their families to benefit from higher education. The Junior College also received support from leading members of the Wilkes-Barre community.
In 1947, Wilkes College was instituted as an independent, nondenominational four-year college, with programs in the arts, sciences, and a number of professional fields as well as numerous extracurricular activities. Wilkes was given university status in 1990.
In 1996 the School of Pharmacy opened, and in 1999, through a donation from Mrs. Geraldine Nesbitt Orr, the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University was established.
In 2004, the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business & Leadership was created. Students in the university's business program are required to take courses across several schools with the intent to provide an emotional education in addition to the typical business experience.
In 2005, the Henry Student Center was expanded and the University purchased an 80,000 square foot building in downtown Wilkes-Barre.[3] This building serves as the Wilkes University communications center, housing the registrar, bursar, indoor track and field, and ropes course.
[edit] Academics
The university offers many majors in science, education, engineering, business, and liberal arts for undergraduate and graduate students.[4] These academic programs are divided among four colleges.[5]
- College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
- College of Science and Engineering
- Nesbitt College of Pharmacy and Nursing
- Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership
The school's Nesbitt College of Pharmacy and Nursing is one of seven pharmacy schools in Pennsylvania,[6] and the only Doctor of Pharmacy program in northeastern Pennsylvania. The program gives nursing students an extra year to practice clinical nursing skills.
Wilkes offers both an MFA and MA in Creative Writing, using online correspondence and several campus residencies to host writers that work intensively with students. The program emphasizes screenwriting, playwriting, and creative nonfiction, as well as the more traditional fiction and poetry courses. It also features publishing, editing, and verbal performance.
The Wilkes Graduate Teacher Education Program hosts classes online and at more than thirty sites in Pennsylvania.[7]
The university sponsors academically focused lectures each year. The Max Rosenn Lecture Series in Law and Humanities was established in the 1980s, and brought many notable speakers to the university including author Norman Mailer, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, and journalist Bob Woodward.[8]. The Allan P. Kirby Lecture in Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship has also brought notable speakers including journalist and television host John Stossel, and former New York Governor George Pataki.[9]
Recently, Wilkes University has announced a switch to an all Macintosh computing environment, replacing all 1700 of the Universities computers with products from Apple.[10]
[edit] Proposed Law School
As part of the Wilkes Vision 2010 master plan, the university plans to study the feasibility of a Law School to "add to Wilkes prestige and develop an alumni base over time".[11] The university is apparently moving forward with this effort as is noted in the college corner of The Weekender, week of January 11, 2008 edition. They are currently in the process of seeking a dean for the school.
[edit] Athletics
The Wilkes University Colonels compete in NCAA Division III athletics, and is a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference in all sports except wrestling, which is a member of the Metropolitan Wrestling Conference. Wilkes' teams compete in 14 intercollegiate sports: baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, field hockey, football, golf, lacrosse, men's soccer, women's soccer, softball, women's tennis, men's tennis, volleyball and wrestling.[12]
The softball team won the Middle Atlantic Conference region in 2006.
The football team were Middle Atlantic Conference Champions for the 2006 season. The men's tennis team won 3 individual MAC Championship titles as well as 1 Doubles title on top of making a consistent appearance in the MAC Team Tournament which will be a record other teams will try to accomplis as well.
From the 1975 to 2000, the Wilkes' wrestling team was a Division I squad, wrestling in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association.[13]
In the 2007-2008 Men's Basketball Season they went 13-12 overall and finished fourth in the conference. They made the playoffs and lost in the first round to the top seeded team, Desales.
In 2007 the Wilkes University Colonels Baseball Team were Freedom Conference MAC Champions, led by Coaches: Folek, Bavitz, Klinetob, Lipton, and Toomey
[edit] Events
[edit] Annual High School Mathematics Contest
For over 50 years Wilkes University has been the host of the Annual High School Mathematics Contest as sponsored by the Luzerne County Council of Teachers of Mathematics (LCCTM). Every year juniors and seniors from Luzerne County high schools come to Wilkes University to participate in the competition. The first place winner in both the junior and senior divisions are awarded a full-tuition scholarship to Wilkes University. The 57th Annual High School Mathematics Contest was held Saturday, April 14, 2007. The next contest will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2008.
