William & Mary Wesley Foundation records

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred citation:

The Wesley Foundation records, Special Collection Research Center, William & Mary Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
0.209 Linear Feet 1 legal half Hollinger box
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

The Wesley Foundation records, Special Collection Research Center, William & Mary Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

The collections is comprised of administrative files used by the W&M Wesley Foundation's leadership in the 2024-2025 academic year as well as newsletters and promotional materials spanning the early 2000s.

Biographical / historical:

The Wesley Foundation is a campus ministry sponsored by the United Methodist Church, operating on campuses of organizations not directly affiliated with the church. It was founded in 1913 by Bishop James C. Baker and named in honor of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church. The group conducts events such as group worship, social gatherings, community outreach initiatives, and charity drives.

The William & Mary branch was founded in the 1920s, orginally as the United Methodist Campus Ministry, and began operating as the Wesley Foundation in 1964. The modern W&M branch of the Wesley Foundation describes itself as a body which acts to facilitate community activities with a focus on inclusivity and activism for marginalized communities. As of 2025, the W&M branch maintains a core mission statement which places and emphasis on providing "radical hospitality" for members and nonmembers "of all races, nationalities, sexual orientations, gender identities, faiths, and theological identities."

Acquisition information:
Collection was transferred to SCRC by the Wesley Foundation via former co-president Bennett Snyder.
Processing information:

Materials accessioned in May 2025 combined with existing material regarding the Wesley Foundation found in and removed from Student Organizations collection UA 7.047 box 18. T-Shirt was removed from the University Archives Artifacts Collection's unprocessed materials and added to this collection.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard