Wesleyan University

History

Wesleyan was founded as an all-male Methodist college in 1831. In 1872 it became one of the first universities to attempt a coeducational environment, allowing a small number of female students to attend the university, a venture known as the "Wesleyan Experiment". Many of Wesleyan's male alumni believed that coeducation lowered Wesleyan's standings compared to its academic peers, so from 1912 to 1970, Wesleyan returned to being an all-male university. By the time the university began reintegrating women in 1970, many female scholars had already found their place at the all-female Connecticut College in nearby New London, founded by Wesleyan alumni in 1911.

Related Topics:
College - Connecticut College - New London

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Wesleyan became fully independent of the Methodist Church in 1937, after ties to the church waned throughout the early 20th century.

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