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Overview | History | Mission
| Academic Program | Faculty
Profile Student Profile | Student
Activities | Alumni/Fundraising | Campus/Facilities Overview Ohio Wesleyan University -- or OWU (pronounced "oh-WOO") --
is a strong liberal arts college that is nationally known for its blend
of scholarship and teaching, service learning, and student engagement.
Chartered in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan is a highly selective, coeducational,
residential, privately supported liberal arts college located 20 minutes
north of Columbus in Delaware, Ohio, a vibrant community of 26,000 and
seat of one of the fastest-growing counties in the country. With a campus of more than 200 acres adjoining the downtown, the Ohio
Wesleyan community includes 135 full-time faculty members and some 1,850
students from 44 states and 45 countries. Consistently ranked by U.S.
News and World Report among the nation's top 100 liberal arts colleges,
Ohio Wesleyan is distinguished by an outstanding faculty dedicated to
preparing a diverse student body for a lifetime of learning, service and
leadership. One of the nation's leading small liberal arts colleges, OWU has grown
increasingly strong particularly during the past decade. Increases in
the quality of the student body have contributed to a rising academic
reputation. A collegial and participatory planning and governance process
has united the University community around shared goals and challenges.
Initiatives in volunteerism and public service have strengthened the historic
link between liberal arts learning and the civic arts of citizenship.
An aggressive strategy for recruiting and educating honors students has
provided a boost in the academic atmosphere. Back to top History Founded by Methodists in 1842, OWU maintains an active affiliation with
The United Methodist Church and is recognized nationally for welcoming
students of all religious faiths. The University provides support for
all denominations and coordinates an active program of social action and
community service. Known early in its history as the "West Point
of Missions" because of the number of graduates who served abroad
as missionaries, Ohio Wesleyan later was recognized for the number of
alumni who served as Peace Corps volunteers. Today, that same commitment
to serving society manifests itself in the activities of OWU's students,
an extraordinary percentage of whom participate in volunteer initiatives.
A genuine sense of service permeates the campus. Ohio Wesleyan has a distinguished history. In 1906, it stood first among
all colleges in the number of alumni doing graduate work at Harvard. According
to a study by the National Research Council in the 1970s, updated in 1980,
Ohio Wesleyan ranked 17th among America's 867 four-year, private, primarily
undergraduate institutions on the number of alumni in all fields who earned
PhDs in the years since 1920. A similar study in 1982 by Standard and
Poor's Corporation ranked the same 867 institutions on producing U.S.
business leaders from among their undergraduates. In that survey, Ohio
Wesleyan ranked 15th. A 1986 study, titled "Educating America's Scientists:
The Role of the Research Universitys," identified Ohio Wesleyan as
one of 48 highly selective "science-active" liberal arts institutions
in the nation. F. Sherwood Rowland '48 is the 1995 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry. Back to top Mission Ohio Wesleyan's charter provides that "the University is forever
to be conducted on the most liberal principles, accessible to all religious
denominations, and designed for the benefit of our citizens in general."
In the spirit of its heritage, the University defines itself as a community
of teachers and students devoted to the free pursuit of truth. It develops,
in its students, qualities of intellect and character that will be useful
no matter what they choose to do in later life. OWU judges itself successful when it has accomplished three objectives
in its work with students: 1) To impart knowledge. Ohio Wesleyan offers students the chance to participate
in an ongoing dialogue about society's cultural past, in the belief that
a liberal education communicates what great minds have thought, great
artists have created, and great leaders have done. Also included in this
aim is new knowledge creation; a liberal education communicates what is
being acquired on the frontiers of contemporary inquiry and current advances
of the human spirit. The objective of imparting knowledge begins with
the conviction that it is intrinsically worthwhile to possess the knowledge
and insight transmitted through the humanities, arts, and sciences. 2) To develop and enhance certain important capabilities of students.
As they progress through the curriculum of the University, students make
secure the foundation skills of reading, writing, and quantitative analysis.
They build on these skills the capacity to think critically and logically,
to employ the methods of the different fields of inquiry, and to understand
the symbolic languages used to codify and communicate knowledge in today's
society. They may develop aesthetic sensibilities or creative talents
in several fields. Many students learn to integrate theory with practice
by preparing for careers within various disciplines and through pre-professional
and professional programs. 3) To place education in the context of values. Liberal education seeks
to develop in students understanding of themselves, appreciation of others,
and willingness to meet the responsibilities of citizenship in a free
society. It recognizes that trained sensitivity to private and public
value issues, grounded in a sound grasp of various cultural heritages,
is important for maturation and for living a good life. It accords high
honor to intellectual honesty. Consistent with the University's Methodist
tradition, Ohio Wesleyan encourages concern for all religious and ethical
issues and stimulates its students to examine their own views in light
of these issues. Back to top Academic Program OWU provides an undergraduate curriculum that is rigorous, balanced, and
contemporary. It confers the Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Fine Arts
(BFA), and Bachelor of Music (BM) and offers combined-degree (3-2) programs
in medical technology, optometry, physical therapy, and engineering with
outside institutions, such as Caltech and Rensselaer. Degrees are offered
through 24 academic departments and several interdisciplinary programs.
