The University of Mount Union is a
private university
Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may (and often do) receive from governments tax breaks, public student loans, and grants. Dep ...
in
Alliance, Ohio. Founded in 1846, the university was affiliated with the
Methodist Church until the spring of 2019. In the fall of 2020, Mount Union had an enrollment of 1,958 undergraduate and 220 graduate students.
History
Mount Union was founded in 1846 by
Orville Nelson Hartshorn as "a place where men and women could be educated with equal opportunity,
science
Science is a systematic endeavor that Scientific method, builds and organizes knowledge in the form of Testability, testable explanations and predictions about the universe.
Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earli ...
would parallel the
humanities
Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at the t ...
, and there would be no distinction due to
race
Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to:
* Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species
* Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...
, color, or sex." In approximately 1911,
Scio College of
Scio, Ohio, merged with Mount Union, moving faculty to the Mount Union campus and abandoning the Scio campus.
Mount Union College was renamed the University of Mount Union effective August 1, 2010.
Academics
![Chapman Hall UMU](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Chapman_Hall_UMU.jpg)
Eighty-five percent of the
faculty at Mount Union have earned a
doctoral degree
A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...
or other
terminal degree
A terminal degree is a college degree that is the highest level college degree that can be achieved and awarded in a specific academic or professional field. In other cases, it is a degree that is awarded when a candidate completes a certain amou ...
with
graduate training at universities in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
.
The university also offers Pre-Professional programs in Pre-Health professions (Pre-Medicine), Pre-Law, and Pre-Ministry as well as Army ROTC.
Undergraduate programs
Mount Union offers 60 majors and 53 minors of academic coursework in keeping with the liberal arts tradition.
Graduate programs
Mount Union offers a master of science in Physician Assistant studies, Doctor of Physical Therapy
and a Master of Arts in educational leadership.
Athletics
Mount Union school colors are purple and white and competes in the
Ohio Athletic Conference
The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) was formed in 1902 and is the third oldest athletic conference in the United States. Its current commissioner is Sarah Otey. Former commissioners include Mike Cleary, who was the first General Manager of a profe ...
and in
NCAA Division III
NCAA Division III (D-III) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that choose not to offer athletic scholarships to their st ...
athletics. The teams are nicknamed Purple Raiders, and the school's mascot is MUcaw, a purple
macaw.
Mount Union sponsors 12 men's
varsity team
In most English-speaking countries, varsity is an abbreviation of the word ''university''. In the United States and Canada, the term is mostly used in relation to sports teams.
Varsity in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, varsity team ...
s:
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
,
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
,
cross-country,
football,
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping ...
,
track & field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...
,
soccer,
swimming
Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, or other liquid, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Locomotion is achieved through coordinated movement of the limbs and the body to achieve hydrodynamic thrust that r ...
& diving,
tennis
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...
, lacrosse,
wrestling
Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...
, and
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...
. The school also sponsors 10 women's varsity teams: basketball, cross-country, golf, lacrosse, track & field, soccer,
softball
Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...
, swimming & diving, tennis and
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...
.
![Mount Union Stadium](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Mount_Union_Stadium.jpg)
Club sports include
bowling
Bowling is a target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a ball toward pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). The term ''bowling'' usually refers to pin bowling (most commonly ten-pin bowling), thou ...
, and intramural Sports include flag football, dodgeball, innertube water polo, ultimate frisbee, sand volleyball, 2 person golf scramble, men's basketball, women's basketball, softball, indoor soccer, indoor volleyball, 2 on 2 basketball, badminton, and
pickleball.
Mount won the
NCAA Men's Division III Cross Country Championship
The NCAA Men's Division III Cross Country Championship is an annual cross country meet to decide the team and individual national champions of men's NCAA Division III intercollegiate cross country running in the United States. It has been held ev ...
in 1974 under Coach Jim Wuske, the NCAA Men's Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships in 2017, and in 2014 & 2018 Mount Union won the NCAA Men's Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships under Coach Kevin Lucas.
The men’s basketball team was retroactively named the pre-
NCAA Tournament national champion in 1897-98 by the
Premo-Porretta Power Poll
The Premo-Porretta Power Poll is a retroactive end-of-year ranking for American college basketball teams competing in the 1895–96 through the 1947–48 seasons.
The Premo-Porretta Polls are intended to serve collectively as a source of informa ...
.
Football
Mount Union's football is currently led by head coach Geoff Dartt. Mount Union has won a record 13
Division III national championships—all since 1993. Mount Union holds the all-division record for consecutive victories at 55 from 2000 to 2003, which ended with their loss to
St. John's University (Collegeville, MN) in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl (Division III National Championship) on December 20, 2003.
