Indiana Wesleyan University, fondly known as "Eye-Woo" (IWU), is a small private university in Marion, IN, which is approximately one hour north-northeast of Indianapolis, IN. Population is around 3,000 right now, plus or minus a few hundred, including residents and commuters. They have over 700 new freshmen this year, which is an astonishing amount of strangers for our small campus. Dr. James Barnes is our President.
IWU is fairly Wesleyan in its spiritual views, but all varieties of religious people--and some not religious people--go there: other Protestants, and Catholics, and Amish, and even a few Mormons and Jews. Everyone is required to go to chapel, which is okay for most people and torture for others. In a lot of ways it's like other colleges: everybody talks about how much sleep they didn't get, and how hard their classes are, and who did stupid stuff in classes, and who's getting kicked out, and who's in love with whom... but especially, everybody talks about sleep. It's the doom of all college kids.
Of course, sometimes they talk about other things, too, like God and depression and drinking and doubt and fear and loneliness and happiness and what in the world to do with ourselves after we graduate.
9-4-03: I just visited it yesterday. Summer is still there, and it is a beautiful campus in the summer. Although campus is growing at an alarmingly rapid rate, there is still enough grass for sitting and sun-bathing on, and enough trees to walk beneath at night. My favorite tree is the sycamore out by the Administration building--which is also the oldest building on campus, as far as I know. My favorite spot is the grave of the old coffeehouse.
I only have real experience with the art and English departments, but I've heard others are good too: the nursing department is quality, and the Christian ministries one, and the music department is pretty well-known. The Indiana Wesleyan University Chorale, directed by the famous Todd Guy, has traveled everywhere and sung in castles and a whole bunch of neat places, and it's very hard to get in (as I found out my freshman and sophomore years).
My everlasting favorite department, though, is the English department. I highly recommend it. Sadly, I never got to take Poetry Writing--I just graduated.
Marion is not the most exciting place, but it does have one huge strip of fast food, other food, Wal-Mart, a mall, various tire places and insurance places, etc. etc., and most recently, a new Tree of Life bookstore/coffeeshop right on Hwy 9 as you head north into town. Plus, downtown in the old section there's a new coffeeshop/bar with live music.
Speaking of location: IWU is very easy to find. First, go to Indiana. If you can find the loop around Indianapolis, 465, then you can find IWU. Take the loop to the north-east side. Find either 69 or 37--they both go north and eventually join. Then it will be called just 37. Take 37 for a while, say an hour. You will pass through Noblesville, and a while later, Elwood. Then a long stretch of empty nothing--the place I am usually tempted to fall asleep driving. You'll cross 26 and then 22, and then you will be in Marion. Keep going straight. 37 turns into Washington street, which is the street IWU is on. Look for the big signs by the road.
Other places to go for information and/or a good laugh:
http://www.indwes.edu
and http://www.indwes.com
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