By Kim Manahan

Wesley College will get a building for its nursing program.

Wesley’s application for the Frear Federal Building, in the 300-block of South New Street, was approved by the Department of Education last week.

“The college will house the nursing program and will be able to place other health science related programs in the building,” said Dr. William Johnston, president of the college.

Wesley expressed interest in the building in 2009, and plowed through a three-stage process with the federal government to decide who would receive it.

“First, federal agencies competed for the facility,” Johnston said. “The second group were agencies associated with the homeless, and the third group to compete for the building were local organizations, including non-profits like Wesley.”

Several politicians, organizations and the City of Dover supported Wesley in making the acquisition, Johnston said.

“Wesley had support from Sens. Carper and Kaufman, Congressman Castle, Gov. Markel, the City of Dover and several organizations.  This support of Wesley was very important to the process.”

Johnston is unsure when the nursing department will move in.

“It is premature to estimate when the facility will be able to be placed in operation for the college,” he said.