Stark Learning Center, and increase enrollment.
In 1972, the Wilkes Barre area experienced the devastation of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Agnes that flooded much of the campus and downtown region.
=== Late twentieth century ===
Wilkes College became "Wilkes University" in December 1989, and the school officially received university status a month later, in January 1990.
Wilkes University opened the School of Pharmacy in 1996, and in 1999, through a donation from Mrs. Geraldine Nesbitt Orr, the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy was established.
The Thomas P. (Pettus) Shelburne Jr. Telecommunications Center was built under the guidance of chief engineer Carl Brigido and dedicated by Wilkes University in the lower level of the Stark Learning Center in 1996. Secured after a major gift from Shelburne's widow Catherine and family and fundraising efforts of long time Communication Studies professors, Bradford L. Kinney and Thomas Bigler. This was the second television studio on campus, previously located in two small rooms …
