Iowa Wesleyan College

Iowa Wesleyan College is a private four-year liberal arts college of the United Methodist Church located in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

History
Iowa Wesleyan is recognized as a pioneer in higher education in America. Founded in 1842, it ranks as the second oldest coeducational college located west of the Mississippi River. Iowa Wesleyan was originally founded as Iowa Wesleyan University which switched to Iowa Wesleyan College in 1912. Among its innovations include unique concepts of undergraduate lab science, career experience, and service learning.

The college occupies a central campus of historic red brick buildings and modern structures, including National Register of Historic Places designates Old Main and the Harlan-Lincoln House. The Chapel, erected in 1896, recently received a complete renovation and restoration.

Iowa Wesleyan is fully accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools to offer academic program leading to the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Music Education degrees. Undergraduate enrollment at the college is approximately 600 full-time students.

Dr. Jay K. Simmons took office as the college's 28th president in July 2008. Dr. Simmons has since announced that he is leaving Iowa Wesleyan in the summer of 2013 to assume the presidency of Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. Dr. Steven E. Titus has been named his successor.

Academic programs
Students at Iowa Wesleyan can gain a variety of degrees in the fields of Business, Education, Fine Arts, Human Studies, Language and Literature, Nursing, and Science Math and Computer Science.

Being ahead of the time, Iowa Wesleyan started its Responsible Social Involvement program, or "RSI" in the late 1960s. This program is now called Service Learning has two main goals:

1: Service to the Greater Community, and

2: Having students participate more actively in their own education.

Service Learning allows students hands-on experiences outside the traditional realms of textbooks, classrooms, and professors.

Student life
Iowa Wesleyan College offers many activities for students to get involved with outside the classroom, including the Student Government Association, the Student Union Board, Intramurals, College Radio (IWCR), Hall Councils, Student Ambassadors, as well as a number of performing groups such as the Concert Choir.

Greek life
Greek Life has a rich history at Iowa Wesleyan College. Currently there is only once active chapter on campus, the Beta chapter of Alpha Xi Delta Sorority, which has been on campus since 1902, and is the oldest chapter of Alpha Xi Delta in the country.

The P.E.O. Sisterhood was also founded at Iowa Wesleyan College on January 21, 1869.

Other Greek Organizations which have been on campus:

National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Sororities

Pi Beta Phi, 1868–2004

Phi Mu, 1914–1943

Zeta Tau Alpha, 1918–1987

North American Interfraternity Conference (IFC) Fraternities

Phi Delta Theta, 1871–2009

Beta Theta Pi, 1868–1915

Delta Tau Delta, 1875–1980

Sigma Phi Epsilon, 1913–1976

Lambda Chi Alpha, 1924–1974

Tau Kappa Epsilon, 1947–1954

Phi Kappa Tau, 1968–1984

Athletics
Iowa Wesleyan teams are known as the Tigers. The college is currently a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) and an exploratory member The National Collegiate Athletic Association as a Division III Independent member; while the football team competes in the Mid-States Football Association Midwest League. The Tigers were formerly part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Midwest Collegiate Conference (MCC) until the end of the 2011-12 season. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field and volleyball.

In October 2011, the Board of Trustees voted to apply for membership in the NCAA Division III by January 15, 2012. With its application to the NCAA, Iowa Wesleyan will pursue admission to the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC).

In 2009, for the second time in college history, both the men's and women's teams qualified for the NAIA National Basketball Tournament. The last time both teams made it to the tournament simultaneously was in 2006.

From 1989-1991, Hal Mumme was head football coach, with Mike Leach as his offensive coordinator, and it is at Iowa Wesleyan that they developed the "Air Raid" offense.

Alumni
Noted college alumni include:
 * Belle Babb "Arabella" Mansfield, the first female lawyer in the United States.
 * James Van Allen, world-renowned astrophysicist and discoverer of the Van Allen radiation belt circling the earth.
 * Peggy Whitson, current NASA Astronaut.
 * William Andrews Clark, early 20th century business magnate.
 * John H. Mickey, the 17th governor of Nebraska from 1903 to 1907. Motion picture pioneer and founder of United Artists.
 * Mary Pickford, was an early notable awarded an honorary degree from Iowa Wesleyan.
 * Dana Holgorsen, current West Virginia University  Head Football Coach.
 * Rodger Bowers, 3 Time All-American Free Safety, with 11 interceptions as a freshman
 * D. Bryant, Current Arena Football League Quarterback, 2008 All-Rookie selection.