Ohio Northern University
Encyclopedia
Ohio Northern University is a private, United Methodist Church
-affiliated university
located in the United States
in Ada, Ohio
, founded by Henry Solomon Lehr
in 1871. ONU is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission
and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
. ONU is a sister university with Dankook University
, a private university in Seoul, South Korea. In 2008, U.S. News & World Report
listed Ohio Northern as the second-best comprehensive college in the Midwest.
Prior to 1973, the law school was known as "the Warren G. Harding
College of Law". It was renamed in honor of Claude W. Pettit, a judge and former dean of the college.
Henry Solomon Lehr
, a former soldier in the American Civil War
, became the schoolmaster
for the Ada
public school in 1866. Lehr began offering additional courses in the evenings to motivated students to cover topics beyond the standard curriculum. After five years, he approached the town about starting a college. In August 1871, the Northwestern Ohio Normal School started with nearly 150 students attending classes in downtown stores and local churches until the first classroom building was completed in October. Lehr built the college, and was involved in all activities, including teaching, construction of buildings, faculty selection and curriculum design. In the post-civil war period, the school’s focus was on training individuals to become public school teachers. By the mid-1880s, the school’s curriculum had expanded to include programs in pharmacy, engineering, law, and business. In 1885, the school trustees changed the name to Ohio Normal University to reflect the expanded aspirations and scope.
President Lehr’s educational philosophy emphasized low tuition, flexible schedule and curriculum, and allowed women as students and faculty. To secure the school’s future, Lehr tried to secure state support for the school, but when that failed, he arranged to transfer the school to the United Methodist Church
. When the transfer was completed in 1899, he was succeeded by Dr. Leroy Belt in 1900, and then by Dr. Albert Edwin Smith in 1905.
. Fraternities
had continued presence on campus, and Smith fought to maintain the student code which forbids smoking and drinking.
During the Great Depression
and World War II
, the school struggled financially as student enrollment dropped. Dr. Robert Williams introduced economy measures by reducing the administrative staff and combining academic programs. During the war years, the university participated in government programs supporting the Army Air Corps
and Navy
. In the 1940s, both the yearbook
and student newspaper
ceased publication, a classroom building was closed, and intercollegiate sports were suspended. President McClure served his first year without pay and many of the faculty went unpaid or on reduced salaries.
By 1949, Dr. F. Bringle McIntosh shifted the school’s focus from survival to enhancing academic programs and securing accreditation. During the following years, individual programs were accredited and in 1958 the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools accredited the undergraduate program.
Throughout the 1960s, a number of ONU students and faculty/staff participated in the American Civil Rights Movement
. ONU hosted Dr. Martin Luther King on January 11, 1968, four days before his 39th birthday and just three months before his assassination. During his visit at ONU, Dr. King famously spoke regarding the myth that many immigrant and/or ethnic groups successfully pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, whereas African Americans were incapable of doing so.
Under Dr. Samuel Lewis Meyer and Dr. Ray B. Loeschner, the university continued to expand its campus and curriculum, enjoying financial stability from steadily increasing enrollment. In the 1970s, new buildings included the Heterick Memorial Library, the Tilton College of Law and Taggart Law Library, the Wesley Center, the Young Building for Philosophy and Religion, the Biggs Engineering Building, the King-Horn Convocation Center, ONU Sports Center, Park Hall, two McIntosh extensions, along with refurbishing the Taft Building, the Wilson Art Center, and the Meyer Hall of Science. Five national honorary societies established chapters on campus, student organizations grew, and intercollegiate athletic teams expanded.
. Current construction projects include the Mathile Center for the Natural Sciences annex connecting Meyer Hall of Science with the Pharmacy building and a comprehensive renovation of all on-campus housing. In 2008, Ohio Northern University built and opened The Inn at Ohio Northern University, which contains over 70 deluxe guestrooms.
and technology revolutionized academic administrative activities and supported classroom activities. With the addition of the Internet, the university began offering its first distance learning
courses in the pharmacy program. Today, there are over 1,200 networked computers and Internet access on campus.
