In 1896, Wingate University began as 'The Wingate School,' a primary and secondary institution founded by the Baptist Associations of Union County, North Carolina and Chesterfield County, South Carolina in response to a dearth of locally-available public schools. The school took its name from Dr. Washington Manly Wingate, a former president of Wake Forest College, and continued to offer a primary and secondary education until the proliferation of public schools in the early 20th century. In 1923, The Wingate School began offering the first two years of a baccalaureate education and became Wingate Junior College. The years leading to World War II were difficult for the institution. Though it began receiving financial support from The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina soon after becoming a college, this support was withdrawn during The Great Depression. It was also during this period, in 1932, that the college's administration building was destroyed by fire. The college survived, however, as a result of the work of its administration, faculty, and supporters as well as the post-WWII college enrollment boom. The Baptist State Convention resumed financial support in 1949, and Charles Cannon, a local businessman and philanthropist, began making substantial donations to the college beginning in the 1950s. In 1952, Wingate Junior College was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and in 1977, became a four-year institution, Wingate College. The college continued to grow, especially under the leadership of Jerry McGee, added graduate programs, and became Wingate University in 1995.
Academics
Wingate offers 35 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional programs and 38 minors. The university offers five types of bachelor’s degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Music Education and Bachelor of Liberal Studies. Three add-on licensure programs in the field of education are available as are six master’s degree programs: accounting, business, education, teaching, physician assistant studies and sport management. Wingate offers four doctoral degree programs: education, pharmacy, physical therapy and occupational therapy. One-in-five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse and 65 percent of graduate students are enrolled in health sciences.
Started in 1978, the university's W'International program allows eligible juniors to take a two-credit-hour seminar, which ends with a 10-day travel experience for $1,500 or less. Wingate also offers language-immersion summer programs in Costa Rica and Quebec.
Athletics
Wingate student-athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. These sports include: baseball, softball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track & field, men's and women's lacrosse, football and volleyball. Wingate's mascot is the Bulldog. In 2016 the men's soccer team won the school's and the South Atlantic Conference's first team championship, by defeating University of Charleston 2-0 in the national title game in Kansas City, Missouri.
Notable alumni
John Bowman, Grey Cup champion CFL football player