[edit] ACM Intercollegiate Programming Contest
The Wilkes University Math and Computer Science Department hosts the Eastern Pennsylvania division of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the annual ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest. Wilkes University has been host to the event for the last 5 years. A total of 8 schools host teams in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
[edit] Annual Tom Bigler High School Journalism Conference
Annually, hundreds of Pennsylvania high school students attend this annual media oriented event. Each year features a notable keynote speaker, hands-on workshops in the areas of telecommunications, journalism and public relations and panel discussions and presentation from media professionals and personalities. A high school journalism contest and awards ceremony is also a main event.
[edit] Plays
The Visual and Performing Arts Department presents four shows annually at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts. The 2006-2007 lineup includes "The Laramie Project", "Cinderella", "Bat Boy: The Musical." The department will also present "The Pied Piper," an original production written by theater director Theresa Fallon and students.
[edit] Student Life
[edit] Commuter Students
The student population includes a significant number of students who commute from the surrounding region. Commuting students may opt to purchase access to one of two parking options controlled by the university. On-campus parking is available at a multi-level parking garage on South Main Street, and several surface parking lots around campus. Since space in on-campus lots is limited, the commuter council organization evaluates applications for parking using a point system,[14] awarding passes based on a priority system. Alternatively, students may purchase access to a parking lot at Ralston Field, located across the Susquehanna River in Kingston, PA, on a first-come-first-serve basis. Periodic shuttle service is provided to and from this lot.[15] Under the standard on-campus and Ralston Field parking programs, students are not guaranteed availability of a parking space, but merely access to available parking spaces. A limited number of guaranteed parking spaces are available for a higher fee.[16]
The Commuter Council organization provides a lounge including kitchen, television room, and computer room to commuters for use between classes.[17]
[edit] Residential Halls
Many dormitories are located in 19th century mansions that were donated to the university, or other houses purchased by the university. These buildings were typically renovated to conform to university standards.[citation needed] Over 20 mansion and house style dormitories are currently in use.[18]
Several apartment-style residences are maintained by the university including University Commons at the corner of West River and Ross Streets, and the University Towers high rise located at 10 East South Street.
Traditional dormitory housing is provided at Evans Hall. With four floors and about 200 students, Evans is the largest capacity dorm on Wilkes campus. This building is unique among the campus residences in that it provides air conditioning and a shared bathroom between every two rooms. The most recently renovated dorm is Cheaspeake/Delaware that involved connecting the previously separate Chesapeake and Delaware dorms. It is an all freshman, non-traditional dorm housing about seventy residents.
Students living on campus are currently given free access to laundry equipment, or a credit to their accounts when only coin operated machines are available.[18]
[edit] Clubs and Organizations
Wilkes has an active student media, including a television station within the Shelburne Telecommunication Center, FM radio station WCLH, weekly newspaper The Beacon, and yearbook Amnicola.
Numerous student-run clubs are recognized and funded by the student government. Many of the clubs are athletically focused, representing sports including Crew, Lacrosse, Running, Skiing, Volleyball, and Ultimate Frisbee. Clubs associated with academics and majors represent Psychology, Sociology, Criminology, and Pre-Pharmacy. Other clubs are formed around common interests such as Animal Advocacy, Vegetarianism, Anime, and Robotics.[19]
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Wilkes University Programming Board hosted PA based bands such as Live (band)Live and Fuel, and national favorites including Alanis Morissette, Dashboard Confessional, Lifehouse, Busta Rhymes, Hoobastank, Jack's Mannequin and Billy Joel.
[edit] Air Force ROTC Program
Detachment 752 of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps is located at Wilkes University. Established in 1973, AF ROTC Detachment 752 has trained and prepared hundreds of young men and women for future careers as USAF officers. The detachment is currently located in Bedford Hall. The detachment serves 12 other crosstown colleges and universities in Northeast Pennsylvania to include Bloomsburg University, East Stroudsburg University, Keystone College, Lackawanna College, King's College, Luzerne County Community College, Marywood University, College Miseracordia, University of Scranton, Penn State Worthington-Scranton, Penn State Hazleton, and Penn State Wilkes-Barre.