ONU students participate in intercollegiate, intramural
, and sports clubs in a variety of sports. The ONU Polar Bears compete in the Division III Ohio Athletic Conference
(OAC). The men's volleyball team participates in the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association
in the Great Midwest Men's Volleyball Conference.
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
-affiliated university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
located in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in Ada, Ohio
Ada, Ohio
Ada is a village in Hardin County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,582 at the 2000 census. In 2006, the village's population was estimated at 5,841, and the 2010 census counted 5,952 people....
, founded by Henry Solomon Lehr
Henry Solomon Lehr
Henry Solomon Lehr was the founder of Ohio Northern University. The Lehr Building at that school was named in his honor.Born the 11th child to George and Salome Lehr in Oldtown, Mahoning County, Ohio, Henry Lehr first attended school at the age of 12 while still working full-time as a farm hand...
in 1871. ONU is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission
The Higher Learning Commission
The Higher Learning Commission is part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The Higher Learning Commission oversees the accreditation of degree-granting colleges and universities in nineteen Midwestern and South-Central states, including Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa,...
and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
. ONU is a sister university with Dankook University
Dankook University
Dankook University is a private university in South Korea. Dankook University has been constantly recognized as one of top universities in Asia ranked 148th in Asia by QS Asian Universities Ranking in 2010...
, a private university in Seoul, South Korea. In 2008, U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
listed Ohio Northern as the second-best comprehensive college in the Midwest.
Academic programs
The university comprises five colleges:- Getty College of Arts and Sciences - official site
- James F. Dicke College of Business Administration - official site
- T.J. Smull College of Engineering - official site
- Rudolph H. Raabe College of Pharmacy - official site
- Claude W. Pettit College of LawOhio Northern University, Pettit College of LawOhio Northern University Pettit College of Law, commonly referred to as ONU Law, is a private, non-profit law school located in Ada, Ohio. Also known as the Claude W...
(established 1885) - official site
Prior to 1973, the law school was known as "the Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
College of Law". It was renamed in honor of Claude W. Pettit, a judge and former dean of the college.
Early years
Henry Solomon Lehr
Henry Solomon Lehr was the founder of Ohio Northern University. The Lehr Building at that school was named in his honor.Born the 11th child to George and Salome Lehr in Oldtown, Mahoning County, Ohio, Henry Lehr first attended school at the age of 12 while still working full-time as a farm hand...
, a former soldier in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, became the schoolmaster
Schoolmaster
A schoolmaster, or simply master, once referred to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British public schools, but is generally obsolete elsewhere.The teacher in charge of a school is the headmaster...
for the Ada
Ada, Ohio
Ada is a village in Hardin County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,582 at the 2000 census. In 2006, the village's population was estimated at 5,841, and the 2010 census counted 5,952 people....
public school in 1866. Lehr began offering additional courses in the evenings to motivated students to cover topics beyond the standard curriculum. After five years, he approached the town about starting a college. In August 1871, the Northwestern Ohio Normal School started with nearly 150 students attending classes in downtown stores and local churches until the first classroom building was completed in October. Lehr built the college, and was involved in all activities, including teaching, construction of buildings, faculty selection and curriculum design. In the post-civil war period, the school’s focus was on training individuals to become public school teachers. By the mid-1880s, the school’s curriculum had expanded to include programs in pharmacy, engineering, law, and business. In 1885, the school trustees changed the name to Ohio Normal University to reflect the expanded aspirations and scope.
President Lehr’s educational philosophy emphasized low tuition, flexible schedule and curriculum, and allowed women as students and faculty. To secure the school’s future, Lehr tried to secure state support for the school, but when that failed, he arranged to transfer the school to the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
. When the transfer was completed in 1899, he was succeeded by Dr. Leroy Belt in 1900, and then by Dr. Albert Edwin Smith in 1905.
