The original Pierce Chapel located on Wesleyan College’s downtown site was the central feature of campus life, and its significance was enormous. After the destruction of Pierce Chapel by fire in 1963, Wesleyan had no chapel facility at all, and for fifty (50) years was the only Methodist-affiliated college in the state without a dedicated chapel building. Construction for the new 13,000 sf Pierce Chapel began in December 2013 and was completed in early 2015. With a capacity of about 300 people, Pierce Chapel provides space for campus-wide worship services, religious life programming, recitals, and weddings. The lower level provides meeting space for faith-based programs, campus groups, and the chaplain’s office.  The facility also includes a warming kitchen for group meals.

Pierce Chapel has achieved a Silver certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) ratings system for New Construction version 3. The project includes energy efficient HVAC and lighting systems.