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IWU & Houghton Explore Historic Partnership

Indiana Wesleyan University and Houghton College in New York have laid the foundation for a historic partnership allowing each institution to learn from the other’s expertise in key areas of higher education.

IWU President David Wright and Houghton President Shirley Mullen signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) earlier this week at Wesleyan Church Headquarters in Fishers, Indiana. This is the first such agreement between higher learning institutions owned by The Wesleyan Church.

The two institutions share a mission to influence the world through the Wesleyan tradition of Christ-centered higher education. They agree that each has experience in fields on which the other is seeking advice to strengthen and develop their own programs.

“Houghton has great strengths in service learning, student internships, and study abroad programs,” said Wright. “We want to learn from them. We look forward to offering our expertise in adult and online education as they expand their reach in the state of New York and throughout the region.”

Following the MOU, a series of conversations between representatives of Houghton and IWU will define the nature of the partnership. The two schools want to produce a set of initial proposals by December 20.

Founded in 1883, Houghton is a liberal arts college of The Wesleyan Church in upstate New York with more than 1,100 students from 40 American states and Canadian provinces, and 25 other nations. Houghton’s mission is to offer “an academically challenging, Christ-centered education in the liberal arts and sciences to students from diverse traditions and economic backgrounds and equips them to lead and labor as scholar-servants in a changing world.”

Indiana Wesleyan University is an evangelical Christian comprehensive university of The Wesleyan Church committed to global liberal arts and professional education. Nearly 3,000 students are enrolled in traditional programs on the main campus in Marion, Indiana. Over 12,500 adult learners study at education centers in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, and online.