Growth and struggle
Between 1900 and 1930, the school grew and was re-organized administratively. During this period, the name changed to Ohio Northern University. A medical school and agriculture school were started, but subsequently closed. As high schools became more common in Ohio, ONU closed its preparatory program, which had allowed students to prepare for college. Dr. Smith traveled extensively on behalf of the school, and secured donations of nearly $500,000 for the first endowment fundFinancial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
. Fraternities
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
had continued presence on campus, and Smith fought to maintain the student code which forbids smoking and drinking.
During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the school struggled financially as student enrollment dropped. Dr. Robert Williams introduced economy measures by reducing the administrative staff and combining academic programs. During the war years, the university participated in government programs supporting the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
and Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. In the 1940s, both the yearbook
Yearbook
A yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
and student newspaper
Student newspaper
A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
ceased publication, a classroom building was closed, and intercollegiate sports were suspended. President McClure served his first year without pay and many of the faculty went unpaid or on reduced salaries.
Post-war education boom
In 1944, the G.I. Bill enabled veteran military servicemen to attend college across the country. ONU received an influx of students in fall of 1945, and which continued for several years, straining the local housing and forcing the university, under the leadership of Dr. Robert McClure, to add trailers and student dormitories.By 1949, Dr. F. Bringle McIntosh shifted the school’s focus from survival to enhancing academic programs and securing accreditation. During the following years, individual programs were accredited and in 1958 the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools accredited the undergraduate program.
Throughout the 1960s, a number of ONU students and faculty/staff participated in the American Civil Rights Movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
. ONU hosted Dr. Martin Luther King on January 11, 1968, four days before his 39th birthday and just three months before his assassination. During his visit at ONU, Dr. King famously spoke regarding the myth that many immigrant and/or ethnic groups successfully pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, whereas African Americans were incapable of doing so.
Under Dr. Samuel Lewis Meyer and Dr. Ray B. Loeschner, the university continued to expand its campus and curriculum, enjoying financial stability from steadily increasing enrollment. In the 1970s, new buildings included the Heterick Memorial Library, the Tilton College of Law and Taggart Law Library, the Wesley Center, the Young Building for Philosophy and Religion, the Biggs Engineering Building, the King-Horn Convocation Center, ONU Sports Center, Park Hall, two McIntosh extensions, along with refurbishing the Taft Building, the Wilson Art Center, and the Meyer Hall of Science. Five national honorary societies established chapters on campus, student organizations grew, and intercollegiate athletic teams expanded.
Recent growth
Growth continued under Dr. DeBow Freed through the 1980s and 1990s with additions to the Taggart Law Library, Presser Hall, Dukes Memorial, Wilson Art Building, Biggs Engineering, Heterick Memorial Library, and Meyer Hall of Science, and the construction of the Freed Center for the Performing Arts and a new president’s on-campus home. Under Dr. Kendall Baker, campus additions include Dicke Hall, an expansion of the Robertson-Evans Pharmacy building, and the Dial-Roberson StadiumDial-Roberson Stadium
Dial-Roberson All-Events Stadium is a stadium on the campus of Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, United States. The stadium is the home of the Ohio Northern Polar Bears football team, and also houses facilities for other ONU athletic teams...
. Current construction projects include the Mathile Center for the Natural Sciences annex connecting Meyer Hall of Science with the Pharmacy building and a comprehensive renovation of all on-campus housing. In 2008, Ohio Northern University built and opened The Inn at Ohio Northern University, which contains over 70 deluxe guestrooms.
Technology growth
Starting in the early 1980s, the university provided computer services to a growing segment of the university’s population, expanding from a centralized mainframe to networked personal computers and a computer network. ONU joined OhioLINKOhioLINK
The Ohio Library and Information Network, OhioLINK, is a consortium of Ohio’s college and university libraries and the State Library of Ohio. Serving more than 600,000 students, faculty, and staff at 88 institutions, OhioLINK’s membership includes 16 public universities, 23 community/technical...
and technology revolutionized academic administrative activities and supported classroom activities. With the addition of the Internet, the university began offering its first distance learning
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
courses in the pharmacy program. Today, there are over 1,200 networked computers and Internet access on campus.
