Webber International University (Webber or WIU) is a

private university Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may (and often do) receive from governments tax breaks, public student loans, and grant (money ...

Babson Park, Florida Babson Park is a census-designated place (CDP) in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,182 at the 2000 census. It is also the home of Webber International University. Babson Park is part of the Lakeland– Winter Haven Me ...

History

Webber International was founded as Webber College by

Roger Babson Roger Ward Babson (July 6, 1875 – March 5, 1967) was an American entrepreneur, economist, and business theorist in the first half of the 20th century. He is best remembered for founding Babson College. He also founded Webber College, now Webb ...

, an entrepreneur and business theorist in the first half of the 20th century. Established in 1927, it was the first private college chartered under Florida's then new charitable and educational laws, and one of the nation's first business schools for women. Webber International University now hosts men and women from some 48 different nations. In February 2011, Webber announced a merger with St. Andrews College in

Laurinburg, North Carolina Laurinburg is a city in and the county seat of Scotland County, North Carolina, United States. Located in southern North Carolina near the South Carolina border, Laurinburg is southwest of Fayetteville and is home to St. Andrews University. ...

. In January 2014, Webber announced the acquisition of

Virginia Intermont College Virginia Intermont College (VI) was a private college in Bristol, Virginia. Founded in 1884 to create additional education opportunities for women, the college had been coeducational since 1972. It experienced significant financial difficulties du ...

Bristol, Virginia Bristol is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,219. It is the twin city of Bristol, Tennessee, just across the state line, which runs down the middle of its main street, State S ...

, but these efforts were abandoned later the same year.

Academics

The university is accredited by the

Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priva ...

to award degrees at the associate,

bachelor's A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ye ...

, and

master's A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

levels.

Athletics

The Webber International athletic teams are called the Warriors. The university is a member of the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its stu ...

(NAIA), primarily competing in the

Sun Conference The Sun Conference (TSC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Seven of the ten full member institutions are located in Florida, with three in Georgia. The Sun Conference c ...

(formerly known as the Florida Sun Conference (FSC) until after the 2007–08 school year) for most of its sports since the 1990–91 academic year. Its football team formerly competed in the

Mid-South Conference The Mid-South Conference (MSC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member institutions are located in Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. The league is headquartered in Lou ...

(MSC) until after the 2021 fall season. They are also a member of the

National Christian College Athletic Association The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) is an association of Christian universities, colleges, and Bible colleges in the United States and Canada whose mission is "the promotion and enhancement of intercollegiate athletic co ...

(NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the South Region of the Division I level. Webber International competes in 22 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, track & field and volleyball; while women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, cheerleading, cross country, flag football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, track & field and volleyball. Club sports include eSports and men's beach volleyball. The university also has an internationally respected

bowling Bowling is a target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a ball toward pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). The term ''bowling'' usually refers to pin bowling (most commonly ten-pin bowling), though ...

program.

Notable alumni

Vince Anderson Vince Anderson is an American professional mountaineer, writer and mountain guide company manager from Ridgway, Colorado. He and Steve House won the Piolet d'Or in 2006 for an alpine-style first ascent of the ''Central Pillar of the Rupal Face'' ...

, former NFL defensive backCoffey, Lisa. (Apr 28, 2009)
Vince Anderson Is First Webber Player to Sign With NFL Team
''theledger.com''. Retrieved Sep 6, 2020. *

Verity Crawley Verity Crawley (born July 19, 1994), is an English professional bowler who competes on the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour in the United States. She moved from England to the US in 2012 to join the bowling program at Webber ...

, professional bowler in

Professional Women's Bowling Association The Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) organizes and oversees a series of annual tournaments for the top competitive women ten-pin bowlers. The series is often referred to as the "women's tour" of bowling. The PWBA was formed in 1960 ...

(PWBA) *

Bo Dallas Taylor Michael Rotunda (born May 25, 1990) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Bo Dallas. Rotunda is a third-generation professional wrestler; his grandfather Blac ...

, professional wrestler *

Gary Faulkner Jr. Gary Faulkner Jr. (born October 18, 1990) is an American ten-pin bowler from Memphis, Tennessee. He competes on the PBA Tour after having been a member of Junior Team USA. He won his first major PBA title in 2015. Background Faulkner grew up ...

, ten-pin bowler, competes on

PBA Tour The PBA Tour is the major professional tour for ten-pin bowling, operated by the Professional Bowlers Association. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, over 3,000 members worldwide make up the PBA. While most of the PBA members are Regional profess ...

* Taula "Hikuleo" Fifita, professional wrestler *

Daria Pająk Daria Pająk (born 11 January 1993) is a competitive bowler on the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) Tour in the United States. Following early bowling success in Poland, Pająk moved to the United States in 2012, eventually going ...

, ten-pin bowler in Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA)

References

External links

Official website

Official athletics website
{{authority control Educational institutions established in 1927 Universities and colleges in Polk County, Florida Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Private universities and colleges in Florida 1927 establishments in Florida