Delaware State University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Delaware State University

Former names	Delaware College for Colored Students (1891–1893) State College for Colored Students (1893–1947) Delaware State College (1947–1993) Wilmington Conference Academy (1873–1918) Wesley Collegiate Institute (1918–1941) Wesley Junior College (1941–1958) Wesley College (1958–2021)
Motto	"Enter to Learn, Go Forth and Serve"
Type	Privately governed, state-assisted historically black land-grant research university
Established	May 15, 1891; 134 years ago (1891-05-15)
Accreditation	MSCHE
Academic affiliation	TMCF
Endowment	$43 million (2021)
President	Tony Allen
Academic staff	600
Students	6,451
Location	Dover , Delaware , United States
Campus	Small city, 706 acres (2.86 km2)
Other campuses	Georgetown Wilmington
Newspaper	The Hornet
Colors	Blue and cherry red
Nickname	Hornets
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS – MEAC NEC ASUN ECAC
Mascot	Too Fly

Delaware State University (often called DSU or Del State) is a special kind of university in Dover, Delaware. It's known as a historically black university, which means it was first created to provide higher education for African American students. It's also a land-grant university, which means it gets support from the state and focuses on teaching practical subjects like agriculture and science.

DSU is a research university, meaning its teachers and students do a lot of important research. Besides its main campus in Dover, it has two smaller campuses in Wilmington and Georgetown. The university has four main colleges and welcomes many students who are just starting college or working on advanced degrees.

History of Delaware State University

How DSU Started in the 1800s

Delaware State University began as the Delaware College for Colored Students on May 15, 1891. It was created by the state of Delaware to offer education to African American students. In 1893, its name changed to the State College for Colored Students. This was to avoid confusion with another college in Newark. The first students earned their degrees in 1898.

DSU in the 1900s

In 1945, the college received a special approval called "provisional accreditation." This means it met certain quality standards. A few years later, in 1948, the state changed its name again to Delaware State College. It lost its accreditation briefly but got it back in 1957.

On July 1, 1993, the college became Delaware State University, which is its name today. DSU was also one of the first historically black universities to have a no-smoking policy on campus.

DSU in the 2000s

Campus Safety and Health Efforts

In 2007, there was an unfortunate incident on campus that led to increased focus on safety.

In 2015, the university started to make its campus tobacco-free. They first limited smoking to certain areas and offered help for students to quit. By August 2015, the campus became completely tobacco-free. In 2017, DSU received an award for its health efforts.

Big Gifts and New Campuses

In December 2020, a generous person named MacKenzie Scott donated $20 million to Delaware State University. This was the largest gift the university had ever received.

On July 1, 2021, Delaware State University took over Wesley College. Wesley College was a private school that had been around for 157 years. This was a big deal because DSU became the first historically Black university to acquire a school that was not historically Black.

The former Wesley campus is now called "DSU Downtown." It's close to downtown Dover. Many of DSU's health and behavioral science programs moved there. This part of the university is now called the Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, honoring the history of Wesley College.

DSU Campus Life

Delaware State University's Wellness and Recreation Center

The main campus in Dover is about 400 acres. Dover is the capital of Delaware. The campus is a two-hour drive from big cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.. It's also three hours from New York City. DSU also has its two smaller campuses in Wilmington and Georgetown.

The main campus in Dover has many buildings, including:

There are several places for students to live on campus. These include traditional dorms and apartment-style buildings for older students. There are also some off-campus apartments and dorms. With the new DSU Downtown campus, two more dorms are now available for students.

Students living on campus can eat at two dining halls.

DSU has many computer labs and offers internet access in almost every building. Students in dorms have their own internet and phone connections. Most campus buildings also have Wi-Fi.

DSU is recognized as a "Tree Campus USA" for its efforts to care for trees. The university also has two farms and an Airway Science Program for students interested in flying.

University Leadership

The university is led by a president and a board of trustees. The board makes important decisions about how the university is run.

Tony Allen became the 12th president of Delaware State University in February 2020. He had worked at the university before as a provost. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, President Allen quickly moved classes online. The university also raised money to help students who were struggling because of the pandemic. Even though the pandemic continued, the university reopened its dorms in Fall 2020, allowing many students to live on campus while still taking most classes online.

What Students Learn at DSU

Then U.S. vice president Joe Biden delivering the commencement speech in May 2016

Delaware State University has four main colleges:

• College of Agriculture, Science & Technology
• College of Humanities, Education & Social Sciences
• College of Business
• College of Health & Behavioral Sciences

DSU offers many different degrees. Students can choose from 46 bachelor's degrees, 21 master's degrees, and six doctoral degrees. This means students can study a wide range of subjects, from science and math to education and business. The university also has special programs where students can earn two degrees or work with other universities.

Classes at DSU are usually small, with about 13 students for every teacher. This means students can get more personal attention. Many first-year students receive financial help to pay for college. DSU also has an Honors Program for students who want an extra challenge.

All undergraduate students must complete a set of general education courses. These courses cover different subjects to give students a broad education.

DSU's programs are approved by many important organizations. This means the university meets high standards for its teaching and programs. For example, its College of Business is approved by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), which is a top accreditation for business schools.

Aviation Program

DSU has a special Aviation Program for students who want to work in the aviation industry. Students can earn a bachelor's degree in Aviation Management or become a Professional Pilot. If you want to be a pilot, you'll get all the training and certifications you need from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) while earning your degree.

Delaware State has the only university-based flight school in its region. This program is also approved for veterans who want to train as pilots.

Research at DSU

DSU does a lot of important research. The university has special centers where teachers and students work on projects in science and math. Some of these research centers include:

• Applied Mathematics Research Center
• Center for Applied Optics
• Center for Research and Education in Optical Sciences and Applications (CREOSA)
• Center for Applied Optics for Space Science (CAOSS)
• Delaware Center for Scientific and Applied Computation

University Rankings

DSU is recognized as a strong university. In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked DSU 8th among Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The College of Business at DSU has been named one of the "Best Business Schools" by the Princeton Review for many years.

Global Connections

Delaware State University has partnerships with over thirty universities in other countries. These countries include China, Cuba, Egypt, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, and the UK. These partnerships allow students to study abroad and teachers to work together on research.

Student Activities at DSU

Sports and Athletics

Delaware State University's Student Center

DSU has many sports teams, called the Hornets. They compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Hornets are part of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

The university also has an Intramural Sports Department. This department offers fun sports programs for all students, teachers, and staff.

Student Groups

There are over 60 student organizations at Delaware State. These include a Student Government Association (SGA), a gospel choir, and the famous Approaching Storm Marching Band.

Famous People Who Went to DSU