[edit] Recreation
Students may use university-owned athletic facilities, and are also given a free membership to the Wilkes-Barre YMCA which provides a pool, gym, racquetball courts, basketball courts and other athletic facilities.[citation needed]
[edit] Campus
[edit] Academic Buildings
Most of the academic buildings are located within the same city block, between South River Street, South Franklin Street, South Street, and Northhampton Street. The Stark Learning Center (SLC), located on South River Street, is the largest building on campus. It houses offices and classrooms for the university's science, math, engineering programs, and some art classes. The first floor contains the Sordoni Art Gallery, which hosts four exhibitions each year, and maintains a permanent collection with several hundred pieces. Classrooms and offices for humanities and social sciences are located in Breiseth Hall, a three story building located on South Franklin Street, in the same block as SLC. Kirby Hall, a mansion formerly home to Fred Morgan Kirby, was renovated to house offices and classrooms for English and communications programs.
[edit] University Center on Main
In 2005 the university acquired the former Wilkes-Barre Call Center building and parking garage on South Main Street. The parking garage is currently being used for student and faculty parking. The Public Safety department has remodeled and relocated to the basement of the garage. The "Call Center" building was renovated and renamed "University Center on Main". The building now houses recreation facilities including tennis and basketball courts, and a rock climbing wall. Many student services offices have been reorganized and relocated to this building in a move to cut costs and provide students with more knowledgeable support staff. This move resulted in a net reduction of 7 full-time positions.[20]
[edit] University Towers
The university purchased the University Towers apartment complex located at 10 East South Street from a private real estate company for $8.1 million. Approximately 400 students will be housed in this building's 130 units.[21]
[edit] Bookstore
The university partnered with neighboring King's College, Pennsylvania to operate a joint for-profit bookstore in downtown Wilkes-Barre. The new bookstore opened October 17 consolidating two independent bookstores previously run by Follett Higher Education Group, on behalf of the respective schools. The new bookstore, run by Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, is located in the basement and first floor of the Innovation Center @ Wilkes-Barre.[22] The first floor includes a Starbucks cafe. The store is also accessible via the web [1].
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Institutions By Total Assets (PDF). 2007 NACUBO Endowment Study. National Association of College and University Business Officers (2008). Retrieved on 2008-01-24.
- ^ a b (November, 2006) 2006-2007 Fact Book. Wilkes University. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
- ^ Wilkes Home
- ^ Undergraduate Majors and Minors at Wilkes University. Wilkes University. Retrieved on 2007-01-12.
- ^ Wilkes Colleges. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
- ^ Links to Pennsylvania pharmacy schools and pharmacy universities. Pharmacy Choice. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
- ^ Graduate Teacher Education Schedule of Courses Spring 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
- ^ Wilkes University (4/07/2006). "Bob Woodward to Deliver Rosenn Lecture". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
- ^ Allan P. Kirby Lecture Series. Wilkes University. Retrieved on 2007-01-.
- ^ Wilkes Going All-Mac Across Campus. Wilkes University. Retrieved on 2007-01-.
- ^ Wilkes Vision 2010 Summary. Wilkes University. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
- ^ Wilkes Athletics. Wilkes University. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
- ^ Wilkes Wrestling History. Wilkes University. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
- ^ Commuter Council: Applications. Wilkes University (2006-06-08). Retrieved on 2007-01-17.
- ^ Commuter Council: Parking. Wilkes University (2006-08-09). Retrieved on 2007-01-17.
- ^ [Curran]. "Parking situation on campus needs a serious overhaul", The Beacon, Wilkes University, 2006-10-02. Retrieved on 2007-01-17.
- ^ "Commuter Council: The Commuter Lounge", Wilkes University, 2006-06-09. Retrieved on 2007-01-17.
- ^ a b Wilkes Residence Halls. Wilkes University. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
- ^ Wilkes Clubs & Organizations. Wilkes University. Retrieved on 2007-01-17.
- ^ Woody, Alison. "One Stop Shop plan leads to support staff position losses", The Beacon, Wilkes University, 10/30/2006, pp. 1-2. Retrieved on 2007-01-12. (English)
- ^ "Wilkes closes deal on apartment high-rise", The Times Leader, McClatchy Company, 12/07/2006. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
- ^ Wilkes University (9/01/2006). "Wilkes University and King's College Partner with Barnes & Noble in Joint Bookstore Deal". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-01-12.
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