Iowa Wesleyan University

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Iowa Wesleyan University was a private university in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, United States. It was Iowa's first coeducational institution of higher learning and the oldest of its type west of the Mississippi River. The institution was affiliated with the United Methodist Church.<ref name=IW>Template:Cite web</ref> It closed at the end of the 2022–23 academic year due to financial challenges.

Two campus buildings, 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 artifacts from the Harlan and Lincoln families.

History

In 1841 a group of Methodist settlers in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, met and began lobbying the Iowa territorial legislature to establish an institute of higher learning in their burgeoning community.<ref name=Sketch>Template:Cite web</ref> On February 17, 1842, the legislature granted a charter for the Mount Pleasant Literary Institute, soon to be renamed as Mount Pleasant Collegiate Institute.<ref name=IW/> Despite the charter, organization and fund raising were sluggish at first. Twenty acres of land was donated for the campus by four Mount Pleasant residents in March 1843. That same month, organizing officials hired Artistides J. Heustis as the institution's first president.<ref name=Sketch/>

From February 1855, the school was known as Iowa Wesleyan University, honoring John Wesley, the founder of Methodism.<ref name=IW/> The institution's name was modified to Iowa Wesleyan College in 1912, reflecting its contemporary status as a four-year baccalaureate degree institution. On August 10, 2015, Iowa Wesleyan College changed its name to Iowa Wesleyan University.

The university occupied a Template:Convert central campus of historic red brick buildings and modern structures, including some listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The chapel, built in 1896, received a complete renovation and restoration in the early 21st century.

Iowa Wesleyan was accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Closure

Facing potential closure in 2018, the university was able to continue operating after receiving donations from alumni and a $26 million loan from the United States Department of Agriculture. In 2023, the university's board of trustees voted unanimously in favor of closure after Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds determined that a loan of $12 million would not be feasible. Once the university closed, the campus became the responsibility of the USDA.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Mount Pleasant Community School District later bought practice fields and the central part of the campus for about $1.2 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Undergraduate enrollment at the college was approximately 600 full-time students at the time of its closure. The final president of the university was Christine Plunkett, who was in office from 2019 to 2023.Template:Citation needed

Student life

Beginning in late mid-1800s, Iowa Wesleyan maintained an active Military Department, in which students organized as a corps of cadets received training under the guidance of United States Army officers.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Among Iowa Wesleyan's commandants were Ulysses G. McAlexander (1891 to 1895) and Charles L. Hodges (1895 to 1897).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Greek life

Greek life was well established at Iowa Wesleyan. The Beta chapter of Alpha Xi Delta sorority was the oldest sorority on campus, being on campus since 1902. It was the oldest chapter of Alpha Xi Delta in the country. The P.E.O. Sisterhood was founded at Iowa Wesleyan University on January 21, 1869.Template:Citation needed

Athletics

The Iowa Wesleyan athletic teams were nicknamed the Tigers. The university was a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), competing in the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) for football, the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) for wrestling, and the Continental Athletic Conference as its primary home for all other sports as of the 2022–23 academic year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Iowa Wesleyan competed in 16 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports included baseball, basketball,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> cross country, football, golf, soccer, track & field and wrestling; while women's sports included basketball,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field, volleyball and wrestling.

History

From 1989 to 1991, Hal Mumme was head football coach, with Mike Leach as his offensive coordinator. It was at Iowa Wesleyan that they developed the air raid offense.

In 2006,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2007,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2009,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2010,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 2011,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the women's basketball teams qualified for the NAIA Division II national tournament.

In 2014,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2015<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 2016,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the women's basketball teams qualified for the USCAA Division I national tournament. The 2016 team finished as the national runner-up.

In 2015<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 2017,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the men's basketball teams qualified for the USCAA Division I national tournament.

In 2022 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 2023 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the women's basketball team qualified for the NAIA single division national tournament.

In 2023 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the men's basketball team qualified for the NAIA single division national tournament.

Conference affiliations

The Tigers were members of the following athletic organizations:

Notable alumni

References

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Further reading

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