University Of Akron
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The University of Akron is a
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kno ...
in
Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...
. It is part of the
University System of Ohio The University System of Ohio is the public university system of the state of Ohio. It is governed by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. The system includes all of Ohio's public institutions of higher education: 14 four-year research unive ...
. As a
STEM Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...
-focused institution, it focuses on industries such as polymers, advanced materials, and engineering. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". The University of Akron offers about 200
undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-lev ...
and more than 100 graduate majors and has an enrollment of approximately 15,000 students. The university's School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering is housed in a 12-story reflective glass building near downtown Akron on the western edge of the main campus. UA's
Archives of the History of American Psychology The Archives of the History of American Psychology (AHAP) is a large collection of historical papers, instruments, films, photographs, and artifacts located at the University of Akron, in Akron, Ohio. History The Archives of the History of American ...
is an affiliate of the
Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
. The university has three branch campuses:
Wayne College Wayne College is a satellite campus of the University of Akron in Orrville, Ohio. It offers the first two years of general bachelor's degree coursework for students who plan to complete their degrees at the Akron campus or other colleges and uni ...
in Orrville, Ohio; the
Medina County University Center The Medina County University Center, or "MCUC," is an extension of the University of Akron. A three-story structure, this facility opened in 2007 and is located in Lafayette Township in Medina County, Ohio, USA The United States of Ameri ...
, in Lafayette Township, Ohio; and UA Lakewood, in the Cleveland suburb of Lakewood, Ohio. In addition, the university hosts nursing programs in affiliation with
Lorain County Community College Lorain County Community College (LCCC) is a public community college in the city of Elyria in Lorain County, Ohio, with learning centers in Wellington, North Ridgeville, and Lorain. In addition to associate degrees and certificates, students ...
.


History


Buchtel College

In 1867, at the annual convention of the Universalist Church of the state of Ohio, the Committee on Education expressed an interest in founding a college compatible with Universalist religious principles. It was announced that the location would be given to those who could find an appropriate location and also supply $60,000 for the college. John R. Buchtel, a prominent Akron businessman and Universalist, promptly contributed $25,000 to the endowment fund and $6,000 to the building fund. This led other Akronites to donate, setting the goal and securing Akron as the location for Buchtel College, named after its greatest supporter. John R. Buchtel continued to be the college's most significant contributor, giving $500,000 over his lifetime, approximately equivalent to $16 million today. When the university opened in 1872 it was a single-building campus, housed in what is now known as "Old Buchtel." George Washington Crouse donated $10,000 of the $20,000 needed to build a new gymnasium, completed in 1888. It was named Crouse Gymnasium in his honor, and was known as "the finest gym west of the Alleghenies." Tragedy struck the small college on December 20, 1899, when Old Buchtel burned to the ground. Insurance only covered $65,000 of the estimated $100,000 in loss. While new campus buildings were being constructed, the Crouse Gymnasium was divided into seven classrooms and served as the college until a new Buchtel Hall was opened in 1901. The new Buchtel Hall, which itself was gutted by fire in 1971, survives to this day but had some blackening on the exterior up until a 2011 restoration.


20th century

In 1907, the college shed its Universalist affiliation and became a non-denominational institution, in order to be able to receive funds from the Carnegie Foundation, which would not give funds to religiously affiliated schools. In 1913, Buchtel College trustees transferred the institution and its assets to the city of
Akron Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city prop ...
, and Buchtel College became the Municipal University of Akron. At this time, the enrollment was 198 students. Tax money levied for the school and Akron's growing population led to strong growth for the university. Over the next several decades the university continued to add new buildings to accommodate its growing student population, acquiring more land through purchases and donations. In 1963, Governor
Jim Rhodes James Allen Rhodes (September 13, 1909 – March 4, 2001) was an American Republican politician who served as Governor of Ohio from 1963 to 1971 and again from 1975 to 1983. , Rhodes was one of only seven U.S. governors to serve four four-yea ...
approved the university as a state-assisted institution. Enrollment in 1964 was 10,000 students. In 1967, it fully became a state university, providing its current name as The University of Akron. In 2015, 25,117 students were enrolled at the University of Akron.


