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HISTORY

Early History
Waynesburg University and the town in which it is located are named for the Revolutionary War hero, General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. The College was created by combining the assets of Greene Academy in Carmichaels, Pennsylvania, and Madison College at Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Greene Academy, closely tied to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, was founded in 1810 to bring higher education to those of limited means, and especially those called to Christian Ministry.

During the same period, Madison College was established in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, by the Methodist Church. However, by 1838, when three Cumberland Presbyterian ministers, John Morgan, A.M. Bryan, and Milton Bird, arrived in Uniontown, Madison College had ceased to function. The three clergy secured control of the College and, in its reconstituted form, Madison operated until 1846.

In April 1849, the Pennsylvania Presbytery, meeting in Greenfield, Washington County, established a committee to found a new college. The committee, comprised of The Reverend J.H.D. Henderson, General Jesse Lazar, and Samuel Moredock, Esq., chose Waynesburg as the site of the new college. The Reverend Joshua Loughran of Greene Academy was named Waynesburg's first president. The first classes were held in September, 1849, in the old Hayes Building at the corner of High and Washington Streets.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania chartered Waynesburg College on March 25, 1850. In autumn of the same year, the University building now known as Hanna Hall was begun; it was completed a year later. A Female Seminary connected with the College was also established in 1850 and its first classes were held in the Baptist Church.

Today, the University celebrates over 160 years of service, the tradition of preparing students for lives of Christian service continues undiminished. As a Christian university, Waynesburg continues to deepen the integration of Faith, Learning, and Serving in practical applications.
 

MISSION

Waynesburg University is a Christian, liberal arts University located in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.

Waynesburg University educates students to make connections between faith, learning and serving so they might faithfully transform their communities and the world. As a Christian comprehensive University, we strive to inspire and challenge every undergraduate and graduate student to a life of leadership and purpose for the glory of God.

Waynesburg University educates students based upon:

  • A commitment to the pursuit of truth in God’s world through rigorous scholarship, academic excellence and creative expressions, founded in the liberal arts and sciences.
  • A commitment to the authority of the scriptures as the essential reference for faith and life. The scriptures inform and define our perspectives in service of Christ and his kingdom.
  • A commitment to the integration of Christian faith within the various academic disciplines and professional programs for both undergraduate and graduate students.
  • A commitment to employ faculty and staff members who embody the values and perspectives of the Christian faith in their teaching, personal lives and relationships with students.
  • A commitment to understand and engage others locally and around the world, through the use of our education and talents in service of justice and righteousness.
  • A commitment to student-centered education where the interests, aspirations and needs of each student are valued and encouraged.
  • A commitment to welcome students from various cultures, backgrounds, educational experiences and ages to enhance diversity and contribute to the learning community.
  • A commitment to develop students who will exhibit integrity, both personally and professionally, based upon the scriptural calling of Jesus Christ for all of life.

Waynesburg University seeks to:

For Students

  • Prepare students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels with the knowledge, skills and values necessary for the vocations to which they are called by God.
  • Cultivate the ability of students to think critically and to apply these skills in lifelong scholarship and ethical decision making.
  • Develop students who practice effective communication skills in both the spoken and written word in many different contexts.
  • Educate students to apply processes of scientific inquiry and quantitative reasoning skills in examining both information and theoretical models.
  • Provide students with opportunities to recognize lifestyles, traditions and rituals of diverse cultures.
  • Equip students to examine and employ information resources and technologies with wisdom and faithfulness.
  • Nurture students’ use of their creative abilities and their appreciation of aesthetic expressions of others.
  • Challenge students to excel in scholarship, research and independent academic inquiry within the broad context of the liberal arts tradition.
  • Educate students with depth of knowledge in one of the academic and applied disciplines through instruction and research at either the undergraduate or graduate level.
  • Engage students to be servants and citizens in their local communities and to take responsibility for involvement in the world in which they live.

Waynesburg University seeks to:

For the Campus Community

  • Foster a Christian learning community where students are challenged and encouraged to develop as people through a variety of curricular and co-curricular programs.
  • Nurture a campus environment where the spiritual development of students, faculty and staff is affirmed through programs and resources.
  • Maintain an environment characterized by fairness and justice as expressed through institutional policies and procedures.
  • Make available critical and emerging informational, physical and technology resources necessary to support the education and research of a learning community.
  • Provide effective academic support services that will encourage and facilitate individual educational achievement for all students.
  • Address the changing educational and cultural needs of the local region through educational degrees, instructional programs, utilization of campus and graduate center resources and strategic partnerships.
  • Effectively manage fiscal and human resources to provide affordable opportunities for Christian higher education.
  • Exhibit responsible care for the Creation through the institution’s policies and practices.