Otterbein University

Otterbein University is a private, four-year liberal arts college in Westerville, Ohio, United States. The university was founded in 1847 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. As a result of a division and two mergers involving the Church, the university has since 1968 been associated with the United Methodist Church. It features programs in engineering, business management, education, and music, as well as programs and pre-professional advising that prepare students for study in law and medicine. It has over 70 majors and over 40 minors. The university is named for United Brethren founder the Rev. Philip William Otterbein. In its 2012 edition of America's Best Colleges, Otterbein was ranked 16th in the "Regional Universities (Midwest)" category by U.S. News & World Report. In 2010, Otterbein College changed its name to Otterbein University to reflect the increasing array of graduate and undergraduate programs offered.

It is notably an undergraduate institution(with 2700 students), and 400 graduate students on the campus. Students come from all 50 states and from more than 44 international countries. Otterbein has nearly 170 student organizations and a popular Greek presence. The school's mascot is Cardy the Cardinal and the school is a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference in Division III athletics.

History
The university was founded in 1847 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. As a result of a division and two mergers involving the Church, the university has since 1968 been associated with the United Methodist Church. The university is named for United Brethren founder the Rev. Philip William Otterbein.

Campus
The Otterbein campus is located in Westerville, Ohio, a residential suburb northeast of Ohio's capital, Columbus. It sits between Alum Creek on the west and Ohio State Route 3 (State St.) on the east. Otterbein features a very categorized campus :with academic buildings inward. Home Street, which runs through the center of campus, is the address of most of the college's homes and student residence halls (such as Mayne Hall, Hanby Hall, Dunlap King Hall, Garst Hall and Clements Hall), as well as the campus center. The north end of the campus is home to most underclassman housing, the health and physical education department, athletic facilities, as well as the Clements Recreation Center. Overall, the campus occupies 150 acre.

Towers Hall
Towers Hall houses the Departments of English, History and Political Science, Religion and Philosophy, Foreign Language, Sociology, Math and Computer Science. Towers Hall is a 55,619 square foot structure that was opened in 1871 and renovated in 1998. Towers Hall is the oldest building on campus and is designated as a national landmark. A gallery of portraits of former Otterbein presidents is located on the second floor.

The Frank Museum of Art
The Frank Museum of Art houses Otterbein's collection of art from Africa, Japan and New Guinea. The museum is located in the former "Church House" of Lillian Frank, who taught at Otterbein for 29 years in the areas of art, theology and philosophy. Upon her death, the structure was given for the purpose of creating a museum for the University's collection. The building was originally built in 1877, opened as a museum in the winter 2004, and is 2,170 square feet.

Rike Recreation Center
The Rike Recreation Center is an athletic complex containing a varsity basketball court, an in-door track and practice courts, a weight room, an all-purpose area, offices and classrooms. The complex also includes The complex includes outdoor softball, baseball and soccer fields, along with tennis courts. The complex was completed in 1975 and has 72,500 square feet. The domed roof encloses an intercollegiate hardwood basketball floor with seating for 3,100.

Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium is Otterbein's football stadium. The stadium contains state-of-the-art locker rooms, a training room and an equipment room. The stadium also has a 400-meter outdoor track. The stadium was rebuilt in 2005 and has 32,000 square feet.

25 W. Home Street
Opened in the fall of 2008, 25 W. Home Street is one of Otterbein's recent renovation projects. It is home to 192 upperclass men and women, eight Resident Assistants, and one Hall Director. 25 W. Home Street features double rooms connected to another double room via a shared bathroom.

Clements Hall
Clements Hall houses 111 men and women, six Resident Assistants, and one Hall Director. Most of the rooms are doubles.

Commons Apartments on Home and Park Street
Both Commons buildings feature suite-style apartment housing for juniors and seniors that is conveniently located on campus. The Commons apartments are fully furnished and offer private bedrooms, a living room, dining room, full kitchen, full bath, and a half bath. There are 47 total units available in the two complexes including 41 four-person apartments, one one-person apartment, two two-person apartments, and three three-person apartments. ADA accessible apartments are available. Students may select Summer + Academic Year leases, which begin the second Monday after graduation, or Academic Year leases, which begin the day before classes begin in the fall, depending on which building they select. One building in each complex is off-line each summer for renovations.

Davis Hall and Davis Annex
This residence hall complex houses first-year and upperclass men and women. Most rooms are doubles. The Davis Complex consists of two separate buildings: Davis Hall, home of 110 first year and upperclass men and women as well as six Resident Assistants; and Davis Annex, which accommodates 56 women and two Resident Assistants. One Hall Director is in charge of the entire complex.

