“So, where do you go to college?”

“Wesleyan University.”

“Oh, sure. Ohio Wesleyan?”

With 21 Wesleyan Universities and Colleges around the country, it is inevitable that every Wes student will have this conversation at some point in their lives. Here is a brief guide to the other Wesleyan Universities out there, just so you know a little something about the school that your great aunt thinks you attend.

Illinois Wesleyan University:

Founded in 1850, Illinois Wesleyan University is a private school comprised of a college of liberal arts, a college of fine arts, a professional school of nursing, and professional schools of art, music and theatre arts.

Although the university is loosely affiliated with the Methodist Church, on the whole the student body isn’t very religious. However, students at Illinois Wesleyan are committed to the school’s sports teams. Men’s basketball is particularly popular, and in 2006, the team placed third in the Division III championships.

According to Rachel Anderson, a senior majoring in business administration and management, there is something for everyone at Illinois Wesleyan.

“If you want to go out and party, you can do that,” Anderson said. “But there are other activities going on on campus, like student groups hosting events.”

Students also venture off campus for entertainment. Anderson noted the popularity of the indoor rock climbing facility in Bloomington, which is said to be one of the best in the country.

Nebraska Wesleyan University:

Rated the best liberal arts institution in Nebraska by U.S. Word News and Report, Nebraska Wesleyan University was founded in 1887 by a group of Nebraska Methodists. Though the university is still a Methodist institution, about 60 percent of students identify as Catholic.

C.J. Koozer, a sophomore biology major, described her peers as fairly typical college students.

“We’re pretty serious about doing what we want to do and finding out what we want to do later on in life,” she said.

Students enjoy the benefits of living in Lincoln—a city with about 40,000 college students—and often head off campus to explore the city.
“People really take advantage of the city and dig into the opportunities the city provides,” Koozer said.

With the University of Nebraska just a few minutes away, students from Nebraska Wesleyan often go to the big state school for social and athletic events. Most students at Nebraska Wesleyan are from small towns in the state and were raised as loyal Huskers football fans.

Kansas Wesleyan University:

With only 897 students and a very low student to faculty ratio, students at Kansas Wesleyan University love the tight-knit community at their school.

“It’s like a family community,” Brie Morton, a junior majoring in music education, said. “You know everybody.”

Although they appreciate the small college feel, many students venture off campus during the weekends. Salina, the town in which Kansas Wesleyan is situated, has the essentials, including a Target, Wal-Mart and a shopping mall. Trips to Kansas City—nearly three hours away—are less frequent.

Like the many other Wesleyan Universities across the country, Kansas Wesleyan is still affiliated with the Methodist Church. Still, religious life does not play a large role in many students’ lives.

Indiana Wesleyan University:

Indiana Wesleyan University kicks off every school year with Summit Week, “a series of daily services devoted to spiritual renewal,” according to the university’s website. The school also has a lengthy list of “Lifestyle Expectations,” which includes regulations on dancing, pre-marital sex and R-rated movies.

It comes as no surprise that Indiana Wesleyan, an Evangelical Christian liberal arts university, is consistently chosen as one of the nation’s top schools for religious atmosphere by Christian youth magazines and organizations.

The school offers its students a wide variety of majors, from economics to criminal justice to worship. According to Kayleigh Delk, a junior majoring in Christian education, the most popular majors at Indiana Wesleyan—known to those who attend as “I Woo”—are nursing and education.

Delk feels that students at the university do a good job of balancing their academic pursuits and social lives. With about 3,000 undergraduates, the campus is host to a small, strong and supportive community.

“Students are so blessed to be here,” Delk said. “We are surrounded by a great community, great friends and a great faculty—all who are Christ-centered and love the Lord, you can tell that’s why they’re working here.”

Delk said that though the overwhelming majority of Indiana Wesleyan students are committed Evangelical Christians, she does not make any assumptions about her peers’ faith.

“I don’t take for granted the fact there could be students who don’t know the Lord and aren’t saved,” she said.

Though Indiana Wesleyan students devote much time to their spiritual growth, they manage to find time to participate in athletics, intramural sports, community service and pre-professional clubs, among many activities.

The university is located in Marion, which, according to Delk, is an up and coming town.

“It’s a growing town,” she said. “They have a Wal-Mart and decent restaurants. There are also lots of churches in the community, and plenty of opportunities to get involved in the church activities.”

Ohio Wesleyan University:

No longer affiliated with the Methodist Church, Ohio Wesleyan University is the only Wesleyan other than ours that has no religious ties. This small liberal arts school boasts a challenging yet flexible curriculum and close relationships between faculty and students. About 1,850 students attend this college, which is located in Delaware, Ohio.

There isn’t too much to do in Delaware, a small town 20 miles outside of Columbus, but students at Ohio Wesleyan—called “Oh Woo” on campus—say that there are plenty of on-campus activities to keep students busy.

“We have lots of fraternities and sororities, and they are always having events,” said Eileen, a senior who is majoring in genetics and minoring in English literature.

The school’s new science center—a 150,000-square foot facility completed in 2004—has served to bolster the sciences at the university. According to Eileen, who did not want to have her last name printed, popular majors at Ohio Wesleyan include psychology and economics, and other sciences.

More than half of the school’s student body is native to Ohio, but students hail from 42 other states and 40 countries. Students appreciate the diversity and small community at “Oh Woo.”

“It’s honestly the people that make the atmosphere,” Eileen said. “It’s really comfortable here.”

Texas Wesleyan University:

Although freshman Angela Ruiz has been at Texas Wesleyan University for only a month, she knows she has found the right place.

“I love it here,” Ruiz said. “It has been amazing.”

According to Ruiz, students at this small school in Fort Worth manage to find a balance between academics and social life.

“Students here are really laid back,” she said. “Students come here to go to school and to have fun. It has a great atmosphere.”

Popular academic departments are biology, education, and biochemistry, and business. Also, the University recently launched a nursing and anesthesiology department.

The majority of students commute to school—only 350 of 2,200 live on campus—Ruiz feels that there is still a sense of community. Students come together to support sports teams—basketball and table tennis are popular—and to attend Bible study, among other activities.

Texas Wesleyan is still tied to the Methodist Church, but not all students are involved in spiritual life on campus. Ruiz estimates that about 60 percent of her peers attend on-campus Bible study groups. Ruiz has attended Bible study twice this year and said that she enjoyed it.

“They make it a lot of fun,” she said. “They always have food, and they start off with games and songs. Then we talk about the verses—they really engage you with the Bible.”

Southern Wesleyan University:

Southern Wesleyan University is a small liberal arts school in Central South Carolina that is guided by Christian values. Denomination is not a large issue at the university, but devotion to God certainly is.

“God is our center point,” said Steven Williams, a senior at Southern Wesleyan.

The school is best known for its music department. The early childhood education program is also popular, according to Williams.

This year, Southern Wesleyan has implemented a new program called “One Body,” which seeks to bring religion and athletics together.

“Our ten sports teams are working to become one with Christ,” Williams said.

Athletics are a major aspect of life at Southern Wesleyan, and many students play at least one sport. Even students who aren’t athletes are very involved in school athletics.

“This year, everyone has gotten more involved in supporting the sports teams,” Williams said.