Texas Wesleyan University

Texas Wesleyan University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1890. The main campus is located in the Polytechnic Heights Neighborhood of Fort Worth, Texas, United States. Its mascot is the "ram."

History
Texas Wesleyan University was originally founded as Polytechnic College by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1890. A committee under the direction of Bishop Joseph S. Key explored locations for a campus and settled on a site east of Fort Worth donated by area pioneers A. S. Hall, W. D. Hall, and George Tandy. The school held its first classes in September 1891 with a handful of faculty members and 111 students. In 1902, H. A. Boaz assumed the presidency and managed a period of moderate growth. He hoped to develop Polytechnic College into a new university for Southern Methodism.

When Dallas was selected by Methodist Church leaders as the site for Southern Methodist University, the Polytechnic campus was designated the "woman’s college for Southern Methodism," eventually becoming Texas Woman’s College in 1914, attracting young women from around Texas and the Southwest. However, when faced with dwindling resources during the Great Depression, the college's trustees voted to close the school in 1931. A merger with the financially secure Texas Wesleyan Academy in Austin saved the college from failure and resulted in the formation of Texas Wesleyan College in 1934. Men were readmitted that same year, returning the institution to a coeducational status.

The university added graduate programs in education in the 1970s and in nurse anesthesia in the 1980s. After contemplating a relocation of the campus to a west Fort Worth site, Texas Wesleyan renewed its commitment to its historic Polytechnic Heights Neighborhood location by building the Eunice and James L. West Library in October 1988. Recognizing the growth in programs, trustees changed the name of the institution to Texas Wesleyan University, effective in January 1989.

To add flexibility in the scheduling of courses and to recognize the special needs of adult learners, the university added the C.E. Hyde Weekend/Evening Program in 1994. The university established a campus in downtown Fort Worth in 1997 with the relocation of the Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, which was established in 1992 following the acquisition of the former Dallas/Fort Worth School of Law.

Campus
Texas Wesleyan is located on a 75-acre campus in the Polytechnic Heights Neighborhood in east Fort Worth. The campus sits 140 feet above the Trinity River and is one of the highest points in the city of Fort Worth. The university employed engineering and architecture firm Freese and Nichols Inc. to develop a master plan for its campus in 2011 that works with major street improvements for the Rosedale area surrounding the campus.

Key Places
Polytechnic College President H.A. Boaz built the The Oneal-Sells Administration Building administration building in 1902 and oversaw its renovation and enlargement in 1909. The building was constructed in 1902-1903 of rock acquired from a quarry in Dublin, Texas. A red overhead sign bearing the university’s name was added during the 1938-39 school year. The building was remodeled again from 1963-1966. Cora Maud Oneal and Murray Case Sells, for whom the building is named, financed the renovation. The overhead sign was removed during that renovation in 1963. The building became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1966.

Sanguinet & Staats, a firm noted for building many sites on the National Register of Historic Places, built Dan Waggoner Hall in 1917. The building was primarily used as a dormitory until the late 1970s, when a renovation converted the building into use for offices. After a renovation in 1999, it now houses the offices of the School of Education and classrooms.

The Eunice and James L. West Library was built in 1988 and funded by a gift of Tandy Corporation stock from Eunice and James L. West of Fort Worth. West and his wife, Eunice, gave $16 million in stock to several Texas colleges, $12 million of which came to Texas Wesleyan for construction of the library. The library sits at the front of the campus mall and is a focal point looking from the entrance of campus.

The Polytechnic United Methodist Church was built in 1951-1952 by Wyatt C. Hedrick and is designed in the collegiate gothic style. Hedrick developed a master plan for the college in 1949 and the church wanted its building to fit into the planned design of the campus. The college was allowed to use classrooms in the building during the week. In 2005, the second and third floors were renovated for faculty offices and classrooms. Known as “Poly Church,” it currently houses the School of Arts and Letters and the university chaplain.

Academics
U.S. News & World Report has ranked Texas Wesleyan in the #1 tier of regional universities in 2013, 2012 and 2011.