ONU in the 21st Century
At the turn of the 21st Century, ONU has emerged as a leading regional university with a distinguished national reputation. The addition of several highly ranked programs, such as the Rule of Law LL.M. Program have given the school international recognition as a leading body of higher learning in the U.S. More recently, the university has commenced a search for a new president with the announcement that Dr. Kendall L. Baker will retire effective August 2011. On February 4, 2010, ONU announced that its board of trustees approved the nomination of Daniel A. DiBiasio, president of Wilmington College to become the new president of Ohio Northern. DiBiasio will assume his duties starting in the 2011-12 academic year.Athletics
Intramural sports
Intramural sports or intramurals are recreational sports organized within a set geographic area. The term derives from the Latin words intra muros meaning "within walls", and was used to indicate sports matches and contests that took place among teams from "within the walls" of an ancient city...
, and sports clubs in a variety of sports. The ONU Polar Bears compete in the Division III Ohio Athletic Conference
Ohio Athletic Conference
The Ohio Athletic Conference was formed in 1902 and is the third oldest athletic conference in the United States. It competes in the NCAA's Division III. Through the years, 31 schools have been members of the OAC. The enrollments of the current ten member institutions range from 1,100 to 4,500...
(OAC). The men's volleyball team participates in the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association
Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association
The Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association is a collegiate club men's volleyball sports league in the Midwest United States...
in the Great Midwest Men's Volleyball Conference.
- The school mascot is a polar bearPolar BearThe polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
named Klondike. - The ONU varsity football team defeated Mount Union CollegeMount Union CollegeThe University of Mount Union is a 4-year private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Alliance, Ohio.Mount Union enrolls 2200 undergraduates. Approximately 50 percent are women and 50 percent are men, representing more than 22 states and 13 countries. Mount Union has an active alumni base of...
in 2005 to snap the Purple Raiders 110-game regular season winning streak. - The ONU varsity men's swim team won their 7th straight OACOhio Athletic ConferenceThe Ohio Athletic Conference was formed in 1902 and is the third oldest athletic conference in the United States. It competes in the NCAA's Division III. Through the years, 31 schools have been members of the OAC. The enrollments of the current ten member institutions range from 1,100 to 4,500...
Conference Championship in 2011. - The ONU women's volleyball team continues their NCAA All-Divisions record 33 consecutive winning seasons (1976-present)
Men’s intercollegiate teams
- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Cross countryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- Soccer
- SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Track & field
- WrestlingCollegiate wrestlingCollegiate wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the collegiate and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling emerged from the folk wrestling styles practised in the early history of the United States...
Women’s intercollegiate teams
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Cross country
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- Soccer
- SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- Swimming
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Track & field
- VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
National Honors
- 1993 Men's Basketball NCAA Division III Champions
- 2001 Men's Basketball NCAA Division III Final FourFinal fourFinal Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
- 1989 Women's Volleyball NCAA Division III Runners-up
- 2007 Men's Volleyball NIRSA Division II National Champions
- 2008 Women's Volleyball NCAA Division III Final Four
Notable alumni
- Michael K. Allen, former prosecuting attorney for Hamilton County, OhioHamilton County, OhioAs of 2000, there were 845,303 people, 346,790 households, and 212,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,075 people per square mile . There were 373,393 housing units at an average density of 917 per square mile...
. - Anthony A. AlaimoAnthony A. AlaimoAnthony A. Alaimo was a United States federal judge.Born in Termini Imerese in Sicily, Italy, Alaimo received a B.A. from Ohio Northern University in 1940, and then served as an aviator in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, from 1941 to 1945. He achieved the rank of Second...
