Wesleyan School history

In 1968, after the merger of the Wesleyan Methodist and Pilgrim Holiness Churches, Bartlesville Wesleyan College was established.

First Phi Kappa Phi chapter at a college in Georgia (1969; although chapters had previously been established at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia).

Founded in 1971, it's a place where students engage daily in an academic curriculum in which God's Word is woven into each subject, activity, and experience.

See: A Vine of God's Own Planting: a history of Houghton College from its beginnings through 1972 bu Richard L. Wing.

First woman staff director for the United States House Ways and Means Committee (Janice A. Mays, class of 1973), first woman to serve in the roles of democratic chief counsel and chief tax counsel.

In 1975, League became the first Macon architect to receive the AIA-Georgia Association’s Bronze Medal for service to the profession.

The early education and elementary programs continued to grow, and by 1980, the elementary school included grades K-6 with an enrollment of 265.

During the summer of 1981, Kernersville Wesleyan Academy merged with Wesleyan Education Center, and in the fall, Wesleyan Christian Academy opened for its first year of operation offering grades K-12 with a combined enrollment of 424 students.

In the spring of 1982, the academy had its first graduation ceremony, which recognized 24 seniors who had successfully completed their academic program.

The Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies was established in 1987.

In 1988, Barbara Adler, a former Wesleyan parent, teacher and assistant head, became Head of School, and during her tenure Wesleyan became an independent, Christian, college preparatory school, offering curriculum for kindergarten through 12th grade.

Recognizing the growth in programs, trustees changed the name of the institution to Texas Wesleyan University, effective in January 1989.

Despite these efforts to distance the class name from the Klan and despite various intimations in board of trustees minutes and student newspaper articles that it might have been desirable to change the class name, the name of the class was not officially changed until 1991.

As growth continued in the academy, extensive waiting lists became an increasing reality at nearly every grade level; therefore, in 1992, approval was given to expand the academy from two sections per grade to three sections per grade to better accommodate the expanded demand.

Twenty-two new classrooms were added in 1993, and enrollment expanded from 612 to 730 students in the academy and over 200 in the early education program.

In 1994, Wesleyan offered its first 9th grade class.

The conclusion of campus construction is a significant achievement for the Peachtree Corners school, which moved from Sandy Springs in the fall of 1996, beginning the school year with fifteen modular units and one permanent structure – Marchman Gym.

A capital campaign was initiated in 1997 to add endowment funds, construct new facilities and refurbish existing buildings.

Thanks to the generous support of family members, foundations, and friends, Wesleyan added Hoover Student Activities Center in August 1998 school year, and its enrollment increased to more than 860 students.

The year 2000 started off with a bang as the Owensboro campus was severely damaged by an F3 tornado on January 3.

Construction of Wesley Hall, the largest facility on campus, was completed in the fall of 2001.

Wesleyan completed the "Raise the Goal Campaign" that raised over $45 million in December 2003.

The Center for Film Studies, with state-of-the-art projection and production facilities, opened in 2004.

An addition of the Freeman Athletic Center opened in 2005 with the 1,200-seat Silloway Gymnasium for basketball and volleyball, the 7,500-square-foot Andersen Fitness Center, and the Rosenbaum Squash Center with eight courts.

Wesleyan School christened Gillfillan Hall administrative offices and announced the completion of the current Spalding Drive campus master plan at a ceremony on September 24, 2007.

In 2008, Kentucky Wesleyan College celebrated its 150th year of existence.

It is the largest private educational institution in the state of Indiana as well as the largest school in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and just recently (2009) opened a seminary.

In 2011, the school was renamed Kingswood University.

In winter 2012, the historic squash courts building (41 Wyllys Avenue) on College Row was renovated; now named Boger Hall, it is the state-of-the-art home for the Gordon Career Center, the Paoletti Art History Wing, and the College of Letters.

In August 2013, the law school was sold to Texas A&M University.

Dignitaries from Wesleyan College joined Guangzhou University Chinese officials on the platform as more than GU 8,000 students were welcomed to the new academic year. (Friday, September 12, 2014)

Consecrated in Spring 2015, Pierce Chapel is the newest addition to campus with the oldest history.

On May 10, 2017, Wesleyan's God-sized dream took its first step as staff, faculty and supporters, gathered for a very special groundbreaking service on the 71-acre parcel of land that was generously gifted to WCA by the Parker family.