MICUA

MICUA Matters

Summer 2010

For more than a century, Washington Adventist University (WAU) has been a proud member of the Montgomery County community. With a 19-acre campus in the heart of Takoma Park, WAU is the only four-year residential college in the County.

Founded in 1904, WAU is a Christian institution welcoming students of all faiths and backgrounds and focused on preparing individuals for lives of service, leadership, and civic engagement. With classes offered in Shady Grove and Takoma Park, WAU provides career-building undergraduate and graduate programs. WAU offers a number of baccalaureate degrees including acclaimed programs in nursing, education, psychology, music, and pre-law. The School of Graduate and Professional Studies offers certificates, undergraduate degree completion, and graduate programs in an evening format for adult professionals.

The WAU student body mirrors the diversity of Montgomery County and is one of the most diverse in the nation (ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News & World Report). More than a quarter of our student body resides in Montgomery County. The diversity of the County also provides us with a rich resource of scholar practitioners that enhance the learning environments and experiences of our students.

The County’s supportive business environment provides our students with outstanding internship opportunities—a key facet in a WAU education. Through these professional interactions, our students gain insight and skills that prepare them to be competent leaders in their chosen professions.

A recent $1.3 million grant from the Maryland Hospital Association, made possible in part by Adventist Health Care, has allowed us to increase capacity in our nursing program to help stem the staffing shortages. Our students do clinical work in several County facilities, including Shady Grove Adventist Hospital and Washington Adventist Hospital. WAU nursing program graduates have achieved a 100% pass-rate on the NCLEX-RN licensing examinations.

Our education program has developed key partnerships with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). WAU education majors gain tremendous experience working with mentor teachers through a student practicum program at several MCPS locations. In partnership with MCPS, WAU also teaches County para-educators seeking to better serve the needs of MCPS students. In this program, Montgomery County teachers combine either early childhood or elementary education and special education to receive dual State certification and a bachelor’s degree. With the growing number of children in our region who are identified with diverse learning styles, this focus on special education is particularly important to our community.

In the center of our campus stands a brick and iron gateway that symbolizes our long held motto: “Gateway to Service.” We take that motto to heart. Each year on WAU Service Day, more than 200 students volunteer with local organizations to serve in a variety of ways. This year students packed food at food banks, cleaned up neighborhoods, assisted the Takoma Park Police Department, helped at an animal rescue farm, and pitched in at a pediatric AIDS relief organization.

And we are growing. In April we broke ground on a music building—a new home for our proclaimed music performing groups: the New England Youth Ensemble and Columbia Collegiate Chorale, who perform regularly in the region, the country, and around the world.

Our vision at WAU is to produce graduates who bring moral leadership and competence to their communities. We remain one of Montgomery County’s vital organizations and will continue to seek ways to serve our neighbors and this County.