VOLUME 8 I ISSUE 1
DEAR FRIENDS,
WESLEY CAMPUS GROWS
If you are receiving this newsletter for the first time – welcome! We would like to communicate with our Wesley College supporters as often and as efficiently as possible. You are instrumental to the College’s success and ultimately our students’ success. This publication has been typically reserved for our Wesley Society members, people who annually donate $1,000 or more per year. However, this issue is being distributed to all of our donors in this year-end compilation of news and events. Below are some highlights of the past year thanks to your steadfast support and generosity: • Wesley was recognized for the second year in a row by College Raptor Inc., as the highest-ranking hidden gem institution in the state of Delaware as well as this year being recognized as a hidden Northeast gem. • Wesley kicked off a celebration of our 50th Anniversary of the Nursing Program that has garnered praise from across the region. • Wesley purchased the old Dover Library for $1…this is not a misprint. After working closely with the City of Dover for the past year and a half, and understanding Wesley’s Worth, they allowed us to purchase the property, valued at over one million dollars, for only $1. • Wesley was featured on the front page of the News Journal twice this past year for positive stories that impact the local community, including the studentrun coffee house that supports the local non-profits and our Master of Occupational Therapy Pro Bono Clinic that provided diagnostic services and therapy, specifically to low-income children. • Our student athletes were recognized across the region and country on a myriad of All-Academic, All-American, All-Region, and All-Conference teams. Of note, senior football standout, Matt Gono, was named to several All American teams and is considered one of the top, if not the top, offensive linemen in the nation. Every NFL team has been to campus, and showed interest in Matt. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
The old Dover Public Library located on State Street has been vacant since 2012.
Last fall, Wesley College acquired the old Dover Library from the City of Dover. The former library, located at 45 S. State St., will be transformed into a state-of-the-art educational facility dedicated to teaching and training in the areas of Health Science, STEM, and other high-demand fields of study that would serve the City of Dover, our region, and our state. Securing the old Dover Library culminated a year and a half long effort that reflects the partnership the College enjoys with our City and State. “We as a community have the potential to completely reinvigorate and revitalize Downtown Dover,” said Wesley President Robert E. Clark II. “I truly believe that working together on the renovation of the old Dover Library will be a positive step in the right direction.”
will provide additional space to expand Wesley’s Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program. Interest in the program, launched in fall of 2016, has exceeded original estimates. The MOT program is the only one within a sixty mile radius and addresses the increasing demand for occupational therapists in the State of Delaware and nationwide.
A fundraising campaign will be launched to secure gifts and grants from foundations, health care partners in our region, and individuals. Naming opportunities will be available for various rooms, including a clinic to provide occupational therapy services to individuals and families who are underinsured or uninsured, sensory labs, high-tech classrooms, and for the building itself. We anticipate renovations to begin in The immediate focus of renovations, late 2018 with a projected opening in fall estimated to cost approximately $2 million, of 2019. 1
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