Texas Wesleyan places an emphasis on the development of critical thinking skills, and the university’s strategic plan requires faculty to develop measurable critical thinking, analytical reasoning and creative problem-solving skills in students based on academic proficiency and assessment metrics.

More than 70 percent of Texas Wesleyan’s classes have fewer than 20 students, and the university’s average student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1.

Texas Wesleyan has 27 areas of undergraduate study, as well as Honors and Pre-Professional Programs. The university offers graduate programs in business, education, counseling, nurse anesthesia and law. Texas Wesleyan students can participate in pre-law, pre-med, pre-dental, pre-ministry-seminary and pre-counseling PreProfessional programs.

University academics are divided into six schools or programs:
 * School of Law – 742 students
 * School of Natural and Social Sciences – 543 students
 * Graduate Programs of Nurse Anesthesia – 418 students
 * School of Business Administration – 344 students
 * School of Arts & Letters – 321 students
 * School of Education – 247 students

The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredits Texas Wesleyan. The School of Law is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the American Association of Law Schools.

Throughout its history, the university has remained closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The university maintains special relationships with several United Methodist congregations, and some trustees are representatives of the United Methodist Church. In keeping with Methodist tradition, the university welcomes individuals of all faiths and is thoroughly ecumenical in its practices.

Student Body
U.S. News & World Report considers Texas Wesleyan’s admissions “selective.”

Undergraduate enrollment is 1,794 and graduate enrollment is 1,410 students. 412 students live on campus. 58 percent of the student body is female and 42 percent is male. More than 1,233 students are enrolled full-time, with 561 students enrolled part-time. 44 percent of the student body identify as “minority.”

More than $64 million was awarded to students in financial aid during the 2012 academic year, and 99 percent of entering undergraduates received some form of financial aid. The average amount of aid offered to each student is $17,500.

Undergraduate students make up 56 percent of total student enrollment. The average age of a first-time freshman student at Texas Wesleyan is 19. The average age of a transfer student is 26. 85 percent of Texas Wesleyan students are Texas residents.

Student Newspaper
The Rambler is a student-run newspaper, which provides interested students with a hands-on learning experience by simulating a real-world newspaper environment. The Rambler also offers a public forum for the dissemination of news and opinion of interest and relevance to the Wesleyan community.

Student organizations and intramurals
Student Life Office administers various student organizations and academic groups. Intramurals include cheerleading, competitive dance, disk golf, flag football, and 3-3 basketball.

Greek life
Wesleyan is home to 9 Fraternity and Sororities
 * IFC: Kappa Alpha Order
 * PHC: & Alpha Xi Delta National Sorority & Gamma Phi Beta International Sorority
 * NALFO: Lambda Theta Phi & Lambda Theta Alpha
 * NPHC: Zeta Phi Beta sorority & Phi Beta Sigma fraternity
 * Local: Lambda Kappa Kappa fraternity & Lambda Tau Zeta sorority

Athletics
Texas Wesleyan teams, nicknamed athletically as the Rams, are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) since 2002. The Warriors formerly competed in the Heartland Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NAIA) Division II level. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field and volleyball.

The University also features the most dominant table tennis team in the country, which has won 33 out of 45 collegiate titles since 2002. Junior Varsity Baseball and Basketball teams have also been added to increase the participation opportunities for students at Wesleyan. Student trainers and cheerleaders serve under the Athletic Department. Student trainers provide the service during team practices and game activities. Cheerleaders cheer primarily at men's and women's basketball games and also cheer for the school's wide pep rallies.

Soccer
Texas Wesleyan's soccer home is Martin Field, 2806 Ben Avenue, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. 76103.

History
Texas Wesleyan University is one of the few four-year colleges that offer table tennis scholarships in the country and has already won 33 out of 45 possible national collegiate titles since 2002.

Texas Wesleyan’s involvement with table tennis started in 1982 when Bobby Cornett, current assistant golf coach, lobbied for creation of a table tennis team at the university. At that time, the administration was against the idea partially because the NAIA did not sanction table tennis.

