Ohio Christian University
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2021) |
 Ohio Christian University Seal | |
Former names | Mount of Praise Bible College (1947–1948) Circleville Bible College (1948–2006) |
|---|---|
| Motto | Follow Christ, Lead the Way |
| Type | Private university |
| Established | 1947 |
| Accreditation | HLC |
Religious affiliation | Churches of Christ in Christian Union |
| President | Ronald E Smith |
| Students | 1,600 (fall 2022)[1] |
| Undergraduates | 1,439 |
| Postgraduates | 161 |
| Location | , , U.S. 39°36′45″N 82°54′18″W / 39.6126°N 82.9051°W |
| Campus | Rural |
| Colors | Blue & Silver |
| Nickname | Trailblazers |
Sporting affiliations | NAIA – River States NCCAA Division I – Midwest |
| Website | www |
 | |
Ohio Christian University (OCU) is a private Christian college in Circleville, Ohio. It is denominationally affiliated with the Churches of Christ in Christian Union.
History[edit]
The school was founded in 1948 as Mount of Praise Bible College, which met at the Mount of Praise Campground, where the Churches of Christ in Christian Union held annual revivalist camp meetings. The primary objective of the bible college was to train ministers for the Churches of Christ in Christian Union denomination. It later became Circleville Bible College. In 2006, the college changed its name to Ohio Christian University and received regional accreditation.
The university was granted an exception to Title IX in 2016 which allows it to legally discriminate against LGBT students for religious reasons.[2]
Presidents[edit]
| Name | Service Period |
|---|---|
| Everett A. Keaton | 1948-1952 |
| Guy C. Johnson | 1952-1953 |
| Richard G. Humble | 1953-1956 |
| Glen Johnson | 1956-1959 |
| Morton W. Dorsey | 1959-1964 |
| Melvin Maxwell | 1964-1980 |
| Douglas Carter | 1980-1989 |
| David Van Hoose | 1989-1994 |
| John Conley | 1995-2005 |
| Mark A. Smith | 2006-2017 |
| Jon S. Kulaga | 2017–2022 |
| Ronald E. Smith | 2022-Present |
Campus[edit]
The university sits on the outskirts of Circleville, Ohio. Classes are located in the Maxwell Center, Johnson Hall, and the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center. Students reside as freshmen in York Hall and Moore Hall. From there, they may choose to live in New Hall for women and New 2 Hall for men, or a selection of on-campus townhouses.
Since 2008, Maxwell Center has expanded by adding the science and logistics center and a student development center.
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Entrance Sign -
Randolph Graham Administrative Center -
Floyd and Gladys Detty Chapel -
Maxwell Center -
Ministry & Performing Arts Center
Academics[edit]
| Academic rankings | |
|---|---|
| Master's | |
| Washington Monthly[3] | 587 of 604 |
| Regional | |
| U.S. News & World Report[4] | 148 of 149 |
The school offers the Bachelor of Arts, Associate of Arts, and Master of Arts in professional fields of study. It also offers an Adult and Online Degree Program.
Ohio Christian University's Adult and Online Degree Programs offer associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees.
Accreditation[edit]
The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.[5] It is also accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education and recognized by the Churches of Christ in Christian Union, Primitive Methodist Church, Evangelical Church, and Evangelical Methodist Church for ministerial training.
Student life[edit]
The Student Involvement Council (SIC) offers activities throughout the school year. A popular activity is midnight breakfast, an event scheduled at the beginning of final examinations week, catered by favorite staff and faculty.
Chapel is housed in the Ministry & Performing Arts Center and is offered twice weekly (usually Tuesday and Thursday). Students come to worship with a live student band and hear a message by the chaplain or special guest. There is a required number of times that every student must attend while enrolled at Ohio Christian.
Hickman Student Center houses dining facilities, the office of Student Development, the department of psychology, and several classrooms. In addition, there is a full Christian bookstore, a coffee shop, and an arcade.
Athletics[edit]
The Ohio Christian athletic teams are called the Trailblazers. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the River States Conference (RSC; formerly known as the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) until after the 2015–16 school year) since the 2015–16 academic year.[6] They are also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the Midwest Region of the Division I level.
Ohio Christian competes in 19 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis and track & field (indoor and outdoor); while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball; and co-ed sports include disc golf and eSports.
Notable alumni[edit]
- Jaron Crane, member of the Idaho House of Representatives
- John C. Maxwell, author and leadership coach
- Stan Toler, former general superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene
References[edit]
- ^ "College Navigator - Ohio Christian University".
- ^ "Worst List: The Absolute Worst Campuses for LGBTQ Youth". Campus Pride. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
- ^ "2023 Master's University Rankings". Washington Monthly. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
- ^ "Best Colleges 2023: Regional Universities Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
- ^ "Statement of Accreditation Status, Ohio Christian University". 26 September 2022.
- ^ "NAIA Approves New Members at 74th Annual National Convention". 14 April 2015.
