Salem University

Salem University[2] is a private for-profit university in Salem, West Virginia. It has about 250 students on campus and about 600 online students that are enrolled in undergraduate as well as graduate programs. The university was founded by the Seventh Day Baptist Church in 1888.[1]

Not to be confused with Salem College, Salem State University, or Winston-Salem State University.
Salem University
Former names
Salem College (1888–1989)
Salem-Teikyo University (1989–2000)
Salem International University (2000–2017)
MottoDirigo
TypePrivate for-profit university
Established1888 (1888)[1]
PresidentPaul Weber [2]
ProvostKenneth Knox
Students835
Location
Salem
,
West Virginia
,
United States

39°16′58″N 80°33′29″W
CampusTown, 100 acres (0.4 km2)[3]
ColorsGreen and white    
Sporting affiliations
MascotTiger
Websitewww.salemu.edu

History
The Salem College Administration Building in 2007

The school was founded after the Eastern Seventh Day Baptist Association decided to build an academy in the city of Salem. The state granted a permit in December 1888 to build what was called the Academy of Salem, specifying that the institution was subject to the regulations and decisions of the Society of Seventh Day Baptist Education. The charter required the institution to make a college as soon as possible, which occurred in 1890.[4] Over the next 100 years, the school continued as a liberal arts, teacher education, and nursing college.

In 1989, Salem formed an alliance with Teikyo University in Tokyo, Japan, which changed the focus of the school to one of education of international students. Salem College was renamed Salem-Teikyo University.[5] Nearly 200 freshmen from Japan enrolled in the college as part of an experiment by Japanese educators to teach the 145 boys and 45 girls how to speak fluent English, experience American culture firsthand and to acquire a valuable American college degree.[6] The alliance with Teikyo ended in 2000, when the school was purchased by investors from Singapore. At that time, the school changed its name to Salem International University. Salem International University was acquired by Salem Education LLC in June 2005.[1] The school was renamed Salem University in September 2017.[2]

The Salem College Administration Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.[7]

Academics

Salem is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.[8] The university offers undergraduate degrees including the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Science. The School of Nursing offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (a degree-completion program for registered nurses) and an Associate of Science in Nursing that prepares students to become Registered Nurses.

At the graduate level, Salem offers a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Education, and a Master of Science in Nursing. Teachers may take courses in the School of Education as non-degree students to renew their licenses. A post-master's certificate in Educational Leadership is offered that leads to advanced licensure and a certificate in Special Education Leadership is also offered.

All programs, including distance education programs, are delivered in a monthly format allowing students to complete their degrees more quickly than their counterparts at other traditional or online universities. This attracts non-traditional students conscious of time and accessibility.

Since classes are four weeks long, the MBA or M.Ed. can be completed in 12 months or fewer, a Bachelor's in 40 months, or an Associate in only 20 months, if a student were to start college studies without any prior college credits.

Athletics

The Salem athletic teams are called the Tigers. The university is a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing as an NCAA D-II Independent for most of its sports since the 2016–17 academic year (which they were a member on a previous stint from 2010–11 to 2012–13); while being an associate member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) for some of its sports. The Tigers previously competed as a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) from 2013–14 to 2015–16; as well as a charter member of the defunct West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) from 1924–25 to 2009–10.

Salem competes in 17 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field and water polo; while women's sports basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, volleyball and water polo.

G-MAC tenure

Salem is one of four West Virginia schools that joined the G-MAC in July 2013. The other three schools were former WVIAC colleagues of Salem that had been cast adrift in the breakup of the WVIAC.[9] Salem left the G-MAC at the end of the 2015–16 season. According to an official statement issued by the G-MAC: “Salem International will be conducting a final year of (G-MAC) affiliation in 2015-2016. The institution is exploring alternate Division II conference membership options beginning with the 2016–17 season.”[10] As of the 2022–23 school year, Salem remains an independent NCAA Division II institution with no conference affiliation in basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball and soccer. The Salem men's and women's swimming programs compete as an affiliate member in Conference Carolinas.

Water polo

Salem's women's water polo team faced Marist in the opening round of the 2021 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship, in a losing effort 9–8.

Notable alumni

References
  1. "SIU History". Salem International University. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  2. "Salem International University changes name to Salem University". MetroNews. October 30, 2017. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  3. "About Salem International University". Salem International University. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
  4. Sanford, Don A. (1992). A Choosing People: The History of Seventh Day Baptists. Nashville: Broadman Press. pp. 221–285. ISBN 0-8054-6055-1.
  5. "Poor college merges with Japanese school". The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. 1989-07-30. p. 2A. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  6. Steigerwald, Bill (1990-08-05). "East Meets West Virginia : When a Japanese University Takes Over a Small Appalachian College, Football Is Out, the Dairy Queen Is In and Love Blooms on Main Street". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  7. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  8. "Accreditation". Salem International University. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  9. "Salem International to Join the G-MAC" (Press release). Great Midwest Athletic Conference. October 16, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  10. Rabs, Creighton. "Great Midwest Athletic Conference Expands, GLIAC Contracts". HERO Sports. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
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