Wilmington University is a private, non-profit doctoral research institution located in New Castle, Delaware, United States.
As of 2016, the university serves a total student body of 20,522 undergraduate and postgraduate students in nearly 100 degree and certificate programs. The university's programs are offered at its main campus in historic New Castle as well as at six additional campuses in Delaware, several partnership locations in New Jersey, and a single partnership location in northeastern Maryland.
History
Wilmington University was founded just outside historic New Castle, Delaware, in 1968 by Dr. Donald E. Ross, who served as the institution's president until 1977. The school began with a charter class of 194 students in 1968; between 1979 and 2006, the university grew to more than 10,000 students under the leadership of president Dr. Audrey K. Doberstein. Doberstein was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women in 2011 in recognition of her contributions to Wilmington University and the community. The university now offers graduate and doctoral degrees, and serves more than 20,000 students enrolled annually in online and on-campus classes at campuses in three states.
Founded as Wilmington College, the institution officially became Wilmington University on September 10, 2007, after the approval of the Board of Trustees and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. The name was changed to reflect the emphasis on undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs.
Academics
Wilmington University offers nearly 100 degree and certificate programs across its seven academic colleges and 14 campus locations throughout Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland, as well as dozens of academic minors and concentrations that specialize its degree offerings.
College of Arts & Sciences
Specializing in a traditional, liberal arts education, the College of Arts & Sciences features undergraduate programs in liberal studies and communication, with minors in art, drama, history, mathematics, and natural science. The college offers an Associate of Arts degree program as well as a traditional, four-year course of study in these fields.
College of Education
Accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in 2007, the College of Education is one of the largest academic colleges at Wilmington University and offers teacher preparation programs that range from elementary education to specialized secondary education fields, school leadership, innovation, and much more. At any given time, there are more than 1,000 Wilmington University education students performing supervized field work, such as student teaching instruction, throughout Delaware and the wider Philadelphia metropolitan area.
College of Business
The College of Business, accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, offers 10 undergraduate, 4 graduate, and 1 doctoral program in fields like business administration, accounting, finance, economics, marketing, and analytics. Certificate programs, as well as six concentrations, are also offered. The College of business maintains an active chapter of the Sigma Beta Delta international honor society for students in business, management, and administration programs.
Notable faculty
- Jennifer Cohan, Delaware Department of Transportation Secretary
College of Health Professions
The College of Health Professions is unique among universities in the region, in that its undergraduate programs are offered only as "completion" programs for students who have already attended a two-year nursing program and become a Registered Nurse. The college, which has full accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for its undergraduate and graduate programs, enrolled its first class of RN-to-BSN students in 1986. In 1993, the university approved the addition of a Master of Science in Nursing program, which today features three distinct concentrations that fit students' unique needs. In 2005, an undergraduate completion program in Allied Health was approved, giving students access to one of the fastest-growing academic and professional practice areas in the health professions. The College of Health Professions also offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice program.
College of Social & Behavioral Sciences
With degree programs ranging from political science and legal studies to clinical mental health counseling and organizational dynamics, the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences is one of the largest colleges at Wilmington University. Many programs offered by the college are professionally accredited; the Bachelor of Science program in legal studies has been approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), while the college's graduate program in clinical mental health counseling has achieved accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Students in the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences often participate in the CAP co-op program, which offers academic credit in exchange for a semester-long internship relevant to the student's course of study.
Notable faculty
- Dr. Lem Burnham - former director and vice president for player & employee development at the National Football League (NFL), former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end, current vice president for the Philadelphia chapter of NFL Alumni.
College of Technology
The College of Technology was awarded in 2011 by the National Security Agency as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAE/IAE). The CAE/IAE designation from the NSA applies to the College of Technology undergraduate Computer and Network Security degree program and the Information Systems Technologies, Information Assurance graduate program.
College of Online & Experiential Learning
The College of Online and Experiential Learning houses all of Wilmington University's more than 95 online degree programs, concentrations, and certificates. The college serves 41 percent of the student body, as of 2016, with distance education programs in business, education, technology, and many other fields. Online programs at Wilmington University have received recognition from several major publications. U.S. News & World Report ranks the online program 161st nationally, while a more comprehensive study of online degree programs in 2015 ranked Wilmington University 10th in the nation.
Main Campus
The main campus of Wilmington University is located along U.S. Route 13, just outside historic New Castle, Delaware. The main campus hosts more than 80 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. The main campus in New Castle is also home to the Wilson Graduate Center, where all of the university's graduate and doctoral degree programs are housed. In addition to classroom facilities, the main campus in New Castle features the Pratt Student center, opened in 2013 after an extensive renovation of a former university gymnasium.
Site Locations
Delaware
Maryland
New Jersey
Athletics
Wilmington University's athletic teams are known as the Wildcats, and are represented by the school's mascot, named "Wiley D. Wildcat." The university's teams compete in NCAA Division II and the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference for all sports.
Athletic facilities
Athletic teams at the university are served by the Wilmington University Athletic Complex in Bear, Delaware. Opened in 2013, this sports complex includes outdoor fields as well as an indoor, multi-purpose playing court for basketball and volleyball. The complex provides athletic facilities and a home field to the men's and women's basketball and soccer teams as well as the women's lacrosse and volleyball teams.
Wildcats mascot
The university's present mascot was unveiled in 2009. Following the announcement of the school's new mascot, the university involved students and faculty in a popular poll to suggest and choose a name for this new addition to Wilmington University's athletic presence. In late 2009, it was announced that the name "Wiley D. Wildcat," suggested by one of the students of Wilmington University, had won the poll and would become the mascot's official name. In addition to the mascot's presence at most NCAA Division II athletic events, the Wildcat mascot has become an instrumental part of the university's national-champion cheerleading team.
Championships
The university's men's baseball team was named NCAA Division II East Regional champions in 2015 after a historic season. Additionally, the men's golf team earned an NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Super Regional title in both 2012 and 2015.
Cheerleading
In addition to its NCAA Division II men's and women's athletic teams, Wilmington University is also home to a successful, co-ed cheerleading team. The university's cheerleading team was named the Universal Cheerleading Association's national champions for five consecutive years between 2012 and 2016.
Presidents
- Donald E. Ross (1968â€"1977)
- Audrey K. Doberstein (1978-2005)
- Jack Varsalona (2005â€"2017)
- LaVerne T. Harmon (2017-Present)
Notable alumni
References
External links
- Official website