Distinctive features of the academic program include the Arneson Institute
for Practical Politics; the Woltemade Center for Economics, Business and
Entrepreneurship; the Sagan National Colloquium; a four-year Honors Program;
and extensive opportunities for independent research, internships, and
off-campus study. Back to top Faculty Profile The core strength of Ohio Wesleyan is the quality of its faculty. Again
and again, student surveys show that the high level of teaching is one
of the most positive aspects of the undergraduate experience. The faculty
is known for its commitment to teaching and to close interaction with
students inside and outside the classroom or laboratory. It is a place
where faculty members regularly get together with students in informal
settings and engage their students in one-on-one conversations. OWU's faculty numbers 135 with an additional seven equivalent full-time
positions occupied with part-time faculty that include emeriti faculty
and others from the community and nearby Columbus. One hundred percent
of the full-time faculty holds a Ph.D. or highest degree attainable in
their field. The faculty is 37% female and 63% male with 10% from underrepresented
groups. The student-faculty ratio is 13 to 1, and the average class size
is 19. Each year, many faculty members receive research grants and fellowships,
make presentations at professional meetings and publish in or serve on
editorial boards of prestigious journals, in addition to serving as officers
in their professional organizations. Examples of national awards won by
the Ohio Wesleyan faculty include National Science Foundation fellowships,
National Institutes of Health fellowships, National Endowment of the Humanities
fellowships, National Endowment of the Arts fellowships, John Simon Guggenheim
fellowships, and Fulbright fellowships. Back to top Student Profile Ohio Wesleyan's overall enrollment has grown to approximately 1,850, representing
44 states and 45 countries. The student body is 54% female, 46% male.
About 53% of the students are from Ohio. The University is strongly committed
to racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity. The multi-cultural enrollment
total of 19% includes U.S. students of color (8 %) and international students
(11%). The current freshman class presented an average SAT score of 1210;
the average ACT score was 27; the average GPA: 3.4; 55% of the class ranked
in the top 25% of their high school class; and 33% ranked in the top 10%
of their class. The faculty describe the student body as a talented, motivated
group appreciative of the opportunity Ohio Wesleyan provides. Back to top Student Activities OWU actively recruits students who are engaged in their own education,
community, and the world around them. With over 85 clubs and student organizations,
there are countless opportunities for students to become involved in the
leadership of an organization. The University also brings in a number
of speakers and stages plays and other performances on the campus. Students are encouraged to start new clubs and organizations and are supported
by the administration, faculty and peers in doing so. The Wesleyan Council
on Student Affairs, the student legislature and policy organization, is
composed of students, faculty members, and administrators. Ohio Wesleyan
students actively contribute to their own education and routinely take
on significant leadership roles. The OWU fraternity and sorority system was founded in 1853. Approximately
32% of the current student body belongs to one of 19 fraternity and sorority
organizations. A number of fraternities have houses on the residential
end of the campus. There are no residential sororities. Greek life at
OWU is inclusive; all non-Greeks are welcomed to participate in Greek-sponsored
activities, and many do. In addition to sponsoring social events, the
Greek community is also involved in a wide range of service initiatives. The Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops compete in the North Coast Athletic
Conference, one of the premier leagues of Division III athletics. Men
compete in basketball, tennis, baseball, football, lacrosse, soccer, golf,
cross-country running, sailing, track and field, swimming, as well as
diving. Women's sports include basketball, tennis, volleyball, field hockey,
lacrosse, soccer, cross-country running, sailing, track andfield, softball,
swimming, as well as diving. The most successful sports team has been
the women's soccer team, which recently won consecutive NCAA Division
III titles. Men's soccer has also performed well, recently winning five
straight NCAC titles and a national NCAA Division III title. Between 60
and 75 percent of the student body participate in intercollegiate and/or
intramural athletics at some point during the school year. Back to top Alumni/Fundraising Ohio Wesleyan has a base of more than 25,000 alumni worldwide. OWU's graduates
include Branch Rickey '04, named ESPN's Most Influential Sports Figure
of the 20th Century; F. Sherwood Rowland '48, the 1995 Nobel Laureate
in Chemistry; Norman Vincent Peale '20, self-help author of The Power
of Positive Thinking; Charles Warren Fairbanks 1872, Vice President
under Theodore Roosevelt; Pulitzer Prize winners Robert E. Lee '39 (Auntie
Mame and Inherit the Wind) and Susan Headden '77; Emmy Award-winning
