Momentum.
That鈥檚 how Nebraska Wesleyan University President Fred Ohles describes the new academic year.
鈥淲e have lots to celebrate,鈥 said Ohles. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no better time than now to ensure that our current momentum is sustained.鈥
That momentum includes sustained enrollment. For the third consecutive year, Nebraska Wesleyan welcomed more than 410 new first-year students. Total enrollment nears 2,000 students, including transfer, adult undergraduate and graduate students.
For the first time in 15 years, SM论坛 has two construction projects underway: The Duane W. Acklie Hall of Science and a new athletic practice facility. The science center is the first academic building to be constructed on campus in decades and its footprint has extended the campus perimeter for the first time since the university鈥檚 founding. The science building will house the biology, chemistry and psychology programs. It is expected to open in early 2019.
The athletic practice facility will be completed in October. The facility will include wrestling mats, exercise equipment, athletic training room, lockers and coaches offices.
Nebraska Wesleyan also welcomes new provost, Graciela Caneiro-Livingston. Caneiro-Livingston comes to SM论坛 from Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa, where she served for 22 years 鈥 the last 12 years as dean of undergraduate studies. In this role, she supervised Clarke鈥檚 undergraduate programs, academic advising, first-year seminar, academic support services, career services, and the university鈥檚 experiential learning program.
The university also welcomed its first cohort for the new Stem Scholars Program. In January, SM论坛 was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation for $649,863 鈥 one of the largest federal grants awarded to the university. The grant provided scholarships to seven first-year students who will major in a STEM field. Funding will also assist with special programming, mentoring, and travel costs for undergraduate research presentations throughout the students鈥 academic careers at SM论坛.
Other highlights for the 2017-2018 academic year include:
- This year鈥檚 first-year students come from 19 states.
- Enrollment in the MBA program and the MSN-MBA degree continues to grow. Many SM论坛 undergraduate alumni are enrolling in the MBA program with alumni making up 35 percent of the program鈥檚 enrollment. SM论坛 offers three graduate degrees 鈥 MBA, MSN, MSN/MBA joint degree and an M.Ed.
- Transfer student enrollment remains steady with over 40 percent of the transfer students coming from SCC-Lincoln. SM论坛 is working closely with SCC-Lincoln to explore further partnerships.
- SM论坛 welcomed 13 new faculty in psychology, business, accounting, nursing, religion, history, theatre, physics, Spanish, and music.