Emory & Henry University

Emory & Henry University is named after John Emory, a renowned Methodist bishop, and Patrick Henry, an American patriot and Virginia's first governor, though some research suggests the name honors Henry's sister Elizabeth Henry Campbell Russell, who lived in nearby Saltville and Chilhowie. The college was founded upon the principles of vital faith and civic engagement by Creed Fulton, a Methodist minister; Colonel William Byars; Tobias Smyth, a Methodist farmer; and Alexander Findlay, a Methodist businessman. The foundation for Wiley Hall was laid on September 30, 1836. The board of trustees hired Charles Collins as the institution's first president (1838–1852), with classes beginning in the spring of 1838 with 60 students enrolled. The college closed in April 1861 during the Civil War and was commandeered by the Confederate States of America in 1862, operating as a hospital until 1865. During this time, the campus saw battle during the Battle of Saltville. The hospital was the setting of Lieutenant Smith's murder on October 7, 1864, by Champ Ferguson. After the war ended, the college reopened. At its November 1918 session held in Johnson City, Tennessee, the Holston Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, decided to merge Martha Washington College with Emory & Henry College; all of the property of Martha Washington, including its 8-acre Abingdon campus, would be transferred to Emory & Henry in exchange for Emory & Henry assuming the debts of Martha Washington and operating Martha Washington College as a "co-ordinate woman's college". This arrangement lasted for about a decade, until Martha Washington College completely closed in 1931. Emory & Henry College's name officially changed on August 1, 2024, to Emory & Henry University. In June 2025, the university was placed on "Probation for Good Cause" status by its accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, after the accreditor's board found significant non-compliance with its standards for financial responsibility. Probation for Good Cause is the most serious sanction the accreditor can apply to a university short of revoking its accreditation. == Campus ==

Located in the Virginia Highlands, the Emory & Henry central campus encompasses and is surrounded by an additional 167 undeveloped acres in the village of Emory. The entire central campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Buildings With many campus buildings dating from the mid-19th century, several major academic buildings are part of a historic district that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including Wiley Hall, which was built 1838 and was used as a Confederate hospital during the Civil War. In recent years, Emory & Henry has experienced a building boom, most notably with the construction of the James H. Brooks Field House, a major expansion of Byars Hall, and the construction of the Woodrow W. McGlothlin Center for the Arts. Residence halls Emory & Henry boasts modern and newly renovated campus housing. Among the residence halls are the newly built Elm and Hickory halls, which feature double occupancy rooms, each with its own bathroom. In the Emory "village" students enjoy Prillaman and Linden houses, modern residences that feature single and double occupancy rooms in a home-like setting. Other residence halls include Stuart Hall, Martha Washington Hall and Hillman Hall. Academics Academic buildings include McGlothlin-Street Hall which includes Emory & Henry's science programs as well as programs in education, political science, business and history. Historic Byars Hall was recently expanded to include classrooms, rehearsal spaces and office space for the Division of Visual and Performing Arts. The Hermesian and Calliopean rooms, which are home to the college's historic debate societies, have been restored to their early elegance. Students also attend classes on the main E&H campus in the Creed Fulton Observatory, Miller Hall and Wiley Hall. Other buildings Other campus buildings include Memorial Chapel, Kelly Library, the King Athletic Center, Brook Field House, Martin-Brock Student Center, Van Dyke, Emily Williams House, and Tobias-Smyth Cabin (a reconstructed log house which was home to one of the college's founders; now a museum and meeting place). File:Wiley hall.jpg|Wiley Hall File:McGlothlin-Street Hall.jpg|McGlothlin-Street Hall File:Byars_hall_main.jpg|Byars Hall File:Byars_Hall.jpg|Byars Hall (2009 addition) == Academics ==

Emory & Henry University's liberal arts academic program is based upon a required four-year core curriculum of history, literature, and culture. The college has more than 25 academic programs of study, offers more than 50 bachelor degrees, and offers master's degrees in education and community and organizational leadership. The college's programs in public policy and community service and international studies have been nationally recognized. == Athletics ==

Emory & Henry University's sports teams, nicknamed the "Wasps," participate in NCAA Division II in the South Atlantic Conference (SAC). The college sponsors a wide range of athletic teams, including men's teams in football, soccer, basketball, baseball, cheer and dance, golf, equestrian, lacrosse, track and field, cross country, and tennis, as well as women's teams in cross country, volleyball, basketball, softball, soccer, cheer and dance, golf, rugby, equestrian, lacrosse, track and field, tennis, and swimming. Mascot The official Emory & Henry mascot is the Wasp. While there are many rumored origins of the nickname, the most commonly accepted story is that Emory & Henry was first called the Wasps after the football team played its first game in Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee. Despite the Volunteers from Tennessee being heavily favored, they only held a 6-0 lead at halftime, this is due to the defensive efforts of Emory & Henry. The local Knoxville newspapers described the college team as the "Wasps" because of the tenacious and swarming defense they displayed, akin to the persistence of wasps in protecting their nest. This description was inspired by the distinctive uniforms worn by the Emory & Henry players, which included blue-gold striped socks and jerseys adorned with blue-gold stripes on the chest and sleeves. ==Traditions==

