Indiana Wesleyan University cooperates with various business, church, educational, and social agencies in the community and beyond to make special facilities available to enrich the programs offered to students.
Taylor University and Indiana Wesleyan University cooperate by allowing certain courses (a limit of one per regular semester) to be available for full time students from both institutions. Although there is no extra charge for the courses in this exchange, the students are responsible for their own transportation between campuses and for payment of any fees beyond tuition.
The Center for Adventure Learning within the Center for Life Calling and Leadership arena provides leadership development activities that are experiential rather than curricular that directly support students' discovery process of their life calling, as well as providing them with a living laboratory to experience and practice leadership.
The Center for Adventure Learning (CAL) plays an integral part in leadership and life calling development in the Center for Life Calling and Leadership in several ways. CAL directly impacts students discovering their life calling by designing and delivering experiential activities directly related to the Life Calling curriculum, and by providing creative and innovative delivery methods for the leadership faculty that creates a more engaging environment for student learning.
Students participating in a CAL program have the opportunity to participate in group development and teamwork which allows them to tangibly experience authentic and intentional community, group, and relational development. Participants actively participate in group decision making, problem solving, and teamwork development while observing and engaging in the various facets of leadership. Through "challenge by choice" participants make the personal decision to push themselves beyond their comfort level in a safe supportive group atmosphere increasing self-efficacy. Programs are designed and delivered to alleviate societal distractions and to encourage closer communion with God through immersion in His creation.
CAL also provides student interns real life opportunities to practice and develop their leadership skills in "less than ideal" environments and reflect on their experience in order to transfer the knowledge gained from their experience with CAL to other leadership opportunities. While embodying the dimension of High Impact Leadership, interns gain an understanding and appreciation for the "upfrontness" of leadership as well as the "behind the scenes" leadership that must happen in order for every participant to have the greatest opportunity for positive growth.
CAL consists of high and low ropes elements at Botany Glen, low ropes elements and a paintball course at Ketcham Woods, a high ropes course and climbing wall in the Recreation and Wellness Center, Soul Search Adventure trips led by qualified students or staff, and a variety of collaborative initiatives with other faculty and departments on campus. The climbing wall, which is open most evenings and weekends during the academic year, provides challenging routes for the beginner and the more advanced climber. Soul Search trips, including rock climbing, backpacking, sea kayaking and white water rafting are offered over fall and spring break as well as various weekends each semester. Students can also participate in classes which provide a framework for outdoor leadership and adventure education.