Ohio Valley University

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Ohio Valley University
Ohio Valley University seal
Seal of Ohio Valley University
Former names
Ohio Valley College
TypePrivate college
Established1960
Religious affiliation
Christian
EndowmentUS$931 thousand
PresidentMichael Ross
Academic staff
15
Undergraduates226
Location, ,
United States

39°18′16″N 81°32′3″W / 39.30444°N 81.53417°W / 39.30444; -81.53417Coordinates: 39°18′16″N 81°32′3″W / 39.30444°N 81.53417°W / 39.30444; -81.53417
CampusUrban, 267 acres (1.1 km²)
ColorsNavy, Grey and Red
AthleticsNAIA - RSC
NicknameFighting Scots
AffiliationsNAIA, River States Conference (RSC)
Websitewww.ovu.edu
OhioValleyCollegeLogo.png

Ohio Valley University is a private Christian college between Parkersburg and Vienna in West Virginia.

Founded in 1958 (with classes beginning in fall 1960), the school integrates education with biblical faith and service to God and humanity. The college is physically located on two separate campuses totalling 267 acres (1.1 km²). OVU offers bachelor's degrees in more than 30 different subject areas. Although it is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, the university is currently on probation.

History[]

In 1956 several alumni of Harding University formed a committee to establish a Christian college in the West Virginia area. A foundation was formed to solicit funds for the future college.[1]

On September 14, 1960, the Ohio Valley College opened with classes being offered at South Parkersburg Church of Christ. In 1963 the South Campus opened with an administrative and classroom building on 133 acres (538,000 m²) between Parkersburg and Vienna which had been purchased in 1958. Two dormitories were opened that same year. An additional dormitory and library were built in 1966. Three years later an auditorium and student center opened. A cafeteria and student center opened in the 1979-80 school year. An athletic complex was built in 1992.[1]

In 1994 the college doubled its campus size with the purchase of 134 acres (542,000 m²) and a four-story building from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia. This separate campus became the North Campus. The new campus contained two auditoriums, several classrooms, cafeteria, dining and conference rooms, dormitory with 225 beds, a chapel, and two athletic fields. The school renovated the North Campus facility and constructed two new dormitories with a connecting lobby in 2003.[1]

In 2005 the college changed its name to Ohio Valley University.[1]

Student life[]

All full-time students must attend daily Chapel services, and first-year dormitory residents follow a curfew system.

Ohio Valley University does not have national fraternities and sororities. Instead, the school has localized social clubs (co-ed at OVU). There are currently three social clubs – Delta, Kappa, and Sigma.[2] Clubs compete in intramural activities, service projects and Expressions—a musical concert held annually in the Spring.

A full-service cafeteria is located in the campus's Stotts Administrative Building.

The university offers opportunities in several performing groups. These groups include the OVU Singers, which is composed of approximately 32 singers. This group performs at congregations, youth rallies, and other venues. The Ambassadors is a dramatic group which travels around to youth rallies, camps, and other church related events. The OVU Jazz Ensemble is an integrated group of students and community members composed of woodwind, brass, and string ensembles and groups of a variety of instrumentation. The Ensemble performs at two on campus concerts a year and frequently give performances for the community. Express is the college's contemporary Christian a cappella performing group. This group performs at over 200 events per year.

Academics[]

OVU stresses a Christian world view throughout its educational endeavors, and all students must complete an instructional Bible component each semester. The institution has 35 different degree tracks and 33 minor concentrations within the Colleges of Business, Biblical Education, Education, and Arts and Sciences.

In recent years, OVU has put significant effort into becoming a 21st Century center of academic innovation and excellence, and to that end has a number of unique programs in place, with more planned. Among the highlights are the Integrated Marketing and Communications degree program, which came online in 2018.

Energy is a major focus at OVU, in part as an outgrowth of the growing oil and gas industry in West Virginia and southeastern Ohio. OVU is also affiliated with the ACE Educational Foundation, which has led efforts to construct a 90-100 megawatt clean coal gasification plant in Vienna, West Virginia by 2020. In addition to becoming a major revenue generator for the local community, the plant is expected to serve as a location where undergraduates can learn strong business practices and learn how a functioning power plant operates. Part of the effort includes making practical use of excess carbon dioxide in an on-site aquaculture greenhouse through a partnership with ECSIA.