Mount Union previously held the all divisions mark at 54 consecutive games until losing in the semifinals on December 12, 1999, to
Rowan University
Rowan University is a public research university in Glassboro, New Jersey, with a medical campus in Stratford and medical and academic campuses in Camden. It was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a site donated by 107 residents.
...
(Glassboro, NJ).
During both the 55 and 54 game streaks Mount Union won 3 consecutive National Championships. Since both streaks were connected—from 1997 to 2003 Mount Union won 109 of 110 games played.
The Purple Raiders won 110 consecutive regular-season games between 1994 and 2005 (which was ended by conference foe
Ohio Northern University
Ohio Northern University (Ohio Northern or ONU) is a private United Methodist Church–affiliated university in Ada, Ohio. Founded by Henry Solomon Lehr in 1871, ONU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It offers over 60 programs to ...
on Oct 22, 2005), posted 14 undefeated regular seasons, won 16 Ohio Athletic Conference Championships, and had the best overall record in the 1990s (120–7–1, an overall winning percentage of 0.941).
National Championships: 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2015, 2017
"Mount won the
NCAA Men's Division III Cross Country Championship
The NCAA Men's Division III Cross Country Championship is an annual cross country meet to decide the team and individual national champions of men's NCAA Division III intercollegiate cross country running in the United States. It has been held ev ...
in 1974 under Coach Jim Wuske,
and in 2014 Mount Union won the NCAA Men's Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships under Coach Kevin Luca
."
Student life
Mount Union's radio station is 91.1 WRMU, and the campus paper is ''The Dynamo''.
The university's music program offers participation in numerous bands and choirs, including Concert Choir, Mount Union Alliance Chorale, Opera Workshop, Alliance Symphony Orchestra, Repertory Strings, Marching Band, The Raider Steel Band, Jazz Band, Percussion Ensemble, and more.
The Theatre Department puts on two productions every fall, and varying productions in the spring. Every spring semester alternates between a musical and a straight play every year for the main stage show, and every spring there are also student-directed one-acts. Theatre productions are open to all students, regardless of major or class rank.
Esports
In the Spring of 2019, the University of Mount Union started its Esports program by fielding its first Overwatch roster under head coach & director Derek Spinell, and is offering scholarships starting fall of 2019.
Currently, the University of Mount Union supports
Overwatch (video game), Overwatch,
League of Legends
''League of Legends'' (''LoL''), commonly referred to as ''League'', is a 2009 multiplayer online battle arena video game developed and published by Riot Games. Inspired by '' Defense of the Ancients'', a custom map for ''Warcraft III'', ...
, and
Rocket League
''Rocket League'' is a vehicular soccer video game developed and published by Psyonix. The game was first released for Windows and PlayStation 4 in July 2015, with ports for Xbox One and Nintendo Switch being released later on. In June ...
.
Greek life
There are four major social
fraternities
A fraternity (from Latin ''frater'': "brother"; whence, " brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity ...
and four major social
sororities
Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America.
Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradua ...
with chapters at the institution.
Women's sororities
*
Alpha Xi Delta
Alpha Xi Delta (, often referred to as A-''"Zee"''-D ) is a women's fraternity founded on April 17, 1893. Baird's Manual is also available online hereThe Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage at Lombard College in Galesburg, Illinois, United Stat ...
(Gamma chapter)
*
Alpha Chi Omega
Alpha Chi Omega (, also known as Alpha Chi or A Chi O) is a national women's fraternity founded on October 15, 1885.
As of 2018, there are 132 collegiate and 279 alumnae chapters represented across the United States, and the fraternity counts ...
(Alpha Eta chapter)
*
Alpha Delta Pi
Alpha Delta Pi (), commonly known as ADPi (pronounced "ay-dee-pye"), is an International Panhellenic sorority founded on May 15, 1851, at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. It is the oldest secret society for women.
Alpha Delta Pi is a memb ...
(Gamma Theta chapter)
*Delta Sigma Tau (Alpha chapter) (local)
Men's fraternities
*
Alpha Tau Omega (Alpha Nu chapter)
*
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon (), commonly known as SAE, is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. It was founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is t ...
(Ohio Sigma chapter)
*
Sigma Nu (Beta Iota chapter)
*
Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau (), commonly known as Phi Tau (), is a collegiate fraternity located in the United States. The fraternity was founded in 1906. As of November 2022, the fraternity has 161 chartered chapters, 79 active chapters, 6 Associate chapte ...
