Tennessee Wesleyan University

Academic rankings
Academic rankings
National
U.S. News & World Report	41 (Regional colleges South)

Tennessee Wesleyan University
	File:TennesseeWesleyanCollegeLogo.png
Motto	Lux et Veritas
Motto in English	Light and Truth
Type	Private liberal arts college
Established	1857
Religious affiliation	United Methodist Church
President	Harley Knowles
Academic staff	184
Undergraduates	800
Postgraduates	400
Location	Athens, Tennessee, United States; 35°26′43″N 84°35′40″W / 35.4453°N 84.5944°W
Campus	Small city
Colors	Blue and white
Nickname	Bulldogs
Affiliations	NAICU; IAMSCU
Website	www.tnwesleyan.edu

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. The school changed its name to Tennessee Wesleyan University, effective July 1, 2016.

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 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.

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^[2] in an attempt to receive financial support from Northern benefactors.^[3] In 1889, it merged with Chattanooga University to form U.S. Grant Memorial University^[4] (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.

Academics

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.^[6]

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.

Notable alumni

Tom Browning, baseball player
Ron Campbell, baseball player
Chris Cattaneo, soccer player
James Alexander Fowler, U.S. Assistant Attorney General and Knoxville mayor
Aaron Grant, American football player
Leonard Lomell, decorated soldier, attorney, businessman
John T. Raulston, judge in the 1925 Scopes trial.
Robert C. Snyder, professor of English at Louisiana Tech University

References

^ "NAICU – Member Directory". Archived from the original on November 9, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ Martin, LeRoy A. (1957). A History of Tennessee Wesleyan College. TWC. p. 39. It was during [Spence's] administration that the name of the school was changed first to Grant Memorial University, and then three years later to U. S. Grant University at the time of its consolidation with Chattanooga University.
^ "Introduction brochure" (PDF). TWC. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 4, 2010. In an effort to secure financial support for the deeply indebted Southern college from Northern states and benefactors, the institution's president in 1886, John F. Spence, changed the name to Grant Memorial University and then to U.S. Grant Memorial University in 1889. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ "Mission & History". TWC. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. [Pre-merger name:] Grant Memorial University (1886-1889); [post-merger:] U.S. Grant Memorial University (1889-1906) {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
^ "2023-2024 Best National Universities". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
^ "Tennessee Wesleyan College | Best College | US News". Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. Retrieved May 28, 2012.

External links

[1] "NAICU – Member Directory". Archived from the original on November 9, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[2] Martin, LeRoy A. (1957). A History of Tennessee Wesleyan College. TWC. p. 39. It was during [Spence's] administration that the name of the school was changed first to Grant Memorial University, and then three years later to U. S. Grant University at the time of its consolidation with Chattanooga University.

[3] "Introduction brochure" (PDF). TWC. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 4, 2010. In an effort to secure financial support for the deeply indebted Southern college from Northern states and benefactors, the institution's president in 1886, John F. Spence, changed the name to Grant Memorial University and then to U.S. Grant Memorial University in 1889. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[4] "Mission & History". TWC. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015. [Pre-merger name:] Grant Memorial University (1886-1889); [post-merger:] U.S. Grant Memorial University (1889-1906) {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

[Rankings_USNWR_NU-5] "2023-2024 Best National Universities". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved September 22, 2023.

[6] "Tennessee Wesleyan College | Best College | US News". Colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com. Retrieved May 28, 2012.

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