College Profile:
Wayland Baptist University

With internet and online degrees, community classrooms and college campuses popping up all around, higher education is more accessible than ever before. But those who are serious about pursuing a quality education must answer many questions to determine what is best for them.

Is private education right for me?

Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging, learning-focused and distinctively Christian environment, preparing students for professional success, lifelong learning and service to God and mankind. We cater to students who seek a well-rounded education and are interested in experiencing more than just textbook and classroom learning. Wayland students have opportunities to participate in mission trips, study trips, service projects and organizations that present and perform throughout the U.S. and abroad.

What can I study?

Wayland offers more than 40 areas of study, including associates, bachelors and master's degrees. We also offer pre-professional programs preparing students for careers in law, engineering, technical and medical fields.

What about student life?

At Wayland, students can be as active as they want to be. Wayland offers a variety of performance groups and many student organizations such as the student government association, sororities, fraternities, honor societies and spirit groups that enrich the Wayland experience. WBU also has an active Baptist Student Ministries organization that participates in service and mission opportunities throughout the year.

Will I get lost in the crowd?

Wayland prides itself on being a close-knit family. With roughly 1,000 students enrolled on our home campus in Plainview, it is easy for students to stand out in the crowd.  Wayland is a teaching university, meaning the faculty members, 75 percent of whom have attained the highest possible degree in their field, are in the classroom. We use no teaching assistants in our classes, and professors are easily accessible after class hours for help with class work or career advice. With a student-teacher ratio of 15:1, our small class sizes allow professors to give personal attention to each student.

Is it affordable?

Wayland is among the most affordable private institutions in the nation and is comparable to the state-funded schools in our region. More than 90 percent of our students receive financial aid from numerous endowed scholarships and other programs. WBU offers an outstanding academic scholarship covering graduated levels of tuition – from one-third to two-thirds to full tuition – based on scores on college entrance exams.

What is Wayland's history?

The university was chartered in 1908 with a donation of 25 acres of land and $10,000 by pioneer physician Dr. James H. Wayland. With gifts from the Staked Plains Baptist Association and churches throughout the growing West Texas region, the dream of a school on the high plains became a reality and classes began in 1910.

Over the years, Wayland has prided itself on being a pioneer in various areas, including voluntary racial integration – done in 1951 as the first four-year liberal arts college in the former Confederate south to do so – women's basketball and targeted programs in adult education and degree completion. Wayland's Flying Queens basketball team has a rich heritage of competing on the national and international level in the 1940s and 50s, a time when few colleges fielded women's sports. Major changes to the game, as we know it, were made with influence from legendary Queens coach Harley Redin. And Wayland's external campuses, many of which are located on military bases or with strong military student bodies, are testament to her heritage of spreading the mission of education in a Christian context throughout the world.

What else do I need to know about Wayland?

The following bullet points illustrate more about Wayland at a glance. Our motto is seek your dream, and we're ready to help you find your dream for the future and encourage you in your pursuit.

• Founded in 1906 by the Staked Plains Baptist Association. Chartered in 1908, Wayland is the oldest institution of higher learning on the High Plains of West Texas and is celebrating its centennial in the 2008-09 school year.
• WBU is located in Plainview, a community of 25,000 in the Texas Panhandle. Plainview is 45 miles north of Lubbock and 75 miles south of Amarillo.
• The Wayland system consists of 14 campuses in six states and Kenya, Africa.
• Student Body: 1,100 on the Plainview campus, nearly 6,000 system-wide.
• Faculty: 86 faculty; more than 75% of full-time faculty have received the highest degree in their field.
• Academics: 13 degrees (from associate's to master's level), 42 areas of study and 13 pre-professional programs.
• Sports: NAIA Division I; men's varsity and JV basketball, baseball, golf, track & field and cross country; Women's varsity and JV basketball, volleyball, golf, track & field & cross country, and soccer.
• Accreditation: Wayland is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award degrees at the associate, baccalaureate and master's levels. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Wayland Baptist University.

Article provided by Teresa Young, Director of Communications at Wayland Baptist University.