About Methodist University

Dr. Stanley T. WeardenDear Visitors:

There are many things that make me love Methodist University: the beautiful campus, the warmth and collegiality of the MU community, the excellent education provided by our academic programs, the friendliness of the students, and the supportiveness of the wider community. But one of the most powerful things for me is the university mission statement because it truly focuses on mission, prioritizing the dignity and worth of all human beings and identifying truth, virtue, justice, and love as our core principles. This speaks strongly to me of the university’s commitment to educating and caring for the whole student – mind, body, and spirit.

These commitments are borne out in the many offerings and opportunities for students both on and off the MU campus: more than 80 different academic programs (including more than 20 that are 100% online) both undergraduate and graduate; more than $24 million in MU scholarships awarded annually; nearly 90 student clubs and organizations; 20 NCAA varsity sports; a dedicated Health & Counseling Services Department located at “The Well”; an office at Fort Liberty and programs geared toward active-duty service members, veterans, and their families; a robust program in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, with a focus on learning through dialogue about our differences and similarities; a spiritually enriching Religious & Spiritual Life program, rooted in the Wesleyan educational tradition of spiritual exploration as a key to overall learning and development; excellent programs offered through our Student Affairs, Residence Life, Campus Engagement, and Student Belonging & Inclusion offices; the One Stop, offering Academic & Career Advising and Academic Support Services in a single location to make it easier for students to find what they need to succeed; and much more that you can learn about on this website.

All these things stem from our mission statement, as do four promises we make to all our students. By the time you graduate, we will have worked with you to help you become:

  1. Ready for a career or for graduate study. This is, after all, one of the main reasons you chose to attend a university. We offer many professional and pre-professional degree programs, as well as certificate programs preparing students for specific careers. We are in the top 16 percent nationally in terms of the social mobility of our graduates.
  2. Prepared for a lifetime of reflection on meaning and purpose. Career is important, yet we humans also have a deeper sense that we are here for a larger purpose. Our curriculum and campus programming help you explore questions about the meaning of your life and your professional and personal vocations. We support students from all faith traditions, as well as the many students who are still exploring and trying to identify their spiritual foundation, in learning how to discover answers to life’s biggest questions. We challenge you to examine not only what you want to be but why you want to be, and we encourage you to reflect on how you are called to respond to the world around you.
  3. Moral and ethical agents in the world. We help you grow in understanding your own sense of moral duty, and we work to ensure that all our graduates leave with a well-developed sense of personal and professional ethics. This is engrained in our curriculum and intentionally reinforced in all our campus activities, with a focus on shared responsibility and respect for our fellow human beings regardless of their background or culture. We help you recognize that very many decisions or actions we face contain a moral or ethical question that invites thoughtful consideration and response.
  4. Engaged citizens. MU students learn both in the classroom and out to listen to others, especially those who are different from them; to be open to other perspectives and cultures; and to find common ground for working together on solving problems as mature adults. Engaged citizenship is about more than taking stands on issues, voting, and being politically active. It also is about building bridges, recognizing our shared humanity and challenges, setting aside differences where we can, and uniting around solutions.

These promises make us unique, help to explain the many high rankings we have received nationally, and frame our strategic initiatives. If you are seeking to become a fully developed and well-rounded adult, you should take a serious look at Methodist University.

All the best,

Stanley T. Wearden, Ph.D.
President