Ohio Christian University
Ohio Christian University (OCU) is a private Christian college in Circleville, Ohio. The school is denominationally affiliated with the Churches of Christ in Christian Union.
 | |
Former names | Mount of Praise Bible College, Circleville Bible College |
|---|---|
| Type | Private university |
| Established | 1947 |
Religious affiliation | Churches of Christ in Christian Union |
| President | Jon S. Kulaga |
| Students | 500 |
| Location | , U.S. 39°36′45″N 82°54′18″W |
| Campus | Rural |
| Colors | Blue & silver |
| Nickname | Trailblazers |
Sporting affiliations | NAIA – RSC |
| Website | www |
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.
The university was granted an exception to Title IX in 2016 which allows it to legally discriminate against LGBT students for religious reasons.[1]
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 | 2006-2017 |
| Jon S. Kulaga | 2017–present |
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
Randolph Graham Administrative Center
Floyd and Gladys Detty Chapel
Maxwell Center
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.
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
The university is institutionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, though on February 27, 2020, the Higher Learning Commission put the institution on Notice because it is at risk of being out of compliance with the criteria for accreditation. It is also institutionally 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
The Student Involvement Council (SIC) 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 the Ministry & Performing Arts Center (MPAC), 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 the Ministry & Performing Arts Center and is offered twice weekly (usually Monday and Wednesday). 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.
Ohio Christian University is ranked among the "Absolute Worst Campuses for LGBTQ Youth" in the US by Campus Pride.[1]
Athletics
Ohio Christian athletic teams are 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 academic year) since the 2015–16 academic year.[2] The Trailblazers are also a member of the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA).
Ohio Christian competes in 18 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 eSports.
Notable alumni
- John C. Maxwell, author and leadership coach
- Stan Toler, General Superintendent, Church of the Nazarene
References
- "Worst List: The Absolute Worst Campuses for LGBTQ Youth". Campus Pride. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
- "NAIA Approves New Members at 74th Annual National Convention". 14 April 2015.
