On the heels of a $1 million donation from the Salina Regional Health Center, Kansas Wesleyan announced today that the Jack and Donna Vanier family is providing its own $1 million gift to help create a new, state-of-the-art Nursing Education Center.

The building, located at 135 E. Claflin Ave., will be the first new instruction-only facility on campus in 50 years. In total, the renovation plans have an estimated cost of $4.5 million. Once that capital is raised, construction is anticipated to begin late this fall, with a targeted completion date of December 2020.

Salina Regional Health Center’s Board of Trustees has a vision for the future of nursing education, and Kansas Wesleyan is the focal point. 

The hospital Board of Trustees announced this week that it will donate a total of $1 million to KWU to secure that future in the form of $600,000 in cash, plus a former doctor’s office, valued at $400,000, so that the university can establish a stand-alone Nursing Education Center on its campus. 

The lead gift from SRHC marks the launch of the university’s $4.5 million campaign for the new Nursing Center. 

On May 11, Kansas Wesleyan University graduated 148 students – 124 undergraduates and 24 who earned their Master’s in Business Administration.

That graduating class represented students from 19 different states and 5 countries.

Click this link to see an end of the year message from President and CEO Matt Thompson:

https://youtu.be/8nNiN5RxyUY

Saline County has hired a new emergency management director.

Michelle Barkley ‘18 will take over the position. Barkley graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University with a degree in Emergency Management and minors in Criminal Justice and Unmanned Aircraft Systems.  She worked with the North Central Kansas Healthcare Coalition and Salina Regional Health Center developing plans and assisting with exercises to test plans.

Barkley has previous experience.  She also worked with Dane County Emergency Management in Wisconsin.

Six Kansas Wesleyan University business students had top-10 finishes in national collegiate academic competition two weeks ago in Florida.

Competing at the Distributive Education Clubs of America national competition at the International Career Development Conference in Orlando, Fla., the entire KWU team also was awarded because all cumulative scores were higher than 75 percent.

Dr. Steve Hoekstra, Professor of Psychology, Chair of the Division of Social Sciences and Chair of Interdisciplinary Studies Program at Kansas Wesleyan University, was appointed to the National Council of Alpha Chi.

The National Council, Alpha Chi’s chief governing body, is an elected, 22-member governing body composed of 15 faculty members and seven students. The faculty members, who also serve as sponsors of local chapters, serve four-year terms, and the students are elected to two-year terms.

The Kansas Wesleyan University annual Arbor Day celebration is set for Friday, only this time there is a growing reason to participate.

Last February, the university achieved the prestigious designation of 2018 Tree Campus USA from the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management.

"Tree Campuses and their students set examples not only for their student bodies, but the surrounding communities showcasing how trees create a healthier environment,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation.

Kansas Wesleyan University will celebrate Women’s History Month by hosting a conversation on the role of women in religion. “Women in Religion – An evening of dialogue on the role of women in world religions,” will be held on Thursday, March 21, at 7 p.m. in Fitzpatrick Auditorium in Sams Hall of Fine Arts. The event will feature a panel of local female church leaders, as well as an expert on women’s issues. Coffee and conversation will follow in Fitzpatrick Auditorium.