Wesley College (Delaware)

This article is about the former college in the U.S. state of Delaware. For other uses, see Wesley College (disambiguation).

Wesley College

Wesley College, now part of Delaware State University as DSU Downtown
Former names	Wilmington Conference Academy (1873–1918) Wesley Collegiate Institute (1918–1941) Wesley Junior College (1941–1958)
Motto	Great Things Await
Type	Private liberal arts college
Active	1873; 152 years ago (1873) – 2021; 4 years ago (2021)
Religious affiliation	United Methodist Church
Academic affiliation	Space Grant
Location	Dover , Delaware , United States
Campus	Small city, 50 acres (20 ha)
Colors	Blue and white
Nickname	Wolverines
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division III – Atlantic East (until 2021)
Website	wesley.edu

Wesley College was a private liberal arts college in Dover, Delaware. It was acquired by Delaware State University (DSU) in 2021 and is now the DSU Downtown campus.^[1][2][3]

History

Postcard of Wesley Junior College

The institution was founded in 1873^[4] as Wilmington Conference Academy, a prep school.^[5] During this period Annie Jump Cannon, a prominent astronomer who pioneered stellar classification, graduated valedictorian from Wilmington Conference Academy in 1880.^[6][7] It became a two-year college in 1918 and renamed the Wesley Collegiate Institute.^[5] It was renamed again in 1941 as Wesley Junior College, and again in 1958 as Wesley College.^[5] The institution conferred its first four-year degrees in 1978.^[8]

In its last decades, the college experienced significant financial challenges and relied on state funding and grants.^[4][1] At one point in 2019, had the state not given Wesley $3 million, students would have lost access to federal financial aid and salaries would have been at risk. In early 2021, the college faculty voted "no confidence" against Wesley's last president, Robert E. Clark II, but Wesley College's board of trustees subsequently dismissed the resolution and supported him.^[9][10]

On June 30, 2021, Delaware State University (DSU) began the formal process of purchasing Wesley College.^[11] This made DSU "the first historically Black college or university to acquire another college."^[1] The acquisition was finalized one year later, on July 1, 2021.^[12] Approximately 60 percent of the Wesley community were offered employment by Delaware State University. DSU took on Wesley College's debts and did not directly pay to purchase the university. All Wesley students with non-adverse records were permitted to become DSU students.^[13] After the acquisition, the campus was known as DSU Downtown, while the Wesley name remained attached to the Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences housed at the campus.^[14][15]

Academics

Prior to ceasing operations, many of its students pursued a liberal arts program of study. At its close, Wesley College had 917 students.

Athletics

See also: Wesley Wolverines football

The institution competed in National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III athletics in the Atlantic East Conference. Its teams were known as the Wolverines.^[16][17]

Notable alumni

• William N. Andrews (1898) – U.S. House of Representatives
• Steve Azzanesi  – college football coach
• Clarence Bailey  – professional football player
• Larry Beavers  – professional football player
• Bill Belleville – environmental writer, documentary filmmaker, and lecturer
• Colin R.J. Bonini (1991) – Republican Party politician, including serving as a member of the Delaware Senate from the 16th district (since 1995)^[18]
• Franklin Brockson (1890)  – U.S. House of Representatives^[19]
• Joseph L. Cahall (c. 1880s) – Republican Party politician who served as Secretary of State of Delaware
• Joe Callahan (B.S. 2016) – quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL)
• Annie Jump Cannon (1880) – Astronomer^[7]
• Martha E. Church – (B.A. 1952) – College president^[20]
• Steve Colavito  – professional football player
• Bill Collick  – college football coach and athletics administrator
• Ronald S. Dancer – New Jersey General Assembly
• William D. Denney – Governor of Delaware and Delaware House of Representatives
• Wayne Gilchrest (A.A., 1971) – Republican Party politician, including serving as U.S. Representative for Maryland's 1st congressional district (1991–2009)^[21]
• Matt Gono (2017) – professional football player for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL)
• John B. Goodman  – polo player
• Bob Hannah – college baseball coach
• William P. Jackson – Treasurer of Maryland and United States Senator^[22]
• Thomas B. McCabe  – chairman of the Federal Reserve and president and CEO of Scott Paper Company
• Ernie McCook  – college football coach
• Mark Meseroll  – professional football player
• Charles M. Oberly, III (A.A., 1966) – lawyer and Democratic Party politician, including serving as Delaware Attorney General (1983–1995); U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware^[23]
• Eunan O'Neill (non-degreed) – Irish television presenter
• John Palermo (non-degreed)  – college football coach
• Simeon S. Pennewill – Governor of Delaware and Delaware Senate^[24]
• Bryan Robinson – professional football player; awarded all-American football player^[25]
• Charles L. Terry Jr. – Governor of Delaware and Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court^[26]
• Ebrahim Victory (nondegreed)  – mechanical engineer and television presenter
• Rebecca Walker – Delaware House of Representatives
• Carolyn Bunny Welsh – Republican Party politician, former sheriff of Chester County, Pennsylvania
• Josiah O. Wolcott – Chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery, United States Senator, and Attorney General of Delaware^[27]