actress Patricia Wettig '74; best-selling novelist Richard North Patterson
'68; Oscar-winning film producer Fred Baron '76 (Moulin Rouge);
George Conrades '61, Chairman and CEO of Akamai Technologies; and Tony
Award-winning actor Ron Leibman '58. Ohio Wesleyan has a tremendous track record of preparing students to succeed
at the next level. More than half of graduating students pursue further
study within five years of graduation. Graduate placement rates for pre-med
students average 89%, and law school acceptance rates top 95%. Here are some of the better programs that recent graduates have joined
after completion of the bachelor's degree at Ohio Wesleyan: California Institute of Technology (Caltech) » biochemistry Carnegie Mellon University » computer engineering Case Western Reserve University » electrical engineering, physics Columbia University » international relations, molecular biology Cornell University » mathematics, plant pathology, computer science Johns Hopkins University » international studies Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) » controls and robotics Northwestern University » journalism Purdue University » molecular genetics Stanford University » economics University of Chicago » sociology University of Michigan » political science University of Notre Dame » fine arts University of Pennsylvania » physics University of Virginia » chemistry The College of William and Mary » marine science Approximately 35 percent of alumni currently contribute, although 60 percent
of the total alumni have given over the years. The most recent capital
campaign ("The Campaign") exceeded the goal of $100 million
at $105 million, with $91 million of that having been secured in cash
before the official end of the Campaign. Of the money raised for The Campaign,
the top priorities were: the endowment ($51.7 million); contributions
to the annual fund ($16 million); the ConradesWetherell Science
Center ($13.5 million); the Streetscape Project, including the R.W. Corns
Building, Edgar Hall, and Haycock Hall ($9.4 million); the Raise the Roof
of University Hall project ($1 million); and Roy Rike Field renovations
($865,000). Back to top Campus/Facilities The OWU campus facilities range from the original mid-19th-century collegiate
buildings to the state-of-the-art ConradesWetherell Science Center.
A number of buildings on campus have national landmark status. The campus
is extensive and attractive and also borders on the downtown area. There
are some 1.7 million square feet of campus space as well as attractive
campus quadrangles and outdoor facilities. Student housing is concentrated
in one section of the campus with the academic and athletic facilities
in other areas. One building is currently unoccupied and slated for renovation
using receipts from the upcoming capital campaign. A street through a
portion of the campus was closed in order to create the JAYwalk, a beautifully
landscaped pedestrian walkway. The Hamilton-Williams Campus Center and
central dining facility is a welcoming campus meeting place. A president's
residence (Pritchard House) with space for entertaining was built in 1959. Major progress has been achieved with the renovation of several facilities
made possible by the last campaign. More than 90% of the student body
lives in University housing. The housing options include six large residence
halls with incorporated dining facilities and some special-interest corridors.
There are also nine Small Living Units -- or SLUs (pronounced "slews")
-- which are theme houses for 10 to 15 students each, such as the Creative
Arts House, the Woman's House, and the House of Thought, as well as 10
residential fraternity houses. The centrally located Beeghly Library houses 503,000 volumes, one of the
largest collections in the country for a college of Ohio Wesleyan's size.
The library's federal document depository is among the nation's oldest
and largest with an additional 200,000 reference documents. The collection
is further enhanced by memberships in OhioLINK and CONSORT. The new science
buildings house a wide variety of state of the art equipment including
a scanning electron microscope and scanning and transmission electron
microscopes co-owned by USDA labs. The science center also includes its
own green house. Two university wilderness preserves cover a total of
100 acres. OWU also has two observatories -- one, the historically significant
Perkins Observatory, containing a 32-inch reflecting telescope. Gray Chapel in University Hall houses the impressive 4,500-pipe Rexford
Keller Memorial Organ, the largest of only six Klais concert organs that
exist in the United States. The new R.W. Corns Building houses the Woltemade
Center for Economics, Business, and Entrepreneurship; the Economics Department;
the Sagan Academic Resource Center; and Information Systems. The recently
renovated Edgar Hall provides top-notch design workspaces for the Fine
Arts Department, while -- across Sandusky Street -- the equally new Richard
M. Ross Art Museum has quickly become a well-known regional gallery. Ohio
Wesleyan also has a state-of-the-art Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
computer laboratory. OWU takes justifiable pride in the beauty and quality
of its campus. Back to top OWU Home | Search/FAQ | Directories | Campus
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