Submitted photo West Virginia Wesleyan College undergraduate students will participate in orientation activities today.

BUCKHANNON — West Virginia Wesleyan College is set to welcome more than 390 new students for fall semester 2025 across all programs, continuing an overall enrollment increase of 10% since 2022.

Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing John Waltz ’01 said, “We are so excited to welcome freshmen and transfer students for orientation activities this weekend.  I am proud of the work of our admissions and financial aid teams, coaches, faculty, and staff for these enrollment successes in a challenging climate.

“It is also heartening to welcome new students to our diverse array of graduate programs and to our new LPN to BSN pathway program, truly illustrating the many doors to a Wesleyan education.”

The College’s new LPN to BSN program, announced over the summer, welcomes its first full cohort. The hybrid online program includes clinical days at WVWC in the first semester and at the Battlers Knob campus in Philippi for subsequent semesters. 

Graduate enrollment has increased by 37% over 2024 and 117% since 2023. The Master’s in Counseling Program, launched in 2024, continues to grow with a new addictions certificate added this fall. An online EMBA program tailored to working professionals was also recently added to the existing MBA, nursing, creative writing and athletic training graduate programs. 

The new first-time and transfer full-time students represent both geographic diversity and academic achievement. Forty-four percent hail from West Virginia, representing 38 of the state’s 55 counties. Another 46% are from out of state, representing 25 states, while 10% are international students from 25 different countries. The incoming class average GPA is 3.45 with 20% reporting a 4.0.

The 10 most popular majors among the incoming class include business administration, pre-nursing, exercise science, psychology, biology, sports business, computer science, criminal justice, physics/engineering and education. 

Undergraduate students will participate in orientation activities today, including meetings with faculty and staff, lunch with President James Moore, the Bobcat Street Fair where families interact with local businesses and community members, and activities for both parents and students to prepare them for transition to college.  

Classes for the Fall 2025 semester will begin on Monday, Aug. 18 and campus will welcome alumni and families back for Homecoming Weekend Sept. 26-29.