Today in Wheeling History: May 11—A new bronze college seal bearing the name "Wheeling Jesuit College" was unveiled at the main entrance of the campus, a gift from the graduating Class of 1993 (1993).
The bronze seal unveiled on May 11, 1993, marked a proud moment in the ongoing evolution of one of Wheeling's most distinctive institutions. Originally named Wheeling College, the school was founded in 1954 through a partnership between the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on November 24, 1953, and the college was officially incorporated on September 25, 1954, with its doors opening to students on September 26, 1955. The initial faculty consisted of just twelve Jesuit priests and four lay professors.
In 1986, President Rev. Thomas S. Acker, S.J., announced plans to add "Jesuit" to the school's name, with the Board of Directors making the change official during the 1987–1988 school year. The new bronze seal bearing the updated name, presented at the main entrance as a class gift, stood as a tangible symbol of institutional pride and the graduating seniors' connection to Jesuit tradition. At that time, Wheeling Jesuit College occupied a 70-acre campus and was the only Jesuit college to have been coeducational from its very beginning.
The year 1993 was a particularly busy one for the campus. Just two months after the seal's unveiling, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for a new $7.9 million, 276-bed residence hall later named Ignatius Hall, and in August the college added master's degree programs in nursing administration, physical therapy, and technology transfer.
In July 1996, the school's name was changed once more, to Wheeling Jesuit University. The institution ended its formal Jesuit affiliation in 2019 and dropped "Jesuit" from its name, becoming Wheeling University.
To learn more: Wheeling University Historical Timeline (https://tinyurl.com/mr23f6ks), West Virginia Encyclopedia - Wheeling University (https://tinyurl.com/3ztwvfwh), Wikipedia - Wheeling University (https://tinyurl.com/5xdnf23c), Wheeling University - Wheeling Jesuit University Factbook 2017-2018 (https://tinyurl.com/yzchjwyb), Wheeling University - Wheeling Jesuit College Chronicle, Spring/Summer 1993 (https://tinyurl.com/mvw8zbrw), Wheeling University - Wheeling Jesuit College Chronicle, Spring 1994 (https://tinyurl.com/ydz4sa6f)
Photo credits: Wheeling Jesuit College Chronicle
The bronze seal unveiled on May 11, 1993, marked a proud moment in the ongoing evolution of one of Wheeling's most distinctive institutions. Originally named Wheeling College, the school was founded in 1954 through a partnership between the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on November 24, 1953, and the college was officially incorporated on September 25, 1954, with its doors opening to students on September 26, 1955. The initial faculty consisted of just twelve Jesuit priests and four lay professors.
In 1986, President Rev. Thomas S. Acker, S.J., announced plans to add "Jesuit" to the school's name, with the Board of Directors making the change official during the 1987–1988 school year. The new bronze seal bearing the updated name, presented at the main entrance as a class gift, stood as a tangible symbol of institutional pride and the graduating seniors' connection to Jesuit tradition. At that time, Wheeling Jesuit College occupied a 70-acre campus and was the only Jesuit college to have been coeducational from its very beginning.
The year 1993 was a particularly busy one for the campus. Just two months after the seal's unveiling, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for a new $7.9 million, 276-bed residence hall later named Ignatius Hall, and in August the college added master's degree programs in nursing administration, physical therapy, and technology transfer.
In July 1996, the school's name was changed once more, to Wheeling Jesuit University. The institution ended its formal Jesuit affiliation in 2019 and dropped "Jesuit" from its name, becoming Wheeling University.
To learn more: Wheeling University Historical Timeline (https://tinyurl.com/mr23f6ks), West Virginia Encyclopedia - Wheeling University (https://tinyurl.com/3ztwvfwh), Wikipedia - Wheeling University (https://tinyurl.com/5xdnf23c), Wheeling University - Wheeling Jesuit University Factbook 2017-2018 (https://tinyurl.com/yzchjwyb), Wheeling University - Wheeling Jesuit College Chronicle, Spring/Summer 1993 (https://tinyurl.com/mvw8zbrw), Wheeling University - Wheeling Jesuit College Chronicle, Spring 1994 (https://tinyurl.com/ydz4sa6f)
Photo credits: Wheeling Jesuit College Chronicle
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