Texas Wesleyan University has launched Igniting Impact, a new five-year strategic plan designed to guide the university’s growth, enhance student success and strengthen its role as a values-based institution rooted in transformative learning and community engagement.

Developed through a yearlong, campus-wide planning process that engaged faculty, staff, students, trustees, alumni and community partners, the strategic plan aligns institutional priorities and resources around three overarching goals: purposeful growth, transformative learning and intentional connection.

A Shared Vision for Growth and Impact

“Igniting Impact reflects our commitment to students and to the communities we serve,” said Dr. Emily Messer, president of Texas Wesleyan University. “This plan gives us a clear, values-driven path forward—one that strengthens access, elevates learning and prepares our students to lead with purpose.”

The planning process began in fall 2024 with a Values Summit that established four core institutional values—connection, commitment, compassion and courage—to guide culture and decision-making. Engagement continued through surveys, town halls and planning sessions that generated more than 1,400 ideas. A 22-member Strategic Planning Team refined that input into the final plan, which was approved by the Board of Trustees in November 2025.

Strategic Priorities of Igniting Impact

The plan centers on three strategic priorities:

• Purposeful Growth — Fosters enrollment growth, expands partnerships and enhances long-term financial sustainability.
• Transformative Learning — Builds a Signature Wesleyan Student Experience through career-integrated learning, innovative academic programs and leadership development.
• Intentional Connection — Strengthens people-centered systems, services and culture to support student success.
  Implementation of Igniting Impact began in January 2026. Each initiative is assigned executive leadership and tracked using key performance indicators, ensuring measurable progress across divisions and units.

Looking Ahead

Over the next five years, Texas Wesleyan aims to increase total enrollment by at least 25 percent, grow its endowment and investments to $100 million, embed career-integrated learning across all undergraduate programs, and deepen its presence and partnerships in East Fort Worth.

For more information about Igniting Impact, watch the university’s strategic plan video HERE.