In 1990s, Texas Wesleyan moved up to the NCAA Division II. In 2002, the school dropped back to the NAIA because the competition was too costly for the small college. Meanwhile, Cornett convinced the current University President Dr. Harold Jeffcoat that a table tennis team would set the school apart from other small-college athletic programs. In the same year, the school hired Christian Lillieroos, a former star player and Swedish national team coach, to begin the first full-status varsity table tennis program in the country.

Lillieroos recruited many renowned American and foreign players, including Eric Owens, Razvan Cretu, Dinko Kranjac, Ludovic Gombos and Jasna Reed. He coached the Rams to third place finishes at the 2002 and 2004 North American Open Team Championships and NCTTA collegiate titles in 2004 and 2005.

The team is currently run by Jasna Reed, 1988 Olympics Bronze Medalist in women’s doubles, and Keith Evans, represented his native Jamaican team from 1984 to 1999. Mark Hanzinski, Chance Friend, Carlos Chiu and Ines Perhoc are top-ranked domestic and international players on the team. The program also actively recruits the athletes with physical disability and involves with U.S. Paralympics. In addition, men’s and women’s junior varsity teams have been added to popularize table tennis and increase the participation among Texas Wesleyan students.

Program Impact
Texas Wesleyan's table tennis program has brought in many foreign players to increase competition within America and popularize the sport in the Dallas and Fort Worth areas. The scholarships give domestic and international players opportunities to pursue higher education.

On the other hand, the program involved some unusual problems for the school. National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) sanctions the sport but has different amateur status and eligibility rules than in traditional NCAA sports. In addition, because Texas Wesleyan awards scholarships to some foreign and domestic players who have already made professional money at the sport, it has caused some grousing from other schools.

Community outreach
Texas Wesleyan University's outreach efforts have been focused on the immediate area surrounding the main campus. An appropriation request proposal was submitted by the university for the 2009 fiscal year to the U.S. representative Michael C. Burgess of the 26th District for a project entitled “Rosedale Avenue Redevelopment Initiative”. In this proposal the university requests funding for a “…comprehensive revitalization plan that includes commercial and residential development, with park-like open spaces.”

The university donated land and help arrange for the construction of a new Boys and Girls Club on Rosedale Street, directly across from the campus. Opened in March 2002, this facility provides activities for area youth, and offers opportunities for Wesleyan students to mentor and tutor local youngsters. The University also offers a Speak Up Scholarship, which is designed for area students with a B or better average who graduate from both the William James Middle School and Poly High School, both located in the Polytechnic Heights neighborhood. Students are given financial assistance in the form of scholarships or loans to attend Texas Wesleyan. Critics have pointed out that not enough students and school advisors are aware of the Speak Up Scholarship, however the program has helped five to ten students a year for the last few years, within ten being awarded the scholarship in 2004.

It should be noted, however, that the commitment to the community has faltered during the University’s history. In 1981, concerns mounted in regards to the economic decline in the Polytechnic area. Sociologist Dr. Sarah Horsfall's 2005 research article about the Inner City of Fort Worth explains; “The trustees, urged by the then-President, voted to relocate the campus and purchased land in the northwest of Fort Worth. Community organizers and the Methodist Church opposed the move and worked to keep Texas Wesleyan where it was”. By 1985, the plan was abandoned as impractical. Instead, the University administrators (and a new University president) renewed their dedication and commitment to the Polytechnic Heights neighborhood.

Notable alumni

 * Jasna Fazlić, table-tennis player
 * Biba Golic, table-tennis player
 * Kay Granger, United States Representative
 * Harry W. Greene, herpetologist
 * Mark Hazinski, table-tennis player
 * Ben Hunt, professional basketball player
 * Phil King, Texas state representative
 * Jim Landtroop, Texas state representative
 * Clifton McNeely, All-American college basketball player
 * Joel Burns, politician and LGBT rights activist
 * Tris Speaker, Hall of Fame baseball player and manager (did not graduate)
 * Lat'eah Lucero, All-American college softball player
 * Marc Veasey, United States Representative
 * Jad Saxton, voice actress for Funimation Entertainment