[13] BUJC attracted many students who were the first members of their families to benefit from higher education as the need for junior colleges arose in urban areas.

Secured after a major gift from Shelburne's widow Catherine and family and fundraising efforts of long time Communication Studies professors, Bradford L. Kinney and Thomas Bigler.

[21] The Jay S. Sidhu School of Business & Leadership was created in 2004 and the university purchased a 80,000 sq ft (7,400 m2) building in downtown Wilkes-Barre.

Initially named the Center on Main, the building houses the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, an indoor track and field, and ropes course.

The building also houses the Sordoni Art Gallery that moved from its original location on the first level of the Stark Learning Center.

[21][27][28][29][30] In March 2020, Wilkes University temporarily suspended in-person instruction and evacuated the campus as a safety measure to address the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the leadership of interim president Paul S. Adams, the university continued basic operations and was able to safely re-open following strict protocols.

The Stark Learning Center (SLC), located on South River Street, is the largest building on campus with 220,000 sq ft (20,000 m2) housing classrooms, laboratories, and office space.

[65][66] The new bookstore, run by Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, was located in the basement and first floor of the Innovation Center on South Main Street.

[66] The bookstore included a full selection of general trade books, a full-service Starbucks cafe, lounges and study areas, and a spirit shop featuring products from both Wilkes and King's College.

[67] Colonel Corner is located inside the Henry Student Center and offers school supplies and spirit wear.

[68] In August 2017, the university dedicated the newly renovated Bartikowsky Jewelers building as the Clayton and Theresa Karambelas Media and Communications Center.

It houses WCLH 90.7 FM (the university radio station), the Beacon newspaper, Zebra Communications (a student-run public relations agency)[69] and the Sordoni Art Gallery.

[74] The library initially contained four special collection rooms - dedicated to Admiral Harold Stark, Eleanor C. Farley, Gilbert McClintock, and Wyoming Valley residents of Polish heritage.

[82] Wilkes University offers majors in science, education, engineering, business, and liberal arts for undergraduate and graduate students.

[91] For over fifty years, Wilkes University has hosted a federally funded Upward Bound program on campus starting in 1967.

Many of the clubs are athletically focused, representing sports including crew, lacrosse, running, skiing, volleyball, and ultimate Frisbee.

[103] Wilkes University Programming Board, an entertainment and event planning organization, has hosted events that featured Pennsylvania based bands such as Live and Fuel, and national favorites including Alanis Morissette, Rusted Root, Joan Osborne, Dashboard Confessional, Lifehouse, Busta Rhymes, Hoobastank, Jack's Mannequin, and Billy Joel.

Within the building second floor corridor are framed portraits of every study body president to have served as the head Student Government leader since the inception of the school.

Large meeting space that can be reserved by the Wilkes community are the Savitz Multicultural Room that includes a student painted multicultural mural that was led by long time art faculty member Sharon Cosgrove, Miller Meeting Room and the Paul S. '77 '82 and Jean Ritter '78 Adams Commons (formerly the Student Center Ballroom).

[108] The building was named after Frank M., who served as an executive officer of the local family owned bus transportation company Martz Group, a service that continues to be used by countless generations of Wilkes students to return to and from campus for visits home using the many bus routes along the northeastern corridor and its connection services.

[109] There is currently one Aramark operated full-scale buffet-style dining facility on the Wilkes campus located within the Henry Student Center on the second floor.

Established in 1973, AF ROTC Detachment 752 has trained and prepared hundreds of young men and women for future careers as USAF officers.

[114] When students graduate from Wilkes and complete the ROTC program, they earn a commission as an officer in their respective military branches.

Wilkes men's intercollegiate sports teams include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis and wrestling.

Wilkes women's intercollegiate sports teams include basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, and volleyball.

The Max Rosenn Lecture Series in Law and Humanities was established in the 1980s, and has brought many speakers to the university including author Norman Mailer, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, and journalist Bob Woodward.

[131] The Wilkes University Math and Computer Science Department hosts the Eastern Pennsylvania division of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the annual ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest.

[132] The competition is sponsored by IBM and the contest challenges the participants knowledge and creativity in solving computer programming problems.

Each year features a notable keynote speaker, hands-on workshops in the areas of telecommunications, journalism and public relations and panel discussions and presentation from media professionals and personalities.