(Epsilon chapter)
Service fraternities
*
Alpha Phi Omega (Xi Upsilon chapter)
*
Kappa Phi
Kappa Phi () is a national Christian sisterhood, which "focuses on four areas: Service, Worship, Fellowship, and Study." The student organization is interdenominational Christian, although it was formed under the auspices of the United Methodist C ...
(Women's Christian Sorority) (Alpha Psi chapter)
*
Sigma Theta Epsilon (Men's Christian Fraternity) (Delta chapter)
*
Kappa Kappa Psi
Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity (, colloquially referred to as KKPsi), is a fraternity for college and university band members in the United States. It was founded on November 27, 1919, on Thanksgiving Day, at Oklahoma Agricult ...
(Honorary Band Fraternity) (Iota Lambda chapter)
Honor Societies
*
Alpha Psi Omega
Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society () is an American recognition fraternity for participants in collegiate theatre.
History
The ''Alpha Cast'' (Alpha Psi Omega's term for "chapter") was founded at Fairmont State College (now Fairm ...
(Theatre) (Alpha Tau cast)
*
Kappa Kappa Psi
Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity (, colloquially referred to as KKPsi), is a fraternity for college and university band members in the United States. It was founded on November 27, 1919, on Thanksgiving Day, at Oklahoma Agricult ...
(Band) (Iota Lambda chapter)
*
Kappa Pi
Kappa Pi () International Art Honor Society, founded in 1911 at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky, is an International Collegiate Art Honorary Fraternity. It is open to any student who has talent for or supports visual art. Kappa ...
(Art) (Zeta Alpha Sigma chapter)
*
Mu Phi Epsilon
Mu Phi Epsilon () is a co-ed international professional fraternity, professional music fraternity. It has over 75,000 members in 227 collegiate chapters and 113 Alumnus/a, alumni chapters in the US and abroad.
History
Mu Phi Epsilon was founde ...
(Music) (Phi chapter)
*
Kappa Delta Pi
Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, () is an honor society for education. It was founded in 1911 and was one of the first discipline-specific honor societies. Its membership is limited to the top 20 percent of those entering ...
(Education) (Omega Iota chapter)
*
Alpha Lambda Delta
Alpha Lambda Delta () is an honor society for students who have achieved a 3.5 GPA or higher during their first year or term of higher education.
History
Alpha Lambda Delta was founded in 1924 by the Dean of Women, Maria Leonard, at the Universi ...
(First year)
*
Alpha Mu Gamma
Alpha Mu Gamma () is a national collegiate foreign language honor society founded at Los Angeles City College on April 29, 1931. More than three hundred charters have been granted to chapters in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Isla ...
(Foreign Language)
*
Sigma Tau Delta
Sigma Tau Delta () is an international excelled English honor society for students of English at four-year colleges and universities who are within the top 30% of their class and have a 3.5 GPA or higher. It presently has over 850 chapters in ...
(English) (Upsilon Upsilon chapter)
*
Tau Pi Phi (Accounting, Business, & Economics)
*
Psi Chi
Psi Chi () is a college student honor society in psychology with international outreach founded in 1929 at the University of Kansas in the United States.
Psi Chi is one of the largest honor societies in the United States, with more than 1,150 cha ...
(Psychology)
*
Beta Beta Beta
Beta Beta Beta ( or TriBeta), is a collegiate honor society and academic fraternity for students of the biological sciences. It was founded in 1922 at Oklahoma City University by Dr. Frank G. Brooks and a group of his students. As of 2012, it has ...
(Biology)
*
Pi Mu Epsilon
Pi Mu Epsilon ( or ) is the U.S. honorary national mathematics society.
The society was founded at Syracuse University on , by Professor Edward Drake Roe, Jr,
and currently has chapters at 371 institutions across the US.
Goals
Pi Mu Epsilon is ...
(Mathematics)
*
Sigma Pi Sigma
Sigma Pi Sigma (), founded at Davidson College on December 11, 1921, is the oldest and only American honor society for physics and astronomy. It is an organization within the Society of Physics Students and the American Institute of Physics and ...
(Physics)
*
Sigma Iota Rho
Sigma Iota Rho () is a college, collegiate honor society for International relations, international studies recognized by the International Studies Association.
The purpose of ΣΙΡ is to promote and reward scholarship and service among students ...
(International Studies)
*
Pi Sigma Alpha
Pi Sigma Alpha ( or PSA), the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of political and social sciences in the United States. Its purpose is to recognize and promote high academic ...
(Political Science)
People
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Private universities and colleges in Ohio
Universities and colleges affiliated with the United Methodist Church
Educational institutions established in 1846
Alliance, Ohio
1846 establishments in Ohio