Tweedell to Head National Center for Research at IWU

Dr. Cynthia Tweedell has been named Executive Director of a new national Research Center in Adult Learning at Indiana Wesleyan University. The center is a joint effort between the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and IWU.

Tweedell will become the Research Center’s first director on November 1. She joined IWU 10 years ago and currently serves as Associate Dean for Institutional Effectiveness.

"Dr. Tweedell brings a rich history of experience and leadership in adult learning that will equip her to champion this important initiative," said Dr. Mimi Barnard, the CCCU Vice President for Professional Development and Research. "We look forward to working with her to increase the knowledge base and understanding of adult learning."

Dr. Mike Bonner, IWU’s Vice President for Adult and Graduate Operations, said Tweedell is well qualified for her new role.

"Her passion for adult education is evidenced by her personal research agenda and her demonstrated success in bringing together researchers from other institutions involved in adult learning to explore topics of mutual interest," Bonner said.

In her new role, Tweedell will lead the efforts to increase the knowledge base in adult education by establishing a research agenda that engages the academic community in scholarship research.

Tweedell has done research and taught online and onsite classes for more than 28 years. Since 1998, she has directed assessment of adult education programs at IWU and has done extensive research comparing outcomes between online and on-site students.

IWU has received international attention for its innovative adult education programs. More than half of CCCU institutions now have adult programs, but IWU was a pioneer when it first offered classes in 1985.

IWU now has about 11,500 adults enrolled in classes at 14 regional campuses in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio – and online. About 35,000 adult learners have earned degrees since 1985.

"The Research Center will fill a gap in the research literature," Tweedell said. "There’s plenty of literature on student learning outcomes for traditional settings, but there are no standardized measures for adult students. We hope to develop new benchmarks for adult programs."

Tweedell earned her bachelor’s degree at Illinois Wesleyan University. She has master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the University of Chicago and a doctorate from Walden University.

Tweedell and her husband, Bill, have two children. The family lives in Marion.

The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities is a higher education association of 180 Christ-centered institutions around the world. There are 110 member campuses in North America and 70 affiliate campuses in 24 countries.

Indiana Wesleyan University, in addition to its adult education programs, has 3,200 students enrolled in traditional campuses on the main campus in Marion. IWU is an evangelical Christian comprehensive university operated by The Wesleyan Church.