What is Ohio University Southern Campus?

Ohio University Southern Campus
Motto	Religio Doctrina Civilitas, Prae Omnibus Virtus (Religion, Learning, Politics/Civility; Above All, Virtue)
Established	1956
Type	Public
Dean	Dan Evans
Students	2,100
Undergraduates	1,824
Location	Ironton, Ohio, United States
Campus	Rural
Athletics	Ohio University Southern Trailblazers
Colors	Hunter Green, Black and White
Nickname	OUS
Website	[1]

Ohio University Southern Campus is located at 1804 Liberty Avenue in Ironton, Ohio. While not as large as the main Ohio University campus located in Athens, Ohio, several degree programs are offered. The Southern Campus also features an extension located in Proctorville, Ohio, a Nature Center, and the Ohio Horse Park located in Franklin Furnace, Ohio just off U.S. 52.

The University began in 1956 when it hosted college-level classes in Ironton High School with an initial enrollment of 90 students ^[1].

History

Buildings

The main Ohio University Southern campus in Ironton has four distinct buildings.

• The Collins Center offers student services, including enrollment offices. Four lecture halls, an auditorium, library and TCom I. It was the first structure completed on the new campus, completed in 1985 ^[2].
• The Academic Building contains The Paddock, a cafeteria, the Center for Nursing Education, the Caucus Room, a biology and chemistry lab, two computer labs, and TCom II.
• The Riffe Center has numerous classrooms, administration offices and audio/video laboratories.
• The Dingus Technology Building has faculty offices, an auditorium, the art department, a TASC lab, nursing labs, industrial and electronic labs and computer labs.

The Nature Center has two structures.

• The "CLE" building is a classroom, laboratory and exhibit structure completed in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
• The "OCL" building is an office and computer lab that was formerly a Ranger's residence.

The Ohio University Proctorville Center in Proctorville has one structure.

• The 17,000 sq. ft. structure was completed in September 2006. Ground breaking was held on July 12, 2005 for the new, permanent building^[3].

The Ohio Horse Park in Franklin Furnace has several buildings.

Ohio University Southern also purchased the Rock Hill Elementary Number Four building in March 2006, which is being converted into a child development center.^[1] Renovations are nearly completed.

Academics

Ohio University Southern Campus offers 11 associate degrees and 8 bachelor degrees.

• Associate degree programs:
• Arts
• Child Development
• Computer Science Technology
• Electronic Media
• Equine Studies
• Human Services Technology
• Law Enforcement Technology
• Nursing
• Office Technology
• Science
• Travel and Tourism
• Bachelor degree programs:
• Business Administration
• Communications
• Criminal Justice
• Economics
• Education
• Health Services Administration
• Nursing
• Specialized Studies

Library

The library is located in the second floor of the Collins Building. It contains 25,000 volumes, 200 periodical subscriptions, numerous microforms and audiovisual materials and has subscriptions to most electronic databases. There is a quiet study room and a group study room available as well.

Nature Center

The Nature Center at Ohio University Southern was established in April 1999 in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service's Wayne National Forest ^[4]. The Nature Center's campus contains a classroom, laboratory and exhibit building ("CLE") and an office and computer lab ("OCL") in the Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area. It is located seven miles north of the central campus in Ironton.

It's primary purpose is to provide "hands-on" experience in "developing and directing" outdoor education activities ^[4]. It features numerous workshops for K-12 school teachers to develop curriculum materials and for K-12 students to learn more about the environment. It also offers a degree program, the four-year Bachelor of Specialized Studies, for students of Ohio University Southern. Graduates of the program are often employed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Army Corps of Engineers.

It also offers various programs and events for the public.

The Ohio Horse Park

The Ohio Horse Park, located in Franklin Furnace, Ohio, is a large 184 acre (745,000 m²) horse farm ^[5]. It contains an outdoor show, dressage, indoor and indoor therapy arena. It has 44 stalls for show rental, two classrooms and one common area and camper hookups for shows and travelers. It is home to the Ohio University Southern Reproduction Center, the Ohio Horse Park Center for Therapeutic Riding, Ohio University Southern Equine Studies Program, Ohio University Southern Southern Equestrian Teams, Ohio University Southern Community Lesson Program, and events from ten different organizations.

It also offers rental of facilities for shows and clinics to the public ^[5].

Two disciplines of horseback riding at four different levels are taught at the horse park ^[5]. In the beginning level of either discipline, either Hunt Seat 1 or Western 1, the groundwork is laid for basic horse care, proper horse handling, and basic riding skills. The riding classes become more difficult at each subsequent level, and require that more and more of a student's time be spent at the horse park.

Ohio University Proctorville Center

Ohio University Proctorville Center began offering classes in trailers at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds at Proctorville in the late-1970s ^[6]. It moved to schools in Chesapeake and at Fairfield before opening a new center on Ohio State Route 7 in downtown Proctorville in 1992. An increase in enrollment led to cramped conditions and design work began for a new, larger structure in 2004.

Ground breaking for the new 17,000 sq. ft. building on Ohio State Route 775 was held on July 12, 2005 ^[3][6]. It was completed in September 2006 for $4.9 million, most of which came from donations from the community. The new, permanent structure includes 14 classrooms, one of which is for distance-learning, a computer lab, a commons room and a resource room.

It offers numerous Ohio University Southern classes and many community-oriented classes, including ballroom dancing and computer basics ^[6].

References

External links

• Ohio University Southern
• Ohio University Southern Proctorville Center
• Ohio Horse Park