West Liberty University

Last updated
West Liberty University
West Liberty University seal.png
Former names
West Liberty Academy (1837–1870)
West Liberty State Normal School (1870–1931)
West Liberty State Teachers College (1931–1943)
West Liberty State College (1943–2009) [1]
Type Public university
EstablishedMarch 30, 1837(187 years ago) (1837-03-30)
Accreditation HLC
Academic affiliation
WVHEPC
Endowment $20.3 million (2021) [2]
President Dr. Tim Borchers [3]
Academic staff
143
Undergraduates 2,525 (Fall 2018)
Postgraduates 303
Location, ,
United States
Campus Fringe rural [4] , 290 acres (1.2 km2)
Other campuses
NewspaperThe Trumpet
Colors Black and gold [5]
  
Nickname Hilltoppers
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division II - MEC
MascotTopper the Bear
Website westliberty.edu
West Liberty University Logo.png

West Liberty University (WLU) is a public university in West Liberty, West Virginia. Located in the state's Northern Panhandle, it is the oldest college or university in West Virginia. It offers more than 70 undergraduate majors plus graduate programs, including a master's degree in education, a physician assistant studies program, and an online MBA. WLU's athletic teams, known as the Hilltoppers, are charter members of the NCAA Division II Mountain East Conference with nearly 400 student-athletes participating in 16 intercollegiate sports, including football, basketball, wrestling, track, acrobatics & tumbling and baseball.

Contents

History

What is now West Liberty University was established as West Liberty Academy on March 30, 1837, before the state broke away from Virginia during the American Civil War. Under the guidance of Reverend Nathan Shotwell, it was created to respond to the need for higher educational opportunities west of the Appalachian ridge. The institution was originally a normal school and was named after the town in which it is located. West Liberty was so named in the late 18th century as the westernmost point of the new liberty proclaimed by the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

Under the direction of Paul N. Elbin, the youngest president of a four-year college in the U.S. at age 30, the West Liberty Academy transitioned to West Liberty State Teachers College and eventually West Liberty State College. Under Elbin's 35-year leadership, the college developed a full curriculum, faculty, staff, student services, and activities including music and theatre.

West Liberty was approved to become a university by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission in November 2008. [6] The West Liberty Board of Governors voted to change to West Liberty University on May 3, 2009. The bulk of its student body comes from the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, eastern Ohio, and western Pennsylvania.

Dr. Tim Borchers was appointed as the 38th president on May 12, 2023 by the West Liberty University Board of Governors.

Academics

Main Hall and Paul N. Elbin Library Main Hall and Paul N Elbin Library at WLU.jpg
Main Hall and Paul N. Elbin Library

Gary E. West College of Business

In 1938, West Liberty Teacher's College began offering courses in Business and Commerce: a two-year Secretarial Studies program and a four-year Business education degree. By 1963, the college had established a full Department of Business Administration offering curricula in accounting, management and marketing to 338 business students. It is accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education IACBE and offers a Bachelor of Science degree and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA).

College of Liberal and Creative Arts and Communication

The college includes the departments of Humanities and Social Sciences, English and Modern

Languages, Media and Visual Arts, Music and Theater, Criminal Justice/Criminology, and Social Work. Academic disciplines in the college include visual communication design, digital media design, communications studies, journalism, public relations, broadcasting, creative arts therapy, music, theater, English, geography, history, political science, sociology, criminal justice, criminology, and social work.

Media Arts Center

The West Liberty University Media Arts Center opened in November 2006. The 5 million dollar facility includes: a recording studio, a television control, engineering core, and studio, where studio newscasts, television shows and special televised events take place. The building is also furnished with an editing classroom, 3D Audio voice-over room, and a multi-purpose classroom.

WLTV-14 (The campus's community television station) airs on Comcast Cable in Brooke, Hancock, Ohio and Marshall Counties in West Virginia. The school's community television station began in August 2007, but the television program has been on-going since 1990.

College of Education and Human Performance

The College of Education and Human Performance is divided into two departments: the Department of Professional Education and the Department of Health and Human Performance.

College of Sciences

The College of Sciences at West Liberty is divided into five departments: [7] Physical Sciences and Mathematics (Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics), Biological Sciences, Health Sciences (Dental Hygiene, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Sciences, and Speech Pathology and Audiology), Psychology, and Physician Assistant Studies.

Dental hygiene

West Liberty University offers one of the few comprehensive dental hygiene programs in the Ohio Valley. It was also one of the first colleges in the nation to offer such a program. The program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission of Dental Accreditation. The program was opened in September, 1938, and graduated its first class in 1940. Since then, about 2,345 students have graduated from the program. The dental hygiene students have the opportunity to enroll for a professional program ending with an Associate of Science Degree in Dental Hygiene or a professional program ending with a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene. The Dental Hygiene office offers dental cleaning services for any member of the community at affordable rates.