Traditions at Emory & Henry University include: Service Plunge – the college's annual "Service Plunge" is a tradition and a requirement of all incoming freshmen in which they perform community service for a day during the first month of school (usually a Saturday). Running of the Bulls – The Running of the Bulls is a bi-annual event in which girls who are pledging a sorority are sent running out of the front door of Wiley-Jackson (MaWa) and are told to run towards the sorority which they intend to pledge. The event, although short, is often attended by much of the student population due to its humorous nature. The Rock – Every athletic team that plays their games at Fred Selfe Stadium touches a giant rock taken from the late Fred Selfe's hometown. Coach Selfe was a long-time assistant coach for the Emory and Henry football team who died of cancer and whose saying "Trust in your teammates, trust in yourself" is painted in the football locker room. Touching the Rock is seen as not only a unifying gesture, but it is supposed to also be a "recognition of all those who wore the blue and gold before you." The Duck Pond – Emory and Henry is known for having ducks year-round at its duck pond. This is because the pond is naturally heated due to a spring (which can be seen in the corner closest to Wiley Hall in the foundations of the old well house). == Rankings and recognition ==

In the 2024 edition of U.S. News & World Reports Best Colleges, Emory & Henry University was ranked #21 among Regional Universities in the South. Emory & Henry University received the Corporation for National and Community Service Presidential Award from President Obama in March 2010. This distinction marked a historic milestone, as Emory & Henry became the first higher education institution in Virginia to receive this award for their contributions to national and community service. ==Notable alumni==

Literature, television and arts • J. Fred Essary (1903) – journalist • Kermit Hunter (Re-1931) – playwright and English professor • Samuel W. Small (1871) – journalist, evangelist, prohibitionist Education • Henry DeLamar Clayton – president of the University of Alabama from 1886 to 1889; Confederate general during Civil War • Joe L. Kincheloe (1972) – author on education, culture, and politics Military • James Patton Brownlow – brevet brigadier general of the 1st Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment (Union) during the Civil War • Thomas T. Handy (enrolled 1908–1911) – deputy chief of staff of the US Army in World War II; signed the orders to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima • William E. "Grumble" Jones (enrolled 1844) – Civil War Brigadier General of the Confederate Calvary • Frank Rowlett (1929) – cryptologist who cracked the Japanese code during World War II • Robert G. Shaver – lawyer, Confederate States Army colonel, and Ku Klux Klan leader. • J.E.B. Stuart (enrolled 1848–1850) – US Army officer and later a Confederate general during the Civil War Science, research, and medicine • J.B. Wolfe – academic psychologist and behavioral scientist PhD; chair of the Department Of Psychology at the University of Mississippi for 30 years Politics and government • Toni Atkins (1984) – first openly gay speaker of the California State Assembly and President pro tempore of the California State Senate; former acting mayor of San Diego • Henry Bowen – elected to the Virginia House of Delegates from 1869 to 1873; served two terms in the US House of Representatives • B. B. Comer (1869) – governor of Alabama from 1907 to 1911 • John M. Fleming (1851) – Tennessee state legislator and newspaper editor • John Goode (1848) – Virginia congressman, solicitor general of the U.S. • Morgan Griffith (1980) – elected to the US House of Representatives in 2011 representing Virginia's 9th Congressional District; served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1994 to 2011; elected House Majority Leader in the House of Delegates in 2000, becoming the first Republican in Virginia to hold that position. • Joseph P. Johnson (1952) – served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1966 to 1970; and again from 1990 to 2014 • George C. Peery (1894) – governor of Virginia from 1934 to 1938 • James Buchanan Richmond – nineteenth-century politician and judge; member of the Virginia House of Delegates in 1874 and 1875; elected to the 46th Congress (March 4, 1879-March 3, 1881) representing Virginia's 9th Congressional District; appointed county judge of Scott County 1886-1892; was delegate to the Virginia constitutional convention at Richmond in 1901 and 1902 • Robert P. Shuler (1903) – evangelist and political figure whose attracted a large audience and drew controversy with his attacks on politicians and police officials • Thomas Slater Smith – former Texas attorney general and speaker of the Texas House of Representatives • Harley Orrin Staggers (1931) – US congressman from 1949 to 1981; represented West Virginia's 2nd Congressional District for 32 years • Henry Carter Stuart (1874) – governor of Virginia from 1914 to 1918 • Ariosto A. Wiley, former U.S. Congressman for the 2nd District of Alabama Business • Harold Arthur Poling (1940s) – CEO and chairman of the Ford Motor Company from 1990 to 1993 • Richard Joshua Reynolds (enrolled 1868–1870) – founder of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Sports and athletics • Larry Bales (1968) – former football and baseball college coach • Glenn Roberts (1930s) – credited as the originator of the modern-day jumpshot in basketball; All-American; scored over 2,000 career points • Sonny Wade (1969) – 1968 All-American quarterback; drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1969; later played for the Alouettes in the CFL; Grey Cup champion • Montie Weaver (1927) – pitched for the Washington Senators and the Boston Red Sox from 1931 to 1939 • Mike Young (1986) – Division I college basketball head coach at Virginia Tech ==References==