Welcome to Ohio University

I am proud and happy to welcome you to my alma mater. A 1970 graduate, I returned 34 years later to serve as Ohio University's 20th president.

Ohio University has a rich and distinguished history. Established in 1804 as the first university in the state of Ohio and the Northwest Territory, the university maintains its strong devotion to educating students for the challenges of the future. Our commitment to academic excellence in both undergraduate and graduate fields of study is evident by the outstanding faculty and facilities on the main campus in Athens and the university's five regional campuses.

The Athens campus serves approximately 20,000 students hailing from all 50 states and nearly 100 nations. The university serves as a major educational and cultural institution in southeastern Ohio. Holding 150 agreements with international universities, opportunities abound for students to participate in international study in such countries as Mexico, Spain, Germany, England and Hong Kong.

The university offers more than 270 undergraduate areas of study in a variety of fields including world religions, dietetics, theater, physics, communication studies, African American studies, retail merchandising, meteorology, and journalism. Students also have the choice of creating a program unique to meet their own desired professional and academic goals. The university is also home to the Honors Tutorial College, which is the only degree-granting college in the country that incorporates all the essential features of the traditional tutorial system used for centuries at Oxford and Cambridge Universities in England.

From studies of dinosaur anatomy and nanotechnology to rural diabetes rates and headache pain, Ohio University is a vital research institution. The university is designated a Doctoral/Research-Extensive university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Only 151 schools -- 3.8 percent -- of the 3,941 schools assessed by the Carnegie Foundation are classified as research universities. According to the Carnegie definition, "These institutions typically offer a wide range of baccalaureate programs and they are committed to graduate education through the doctorate. During the period studied, they awarded 50 or more doctoral degrees per year across at least 15 disciplines."

While the spirit of exploration and discovery through research is a key to the success of our university, none of it can be done without collaboration and student involvement. And for the student gaining research experience, the real value is not just in the thrill of discovery but also the skills and relationships developed through the hands-on learning process.

The student experience at Ohio University goes beyond the boundaries of the classroom walls. Recreation is an important part of the opportunities available to students at Ohio University from varsity and club sports, to recreational facilities like the nine-hole golf course and the Ping Recreation Center, which is the largest campus facility of its kind in the country. The center also features a 36-foot, double sided-climbing wall and spaces for a variety of sporting and fitness activities.

While improving the educational experience for our students is our mission here, we also are committed to providing service to our region and community. Students are a big part of making that happen. Through the university's center for community service more than 4,000 Ohio University students annually are connected to 70 nonprofit organizations in the Athens area. And through our Innovation Center and the Voinovich Center, the region is receiving the resources it needs for addressing its unique economic challenges.

Rich in providing excellence in higher education for 200 years, I encourage you to explore Ohio University during your online visit.