Ohio Christian University
 | |
Former names | Mount of Praise Bible College, Circleville Bible College |
|---|---|
| Type | Private |
| Established | 1947 |
| Affiliation | Churches of Christ in Christian Union |
| President | Dr. Jon Kulaga |
| Students | 3,300 |
| Location |
Circleville, Ohio, United States 39°36′45″N 82°54′19″W / 39.612638°N 82.905146°WCoordinates: 39°36′45″N 82°54′19″W / 39.612638°N 82.905146°W |
| Campus | Rural |
| Colors | Blue and silver |
| Athletics | NAIA – RSC |
| Nickname | Trailblazers |
| Affiliations | Churches of Christ in Christian Union |
| Website | www.ohiochristian.edu |
Ohio Christian University (OCU) is a private college in Circleville, Ohio. The school is denominationally affiliated with the Churches of Christ in Christian Union.
History
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.
Over the past several years, the University has seen tremendous growth. In Fall 2011, total enrollment reached 2,382 with about 600 on campus and the rest online or at satellite locations.[1][2]
Former presidents
| 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 | 2005-2017 |
Campus
The university sits on the outskirts of Circleville, Ohio. Classes are located in the Maxwell Center, Johnson Hall, and the science and logistics center. Students reside as freshmen in York Hall and Moore Hall. From there, they may choose to live in Lewis Moats Hall, New Hall, an offsite residence named Terrace, or townhouses.
Since 2008, Maxwell Center has expanded by adding the science and logistics center and a student development center.
Entrance Sign
Raymond Lewis Moats Hall
Randolph Graham Administrative Center
Floyd and Gladys Detty Chapel
Moore Hall
Dean and Diana Hickman Student Center
Conley Ministry Center
G. C. Johnson Hall/Welcome Center
Maxwell Center
York Hall
Melvin and Laura Maxwell Library
Olson Field
Academics
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. Their online counseling degrees are the most affordable in the United States.[3] It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Ohio Christian University's Adult and Online Degree Programs offer associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. OCU offers online education and evening or weekend classes at campuses in Ohio and Georgia. Ohio campus locations include Dublin, Columbus, Pataskala, Grove City, Lancaster, Circleville, Chillicothe, Nelsonville and the campuses of Southern State Community College in Wilmington, Washington Court House, Hillsboro and Sardinia. The Georgia campus is located in Milner.
Accreditation
- Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission
- Accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education
- Authorized by the Ohio Board of Regents to offer associate, baccalaureate, and masters level education.
- Chartered by the State of Ohio.
- Approved by the United States Office of Education for participation in the federal students financial aid programs.
- Approved by the Ohio Board of Regents to offer teacher education programs.
- Approved by the United States Department of Justice for the education of foreign students.
- Approved by the Internal Revenue Service for Social Security benefits for eligible students.
- Approved to train Veterans or eligible persons.
- Recognized by the Churches of Christ in Christian Union, Primitive Methodist Church, Evangelical Church and Evangelical Methodist Church, for ministerial training.
Student life
The Student Activities Council (SAC) offers activities throughout the school year. Among the more popular activities are Friday Night Live, a live variety show written and performed by students. Performed in Detty Chapel, the night is usually hosted by an alumnus or faculty member. Another 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 Detty Chapel and is offered twice every 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.
A Student Development 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.
The Trailblazers, as the school's athletic teams are called, compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in the River States Conference (RSC). Men's sports include baseball, soccer, basketball, track and field, cross country, tennis, and golf. Women's sports include volleyball, basketball, soccer, cross country, softball, tennis, track and field, and golf.
Athletics
Ohio Christian was accepted by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for membership beginning with the 2015-16 school year.[4] The athletic program has been a member of the River States Conference (known before 2016–17 as the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) since that time.
Notable alumni
- John C. Maxwell, author and leadership coach
- Stan Toler, General Superintendent, Church of the Nazarene