, juristJuristA jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage... - Joe Banks, long-time college athletics figure in Ohio and Pennsylvania (not to be confused with Joseph Banks RhineJoseph Banks RhineJoseph Banks Rhine was a botanist who later developed an interest in parapsychology and psychology. Rhine founded the parapsychology lab at Duke University, the Journal of Parapsychology, and the Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man...
, listed below) - John C. Bishop, president, CEO, and chairman of Motorists Insurance Group.
- Frank T. BowFrank T. BowFrank Townsend Bow was a noted Ohio jurist and politician who served as a Republican Congressman in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1951 until his death on November 13, 1972....
, juristJuristA jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
and politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who was honored by naming the Frank T. Bow Federal Building in Canton, OhioCanton, OhioCanton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. - James Cloyd BowmanJames Cloyd BowmanJames Cloyd Bowman was an American teacher and author primarily of children's books, college text books and journals. Born in Leipsic, Ohio. Bowman grew up in Ohio and attended Ohio Northern University with graduate studies at Harvard University...
, a children's book author who received a Newbery Honor in 1938 for Pecos Bill: The Greatest Cowboy of All Time. - Benjamin BrafmanBenjamin BrafmanBenjamin "Ben" Brafman is a criminal defense attorney based in New York. He maintains a firm focused on criminal defense, Brafman Associates, in New York City and has handled cases for clients including Jacob Arabo, James Patino, Peter Gatien, Plaxico Burress, Michael Jackson, Carl Kruger, Charles...
, a prominent criminal defense attorney based in New York. - William J. BrownWilliam J. BrownWilliam J. Brown was an American lawyer, and was elected Ohio Attorney General in 1970 and served until leaving office in January 1983.Brown was from Mahoning County, Ohio. He remained active in Ohio politics through the 1990s. Brown's tenure in office is one of the longest on record for the Ohio...
, former Ohio Attorney GeneralOhio Attorney GeneralThe Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Mike DeWine.-History:...
(1971–1983). - Anthony J. Celebrezze Sr., an AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who served as the mayor of ClevelandCleveland, OhioCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and as a cabinet member in the KennedyJohn F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and JohnsonLyndon B. JohnsonLyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
administrations. - George Crile, founder of the Cleveland Clinic and inventor of the system for blood transfusion.
- Robert R. CuppRobert R. CuppRobert R. "Bob" Cupp is a Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. He was elected November 7, 2006 to a six-year term and was sworn in on January 2, 2007. His term will expire January 1, 2013....
, Ohio Supreme Court Justice. - Mike DeWineMike DeWineRichard Michael "Mike" DeWine is the Attorney General for the state of Ohio. He has held numerous offices on the state and federal level, including Ohio State Senator, four terms as a U.S. Congressman, Ohio Lt. Governor, and was a two-term U.S. Senator, serving from 1995 to 2007.- Biography :Born...
, a politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served as a U.S. SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
between 1995 and 2007. - Simeon Davison Fess, a Republican politician a former president of Antioch CollegeAntioch CollegeAntioch College is a private, independent liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was the founder and the flagship institution of the six-campus Antioch University system. Founded in 1852 by the Christian Connection, the college began operating in 1853 with politician and...
. - Stacey Hairston, former Cleveland Browns player.
- Robert Franklin JonesRobert Franklin JonesRobert Franklin Jones was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio.Robert F. Jones was born in Cairo, Ohio. He graduated from the Lima Central High School in Lima, Ohio, in 1924 and in 1929 from Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, with a law degree...
, graduated with a law degree. Served as Allen County (Ohio) prosecuting attorney, 1935 - 1939. Elected in 1938 to the Seventy-sixth76th United States CongressThe Seventy-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1939 to January 3, 1941, during the seventh and...
