The Ohio State University

The Ohio State University
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Name	The Ohio State University
Established	1870
Type	Public land-grant research university
Endowment	$7.4 billion (2023)
President	Walter "Ted" Carter Jr.
City	Columbus
State	Ohio
Country	United States
Campus	Urban, 1,665 acres (main campus)
Students	60,540 (Columbus campus, Autumn 2023)
Faculty	7,310
Colors	Scarlet and Gray
Nickname	Buckeyes
Affiliations	University System of Ohio, Association of American Universities, Big Ten Conference, APLU

The Ohio State University. Founded in 1870 as a land-grant institution under the Morrill Act of 1862, it is the flagship university of the University System of Ohio. With its main campus in Columbus, it is one of the largest universities in the United States by enrollment and a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The university is renowned for its academic programs, research expenditures, and its dominant NCAA Division I athletic program, particularly its rivalry with the University of Michigan.

History

The university was established in 1870 as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, focusing on agricultural and mechanical arts within the Northwest Territory. In 1878, the Ohio General Assembly renamed it to reflect a broader educational mission. Under the leadership of early presidents like William Oxley Thompson, the institution expanded significantly, moving to its current location on the former farm of William and Hannah Neil. A pivotal moment in its growth was the post-World War II era and the G.I. Bill, which spurred massive enrollment increases and campus construction. The university's development was further shaped by its designation as a sea-grant and space-grant institution, and it has been led by notable figures including Gordon Gee and current president Walter "Ted" Carter Jr..

Academics

It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and operates numerous prestigious colleges, including the Max M. Fisher College of Business, the Moritz College of Law, and the College of Engineering. The Wexner Medical Center is a major academic medical center encompassing the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. Notable academic facilities include the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center and the Center for Automotive Research. The university is a top producer of Fulbright Scholars and Rhodes Scholars, and its libraries, including the William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library, constitute one of the largest university library systems in North America.

Campus

The main Columbus campus is situated approximately 2.5 miles north of the Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus. Its iconic oval-shaped central lawn, the Oval, is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The campus features a mix of historic and modern architecture, from French Renaissance-style buildings to structures designed by renowned architects like Pietro Belluschi and Peter Eisenman. Major landmarks include the Wexner Center for the Arts, the Ohio Union, and the Chadwick Arboretum. The university also operates regional campuses in Lima, Mansfield, Marion, and Newark, and maintains the Ohio State University Airport.

Athletics

The athletic teams, known as the Buckeyes, compete in the Big Ten Conference in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The football program, which plays in the massive Ohio Stadium ("The Horseshoe"), has won multiple national championships under coaches like Woody Hayes, Jim Tressel, and Urban Meyer, and boasts seven Heisman Trophy winners, including Archie Griffin. The men's basketball team, which plays in the Value City Arena, has made numerous Final Four appearances. The university's intense rivalry with the University of Michigan is one of the most famous in North American sports. The athletic department is one of the most financially successful in the nation.

Notable alumni and faculty

A vast network of over 500,000 living alumni includes notable figures in numerous fields. In public service, alumni include U.S. Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and the late John Paul Stevens, as well as numerous U.S. Senators and Ohio Governors. In entertainment and arts, notable alumni are Patricia Heaton, Richard Lewis, and Roy Lichtenstein. The business world counts Les Wexner and John H. McConnell among its graduates. Distinguished faculty have included Nobel laureates like William A. Fowler (Physics) and Paul Flory (Chemistry), Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Jim Borgman, and renowned atmospheric scientist Berrien Moore.

Category:Universities and colleges in Ohio Category:Land-grant universities and colleges Category:Big Ten Conference Category:Educational institutions established in 1870