Wilkes University

Maybe it’s traveling to a foreign country to learn the dynamics of local trade. Or mastering the ins and outs of running your own business. Or maybe you haven’t decided how to leave your mark on society. 

No matter your background, goals, dreams, or so-called inhibitions, we’ll give you the freedom to carve your own path. Wilkes offers the diverse resources of a large university in the atmosphere of a small liberal arts college.

Our faculty take pride in seeing the potential that is inside each student. Through hands-on learning techniques and practical, real-world experiences, they’ll encourage you to go beyond what you thought possible. This could mean conducting federally sponsored research side by side with a professor or getting an internship that will help you find a job.

New science center
The 72,500-sq. ft., environmentally friendly Cohen Science Center features state-of-the-art equipment and related laboratory space for hands-on, experiential learning. A full-time health sciences advisor guides interested students of any major through the process of getting into medical or other professional schools. More than 90% of students who have strong academic and service records, complete the premedical core, and receive letters of evaluation from the Health Sciences Committee are accepted into professional programs. 

Science and engineering students at Wilkes work in laboratories with equipment that often only graduate students at larger universities get to touch. Recent Wilkes graduates are in M.D./Ph.D. programs, in graduate schools conducting their own National Science Foundation–funded research, and in management development programs for major corporations.

Building business
Our Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership recently moved into the newly renovated University Center on Main. The $3 million project included a financial market trading room that simulates a New York Stock Exchange trading floor, complete with an electronic stock ticker. Seven smart classrooms, faculty offices, meeting rooms for students, and student club space allow plenty of room for collaboration.

Campus life
Come to our campus and you’ll find residence halls that include ivy-covered mansions, state-of-the-art academic facilities, and standing tall in the center of everything, a bronze statue of the eminent John Wilkes, who occasionally sports some interesting accessories. Our mansions offer great student housing. Many still have their original interiors, complete with distinctive stone fireplaces, stained-glass windows, and carved wooden molding.

Our campus is a compact 35 acres (a huge benefit when you have to make the mad dash to an 8:00 a.m. class) and is situated in the heart of Wilkes-Barre, a city of more than 40,000 that’s only about two and a half hours from New York City and Philadelphia. You can easily walk to downtown shops and restaurants that cater to a variety of tastes, from American to Italian to Thai.

The nearby Pocono Mountains are famous for snowboarding, skiing, and snowmobiling. One of America’s famous rivers, the Susquehanna, runs next to our campus, so kayaking and canoeing are wonderful adventures.

We value your drive
Unlike many other universities, Wilkes allows you to have a car on campus all four years. Use your unlimited mobility to your advantage. Go on adventures. Check out the professional ice hockey team and concerts at nearby Mohegan Sun Arena, or hike the waterfalls at Ricketts Glen State Park.

Student activities
Sign up for one or as many clubs as you like. You’ll find more than 70 clubs and organizations available to students, and the number grows every year. (Marching band is the newest.) You’ll meet new friends with similar interests and cut your teeth on budgeting, organizational skills, publicity, and leadership.

Application and instant decision
High school seniors can find out whether they’ve been admitted to Wilkes the same day they tour campus. With instant decision, admissions officers will review your file and give you an answer before you head home.

Ready to take the plunge?
Schedule a campus tour or instant decision appointment at wilkes.edu, or call us at 800-WILKES-U, ext. 4400.