On the Road with the Heart of Ohio Tour (HOOT)

Marietta College

Heading into the heart of Ohio, 31 independent and school-based college counselors recently explored seven colleges and universities on a tour taking them from Cleveland to Athens and back.  Representing 14 states, including both Maryland and Virginia, the counselors acted as an “advance team” for their students and clients—attending information sessions, touring campuses, sampling the food, and otherwise soaking in the atmosphere at each college.

For the most part, all seven campuses were in the process of winding up the school year and libraries were packed with students studying for finals.  Several were either completing or just beginning a transition from quarters to semesters, in a move designed to facilitate transfers among state schools.  And almost all were continuing to consider applications for the fall of 2012.

Here is a little more of what the 31 counselors learned about each school:

John Carroll University is the home of the Tim Russert Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, a highly competitive school within JCU where students explore communication through radio and television, film, multimedia, journalism, public relations as well as organizational communication, rhetoric, public address, theatre, and performance.  A top honor is the NBC/John Carroll University “Meet the Press” Fellowship which is awarded to one graduating senior planning to pursue a career in political journalism.

Originally designed to be built in Arizona, the Kent State University campus is situated on 866 beautifully landscaped acres near both the Kent State University Airport and Golf Courses.  The Aeronautics Program includes majors in Aeronautical Studies, Aeronautical Systems, Air Traffic Control, Aviation Management, and Flight Technology.

The Ohio State University is one of 37 colleges and universities joining the Common Application for the first time for the upcoming application cycle beginning on August 1, 2012.  To celebrate, Ohio State will be offering  the newly-created “Eminence Scholars” program, which will provide full rides plus a $3000 stipend to 50 incoming freshmen.  Details are still being worked out, but the university has already committed $1.4 million to support the program.

Founded in 1847, Otterbein recently rebranded to university status.  Some of Otterbein’s “niche” programs include Equine Science, Actuarial Science, and a brand new program in Zoo and Conservation Science—one of only two such programs in the U.S.  As one of only six universities nationwide to earn a grant from the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), Otterbein joins such universities as Georgetown and Tufts in recognition for innovative first year experience programs.

The first university in the Northwest Territory, Ohio University is the ninth oldest public university in the U.S.  Located on more than 1800 acres, the university houses students in 42 separate residence halls and one apartment complex located in clusters throughout the campus and boasts of 180 different “learning communities.”  The award-winning Ohio University Culinary Services employs over 1300 students and offers a production manager internship program where students may earn up to 10 undergraduate or graduate credits. 

Marietta College offers a unique opportunity to study petroleum engineering in a "college" environment.  Students benefit from smaller classes as compared with those at the large public universities offering the same degree, and seniors in the program have the opportunity to work through a comprehensive, integrated engineering design project.  The program is highly competitive and currently enrolls about 250 students from around the world.  New facilities at Marietta include the Rickey Science Center, the Anderson Hancock Planetarium, and a couple of beautiful new residence halls housing Marietta’s 1400 students.

Baldwin-Wallace College will transition to Baldwin-Wallace University on July 1, 2012.  Proudly test optional, Baldwin-Wallace is implementing a four-year graduation guarantee starting with the incoming freshman class of 2012—the first of its kind in Ohio.  Over the past four years, B-W has created 14 new “demand driven” degree programs including Digital Media and Design, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Public Health.  Every student is required to have a minor for graduation, and starting this year, all students will also have to have at least one experiential learning experience.  The B-W Conservatory is housed in a new and renovated facility and boasts of one of the best Musical Theatre programs in the country.