Ohio Valley University is a private Christiancollege located between Parkersburg and Vienna in West Virginia. Founded in 1958, 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. OVU offers bachelor's degrees in more than 30 different subject areas.
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. 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 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. In 1994 the college doubled its campus size with the purchase of 134 acres and a four storied 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. In 2005 the college changed its name to Ohio Valley University.
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. There are currently four social clubs - Delta, Kappa, Alpha, and Zeta. 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.
Athletics
The school's sports teams are known as the Fighting Scots and compete in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The school is the smallest member of the NCAA's Division II. All athletic teams compete in the GMAC conference. Since moving to NCAA Division II in 2000, the Fighting Scots have captured four conference championships. The OVU women's volleyball team reached the G-MAC championship 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 in the fall of 2013. The Scots, along with Alderson-Broaddus, Davis & Elkins, and Salem International will all enter the G-MAC.