Construction, dropping enrollment, and lay-offs

During the tenure (1999-2014) of its 15th president,
Luis M. Proenza Luis Mariano Proenza (born Dec. 22, 1944) is an American academic, and the former president of The University of Akron. He was a member of two advisory committees to US presidents. Biography Proenza holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from E ...
, the University of Akron underwent a $627 million construction project, called "A New Landscape for Learning." A new football stadium,
InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field InfoCision Management Corporation is a company that operates call centers. Based in Bath Township, Ohio outside of Akron, it is the second-largest teleservice company in the United States. It operates 30 call centers at 12 locations in Ohio, West ...
, was also constructed on campus. The new stadium opened for its first game on September 12, 2009. The stadium replaced the Rubber Bowl, which is from campus and was built in 1940. The university purchased the Quaker Square Crowne Plaza Hotel and shopping complex and uses it as a residence hall space. The university did a land-swap with the city of Akron so that the city may find a new downtown hotel. This means the University of Akron campus is made up of 82 buildings on near downtown Akron with a total property value of $1.84 billion.Quick Facts: "Brief History of the University"
Retrieved September 22, 2010
In 2015, the university eliminated over 200 positions as the result of a $6 million budget deficit. Subsequently, in May 2016, Moody's Investors Service, downrated the university's bonds from stable to negative, because of low enrollment and high debts and pension burdens. Moody's upgraded the university's outlook to stable in 2018, citing improved enrollment, rising donations and steps to reduce expenses. Still, between 2011 and 2020 the university's enrollment went down almost 40 percent, from 25,190 in 2011 to 15,385 in 2020. On October 1, 2019, Gary Miller became Akron's 18th president; formerly the chancellor of
University of Wisconsin–Green Bay The University of Wisconsin–Green Bay (UW-Green Bay, UWGB, or Green Bay) is a public university in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with regional campuses in Marinette, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan. Founded in 1965, it is part of the University of Wiscons ...
, he was given a five-year contract with a base salary of $475,000, with an annual $25,000 in a deferred compensation plan, monthly stipends of $3,500 and $750 for housing and a car, and $36,000 for moving expenses. In May 2020, president Miller announced that the university will consolidate its eleven academic colleges into five due to budget issues resulting from the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
; the cut is meant to reduce administrative costs, and "the plan does not cut or change any degree program offerings." The "redesign", as Miller called it, was termed a "bloodbath" by the faculty union president, and would eliminate "97 full-time professors out of about 570"; the union commented that "names were selected regardless of rank or tenure status". One study suggested that "women and professors of color were laid off at a disproportionate rate". After earlier layoffs and faculty taking early retirement, that added up to a loss of almost a quarter of the university's faculty since the start of the pandemic. The university's chapter of the
American Association of University Professors The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) is an organization of professors and other academics in the United States. AAUP membership includes over 500 local campus chapters and 39 state organizations. The AAUP's stated mission is ...
had advocated the university also consider cuts to athletics and leave
NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...
, which had lost $215 million during that decade, but the university said it would cut only $4.4 million from athletics. The ''
Chronicle of Higher Education ''The Chronicle of Higher Education'' is a newspaper and website that presents news, information, and jobs for college and university faculty and student affairs professionals (staff members and administrators). A subscription is required to rea ...
'' reported in August 2022 that thirty-six of the professors who had been fired were hired back by the university, but as adjuncts, with a similar workload and lower pay--in one case, at $18,000 a year, one-third of their former salary. In 2021, the Board of Trustees extended President Miller's contract, praising him for "consistent and decisive leadership". They increased the annual deferred compensation to $40,000, promised additional bonuses for 2025-2027 for a total of $107,000 if he remained on the job, and increased his housing and car stipends to $4,000 and $1,000, respectively.


Relationship with tire and rubber industry

The tire and rubber industry and the University of Akron have an overlapping history. Historically, several rubber corporations, such as Goodyear, Firestone,
General Tire and Rubber Company Continental Tire the Americas, LLC, d.b.a. General Tire, is an American manufacturer of tires for motor vehicles. Founded in 1915 in Akron, Ohio by William Francis O'Neil, Winfred E. Fouse, Charles J. Jahant, Robert Iredell, & H.B. Pushee as ...
, and Goodrich, had their headquarters in Akron. In 1909, the world's first courses in rubber chemistry were offered at the university. The university is also credited with featuring the first College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering in the world, which was founded in 1988.


Academics

The University of Akron offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees, ranging from certificate to doctoral programs. The largest college of the university is the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences.
Bierce Library Bierce is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Ambrose Bierce (1842 – ), American Civil War soldier, wit and writer * Lucius V. Bierce (1801–1876), attorney, five term mayor of Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city ...
is the main campus library. It is named for Lucius Bierce, a
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
era General, whose personal library constituted the first collection of the University Libraries.


