Marion, Ind. (May 22, 2026) — Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) has named Linda Manganello, Ph.D., as the inaugural director of the Center for Faith and Learning, effective summer 2026. The appointment marks a new chapter for the university as the Center seeks to advance IWU’s commitment to Christ-centered education in every course and program, offered in person or online.
“The Center for Faith and Learning plays a vital role in helping IWU remain unapologetically Christ-centered in both mission and practice,” said IWU President Jon Kulaga, Ph.D. “Linda brings a firm commitment to the integration of Christian faith in academics, a collaborative spirit, and a vision that will continue strengthening the Center’s impact across the university.”
The Center exists to cultivate thoughtful Christian scholarship and support the integration of faith across the university’s academic and institutional life. Through conversations, workshops, and collaborative programming, faculty gather across departments to explore what faith-integrated scholarship looks like in fields ranging from the sciences to the humanities.
Manganello has served IWU in a variety of leadership and academic capacities and is widely respected for her commitment to student formation, faculty support, and the university’s mission. Her work has consistently reflected a passion for helping students and educators connect academic excellence with spiritual formation and Kingdom purpose.
“I am honored to step into this role and continue the important work of the Center for Faith and Learning,” said Manganello. “IWU’s mission to develop students in character, scholarship, and leadership is deeply meaningful to me. I look forward to collaborating across the university to further cultivate a Christ-centered academic community where discipleship and scholarship are comprehensively unified.”
Todd C. Ream, university professor and executive director of faculty scholarship, aided in the establishment of the Center. When reflecting on Manganello’s appointment, Ream offered, “Linda is the ideal person to advance the mission of the Center and, in turn, IWU. She has earned the deep and abiding respect of academic leaders and professors across the campus. In the years to come, it will be exciting to watch how Linda’s leadership will catalyze this important initiative.”
The Center seeks to equip the IWU community to faithfully engage culture, vocation, and scholarship through a distinctly Christian worldview; fostering not compliance scaffolding for ornamenting syllabi with the occasional prayer, but a community of scholars being spiritually formed and, by virtue of that formation, shaping their students.
Additional details and initiatives connected to the Center for Faith and Learning will be shared in the coming months.
