Iowa Wesleyan College

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Coordinates: 40°58′21″N 91°33′08″W / 40.972465°N 91.55218°W / 40.972465; -91.55218

Iowa Wesleyan College

"Old Main" on the Iowa Wesleyan campus
Motto Learning in Community: An Academic Vision
Established 1842
Religious affiliation United Methodist Church
Chairman Don Wiley
President Steven E. Titus
Students 571
Location Mount Pleasant, Iowa, USA
Former names Iowa Wesleyan University
Mount Pleasant Collegiate Institute
Mount Pleasant Literary Institute
Colors Purple and White          
Athletics 12
Nickname Tigers
Mascot Tiger
Affiliations NCAA Division III, SLIAC
Website http://www.iwc.edu

Iowa Wesleyan College is a private four-year liberal arts college located Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Founded in 1842, it ranks as the second-oldest co-educational college west of the Mississippi River. The college is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.[1] Two buildings associated with the college, Old Main and the Harlan-Lincoln House, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The latter, the former summer home of Robert Todd Lincoln, is now a museum featuring various artifacts from the Lincoln family.

History

In 1841 a group of Methodist settlers in the small village of Mount Pleasant met and began lobbying the Iowa territorial legislature to establish an institute of higher learning in their community.[2] Their efforts came to fruition on February 17, 1842 when the legislature granted a charter for the Mount Pleasant Literary Institute, soon to be changed to Mount Pleasant Collegiate Institute.[1] Despite the charter, organization was slow going at first, with over a year passing before twenty acres of land were donated by four Mount Pleasant residents for the campus in March, 1843. It was also in early March of that year that Reverend Artistides J. Heustis was hired as the institution's first President.[2]

From February 1855 onward the school was known as Iowa Wesleyan University.[1] This was switched to Iowa Wesleyan College in 1912. Among its innovations include unique concepts of undergraduate lab science, career experience, and service learning.

The college occupies a central campus of historic red brick buildings and modern structures, including National Register of Historic Places designates . The Chapel, erected in 1896, recently received a complete renovation and restoration.

Iowa Wesleyan is fully accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools to offer academic program leading to the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Music Education degrees. Undergraduate enrollment at the college is approximately 600 full-time students.

When Dr. Jay K. Simmons announced that he was leaving Iowa Wesleyan in the summer of 2013 to assume the presidency of Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, Dr. Steven E. Titus was named his successor effective June 2013.

Academic programs

Students at Iowa Wesleyan can gain a variety of degrees in the fields of Business, Education, Fine Arts, Human Studies, Language and Literature, Nursing, and Science Math and Computer Science.

Being ahead of the time, Iowa Wesleyan started its Responsible Social Involvement program, or "RSI" in the late 1960s. This program is now called Service Learning has two main goals:

  1. Service to the Greater Community, and
  2. Having students participate more actively in their own education.

Service Learning allows students hands-on experiences outside the traditional realms of textbooks, classrooms, and professors.

Additionally, all students at Iowa Wesleyan are required to complete an approved internship through the Office of Field Experience.

Student life

Iowa Wesleyan College offers many activities for students to get involved with outside the classroom, including the Student Government Association, the Student Union Board, Intramurals, College Radio (IWCR), Hall Councils, Student Ambassadors, as well as a number of performing groups such as the Concert Choir.

Greek life

Greek Life has a rich history at Iowa Wesleyan College. Currently there is only one active chapter on campus, the Beta chapter of Alpha Xi Delta Sorority, which has been on campus since 1902, and is the oldest chapter of Alpha Xi Delta in the country.

The P.E.O. Sisterhood was also founded at Iowa Wesleyan College on January 21, 1869.

Other Greek Organizations which have been on campus:

National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Sororities

Pi Beta Phi, 1868–2004

Phi Mu, 1914–1943

Zeta Tau Alpha, 1918–1987

North American Interfraternity Conference (IFC) Fraternities

Phi Delta Theta, 1871–2009

Beta Theta Pi, 1868–1915

Delta Tau Delta, 1875–1980

Sigma Phi Epsilon, 1913–1976

Lambda Chi Alpha, 1924–1974

Tau Kappa Epsilon, 1947–1954

Phi Kappa Tau, 1968–1984

Athletics

Iowa Wesleyan teams are known as the Tigers. The college is currently a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) and a provisional member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference[3] (SLIAC); while the football team competes in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC).[4] The Tigers were formerly part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Midwest Collegiate Conference (MCC) until the end of the 2011-12 season. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field and volleyball.

In 2009, for the second time in college history, both the men's and women's teams qualified for the NAIA National Basketball Tournament. The last time both teams made it to the tournament simultaneously was in 2006.

From 1989-1991, Hal Mumme was head football coach, with Mike Leach as his offensive coordinator, and it is at Iowa Wesleyan that they developed the "Air Raid" offense.

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Iowa Wesleyan College history". Iowa Wesleyan College marketing office. 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Historical Sketch and Alumni Record of Iowa Wesleyan College". Mount Pleasant News-Journal. 1917. Retrieved 24 January 2014. 
  3. ↑ In October 2011, the Board of Trustees voted to apply for membership in the NCAA Division III by January 15, 2012. With its application to the NCAA, Iowa Wesleyan has pursued admission to the SLIAC.
  4. ↑ "Athletic Quick Facts". Iowa Wesleyan College. Retrieved February 2, 2013. 

External links

Public institutions
Private institutions
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