Ohio Dominican University
"To contemplate truth and to share with others the fruits of this contemplation. "
Background Information:
Ohio Dominican University is a four-year liberal arts institution, founded in 1911 in the Catholic and Dominican tradition. The university has over 3,000 students and offers undergraduate degrees in over 50 majors as well as several graduate degree programs. Ohio Dominican uses a student-centered approach, with a commitment to quality teaching and learning and a number of academic programs of distinction. Ohio Dominican's primary mission is to provide degree and continuing education programs for the intellectual development, the growth in truth, of each student. In keeping with the Dominican tradition, educational experiences should be grounded in the liberal arts, foster the development of spiritual, aesthetic, and ethical values, promote physical and mental health, and provide for the development and responsible use of human skills and talents in professional and social service. (ODU website)
Initial Thoughts:
From the get-go, Ohio Dominican declares itself to be a place that is warm, friendly, and inviting to anyone who visits its campus. For students, it is a place where education is personalized to their specific needs; for outsiders, a place where everyone knows your name (or will get to know your name). However, it is important to point out that many schools claim to have this appeal, but whether or not it does is up for debate.
With that being said, I guess the first word that came to my mind when I was researching the school is the word small. ODU has a very small campus -- which can have 2 connotations -- so small that it is stifling, or small enough to invite a true sense of communal living. Judging from its mission statement, it is obvious that the campus is trying to achieve the latter. One of the biggest advantages for ODU students is that ODU is located 7 minutes away from downtown Columbus, OH (15th largest city in the US), a city with plenty of things to do. ODU's location makes it possible for its students to escape the "bubble" of a college campus.
The Campus
- Layout: As indicated previously, ODU has a very small campus, and the layout of the buildings definitely contribute to its "close-knit" feel. Buildings are very close together on campus, and there aren't that many open green spaces. Although it is worthwhile to note that ODU does have a well-kept campus, with flowers lining the many of the walkways leading towards many of its buildings. Although very close to the street, ODU's campus gives off a very quaint feeling. Its mission to be a place that fosters a strong sense of community is definitely made possible by a campus that allows for close proximity.
- Architecture: ODU's campus is a little bit over 60 acres in size, and because of the small size, many of its red-bricked buildings serve more than one function. For an example, Erskine Hall is home to the following services: an Academic Advising Fenter, Administrative and Faculty Offices, the college bookstore, the Business Office, the office of Financial Aid, International Relations Office, the Office of the President, the Registrar, the Matesich Theater, and also Panther Plaza -- one of the student lounges on campus. The multi-functionality of this particular building also shares its theme with other buildings on campus, and contributes to a feeling of randomness in regards to the layout of campus. Instead of having a centralized location for its administrative offices, ODU's office of the president is actually down the hall from student classrooms. Apart from its buildings, it is quite evident that ODU is a well-kept campus (although one must overlook that it is currently under construction due to the building of Battelle Hall -- the new science center -- and the Bishop A. Griffin Student Center, set to open during fall of 2009). Something else that is important to mention is ODU's devotion to its Catholic heritage -- there are several statues honoring the Dominican order around campus.
- Scale: ODU's campus is a bit over 60 acres in size, and it is possible to get from one end of the campus to the other in 5-10 minutes. The student dormitories are right next to the class room buildings, lounges, cafeteria, etc. It would be very hard to get lost on this campus. Apart from having a small campus, ODU is about 7 minutes away from downtown Columbus, which is a perfect distraction should ODU students need to get away for a while. Check out the campus map.
- The Student Center: Unfortunately, the Bishop James A. Griffin Student Center was not yet open when I conducted my tour of ODU, but is set to open during Fall 2009. From speaking to several ODU students, the Student Center (already nicknamed "The Griff") will be a welcome relief for many of its students. The new center will be the home to many things, including a Meditation Room, more lounges (it seems like ODU currently doesn't have enough student lounges), the new bookstore, a work out facility, a convenience store, and a cafe.
- Student Living: There are 4 dormitories on campus -- Aquinas, Lynam, Siena, and Fitzpatrick, all red-bricked, all featuring almost apartment-style architecture. The rooms are very diverse, and all dorms have one lounge per floor. Most students do choose to stay on campus (all grade levels), but there are over 800 commuter students. Also, since it is based in Columbus, it is quite easy to find apartments -- so moving off-campus and commuting to ODU is not too much of a hassle.
- Notable Attractions: I found Wehrle Hall to be a welcoming sight on campus. Inside the Hall is the Wehrle Art Gallery, featuring the artwork of current undergraduate students. The Gallery itself was very lovely, with light filtering in from the glass ceiling from above. Aside from the gallery, I thought the Christ the King Chapel inside Sansbury Hall to be quite serene and lovely. Masses are held at this Chapel every day around noon, and two times on Sundays.
Final Conclusions:
My original belief that ODU is a place where "everybody knows your name" was proven to be true when I went on my campus tour. My tour guide was recognized by 80% of the people we passed while scoping out campus, and all of them stopped to say hello and ask how he was doing. I think ODU's greatest strength is that it truly does foster a sense of community among its students. The campus' small size contribute to this sense of "family" that was pervasive at ODU. However, perhaps it must also be said that ODU's greatest strength might also be its weakness in that everyone does know who you are. It's hard to hide at ODU (we were told that the University president knows most students by name!), and those who wish to be exposed to a variety of people day-in and day-out should be advised to stay away. For me, ODU felt too much like high school, and as a person who wanted to be in a more collegiate/bigger environment, this was a huge turn-off for me. However, if you are a person who enjoys a very close-knit environment, a place where you are treated as members of one "big" (I say this loosely) family, where everything is a 5 minute walk away --- then perhaps ODU is the place for you. Finally, on a more shallow note, I must admit that I didn't find ODU's campus to be very memorable. It was "nice," but nothing to rave about ... IMO. Nevertheless, don't just take my word for it ....
Photostream of Ohio Dominican: see the campus in pictures.
Still not convinced? Experience it for yourself! Schedule a visit today!
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