Texas Wesleyan University

ABOUT UNIVERSITY

Texas Wesleyan University is a private Methodist institution located in Fort Worth, Texas, founded in 1890 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Originally established as Polytechnic College, the university began its academic journey on land donated by local pioneers in the Polytechnic Heights area, where it remains today. The institution welcomed its first students in 1891 and experienced early growth under the leadership of President H.A. Boaz, who envisioned the college as a major center for Southern Methodist education. In the early twentieth century, the school was designated the women’s college for Southern Methodism and renamed Texas Woman’s College in 1914, attracting students from across Texas and the Southwest. Economic hardship during the Great Depression led to its closure in 1931, but the institution was revived through a merger with Texas Wesleyan Academy in 1934, becoming Texas Wesleyan College and returning to coeducational status with the readmission of men. Over the following decades, the university expanded its academic offerings, introducing graduate programs in education in the 1970s and nurse anesthesia in the 1980s. A renewed commitment to its historic campus was demonstrated in the late 1980s with the construction of new facilities, including a modern library, and in 1989 the institution adopted its current name, Texas Wesleyan University, to reflect its broader mission and growing programs. The university continued to evolve by creating flexible learning options for adult students, establishing evening and weekend programs, and opening a downtown Fort Worth campus that later housed the School of Law, which was sold to Texas A&M University in 2013. In 2015, the Rosedale Renaissance project further strengthened the university’s presence and revitalized the surrounding community. In 2023, Texas Wesleyan marked a historic milestone with the appointment of Dr. Emily W. Messer as its first female president, continuing its legacy of service, education, and community engagement.