Yesterday Inspires Tomorrow: 120 Years of Sending Servant Leaders

Miltonvale Wesleyan College (MWC) opens, Miltonvale, Kansas

1910

Western Holiness College (WHC) incorporates, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Pilgrim Bible College (PBC) founded, Pasadena, California

1919

Florence Lee became the first female president of RMMS

Founded in 1909, Miltonvale Wesleyan College equipped students for 63 years. Alumnus Rev. William McConn became its first graduate to serve as president, later leading Marion College (now Indiana Wesleyan) from 1932 to 1960 through the Great Depression, World War II, and a season of growth and accreditation.

PBC & Holiness Evangelistic Institute merge as Western Pilgrim College (WPC), El Monte, California

Former CSBC student, D.W. Lacy, served as pastor, evangelist, church administrator, and president

WHC renamed Colorado Springs Bible College (CSBC)

1959

CSBC moves to Bartlesville as Central Pilgrim College (CPC)

Two California schools—Pasadena Bible Training School (founded 1917) and Holiness Evangelistic Institute (founded 1932)—merged in El Monte in 1947, taking the name Western Pilgrim College. Attending as a student and later teaching and serving there as dean, Dr. Daniel Chamberlain went on to become the longest tenured leader of any Wesleyan educational institution, serving thirty years as president of Houghton College in New York.

Revs. C.B. Colaw, Clarence Wert and H.K. Busby led the relocation of Colorado Springs Bible College to Bartlesville in 1959 with the purchase of the historic La Quinta Mansion and 20-acre campus, renaming it Central Pilgrim College. After merging with Western Pilgrim in 1960, the college became Bartlesville Wesleyan College following the 1968 formation of The Wesleyan Church. In 1975, the first non-religion majors earned 4-year degrees.

WPC/El Monte campus merge with CPC

1968

CPC renamed Bartlesville Wesleyan College (BWC)

MWC merges with BWC—accredited as a four-year degree granting institution

1975

First elementary education graduates

Granted full accreditation as a Christian liberal arts college by NCAC

Adult degree-completion program launched

Dr. Gerald Yellowhawk, former superintendent of Native American District of the TWC, presented honorary Doctorate of Divinity

BWC welcomed 16 Central American students from six countries through the Cooperative Association of States for Scholarship (CASS) program —its first international cohort. Today, students from over 30 countries study on campus. Among them is Stevan Djukic (‘ 10) of Serbia, a psychology graduate who found Christ at OKWU and now serves as assistant men’s soccer coach and campus safety director.

First class of nursing major graduates

2000-2001

Lyon Fine Arts & Chapel Center dedicated and name changed to Oklahoma Wesleyan University

President Paul Mills led the name-change celebration and expanded vision of Oklahoma Wesleyan University on August 31, 2001. New majors and graduate programs in communications, nursing, and business gave impetus to the new identity. Soon after, the first MBA graduate program began sending out leaders.

Rising athletic competitiveness and growth led to championship teams and expanded missional reach, Steve Briggs (‘10) 2009 MBB champion

President Everett Piper guided new accreditation, launched online and graduate programs, expanded facilities, and led financial stability

New Janice and Charles Drake Library dedicated

2019

OKWU ranked #1 Oklahoma college for previous ten years for graduates finding jobs

Steve Stedwell (‘85) transferred to OKWU unsure of his future—then found both his calling in accounting and his wife, Ruth Mueller. Besides a long IRS career, he has served 31 years as an OKWU board member. By 2015, the Stedwells had helped 15 teens from their local church enroll at OKWU, with 12 graduating.

OKWU Prep dual enrollment for high school students launched

2021-2022

OKWU’s first doctoral programs welcome nursing and business students

2022

NOW Campaign launched to prepare OKWU’s next generation of servant leaders

OKWU’s four schools continue to produce servant leaders across disciplines. The nursing program has sent out 2,354+ students since 1995, with the MSN recently ranked #2 in Oklahoma. The university’s first doctoral program, the Doctor of Nursing Practice, awarded degrees to its first ten graduates. In addition to ministry graduates, the online CROSS Training certificate program expands OKWU’s pipeline for Wesleyan ordination and missional leadership.

Rebecka Peterson (Elem. Ed. ‘09) was honored as National Teacher of the Year

OKWU celebrates 120 years of developing and sending servant leaders.

Fifteen graduates from the Class of ‘75 and ‘76 and their spouses will celebrate 50 years of marriage in 2025—a testament to lives of commitment and service. Among them are pastors, teachers, a hospice chaplain, counselor, psychologist, contractor, investment advisor, and a Wesleyan general superintendent. Their legacy is a powerful example for tomorrow’s servant leaders shaped by OKWU’s holistic mission.