Organization:Wells College

Short description: Private liberal arts college in Aurora, New York

Wells College

Former names	Wells Seminary (1868–1870)
Motto	Arrive Curious, Graduate Prepared
Type	Private liberal arts college
Established	1868 (1868)
Endowment	$24 million
President	Dr. Jonathan C. Gibralter
Provost	Dr. Susan Henking
Academic staff	54
Administrative staff	120
Students	450
Location	Aurora , New York , United States
Campus	Rural 301 acres (1.22 km2)
Athletics	NCAA Division III—North Eastern Athletic Conference
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Nickname	The Express
Website	www.wells.edu

Wells College is a private liberal arts college in Aurora, New York. The college has cross-enrollment with Cornell University and Ithaca College. For much of its history it was a women's college.

Wells College is located in the Finger Lakes region of New York. It is within the Aurora Village–Wells College Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

1891 illustration of the Main Building

Wells College bell tower, part of Main Building

The college was established as a women's college in 1868, called Wells Seminary, by Henry Wells, co-founder of Wells Fargo and the American Express Company. Wells had the building for Wells Seminary constructed on property he donated. Two years later, in 1870, the seminary adopted its current name, Wells College. On August 9, 1888, the college's main building burned to the ground. The building was replaced in 1890 by the current Main Building, designed by architect William Henry Miller. In 1906, Henry Wells' 1852 mansion, Glen Park, was purchased by the Alumnae Association and given to the college for its use.

In 1965, Walter Netsch designed the Louis Jefferson Long Library. The design of this award-winning building inspired two other buildings on campus, Barler Music Hall and Campbell Art Building.

In 1886, Frances Folsom, Wells Class of 1885, married President Grover Cleveland and became the youngest First Lady of the United States. She was the only First Lady to have her wedding in the White House, and she was the first First Lady to have graduated from college. Frances Cleveland (later Preston, after her second marriage) served on the college's board of trustees for 50 years.

Co-education

After 136 years as a women's college, Wells announced on October 2, 2004, that it would become a co-educational institution in 2005. Students protested on campus against the change. Some parents of students also became involved in the protests. Some of the students said that their protests were patterned after ones at Mills College in the early 1990s. A website called Wells for Women was established to organize support. After the college's decision to adopt coeducation was approved by its board, students filed a lawsuit, which the courts rejected.

Financial difficulties

In 2020 the president of Wells College, Jonathan Gibralter, sent a letter to the college community reporting that financial issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic threatened the college's future, writing, "If New York State continues its mandate that our campus remain closed through all or part of the [2020] fall semester, Wells simply will not receive enough revenue to continue operations." Because Wells College receives about 15% of its operating revenue from its Italy-based study abroad program, a COVID-19-related postponement or termination of that program can seriously harm the college's financial standing.

Academics

University rankings
National
Forbes	649
Liberal arts colleges
U.S. News & World Report	124
Washington Monthly	159

In 2023, U.S. News ranked Wells at 152(tied) among liberal arts colleges nationally. Additionally, U.S. News ranks Wells at 10(tied) in Top Performers on Social Mobility.

Wells College has several study abroad programs, most notably in Florence, Italy. It has created centers in sustainability, business and entrepreneurship, and book arts. Undergraduate students are required to participate in at least two internships during their time at Wells, one of which must be off campus.

Athletics

Wells College Boathouse on the Cayuga Lake

Athletics are offered with half a PE credit earned for each season completed.

A member of the Private College Athletic Conference throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Express sports teams of the college captured four consecutive conference championships in women's tennis (1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81). They also won titles in women's bowling (1978–79, 1979–80). Wells, which officially became an NCAA Division III institution prior to the 1986–87 athletic season, joined the Atlantic Women's Colleges Conference prior to the 1996–97 athletic season. In 1996, the Wells women's soccer team captured the school's only AWCC championship title. Wells offered six intercollegiate athletic sports: field hockey, softball, women's lacrosse, women's soccer, women's swimming and women's tennis.

As part of the Board of Trustees decision to begin accepting men to the traditionally all-women's college, Wells in 2005 incorporated men's soccer, men's swimming, and men's and women's cross country into their athletic cadre.

Prior to the 2007–08 academic year, the Express teams were invited to join the North Eastern Athletic Conference and compete against 14 other schools in the East Region. By joining the NEAC, Wells can compete for conference championships with the added benefit of receiving an automatic qualifier in select sports to participate in the NCAA tournament.

Since joining the NEAC, Wells has captured six separate conference championships. Men's swimming won the first league title in 2009–10, and earned a second title in 2012–13. Women's swimming have won three consecutive conference championships, during the 2011–12, 2012–13, and 2013–14 seasons. Men's basketball, who won the NEAC championship in 2010–11, was the first team from Wells to participate in the NCAA Tournament.

As of the 2021–22 athletic season, Wells offers 15 NCAA Division III varsity sports, including field hockey, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's volleyball, men's and women's cross country, softball, and baseball.

In the 2018–2019 season the Wells Men's Volleyball team made it to the Elite 8 (Quarterfinals) in the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Tournament before falling to Stevens Institute of Technology.

In the 2019–2020 season, the Wells College Women's swim team won first place in the NEAC swimming championships.

Honor Code

Wells has an honor code to which all students subscribe. By signing the Honor Code, Wells students pledge "not to lie, cheat, steal, deceive, or conceal in the conduct of their collegiate life". Wells allows students to have take-home exams and to work in their residence hall rooms, at the library, or on the dock by the lake rather than only in classrooms.

Notable alumnae

• Helen Barolini, author of novels and essays
• Mary Beckerle, Ph.D. and executive director of the Huntsman Cancer Institute. She is also a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
• Frances R. Brown, college dean and president
• Frances Folsom Cleveland, wife of President Grover Cleveland and First Lady of the United States
• Emily M. J. Cooley, religious and temperance leader
• Edith Kinney Gaylord, journalist, philanthropist, founder of Inasmuch Foundation and Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation, and former president of the National Women's Press Club
• Helen Tracy Lowe-Porter, translator of Thomas Mann's works
• Laura Nader, Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley.
• Pleasant Rowland, founder of Pleasant Company and creator of the American Girl brand of dolls, books, and accessories
• Grace Carew Sheldon (1855–1921), journalist, author, editor, businesswoman
• Faith Whittlesey, politician, US Ambassador to Switzerland
• Helena Zachos, faculty member at Cooper Union

Notable faculty

• Jesse Bering – psychologist
• Robert P. T. Coffin – poet
• Frances "Sissy" Farenthold – politician and human rights activist, former Wells president
• John D. Graham – painter
• Victor Hammer – artist
• Paul Hindemith – composer and violist
• R. Joseph Hoffmann – historian of religion, humanist activist
• J. J. Lankes – artist
• Lillian Rosanoff Lieber – mathematician and author
• Louise Ropes Loomis – historian, translator, editor
• William Matthews – poet
• Lewis H. Morgan – anthropologist
• Robert A. Plane – chemist and Wells president
• Thomas J. Preston, Jr. – Wells president pro temp (married Frances Cleveland, widow of Grover Cleveland)
• William Stokoe – English professor
• Allen W. Trelease – history professor
• Margaret Floy Washburn – psychologist

Further reading

• RUSS, ANNE JULIENNE. "HIGHER EDUCATION FOR WOMEN: INTENT, REALITY, AND OUTCOMES, WELLS COLLEGE, 1868 - 1913" (PhD dissertation, Cornell University; ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 1980. 8015732).

External links

• Official website
• Official athletics website