In June 2020, the Higher Learning Commission placed the university on probation for failure to comply with the accreditation standard related to adequate finances. The commission will reevaluate if the institution has demonstrated if it is compliance with the criteria for accreditation and if probation can be removed in June 2022.[3]

Athletics[]

The school's sports teams are known as the Fighting Scots and compete in the River States Conference (RSC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The school was part of the NCAA's Division II from 1999-2021, and while there, it was the smallest member of the division in the entire nation. All athletic teams compete in the RSC, but as of May 2021, the conference does not sponsor wrestling championships. During OVU's time in NCAA Division II, which began when the school moved to the NCAA from the NAIA and they joined the now-defunct West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) in 1999, the Fighting Scots captured eight conference championships (Men's Golf 2003, 2009 [both WVIAC]; Baseball 2006 [WVIAC]; Women's Golf 2010 [WVIAC]; Men's Soccer 2017, 2020/21 [GMAC]; Women's Soccer 2017, 2018 [GMAC]). Due to COVID, the 2020 fall sports seasons were played in the spring of 2021. One particular highlight of the 2020/21 season for the men's soccer team was a 1-1 draw with eventual 2020 NCAA Division I national champion Marshall University on February 13, 2021, in Huntington, West Virginia (the match was played as an exhibition for Ohio Valley and as a regular season match for Marshall). Marshall was ranked #9 in Division I at the time of the match, and the Fighting Scots were less than four minutes away from a huge upset before the Thundering Herd tied the match late on a corner kick. Neither team scored in either of the two overtime sessions. On April 15, 2021, the Fighting Scots' men's soccer team clinched the regular season G-MAC championship following a 3-0 win at Trevecca Nazarene University. On Sunday, May 2, 2021, they followed up the regular season championship with a 2-0 defeat of Tiffin University in the championship final of the G-MAC Soccer Tournament hosted by Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio, and earned the 2020-21 G-MAC Men's Soccer Championship. They finished the 2020-21 regular season and conference tournament with an 11-0-0 record. On May 11, 2021, the final edition of the United Soccer Coaches poll was released, and the Fighting Scots soccer team finished ranked #3 in all of NCAA Division II, its highest final ranking ever. The OVU women's volleyball team reached the G-MAC championship game in 2014 and was defeated in the final game by reigning champion Cedarville University. Men's and Women's soccer teams also made conference tournament appearances in 2017 and 2018 under coach Luis Rincon. During the 2018-19 school year, the school brought back the Cheerleading program. The OVU Cheerleading Squad cheers for Men's and Women's Basketball games.

The WVIAC announced its dissolution following the 2012–13 school year, and during the initial stages of this process, OVU found a new conference home in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) in the fall of 2013.[4] The Scots, along with Alderson-Broaddus, Davis & Elkins, and Salem International all entered the G-MAC.[4]

On February 11, 2021, it was announced that Ohio Valley University had been approved as a provisional member of the River States Conference, pending OVU's reinstatement and subsequent return to the NAIA. Upon reinstatement, the Fighting Scots would become full members of the conference on July 1, 2021.[5]

It was announced on May 27, 2021, that Ohio Valley had been granted full membership to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), effective immediately. In joining the aforementioned River States Conference, the Fighting Scots would be immediately eligible for any and all conference and national postseason competition beginning with the 2021-22 academic year.[6]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d OVU History
  2. ^ "Student Clubs — Ohio Valley University". Ohio Valley University. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  3. ^ https://www.hlcommission.org/download/_PublicDisclosureNotices/Public%20Disclosure%20Notice%20-%20Ohio%20Valley%20University%206.30.20.pdf
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "G-MAC News: Conference Adds Three New Members" (Press release). Great Midwest Athletic Conference. August 21, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  5. ^ https://fightingscots.ovu.edu/news/2021/2/11/general-ohio-valley-approved-as-provisional-member-of-rsc.aspx
  6. ^ https://fightingscots.ovu.edu/news/2021/5/27/general-ohio-valley-university-officialy-moves-to-naia.aspx

External links[]

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