Devore Hall
DeVore Hall is one of Otterbein's newest residence halls. It is home to 168 upperclass men and women, six Resident Assistants, and one Hall Director. DeVore Hall features limited single rooms (with their own bath) and double rooms connected to another double room via a shared bathroom

Dunlap King Hall
Dunlap King Hall is dedicated to arts appreciation housing for first-year and upperclass men and women. Students choosing to live here should be interested in the arts but are not required to be art, music, or theatre majors. Four triple rooms are on the third floor and all other rooms are doubles. DK is the oldest residence hall on campus. It houses 96 first year and upperclass men and women, four Resident Assistants and one Hall Director.

Engle, Garst & Scott Halls (The Triad)
The Triad is a complex consisting of three buildings for first year and upperclass students: Scott Hall, home of 32 women and two Resident Assistants; Engle Hall, home of 44 men and two Resident Assistants; and Garst Hall, home of two Resident Assistants and 72 men. Other than two single rooms in Garst Hall, all rooms in the Triad buildings are doubles.

Hanby Hall
Hanby Hall accommodates 117 first year men and women, six Resident Assistants and one Assistant Director of Residence Life. Three triple rooms are available in Hanby Hall, in addition to double rooms.

Mayne Hall
Mayne Hall is the home for 149 first year and upperclass men and women, seven Resident Assistants and one Hall Director. Mayne Hall features double rooms and is home to the Honors housing program. First year and upperclass students enrolled in the Honors program are eligible to live in Mayne and attend special programs planned especially for Honors students.

Academics
Otterbein is a liberal arts college and requires students to take a broad variety of courses. It offers B.A., B.S., B.F.A., B.Mus., B.M.E., B.S.E., B.S.N., MAE, MBA, or MSN degrees in 56 majors and 41 minors. Since Fall 2011, the university has run on the semester calendar. Otterbein University's graduate school features programs in obtaining a masters or bachelors degree in the fields of business administration (MBA), nursing, education, Educational mathematics, and science in allied health.

College of Art & Sciences
The School of Arts and Sciences is a catalyst for curiosity and accomplishment. Otterbein takes students seriously and prides itself on the personalized attention that fuels learning. From introductory classes to undergraduate research projects to professional careers, they are dedicated to you not just as a student but as a human being. The school offers departments as well as programs that include: art, biology & earth sciences, biochemistry & molecular biology, chemistry, communications, English, English as a second language, history & political science, mathematical sciences, modern languages & cultures, music, physics, psychology, religion & philosophy, sociology & anthropology, and theatre & dance. Otterbein has strong programs in theatre, dance, music, and film whereby students work closely with experienced professionals. Otterbein is also strong in environmental studies, animal behavior, neuroscience, ecology, and evolution. Twenty-eight percent of Otterbein students study abroad. The University sponsors semester-long programs in four locations—London, England; Barbados; Paris, France; and Madrid, Spain—and several short-term summer programs in locations such as Nicaragua, all of which are staffed by Otterbein professors. Students can also choose to study in a variety of other countries through alternative providers. The student-faculty ratio is 11:1.

School of Professional Studies
The School of Professional Studies focuses on the connection between theory and practice with an emphasis on experiences that develop caring and competent professionals. Faculty accept and promote accountability. Students are used to asking tough questions and requiring that they be answered in a clear and intellectually honest fashion. Otterbein values connected approaches to teaching and learning and distinguishing through collaborative efforts within and across departments, outreach to the community, and practical inquiry. Students are provided with the knowledge and skills to succeed in their lives as members of a family, a professional workplace, and a community. The school offers departments as well as programs that include: business, accounting & economics, education, equine science, health & sports sciences, and nursing.

Volunteerism
Otterbein's Center for Community Engagement has been honored by the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor roll for five consecutive years. Every year, more than 50,000 hours are donated by Otterbein students through the Center for Community Engagement. Approximately 80% of the student body participated in community service in 2011-12. In addition, 60 service-learning courses enrolled over 1,000 students that same year.

Rankings and admission
In its 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges", Otterbein was ranked 16th in the "Regional Universities (Midwest)" category by U.S. News & World Report. The class of 2016 undergraduate acceptance rate was 33%. U.S. News & World Report classifies its selectivity as "more selective." 65% of students accepted into Otterbein were in the top 10% of their class, and 81% of accepted students were in the top 20% of their class. The Princeton Review included Otterbein in its annual Best Value Colleges for 2012. Otterbein is ranked 45th on Payscale's list of Top Liberal Arts Colleges by Salary Potential. Other awards include: President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for 6 straight years, Washington Monthly Recognized as a Top 50 School for Contributions to the Public Good, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching - Classified as a “community-engaged university”, Ohio House of Representatives - Received commendation for dedication to community service in 2008.

