HISTORY

THE HISTORY OF WESTFORDINTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

WICU's History  Oregon 1956   

Founded by Rev. Father Professor Jeremy Hanson , First registerd in  Oregon as Westford International College and laiter amended to Westford International Christian College and laiter to Westford International Christian University in 1996

Rev. Prof. Jeremy Hanson on his way to a gospel meeting with other churbh members, when he said to Members "Let us establish a college"

that was in 1956.    In 1957 Jeremy Hanson, a Lecturer  at Southwestern Christian College in Denton, was finally able to make a site survey  and later established the college.  The Christian Church  in Abilene was growing solidly and wanted the church to establish its own college much as every church in Abilene had its own learning instituion up to university level. 

The Christian church requested Rev. Prof. Jeremy Hanson to bring a centre of his Private College to Abilene christian Church.

This church was funded by the catholic mission, and after Jeremy Hanson preached there in January 1957, members agreed to financially  support the project. Jeremy Hanson soon  traveled  with his wife and friends to raise more support. Church leaders in the church, agreed to grant Jeremy Hanson a piece of  land for the college to be established. the land was  on condition that the college would bear the name " Christian" And it was amended and changed to "Westford International Christian College" and this  opened its doors in the fall of 1958 with 156 students enrolled for full time  classes.   A 16-roomed administration building was constructed on the site for $12,000.Only the  secondary  grades and tertiary certificates students were offered that first semester.  However, College Courses were not fully accredited for the first three years and students were sitting international examinations on an examination syndicate with a British College.

By the end of the second school year 285 students were enrolled. The first years were difficult for everyone, particularly the students.

Cold classrooms, crowded living conditions and a water shortage necessitated hard work and ingenuity on the part of everyone.

 The College had to borrow money at 15 percent interest to pay the debt, making it difficult to meet operating expenses.

In1964 a good christian businessman was needed and found, who became the president in 1966. He declined the offer of a salaried position as president, opting instead to run the College as though it were a social Service business enterprise.  

Since its beginning the College had been commonly referred to as  Westofrd  International Christian College or the Westford International Christian College. And in 1966,  When Professor Austin Craig became a board member, he influenced much of the college's developments to the extent of progressing the college to a university atatus.

He initiated more relaxed restrictions on the social privileges of students, and student activities and the institution's increased in importance. Continued growth demanded more space, and in 1967 the Board of Directors appointed a committee to investigate new locations for the College.  Offers were made on attractive offer of land and $80,000 for building, to which the Abilene Chamber of Commerce responded by raising $75,000 to help keep the college from moving. With this contribution, the College Board of  Directors decide to purchase 140 acres of land  in Abilene. 

New facilities included an administration building, two dormitories, an education building that housed lecture rooms, a dining hall, a senate board room, a sanate president's office, a gymnasium and an auditorium and the campus at Abilene grew more biger than its origin in Oregon and laiter became the main Campus.  

Senate President Rev.Prof. Jeremy Hanson and Dean James took 17 percent salary cuts. Faculty salaries were cut by 10 percent.

The following year, all salaries were cut in half. Financial struggles worsened in the early 1980s, and by 1983 many bonds were coming due. James G. Hardin, also a major benefactor of Hardin-Simmons University, helped alleviate many of the growing financial pressures with a gift of $160,000 in bonds. Later the college borrowed $40,000 more from Hardin to retire some urgent notes.

 The college was officially accredited in December 1966, by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

And in 1976 Wesford International Christian College Begun to conduct a big number of full university study  programs and qualifications.

And in 1996 it was fully accredited as a University. "Westford International Christian university" WICU. by the North West  Commission on Colleges and Universities,  a Federal Government agency recognized by the United States  department of education charged with accreditation and education quality assurance. And as an  Internationally Operational University, WICU  went ahead to seek international accreditation. 

WICU attracted students from 150 Countries and nations around the world  and endeavored to take its place as an International leader in providing Superior Employable Education Qualifications at the lowest fees affordable.

At first , it was thought that  WICU is just christian oriented College offering only christian and theological programmes.

However, in a few years of its operation, it was realized and acknowledged that WICU is not a Church college , or  christian study programs orieneted university, but a fully fledged  established University offering   study programmes in all fields of study.

 

Surely Westford International Christian University is a fully organised private International University,  Offering study programmes with in the main eight study fields  Organised under nine colleges as below:

 

1. College Of Economics and Business Management Sciences

 

2. College Of Education, Training and Development 

 

3. College Of Health Care Sciences, Nursing and Pharmacy Studies 

 

4. College of Laws, Criminal Justice, Policing and Safety Studies 

 

5. College Of Computer Science,Communication and  Information Technology 

 

6. College Of Physical Sciences, Engineering and Technical Studies  

 

7. College Of  Political Science, Arts, Human and Social Sciences

 

8. College Of  Life Sciences, Agriculture and Environmental Management Science

 

9. College Of  Further Education and Adult Continuing Professional Progression

 

"WICU will remain loyal to the Biblical and historical principles that have distinguished our religious oriented  history.  "To fund its growth in academic quality and image,  serve its record numbers of students, and solidify its financial foundation.

WICU will continue to establish its self  world wide with its commitment of turning th Global Community into a; Learned Skilled Qualified Employable Society.

In God We Trust.