Wyoming Catholic College (WCC) is a privateCatholic college in Lander, Wyoming.[1] WCC is the only Catholic college or university in the state.
History
In 2003, then bishop of Wyoming David Ricken expressed interest in having a Catholic college in Wyoming. Together with a parish priest of the Diocese of Cheyenne, Robert Cook, and Robert Carlson, a Wyoming college professor and a former student of John Senior,[2] the bishop began forming plans to found the college. In 2004 and 2005, Lander Wyoming was selected as the location, and Carlson wrote the Philosophical vision statement of the college. On July 11, 2005, Wyoming Catholic College incorporated in the State of Wyoming with Cook as president and Carlson as academic dean.[3]
Accreditation and federal funding
In 2014, the college became a candidate for accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). At that time, the college's leadership decided to forgo access to federal funding.[4] According to Inside Higher Ed, this decision was "partly out of concerns that accepting the funds could impair its ability to set its own policies around issues of sexual orientation and gender identity,"[5] and as of 2023, the college's website described this decision as being largely motivated by a concern that accepting this funding would allow the government to impose on the college's hiring and admission policies, such as birth control and same-sex marriage.[6][7] In an interview with Wyoming Public Radio, college president Kevin Roberts clarified that the college was specifically concerned about its ability to discriminate against gay and transgender people.[8] Roberts was also a notable opponent to the Affordable Care Act, suing the state of Wyoming over implementing the program.[9]
WCC achieved full accreditation status from HLC in 2018.[4] During the COVID-19 pandemic, WCC received $1.3 million in aid, including a $739,000 PPP loan, which has been forgiven.[10]
In 2020 Paul McCown, a former Michigan politician and the school's chief financial officer (CFO) since 2018 launched a distillery business, Sweetwater Spirits.[11] With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he switched to producing hand sanitizer, which he claimed was making millions of dollars. In early 2021 he used claims of wealth from this business to convince an investment firm, Ria R Squared, to loan him $15 million dollars. He then donated $10 million of that, anonymously, to the school. McCown stated he had $750 million in Wyoming Community Bank and impersonated a bank officer to the investment firm. McCown also received $2 million in federally backed PPP loans, claiming 65 employees for his private business in February 2021. McCown was fired by the school in June 2021 as soon as the school realized that he was the source of the donation. A subsequent internal investigation led to the dismissal of the school's director of horsemanship because of payments made with McCown's approval.[10][12][13] Plans for future expansion were being made with the $10 million donation in mind when the fraud was discovered. Because of this, President Arbery stated that "the setback to the college’s expansion plans did not pose an actual threat to the institution’s financial stability."[14] Wyoming Catholic College initially stated that it would return the entire sum to Ria R Squared once it completed an internal investigation into the alleged fraud.[15] On 6 December 2021 Ria R Squared sued Wyoming Catholic College, alleging that the college had not returned a portion of that sum, $239,154 to Ria R Squared, and that the college’s counsel had told Ria R Squared that it no longer intended to return the sum.[16]
Church of the Holy Rosary, which is shared with the local parish
The college is located in an area within the Rocky Mountains, in the town of Lander Wyoming. The college campus consists of multiple facilities around the town of Lander, mostly in the downtown area.[17]
Downtown Campus
The Downtown Campus comprises several historic buildings of downtown Lander, including:
The Baldwin Building (Includes main reception, offices, classrooms, library, student lounge, and Crux Coffee)
Orchard Building (offices, classrooms, library)
Augur Building (classrooms, study area and lounge, Chesterton Library)[18]
St Joseph’s Hall (Headquarters of COR Expeditions)
Located on the property of the diocesan parish of Holy Rosary in Lander, this "campus" includes a number of the residence halls. The college occasionally uses the parish church for special occasions, like graduation. In the first years of the college, some of the parish facilities were used as classrooms.
Other facilities
Additional facilities of the college include the Horse Barn (hosting the college's horsemanship program) located several miles outside of Lander, and residence halls converted from a Holiday Lodge Hotel[19] near the north-east edge of Lander.
Academics
Because it offers a four-year, integrated, Great Books curriculum, Wyoming Catholic College has no majors, minors, specialized degrees or graduate programs; it awards graduating students the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts.[20] As of Fall 2021, there were over 190 students enrolled.
The curriculum was designed to give students a general liberal arts education through a study of the Great Books. Courses include Humanities, Theology, Philosophy, Math/Science, Fine Arts, Latin, Trivium, and Leadership.[22]
Faculty
Notable former Wyoming Catholic professors include traditionalist author and speaker Peter Kwasniewski.
Freshmen hike in the Teton Mountains during a three-week backpacking course.
Along with its liberal arts classroom program, Wyoming Catholic College provides all students with an outdoor leadership program taught through what it calls Outdoor Leadership Program (OLP). Freshmen begin their time at the school with a three-week backpacking trip in the Rocky Mountains, what the college calls "the most unusual and meaningful orientation program in the country". Each year, students participate in two separate "outdoor weeks", short courses in outdoors skills; courses have been held in backpacking, canoeing or sea kayaking, canyoneering, fishing, horse packing, ice climbing, mountain biking, mountaineering, rock climbing, skiing, or whitewater rafting and kayaking. All students also must participate in the equestrian program.[24]
As an outreach from its student outdoor program, Wyoming Catholic College also runs contract outdoor custom and open enrollment outdoor courses through its branch of COR Expeditions.[25]
As one of the most notable features of the college, the OLP has received repeated positive media coverage. For example, CNA quoted multiple students in a July 2023 article. “If you are looking for something easy, it’s probably not for you,” Aeja DeKuiper ('25) said. “But if you are willing to put in the time and effort and come with an open mind, it’ll be one of the best experiences you’ve ever had.”[26]
Student life
At the beginning of their first year, students at WCC spend 21 days hiking in the Rocky Mountains. This is a mandatory part of the college's freshman orientation program.[4]
Student Body
WCC admitted its first class in 2007, which consisted of 34 students.[27] The largest class ever accepted was 68 freshman in 2021.[28] Today, it has a student body of about 190. The college has students from most of the US states, as well as several from foreign countries, including Africa.[28]
Technology Policy
The college does not allow televisions on campus. It also does not allow students to access the Internet from the dorm except for their college e-mail and specific websites that are required for their coursework. Students are also prohibited from using mobile devices, including smart phones, on campus; they must be surrendered to the college while on campus.[29] These policies have been suspended at times, for example during the fall 2019 semester when the campus experienced from problems with landline phone and Internet connections.[4] However, while controversial, both students and educational establishments have often had positive things to say regarding the limitation of technology.[30] In July 2023, Inside Higher Ed published an article featuring Wyoming Catholic as representative of a trend that helps "students destress and build community."[31]
Cowboys for Life
“Cowboys for Life” is Wyoming Catholic’s branch of the national “Students for Life” organization, and Wyoming Catholic students regularly participate in Pro-Life activism.[32][33] Wyoming Catholic students were involved in the first Lander "March for Life" in 2020,[34] and "40-Days for Life" peaceful protest.[35]
Wyoming Catholic has a dry campus, and a code of conduct that "prohibits visitation between the sexes in student residence halls", as well as "sexual activity outside the confines of a marriage".[5] The college also has a dress code for various occasions including academic seminars.
Finances
The fiscal year for the college is from the beginning of July to the end of June of the following calendar year.
Finances for the fiscal year ending 30 June 2020[b] (the latest available) consist of: revenue of $10,070,665; expenses of $9,934,076; and donations of $3,231,669.[38]