Campbell Hall of Health Sciences

The $20 million, 70,000 sq.ft. Health Sciences Building was dedicated and opened on May 3, 2014. [8] The Dental Hygiene, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nursing, Physician Assistant Studies Master's Program, Speech Pathology and Audiology, and Chemistry programs are located in the new building, along with the Behavioral Health Clinic and the Speech and Hearing Clinic.

Campus

Shotwell Hall Shotwell Hall from north.jpg
Shotwell Hall
Shaw Hall Shaw Hall, West Liberty State University.jpg
Shaw Hall
Interfaith Chapel Interfaith Chapel at West Liberty University, a public university in the West Liberty, West Virginia. The school is West Virginia's oldest institution of higher education LCCN2015632058.tif
Interfaith Chapel

Student life

There are seven residence halls on campus.

West Liberty University offers 9 organizations made up of fraternities and sororities, 18 academic and professional organizations, 10 honoraries, 6 sports and recreational clubs, 6 religiously affiliated groups and 23 special interest groups. There is a physical education club for students majoring in physical education, and an intramural program covering activities such as basketball, volleyball, softball, tennis, swimming, racquetball, ping pong, billiards, flag football, aerobics, euchre, and 3-on-3 basketball. This program is operated by the office of the Vice President of Student Affairs.

West Liberty University has seven Greek organizations on campus. The national fraternities and sororities include Phi Delta Theta, Alpha Xi Delta and Chi Omega. The remaining organizations are local sororities and fraternities, including the sorority Lambda Psi Sigma. Fraternities on campus are Chi Nu and Kappa Delta Kappa. Former fraternities and sororities include Delta Chi, Theta Xi, Kappa Delta Rho, Phi Sigma Kappa, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Phi Sigma, Delta Zeta Pi, Beta Theta Gamma, Delta Theta Kappa, and Delta Tau Chi.

Athletics

West Liberty Hilltoppers logo. WLibHilltoppers.png
West Liberty Hilltoppers logo.

West Liberty University's Intercollegiate Athletics Program is an integral part of the institution's total educational mission. Sixteen men's and women's sports are offered: football, women's volleyball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, wrestling, women's softball, men's baseball, men's and women's track, men's and women's golf, men and women's soccer and women's acrobatic and tumbling. The men's and women's tennis teams were discontinued in May 2023. [10] There is also a coed cheerleading squad. The college is a member of NCAA Division II and formerly belonged to the 16-member West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC). In June 2012, it was one of nine WVIAC members that announced plans to leave the conference after the 2012–13 school year to start a new Division II league. Two months later, the new league was unveiled as the Mountain East Conference, with West Liberty as one of its 12 charter members.

Alumni

Alumni association

The West Liberty University Alumni Association was founded in June 1877 with 103 members. From its beginning, the growth and development of the Alumni Association has been dedicated to promoting the interests of West Liberty University and strengthening the loyalty of and fostering support among its graduates, former students, and friends. The association serves as the liaison between the alumni of West Liberty University and its administration, staff, faculty, students, and friends. Today, the Alumni Association represents nearly 20,000 alumni and continues to foster a spirit of unity and fellowship through communications, development, publicity, special events, recruiting, and career exploration.

Alumni association "Wall of Honor"

The West Liberty University Alumni Association Board of Directors instituted a project in 1990 to demonstrate to current students, visitors, and friends that the college has some very successful graduates. This project, known as the "Alumni Wall of Honor," is a dramatic way to honor some of the college's most distinguished alumni and display pride in the accomplishments of its graduates. The concept was suggested by then Associate Professor of Physics Robert W. Schramm, who is a 1958 graduate of the college and a 2002 Alumni Wall of Honor inductee. The Alumni Wall of Honor was formerly housed in the south end of the Union known now as the Student Leadership Center and is currently located on the second floor of the Elbin Library.

Liberty Oaks Alumni House Bed and Breakfast

First occupied in 1936 and serving as the residence for the Presidents of West Liberty University until 1997, Liberty Oaks Alumni House Bed & Breakfast is a stately mansion located on the West Liberty campus.

Clyde D. Campbell Alumni Park

Alumni Park was home to three black granite pyramids displaying the engraved names of alumni and friends of West Liberty University. Alumni Park was located in the "heart" of the campus – just outside Main Hall and adjacent to the Union, at the edge of the 'quad'. In the summer of 2017, these structures were removed due to deterioration. A replacement wall of alumni and friends is expected to be erected within the breezeway of Main Hall. [11] Currently, a fire globe is situated in Alumni Park.

Notable alumni

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References

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40°9′48″N80°36′8″W / 40.16333°N 80.60222°W / 40.16333; -80.60222