politician John Wilkes after whom Wilkes-Barre is named. The school was granted university status in January 1990. It is classified among "Doctoral/Professional Universities" (D/PU) and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
The university's mascot is a colonel and the official colors are blue and yellow. The campus symbol is a letter "W" known as the "flying W" by students and alumni.
== History ==
=== Mid-twentieth century ===
Wilkes University was first established in 1933 by Bucknell University under the name "Bucknell University Junior College" (BUJC) in Wilkes-Barre. Frank G. Davis, chair of the Education department at Bucknell, first developed the idea of BUJC and served as an early liaison between BUJC and Bucknell. BUJC attracted many students who were the first members of their families to benefit from higher education as the need for junior colleges arose in urban areas. The college opened in downtown Wilkes-Barre, where the first classes were held on the third floor of …