Theatre and art program
Professional training is offered in the areas of Acting, Costume and Scenic Design/Technology, and Musical Theatre with B.F.A. Degrees offered in all three programs and a dance concentration in the latter. The department also offers a BA degree in Theatre which allows students to tailor the major to suit interests in directing, writing, and stage management among others. Otterbein University Theatre and Otterbein Summer Theatre stage nine shows a year. Plays range from classical Shakespearean dramas and British comedies to musicals and experimental works. The music program at Otterbein includes the concert band and concert choir, opera theatre and musical theatre, a marching band, a vocal jazz group and several instrumental ensembles. Otterbein students also perform with the Westerville Symphony at Otterbein. Three galleries feature art by students, faculty and guest artists, as well as pieces from Otterbein's permanent collection. The Otterbein Signature Series has hosted notable visiting artists including acclaimed independent filmmaker Gus Van Sant and Joel Meyerowitz, whose photography of Ground Zero after September 11, 2001, has traveled the world.

Athletics
The Otterbein Cardinals compete in NCAA Division III, as a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference. Otterbein's traditional opponents include: Baldwin Wallace University, Capital University, Heidelberg University, John Carroll University, Marietta College, University of Mount Union, Muskingum University, Ohio Northern University, and Wilmington College. They sponsor eight men's and eight women's varsity sports, including:
 * Baseball (men)
 * Basketball (men/women)
 * Cheerleading (coed)
 * Cross country (men/women)
 * Football (men)
 * Golf (men/women)
 * Lacrosse (men/women)
 * Soccer (men/women)
 * Softball (women)
 * Tennis (men/women)
 * Track and field (men/women)
 * Volleyball (women)

The basketball team has been led for 33 seasons by head coach Dick Reynolds, who is also the school's athletic director. His overall record stands at 583-316, and his teams have made 13 trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament, reaching the Final Four in 1981 and 1991 and winning the national championship in 2002.

The men's soccer team finished as runner-ups in the 2002 Division III Soccer Championship. Most recently, the women's soccer team finished the 2010 season in the national semifinal when they lost 4-2 in a penalty shootout to eventual national champion Hardin -Simmons (TX). The team finished their first undefeated season at 20-0-4 and ranked first nationally (of over 400 DIII teams) in Shutout Percentage, Goals Against Average and Save Percentage.

The men's lacrosse team was founded in 2009 and played its first game in March 2010.

The school's primary athletic rival is Capital University of Bexley, Ohio.

Greek life
Otterbein's history of social Greek organization dates back over 100 years, which originated from literary societies. The Greek community makes up about 40% of the student population. It is unusual in that 12 chapters on campus are local, meaning they only exist at Otterbein.

WOBN
WOBN, whose frequency 97.5 FM, is Otterbein's student-run radio station, playing college rock for Otterbein and surrounding Westerville. WOBN is the flagship of Otterbein Sports, covering many of the games for basketball, football, and baseball.

Alumni

 * Frank Truitt, 1950, collegiate basketball coach at The Ohio State University, Louisiana State University, and Kent State University; co-founder of Otterbein University's golf team.
 * Jonathon Bennett, 1981, Actor. Attended but did not graduate
 * Benjamin Russell Hanby, 1858, Composer Darling Nelly Gray, Up On The Houstop, Who Is He In Yonder Stall?.
 * Harold Anderson, 1924, Men's basketball coach at Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo.
 * Carroll Widdoes, 1926, Head football coach at Ohio State University and Ohio University.
 * Fred Martinelli, 1951, Hall of Fame Football coach at Ashland University
 * Gordon Jump, 1955, Actor WKRP in Cincinnati
 * Butch Hartman, attended circa 1960, USAC national stock car champion
 * David Graf, 1972, Actor, best known for his role as Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry in the Police Academy series of films
 * Anne Gonzales, member of Ohio House of Representatives
 * Leif Pettersen, 1973, slotback who played eight seasons in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
 * Dee Hoty, 1974, Tony-nominated Broadway actress
 * Cabot Rea, 1978, television news anchorman, currently serving as the evening and night co-anchorman for WCMH in Columbus, Ohio.
 * Rachael Harris, 1989, Film and television actress and comedienne.
 * Matt D'Orazio, 1999, Arena Football League quarterback, 2-time ArenaBowl MVP, ArenaBowl XX, 2006; ArenaBowl XXII, 2008.
 * Sam Jaeger, 1999, American actor, best known for his role on the television show Eli Stone
 * Henry Clay Frick, attended but did not graduate; business partner in Andrew Carnegie's Carnegie Steel Company, later a major American art patron
 * Chris Jansing (born Christine Kapostasy), 1978, American television news correspondent. Currently working for NBC News as host of Jansing and Company on MSNBC.
 * Micheaux Robinson, AF2, CFL, and Arena Football League defensive back.
 * Susan Diol, television actress
 * Bob Corbin, former member of the Ohio House of Representatives

Faculty

 * Abhijat Joshi - Professor of English and screenwriter for The Munna Bhai series, particularly Lage Raho Munna Bhai