U.S. Congress, and elected for three subsequent terms to Congress, serving from 1939 - 1947. Appointed Commissioner of the Federal Communications CommissionFederal Communications CommissionThe Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
, serving from 1947 - 1952. - J.E. Keeny, studied music at Ohio Northern. Served as president of Louisiana Tech UniversityLouisiana Tech UniversityLouisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
, 1908-1926 - George E. KillianGeorge E. KillianGeorge E. Killian, born on April 6, 1924 in Valley Stream, New York, U.S. is a sports administrator and currently the president of the International University Sports Federation ....
, a sports administrator and a president of the International University Sports FederationInternational University Sports FederationThe Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire , based in Brussels, Belgium is responsible for the organisation and governance of worldwide competitions for student-athletes between the ages of 17 and 28...
. - Cassius Jackson KeyserCassius Jackson KeyserCassius Jackson Keyser was an American mathematician of pronounced philosophical inclinations.-Life:...
, a mathematicianMathematicianA mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
. - Clayton Mathile, former owner of IamsIamsIams is a brand name for dog food and cat food manufactured by Procter & Gamble . The company sells pet food for cats and dogs formulated for puppy/kitten, adult and mature. Its products are developed by nutritionists and veterinarians and can be found in three main formulas: ProActive Health,...
pet food. - Bruce Mays, Director of Operations for the Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. - Melvin (Mel) S. Narol, foremost authority on legal rights of sports officials
- Bill PetersonBill PetersonWilliam E. "Bill" Peterson was an American football coach. His career included head coaching stops at Florida State, Rice University and with the Houston Oilers. Considered one of the unique characters in college sports, Peterson is credited with bringing the pro passing game to college football...
, former head football coach at Florida State, Rice University, and with the Houston Oilers. - Bob Peterson, story artist, animator and voice actor.
- Joseph Banks RhineJoseph Banks RhineJoseph Banks Rhine was a botanist who later developed an interest in parapsychology and psychology. Rhine founded the parapsychology lab at Duke University, the Journal of Parapsychology, and the Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man...
, founder of the parapsychologyParapsychologyThe term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
lab at Duke UniversityDuke UniversityDuke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
(not to be confused with Joe Banks, listed above) - Jamal RobertsonJamal RobertsonJamal Robertson is an Canadian football running back and kick returner in the Canadian Football League who plays for the BC Lions. He was originally signed by the Calgary Stampeders as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He played college football at Ohio Northern. Jamal was one of the greatest...
, NFL football player. - Michael B. Smith, President of The Washington Center.
- Baldemar VelasquezBaldemar VelasquezBaldemar Velásquez is an American labor union activist. He co-founded and is president of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, AFL-CIO...
, is president of the Farm Labor Organizing CommitteeFarm Labor Organizing CommitteeThe Farm Labor Organizing Committee , AFL-CIO, is a labor union representing migrant farm workers in the Midwestern United States and North Carolina.-History:...
, AFL-CIOAFL-CIOThe American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
. - John R. Willamowski, appellate court judge and former state representative.
- Laurence Neal Woodworth, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy in 1977
- Jim Wilson (Los Angeles)Jim Wilson (Los Angeles)Jim Wilson was a pioneer banker and businessman of the San Fernando Valley who was on the Los Angeles City Council from 1933 to 1941....
, city council member, studied pharmacy - Jason TrusnikJason TrusnikJason Trusnik is an American football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Ohio Northern....
, NFL football player. Currently plays for the Cleveland Browns.
Environmental efforts
- In the 2006–07 academic year, in an effort to reduce wasted resources the university instituted a printing policy, whereby each student was allocated $30 to use throughout the year. The cost of printing one page is four cents.
- As of 2009, approximately 30% of the campus uses geothermal heatingGeothermal heatingGeothermal heating is the direct use of geothermal energy for heating applications. Humans have taken advantage of geothermal heat this way since the Paleolithic era. Approximately seventy countries made direct use of a total of 270 PJ of geothermal heating in 2004...
and cooling. - In 2010, three 220 feet tall wind turbineWind turbineA wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
s were constructed. Each turbine generates 400 kilowatts of power and the three turbines will meet five to ten percent of the University's electricity needs.