Conference of The United Methodist Church met in Goldsboro and approved a petition from the citizens of the city of Rocky Mount to locate a college in their community. The college was officially chartered by the State of North Carolina on October 25, 1956. Capital investments totaling approximately $2 million made possible the construction of the main buildings on the 200-acre site donated by the M.C. Braswell heirs of Rocky Mount, and four years later 92 students enrolled in the first class at North Carolina Wesleyan College. In 1964, 33 students received their degrees at the college's first Commencement. Nearly 9,000 students have earned bachelor's degrees in the arts and sciences and selected professional disciplines since its founding.
In 2015, Wesleyan added its first two master's programs. Seven years later, the college changed its name to "university" in 2022.
== Campus ==
The 200-acre (81 ha) Rocky Mount campus includes six residence halls, nine academic and administrative buildings, the Everett Gymnasium, …
