Motto Lux et Veritas Established 1857 Undergraduate tuition and fees 22,300 USD (2015) Total enrollment 1,103 (2010) Phone +1 423-745-7504 | Motto in English Light and Truth President Harley Knowles Acceptance rate 66.7% (2014) Mascot Wesley Bulldog Colors Royal blue, Vegas Gold | |
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Type Private liberal arts college Religious affiliation United Methodist Church Address 204 E College St, Athens, TN 37303, USA Notable alumni Tom Browning, James Alexander Fowler, Leonard Lomell, Robert C Snyder, Jim Henderson Similar Milligan College, Bryan College, Montreat College, Reinhardt University, Truett‑McConnell College Profiles | ||
Tennessee Wesleyan University (TWU) is a small university founded in 1857, located in the city of Athens in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is affiliated with the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church. Current enrollment is over 1,100 students, and the student-to-faculty ratio is 12:1. In February 2016, the school announced that they would change their name to Tennessee Wesleyan University, effective July 1, 2016.
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The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate and master's degrees of business, fine arts, humanities, natural and social sciences as well as nursing, other career-related areas, and teacher certification. Through these several academic offerings, the college has developed a close relationship with its region and produces a large number of local teachers, police officers, lawyers and local government officials.
Tennessee Wesleyan also maintains a branch campus in Knoxville, where it offers evening programs in business administration. It also conducts its nursing classes in Knoxville.
Tennessee Wesleyan offers ten varsity sports. The Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs compete in the Appalachian Athletic Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics in baseball, basketball, soccer, cross country, tennis, volleyball, cheerleading, softball, and lacrosse. Athletics are a very important part of the school, and a very large portion of the student population play on one of the school's teams.
History
Tennessee Wesleyan was founded in 1857 as Athens Female College. It consisted solely of one building (now Old College). In 1866 the name was altered to East Tennessee Wesleyan College, and in 1867 it became East Tennessee Wesleyan University. At that time, the college was one of only a handful of coeducational colleges in the Southern United States.
In 1886, college president John F. Spence changed the name to Grant Memorial University in an attempt to receive financial support from Northern benefactors. In 1889, it merged with Chattanooga University to form U.S. Grant Memorial University (U.S. Grant University; U.S. being Grant's given names), becoming the consolidated university's Athens branch campus. Seventeen years later (1906), it was renamed the Athens School of the University of Chattanooga.
In 1925, the college split from Chattanooga to become Tennessee Wesleyan College and served as a junior college. Tennessee Wesleyan became a liberal arts college in 1957 when it began awarding bachelor's degrees.
In February 2016, the school announced that they would change their name to Tennessee Wesleyan University, effective July 1, 2016. The decision would be the first name change for the school in 91 years.
Articulation agreements
Tennessee Wesleyan University has articulation agreements with Chattanooga State Community College, Cleveland State Community College, Motlow State Community College, Pellissippi State Community College, Roane State Community College, and Walters State Community College.
Degrees
Tennessee Wesleyan University offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in Behavioral Science, Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Criminal Justice, Early Human Development and Learning, Education, English, Exercise Science, Fine Art (Visual Art and Theatre), Music, individualized majors, History, Human Services, International Studies, Mathematics, Nursing, Psychology, Church Vocations, Pre-Seminary, Sociology, and Special Education.
Admissions and rankings
Tennessee Wesleyan University accepts 83.7% of all applicants and is considered "selective" by U.S. News & World Report.
Athletics
Tennessee Wesleyan athletic teams, nicknamed athletically as the Bulldogs, are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC). Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, dance, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.