Illinois
Wesleyan University is
an independent undergraduate liberal arts college located in Bloomington,
Illinois. Founded in
1850, the central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854 with the
first building erected in 1856. It offers over 80 majors, minors and programs
in the liberal arts, business, the fine arts, nursing, and eight
pre-professional areas.The University's mission is to foster the traditional
liberal arts of creativity, character, and knowledge. Its motto – Scientia et
sapientia, or "Knowledge and wisdom" – was coined by famed explorer
and esleyan Professor John
Wesley Powell.Illinois
Wesleyan University was founded in 1850 by a diverse group of 30 civic and
religious leaders who came together to establish "an Institution of
learning of Collegiate grade.
" When a sponsor was needed, the founders
gained support from the United Methodist Church, which is how
"Wesleyan" was added to the original name, "Illinois
University." While maintaining its Methodist affiliation, Illinois
Wesleyan is independent in its governance. The University mission statement includes
commitment to diversity. Illinois Wesleyan's tradition of engaging its students
inside and outside the classroom dates back to its earliest days when
explorer-geologist John
Wesley Powell, a founder
of the National Geographic Society, joined the faculty in 1865.
A pioneer of
using field work in teaching science, Powell in 1867 took Illinois Wesleyan
students to Colorado's mountains – one of the first expeditions of its kind in
U.S. higher education.The liberal arts and sciences have been at the foundation
of Illinois Wesleyan's curriculum since its inception, and the fine arts were
taught from its earliest years in the 19th century.Illinois Wesleyan is an
independent, residential, liberal arts
university with an approximate enrollment of 1,900. It offers over 80 majors,
minors and programs. The university maintains a low student/faculty ratio of 11
to 1, with an average class size of 17 Also, 9 in 10 IWU students receive a
scholarship or need-based assistance.Illinois Wesleyan is ranked as one of the
"best values" in the nation.
Illinois Wesleyan is also a member of
the Annapolis
Group and its strong
foundations in the liberal arts have earned it chapters in the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies.The University consists
of the College of Liberal Arts, with 17 academic departments; the College of
Fine Arts that includes three professional schools--the Ames School of Art,
School of Music and the School of Theatre Arts; and the School of Nursing.
Illinois Wesleyan's campus occupies approximately 82 acres (330,000 m2)
a short walk north from downtown Bloomington in central Illinois.IWU's School
of Nursing was established in 1959.