Information
Landmark: Wilkes UniversityCity: Wilkes Barre
Country: USA Pennsylvania
Continent: North America
Wilkes University, Wilkes Barre, USA Pennsylvania, North America
Overview
Wilkes University is a private, coed school tucked into the heart of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.Founded in 1933 as Bucknell University’s satellite campus, it broke away in 1947 to become its own college and, by a frosty January in 1990, had earned full university status.Over the years, Wilkes University has become a respected place for learning, offering everything from bachelor’s degrees to advanced graduate programs, pairing rigorous coursework with lively community involvement.Founded in 1933 as Bucknell’s Wilkes-Barre campus, the school gained independence in 1947 and became Wilkes College.By 1990, it had earned university status, a shift marked by broader academic programs and graduate degrees.What began in modest classrooms has grown into a thriving institution that serves thousands each year, blending rigorous scholarship with hands-on experience.Wilkes University sits on 35 acres in the heart of Wilkes-Barre’s historic downtown, where brick sidewalks wind past old stone buildings.Stately old mansions stand beside sleek glass classrooms, blending history and modern life into a campus that feels both welcoming and striking.The campus sits in the heart of the city, just steps from museums, cafés, and River Common Park, with the Pocono Mountains waiting less than an hour away.The campus offers modern classrooms, well-equipped labs, quiet libraries with the scent of fresh paper, spacious gyms, comfortable residence halls, and lively student centers.Right in the heart of downtown, the university builds close connections with local shops, city offices, and nearby museums, opening doors to internships, service projects, and hands-on community work.Wilkes University offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs through its College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, and Graduate Studies, with popular choices including business, engineering, nursing, education, public history, psychology, and digital media-everything from analyzing market trends to editing a digital film frame.The Public History program stands out for blending history with community engagement, material culture, and digital media skills, giving students the chance to work hands-on with local museums, archives, and even weathered brick buildings at historic sites.The academic calendar runs on a semester system, giving students plenty of flexibility and a wide range of courses-from morning labs to late-afternoon seminars.About 2,245 undergrads and 2,254 graduate students make up the student body, and with small classes-often just a dozen people-you get plenty of one-on-one time with professors.Tuition runs about $43,496 a year, and roughly 96% of first-time, full-time students get some form of financial aid-whether it’s a grant, loan, or scholarship that helps lighten the load.Merit-based scholarships run from $8,000 to $19,000 a year, and transfer students can qualify for awards between $9,000 and $16,000 annually.The university works to keep education within reach by offering grants, scholarships, and work-study jobs-like shelving books in the quiet, dusty library.At Wilkes University, campus life includes the roar of the crowd as 23 varsity teams hit the field, court, and track, competing in NCAA Division III within the Landmark Conference.The university backs more than 500 student-athletes, urging them to dive into sports while keeping up with their studies-whether that’s early-morning track practice or late-night library sessions.Sports include basketball, soccer, lacrosse, swimming, baseball, and softball-even the sound of a bat cracking against the ball.More than 80 student clubs and organizations bring the campus to life, filling it with music, conversation, and a mix of cultures.On campus, you’ll find cultural programs that fill the air with music and color, leadership workshops that spark ideas, community service projects that make a real difference, and plenty of lively social gatherings.Wilkes University welcomes international students with its respected Intensive English Program, where non-native speakers sharpen their language skills and get ready to thrive in their studies-picture lively discussions over coffee as grammar clicks into place.The program operates all year and ranks among the nation’s best for English language training, drawing students from coast to coast.The university brings community engagement and career prep to life through hands-on experiences like internships, co-op programs, research projects, and volunteering that might have you planting trees on a crisp fall morning.Because it’s right in the heart of downtown and works closely with local groups, students get hands-on experiences-like shadowing a designer in a bustling studio-that bring their learning to life.Career services offer students everything from résumé workshops and job fairs to networking nights and introductions to alumni, giving them the tools to step confidently into the world of work.Wilkes University blends a vibrant community spirit with a long, storied past and a reputation for academic excellence that’s hard to miss.Students get a challenging education, rich cultural experiences, and chances to grow both personally and professionally-all on a campus where old stone buildings overlook tree-lined streets.With its small classes, personalized instruction, and plenty of hands-on work-think experiments in a sunlit lab-the university stands out as a top pick for students in Northeastern Pennsylvania and far beyond.
