Our History
October 15, 1906
The school is established as Wesleyan Methodist Bible Institute with three instructors. It is one of five colleges and universities sponsored by The Wesleyan Church.
1909
The school is chartered as Wesleyan Methodist College.
1929
The school becomes a junior college offering a four-year theological degree.
1958
The high school academy and junior college at the institution are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
1973
Re-organized as a four-year liberal arts institution and named Central Wesleyan College.
1986
The Leadership Education for Adult Professionals program—now called SWU Online—is established.
1994
The college is renamed Southern Wesleyan University.
2002
SWU begins offering master’s degree programs in business administration and in education.
2006
SWU celebrates its centennial.
2013
SWU begins offering fully-online programs nationwide.
2013
SWU is accepted into the NCAA Division II membership process.
2016
SWU is accepted as a full member in the NCAA Division II.
2018
SWU receives SACSCOC approval to offer an online Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Assessment, the first doctoral program at SWU.
2020
SWU receives SACSCOC approval to offer an online Doctor of Business (DBA) in Management and Instruction, the first doctoral program to be offered by the Benson School of Business.
University Leadership
| Presidents | Years Served |
|---|---|
| L.J. Harrington | 1906–1908 |
| Walter L. Thompson | 1908–1912 |
| James M. Hancock | 1912–1915 |
| H. Clark Bedford | 1915–1919 |
| Stanley W. Wright | 1919–1920 |
| J.J. Coleman | 1920–1921 |
| Lester B. Smith | 1921–1924 |
| A.E. Wachtel | 1924–1925 |
| J.J. Coleman | 1926–1927 |
| John Frank Childs | 1927–1928 |
| Arthur L. Vess | 1928–1932 |
| John Frank Childs | 1933–1945 |
| James B. Hilson | 1945–1948 |
| R.C. Mullinax | 1948–1968 |
| Claude R. Rickman | 1968–1979 |
| John M. Newby | 1979–1994 |
| David J. Spittal | 1994–2011 |
| Todd Voss | 2011–2021 |
