Wesley College (Delaware)

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This article is about the college in the U.S. state of Delaware. For other uses, see Wesley College (disambiguation).

Wesley College
Wesley de.jpg
Former names
Wilmington Conference Academy
Wesley Collegiate Institute
MottoGreat Things Await
TypePrivate liberal arts college
Established1873 - 2021
Religious affiliation
United Methodist Church
Academic affiliation
Space-grant
PresidentRobert E. Clark
Location
Dover
,
Delaware
,
United States
CampusSmall city
50 acres
ColorsBlue and white
AthleticsNCAA Division III
Atlantic East Conference
NicknameWolverines
Websitewww.wesley.edu

Wesley College was a private liberal arts college in Dover, Delaware. In July 2020, Delaware State University announced that it was acquiring Wesley College.[1][2][3]

History[]

The institution was founded in 1873[4] as Wilmington Conference Academy, a prep school.[5] It became a two-year college in 1918 and renamed the Wesley Collegiate Institute.[5] It was renamed again in 1941 as Wesley Junior College, and again in 1958 as Wesley College.[5] The institution conferred its first four-year degrees in 1978.[6]

In its last decades, the college experienced significant financial challenges and relied on state funding and grants.[4][1] At one point in 2019, had the state not given Wesley $3 million, students would have lost access to federal financial aid and salaries would have been at risk. Despite receiving $6.375 million in state higher education funding to secure the college finances, on June 30, 2021, the college will cease operations and will be acquired by Delaware State University.[7] The college faculty passed a no confidence resolution against Wesley's last President, Robert E. Clark II, on March 1, 2021, citing his failures in leadership.[8][7]

In 2020, an acquisition agreement with Delaware State University was signed, making DSU "the first historically Black college or university to acquire another college."[9][1] As of July 1, 2021, Wesley College was purchased and acquired by Delaware State University.[10] Approximately 60 percent of the Wesley Community were offered employment by Delaware State University, with mostly visiting, non-tenure track positions.[11] The current intent is to locate one of Delaware State’s five academic colleges on the existing Wesley campus, which will be designed the Wesley College of Heath and Behavioral Sciences.[11][12]

Academics[]

Prior to ceasing operations, many of its students pursued a liberal arts program of study. Majors offered in the liberal arts included American studies, English, history, international studies, liberal studies, mathematics, biology, biological chemistry, environmental science, media arts, music, philosophy and religion, political science and psychology. Majors offered in the professional studies included degrees in law and justice, nursing, education, physical therapy, accounting and business administration.

Athletics[]

The institution competed in National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III athletics[13] in the Atlantic East Conference. Its teams were known as the Wolverines. Once the college was acquired by Delaware State University, the Wesley teams would no longer be able to exist with their own identity and instead would be part of the university's NCAA Division I program.[13] Although the university "informed Wesley before the end of 2020 that this couldn’t financially be done....Wesley didn’t notify student athletes until mid-February."[13]

Athletic facilities[14]

  • Bob Reed Field (baseball)
  • Drass Field at Scott D. Miller Stadium (field hockey, football, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer)
  • DuPont Softball Field (softball)
  • Wentworth Gymnasium (men's and women's basketball, volleyball)

Notable alumni[]

See also: Category:Wesley College (Delaware) alumni

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Alamdari, Natalia (July 9, 2020). "Delaware State University signs agreement to acquire Wesley College". Delaware News Journal. Retrieved August 12, 2021 – via delawareonline.com.
  2. ^ Cherry, Amy. "Delaware State University to officially acquire Wesley College". wdel.com. WDEL-FM. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  3. ^ Eichmann, Mark (July 9, 2020). "Delaware State Univ. to make historic acquisition of Wesley College". whyy.org. WHYY. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Chase, Randall (May 26, 2021). "Tenured faculty challenge Wesley College acquisition by DSU". APNews.com. Associated Press. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c "History". wesley.edu. Wesley College. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  6. ^ "Kent County Markers". Delaware Public Archives. State of Delaware. Retrieved June 16, 2016 – via archives.delaware.gov.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b "Millions in tax dollars went to private Wesley College; fallout from sale leaves a lot of questions". delawareonline.com. March 29, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  8. ^ "Wesley Faculty Vote 'No Confidence' In President Clark". wesley.edu. Wesley College. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  9. ^ "Wesley President Clark Addresses Rumors…". Delaware Business Times. September 17, 2019.
  10. ^ "DSU & Wesley". desu.edu. Delaware State University. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b Redden, Elizabeth (July 2, 2021). "A Cross-Town Acquisition". Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  12. ^ Nietzel, Michael T. (December 31, 2020). "Delaware State University Is Moving Forward With Acquisition of Wesley College". Forbes.com. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c Lopez, Anissa (March 19, 2021). "Discontinuation of Wesley College Athletic Program impacting student". WDMT.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  14. ^ "Facilities". gowesleyathletics.com. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  15. ^ "Senator Colin Bonini". legis.delaware.gov. Delaware General Assembly. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  16. ^ "Wesley Unveils Annie Jump Cannon Historical Marker". wesley.edu. Wesley College. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2020.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. ^ "GILCHREST, Wayne Thomas - Biographical Information". Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  18. ^ "Meet Charles Oberly". mainjustice.com. September 30, 2010. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  19. ^ "Robinson Standing Out For Philadelphia Soul". Wesley.edu (Press release). Dover, Delaware: Wesley College. April 5, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2021.

External links[]

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