Notable faculty and staff

• Bob Andrus – head football coach
• Steve Azzanesi – football coach
• Earl D. Brooks II – executive vice president and professor of science and president of Trine University
• Martha E. Church – geography professor
• Mike Drass – head football coach
• William N. Johnston – 16th president of Welsey College
• Tim Keating – head football coach
• Tripp Keister – baseball coach
• Chip Knapp – assistant football coach
• David Laganella – music professor
• John Palermo – football coach
• Clarence A. Short – president of Wesley Collegiate Institute in 1926
• Leroy Thompson – assistant football coach

See also

• List of colleges and universities in Delaware

References

1. Alamdari, Natalia (July 9, 2020). "Delaware State University signs agreement to acquire Wesley College". The News Journal. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
2. Cherry, Amy (July 9, 2020). "Delaware State University to officially acquire Wesley College". WDEL-FM. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
3. Eichmann, Mark (July 9, 2020). "Delaware State Univ. to make historic acquisition of Wesley College". WHYY. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
4. Chase, Randall (May 26, 2021). "Tenured faculty challenge Wesley College acquisition by DSU". Associated Press. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
5. "History". Wesley College. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
6. "WE Celebrate: Annie Jump Cannon". Blog. Colonial School District. March 18, 2021.
7. "Wesley Unveils Annie Jump Cannon Historical Marker". Wesley College. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
8. "Kent County Markers". Delaware Public Archives. State of Delaware. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
9. Wesley College Board of Trustees Meeting Open Session Minutes - March 20, 2021
10. "Wesley Faculty Vote "No Confidence" In President Clark". March 8, 2021. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
11. "Millions in Tax Dollars Went to Private Wesley College; Fallout From Sale Leaves a Lot of Questions". The News Journal. March 29, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
12. "DSU & Wesley". Delaware State University. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
13. Redden, Elizabeth (July 2, 2021). "A Cross-Town Acquisition". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
14. Tabeling, Kate (July 1, 2021). "DSU Officially Closes Wesley Acquisition". Delaware Business Times. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
15. Neiburg, Jeff (July 16, 2021). "After acquiring Wesley College, what's next for Delaware State?". The News Journal. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
16. Tresolini, Kevin (February 16, 2021). "Sale to DSU Spells End of Wesley College Sports". The News Journal. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
17. Lopez, Anissa (March 19, 2021). "Discontinuation of Wesley College Athletic Program impacting student". WDMT.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
18. "Senator Colin Bonini". Delaware General Assembly. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
19. "Brockson, Franklin". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
20. "University of Pittsburgh to Honor Academy Visitors". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 14, 1966. p. 13. Retrieved November 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
21. "GILCHREST, Wayne Thomas - Biographical Information". Retrieved June 16, 2016.
22. "Jackson, William Purnell". Biographic Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
23. "Meet Charles Oberly". mainjustice.com. September 30, 2010. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
24. "Delaware Governor's - 1901 to 1949". www.russpickett.com. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
25. "Robinson Standing Out For Philadelphia Soul" (Press release). Dover, Delaware: Wesley College. April 5, 2012. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
26. "Delaware Governor's - 1949 to Present". www.russpickett.com. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
27. "Wolcott, Josiah O." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved November 29, 2023.

External links

• Wesley State University site at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
• DSU & Wesley - Delaware State University