University of Rio Grande

University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College
	University of Rio Grande campus entrance
Former names	Rio Grande College (1876–1989)
Motto	Changing Tomorrows
Type	Private university and public community college
Established	September 13, 1876; 145 years ago
Parent institution	University System of Ohio
Endowment	$21,853,211
President	Ryan Smith
Provost	David Lawrence
Students	2,300
Undergraduates	2,140
Postgraduates	160
Location	Rio Grande, Ohio, United States; 38°52′49″N 82°22′36″W / 38.880278°N 82.376667°WCoordinates: 38°52′49″N 82°22′36″W / 38.880278°N 82.376667°W
Campus	Rural, 190 acres (77 ha)
Colors	Red and white, ;
Athletics	NAIA – RSC
Nickname	RedStorm
Website	www.rio.edu

The University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community College (originally Rio Grande College)^[1] is a private university and public community college merged into one institution in Rio Grande, Ohio. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

The University of Rio Grande offers a range of courses and majors and is known in the region for its fine arts, education, and nursing programs. Additionally, its graduate program in teacher education was one of the few national programs structured around Howard Gardner's Theory of multiple intelligences. The university's Greer Museum hosts 5–6 visiting artists each year and houses the Brooks Jones Art Collection including works by Goya, Renoir, and Jasper Johns. The university Sculpture Garden contains 15 large-scale outdoor works by contemporary artists including Fletcher Benton.

History[]

Early history[]

Ira Haning, a Free Will Baptist minister, persuaded Nehemiah and Permelia Atwood, along with Eustace St. James, affluent residents and entrepreneurs, to use their wealth to establish a college. Following Nehemiah's death in 1869, the responsibility for making this dream a reality fell to his wife Permelia. In 1873, Permelia Ridgeway Atwood established an endowment and deeded 10 acres (4.0 ha) of land for Rio Grande College, which officially opened on September 13, 1876. In its first year, Ransom Dunn was president as well as professor of mental and moral philosophy.^[2]

Bob Evans Farm Hall on the campus of the University of Rio Grande, July 2007

In its earliest years, Rio Grande provided leadership in preparing teachers and Baptist ministers.

20th century[]

By 1915, Rio Grande's major focus had shifted to teacher training, which continued as a virtually singular interest for nearly 60 years.

The affiliation with the Baptists formally ended in the early 1950s. During the same time period, the farm adjacent to the campus which was owned by the college (students worked there to produce dairy products), was sold to provide much-needed operating funds for the institution. A young businessman, Bob Evans, was the buyer.

The University Of Rio Grande's alma mater, "The Red and White" was written by Eustace St. James, a 1920 graduate and replaced a former alma mater written by Franz Josef Sucher.

In 1969, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools approved Rio Grande's Accreditation. The Davis Library was constructed and dedicated three years before the first accreditation; the library was instrumental in winning accreditation.

Recent expansion[]

From 1977 to 2008, Rio Grande's campus expanded to include several new buildings and a variety of academic programs. In 1989, Rio Grande College was renamed the University of Rio Grande in recognition of its expanding curriculum. Some of the new degree programs added to the university's curriculum in the last few years include interactive media, graphic design, radiologic technology, diagnostic medical sonography and respiratory therapy. From 1996 to 1998, with tremendous community support and local assistance, Rio Grande established the Madog Center for Welsh Studies on campus (1996) and the Meigs Center in Middleport (1998). In 2001, the faculty led in making changes in academic requirements for all students (the General Education curriculum) and in converting to a semester system. In 2008, a new larger Meigs Center was constructed in Pomeroy above Meigs High School replacing the one in Middleport. Courses are also offered in Vinton County. The university also offers distance-learning programs via the Internet.

Athletics[]

The University of Rio Grande teams, nicknamed athletically as the RedStorm, are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the River States Conference (renamed from Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2016). The RedStorm previously competed in the Mid-South Conference from 2009 to 2014, and the now-defunct American Mideast Conference prior to that. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, soccer and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, soccer, softball, track & field and volleyball.

In 2008, prior to their current nickname and mascot, its former nickname was the Redmen (for men) and Redwomen (for women).

Men's soccer[]

The men's soccer team has won two NAIA Men's Soccer National Championships, in 2003 and 2015. Through the 2014 season, the men's soccer team has had 46 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-Americans.

Notable alumni[]

Bernie Bickerstaff, former NBA head coach and executive.^{[citation needed]}
Matthew Boyles, professional race walker.^[3]
Frank Cremeans, represented the state of Ohio in the United States House of Representatives.^[4]
Bevo Francis, a legendary basketball player, put Rio Grande on the map in 1954 when he scored 113 points in a single game against Hillsdale College. Francis' feat stood as an NCAA record for 58 years until Jack Taylor of Grinnell College broke the mark with a 138-point performance against Faith Baptist Bible College on November 20, 2012.
Kendell Foster Crossen, pulp fiction and science fiction writer.
Ben Hunter, professional soccer player.^{[citation needed]}
George Poffenbarger, justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
Tom Spencer, retired Major League Baseball outfielder^[5]
Robert M. Switzer, former U.S. Representative from Ohio.^[6]

References[]

^ "Raccoon Township, Gallia County, Ohio". History of Gallia County. Chicago & Toledo: H. H. Hardesty & Co., Publishers. Archived from the original on 23 December 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
^ "Raccoon Township". History of Gallia County. Chicago & Toledo: H. H. Hardesty & Co., Publishers. 1882. Archived from the original on 23 December 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
^ http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/united-states/matthew-boyles-191232
^ "CREMEANS, Frank, (1943 - 2003)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
^ "Tom Spencer Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
^ "SWITZER, Robert Mauck, (1863 - 1952)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 21, 2012.

External links[]

[RaccoonTownship-1] "Raccoon Township, Gallia County, Ohio". History of Gallia County. Chicago & Toledo: H. H. Hardesty & Co., Publishers. Archived from the original on 23 December 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.

[Raccoon1882-2] "Raccoon Township". History of Gallia County. Chicago & Toledo: H. H. Hardesty & Co., Publishers. 1882. Archived from the original on 23 December 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.

[3] ttp://www.iaaf.org/athletes/united-states/matthew-boyles-191232

[4] "CREMEANS, Frank, (1943 - 2003)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 21, 2012.

[5] "Tom Spencer Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 21, 2012.

[6] "SWITZER, Robert Mauck, (1863 - 1952)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 21, 2012.

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show v t University of Rio Grande
Campuses	Main Campus Meigs Center
People	Bevo Francis

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University System of Ohio

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NCAA Division II	Ashland Eagles Cedarville Yellow Jackets Central State Marauders Findlay Oilers Lake Erie Storm Malone Pioneers Notre Dame Falcons Ohio Dominican Panthers Tiffin Dragons Ursuline Arrows Walsh Cavaliers
NCAA Division III	Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets Bluffton Beavers Capital Crusaders Case Western Reserve Spartans Defiance Yellow Jackets Denison Big Red Franciscan Barons Heidelberg Student Princes John Carroll Blue Streaks Kenyon Lords and Ladies Marietta Pioneers Mount St. Joseph Lions Mount Union Purple Raiders Muskingum Fighting Muskies Oberlin Yeomen and Yeowomen Ohio Northern Polar Bears Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops Otterbein Cardinals Wilmington Quakers Wittenberg Tigers Wooster Fighting Scots
NAIA	Lourdes Gray Wolves Mount Vernon Nazarene Cougars Northwestern Ohio Racers Ohio Christian Trailblazers Rio Grande RedStorm Shawnee State Bears Wilberforce Bulldogs