# Washington Adventist University

> university in Takoma Park, Maryland, United States

**Wikidata**: [Q3551510](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3551510)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Adventist_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/washington-adventist-university

## Summary
Washington Adventist University is a private not-for-profit educational institution located in Takoma Park, Maryland, United States. Affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the university was established in 1904 and operates as a church college offering higher education and master's programs. As of 2020, it serves a student body of approximately 968 students with a high admission rate of 94%.

## Key Facts
- **Location:** 7600 Flower Ave, Takoma Park, Maryland, United States (Zip Code: 20912).
- **Founded:** 1904.
- **Classification:** Private not-for-profit educational institution; church college affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
- **Carnegie Classification:** Master's colleges and universities (medium programs).
- **Enrollment:** 968 students (as of September 2020).
- **Staff:** 263 employees (as of September 2020).
- **Admissions:** Admission rate of 0.94 (94%) and an admission yield rate of 0.05 (5%) as of 2020.
- **Finances:** Total assets of $57,748,624 and an endowment of $2,052,309 (as of June 30, 2020).
- **Athletics:** The athletic program is known as the "Washington Adventist Shock."
- **Former Names:** Also known as Columbia Union College, Washington Missionary College, and Washington Foreign Mission Seminary.

## FAQs
### Q: Is Washington Adventist University a public or private school?
A: It is a private not-for-profit educational institution. It is also classified as a church college affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

### Q: Where is Washington Adventist University located?
A: The university is located at 7600 Flower Ave, Takoma Park, Maryland, United States, with the postal code 20912.

### Q: How hard is it to get into Washington Adventist University?
A: Based on 2020 data, the university has a high admission rate of 94%, though the yield rate (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) is 5%.

### Q: What is the religious affiliation of the university?
A: The university is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church and is recognized as a church college.

## Why It Matters
Washington Adventist University serves as a significant higher education hub for the Seventh-day Adventist community in the Mid-Atlantic region. Established in 1904, it has evolved from a missionary seminary into a comprehensive university offering master's degrees and professional programs. Its classification as a "Master's college and university" with medium programs highlights its role in advancing education beyond undergraduate studies, specifically catering to professions and arts & sciences.

The university plays a distinct role in the Takoma Park community, employing over 260 individuals and managing substantial assets totaling over $57 million. Its operational model as a faith-based institution allows it to integrate religious worldview with academic curriculum, specifically serving students who seek higher education within a spiritual context. Furthermore, its membership in the American Council on Education signifies its active participation in the broader landscape of American higher education leadership.

## Notable For
- **Historic Legacy:** Operating for over a century since its inception in 1904, having evolved through several identities including the Washington Foreign Mission Seminary and Columbia Union College.
- **Open Access Education:** Distinguished by a very high admission rate (94% in 2020), reflecting a commitment to accessible higher education.
- **Faith-Based Integration:** Being a "church college" explicitly affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, distinguishing it from secular private institutions.
- **Financial Stability:** Managing total assets exceeding $57 million as of 2020.
- **Diverse Academic Profile:** Holding specific Carnegie classifications for "Professions plus arts & sciences" and "Postbaccalaureate: other-dominant," indicating a varied curriculum.

## Body

### Identity and Affiliation
Washington Adventist University (WAU) is a higher education institution situated in Takoma Park, Maryland. It is identified as a "university" and a "private not-for-profit educational institution." The university maintains a strong religious character, classified as a "church college" with its religion or worldview aligned with the **Seventh-day Adventist Church**. It is a member of the **American Council on Education**.

### History and Names
The institution was founded in **1904**. Throughout its history, it has been known by several aliases, reflecting its evolution in academic scope and mission:
- Washington Foreign Mission Seminary
- Washington Training College
- Washington Missionary College
- Columbia Union College
- Université adventiste de washington

### Campus and Location
The physical campus is located at **7600 Flower Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912**. Geographically, it is positioned at coordinates 38.986111111111 latitude and -77 longitude. The campus features buildings such as **HMS Richards Hall**. The surrounding area is served by the postal code 20912.

### Academics and Admissions
The university operates on a **semester** academic calendar. As of 2020, the **admission rate** was **0.94** (94%), indicating a highly inclusive admissions policy, while the **admission yield rate** was **0.05** (5%). The student body consists of **968 students** (as of Sept 2020).

The university's academic structure is categorized under the Carnegie Classification system as:
- Master's colleges and universities: medium programs
- Professions plus arts & sciences, some graduate coexistence
- High undergraduate
- Four-year, full-time, inclusive, higher transfer-in

### Operations and Finance
As of the 2020 fiscal year (ending June 30), the university reported:
- **Total Assets:** $57,748,624 (USD)
- **Endowment:** $2,052,309 (USD)
- **Employees:** 263

The athletics program competes under the name **Washington Adventist Shock**.

### Digital Presence
The university maintains an active online presence:
- **Website:** https://www.wau.edu/
- **Social Media:** Twitter (@ThisIsWAU), Facebook (WashingtonAdventistUniversity), Instagram (washingtonadventistuniversity).
- **Identifiers:** The institution holds identifiers for ROR (035hvd463), GRID (grid.421369.b), and ISNI (0000000101654848).

## References

1. Geographic Names Information System
2. Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
3. GRID Release 2017-01-10
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20240120080233/https://acememberdirectory.azurewebsites.net/)
6. Google Knowledge Graph
7. GeoNames
8. Freebase Data Dumps
9. [Source](http://www.wau.edu)
10. [Source](https://www.wau.edu/)
11. GRID Release 2015-12-14
12. GRID Release 2016-12-06
13. Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education
14. Yelp
15. Quora
16. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
17. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
18. National Center for Education Statistics