Academic divisions

The University of Akron comprises the following colleges, schools, and campuses: *Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences *College of Business *College of Engineering and Polymer Science (includes School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering) *College of Health and Human Sciences *The Graduate School *
School of Law A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction. Law degrees Argentina In Argentina, l ...
*Williams Honors College *Wayne College


Undergraduate

The university offers about 200 undergraduate majors. In conjunction with the
Northeast Ohio Medical University Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) is a public medical school in Rootstown, Ohio. It specializes in graduate education in medicine and pharmacy but also has a College of Graduate Studies. Its medical school has partnerships with four p ...
(NEOMED), the university offers an Early Assurance Pathway to the NEOMED MD program. The University of Akron is also the first and only university in the nation to offer a baccalaureate program in
corrosion engineering Corrosion engineering is an engineering specialty that applies scientific, technical, engineering skills, and knowledge of natural laws and physical resources to design and implement materials, structures, devices, systems, and procedures to mana ...
.


Williams Honors College

The University of Akron Honors College students earn degrees from any of the four-year accredited colleges in the university while receiving special advisement and having the opportunity to live in the Honors Complex, a resident hall exclusively for honors students. The university announced on February 3, 2016, that the college was renamed in honor of Dr. Gary B. and Pamela S. Williams.


Graduate

The University of Akron currently offers more than 105 graduate degrees to approximately 2,000 graduate students. The graduate schools at the University of Akron variously offer the
Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
, PhD, J.D., and LL.M., among others. The Cleveland Clinic and University of Akron have formed the Integrated Bioscience Fellowship in Biomedicine. Fellowships will allow students to conduct cutting-edge research at the University of Akron and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute while pursuing a PhD in Integrated Bioscience. Recipients of Fellowships will be able to work with faculty at both institutions.


Law

The
University of Akron School of Law The University of Akron School of Law is the law school at the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio, USA. Offering both the J.D. and LL.M. degrees, it was founded in 1921 as the Akron School of Law and merged with the University of Akron in 195 ...
was founded in 1921 as Akron Law School and became affiliated with the university in 1959, becoming fully accredited by the
American Bar Association The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. Founded in 1878, the ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of acad ...
in 1961. It has both day and evening full-time and part-time programs that lead to the J.D. and LL.M. The University of Akron School of Law is also one of only 22 institutions in America to offer the LL.M. in
intellectual property Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...
, and one of two such programs in Ohio.


Research


Goodyear Polymer Center

The Goodyear Polymer Center (commonly referred to as "the polymer building"), is a 146,000 sq. ft. research facility, located at the university. Built by Richard Fleischman & Associates and completed in 1991, the center comprises two 12-story and nine-story towers connected by glass-enclosed walkways that serve as areas for informal interaction. It is the 8th tallest building in Akron. It contains eight large polymer synthesis groups, computer simulation and modeling capabilities, a
microscopy Microscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view objects and areas of objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye (objects that are not within the resolution range of the normal eye). There are three well-known branches of micr ...
suite, molecular and morphological characterization labs, surface analysis facilities, and thermal analysis and mechanical properties testing equipment.Home page for the College of Polymer Science and Engineering
, retrieved May 15, 2010
The Goodyear Polymer Center houses both the Department of Polymer Science and the School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering. The building houses classrooms, approximately 60 labs, 20 faculty offices, and 25 offices with 200 modules arranged in clusters for students and researchers. It contains the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, the Paul J. Flory Reading Room, The
International Rubber Science Hall of Fame The International Rubber Hall of Fame recognizes the careers of notable professionals in rubber technology. It is jointly sponsored by the Maurice Morton Institute of Polymer Science at The University of Akron and the Rubber Division of the Americ ...
portrait gallery, The Applied Polymer Research Center, and the 213-seat Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company Auditorium.


Other facilities

* The Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics is a bipartisan research institute dedicated to increasing understanding of the political process with emphasis on political parties, grassroots activity, and ethical behavior.


Athletics

The University of Akron's athletic teams are known as the "Zips," originally short for "Zippers," overshoes with
zippers A zipper, zip, fly, or zip fastener, formerly known as a clasp locker, is a commonly used device for binding together two edges of fabric or other flexible material. Used in clothing (e.g. jackets and jeans), luggage and other bags, camping ...
made in the 1920s and 1930s. The university's mascot is " Zippy," a
kangaroo Kangaroos are four marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern ...
. Zippy is one of eight female college mascots in the United States. Zippy won the title of Capital One National Mascot of the Year in 2007. Akron facilities include InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field, the
James A. Rhodes Arena James A. Rhodes Arena, nicknamed "The JAR," is an arena in Akron, Ohio, United States on the campus of the University of Akron. It was built next to and replaced the University's 3,000-seat Memorial Hall gymnasium. Named for former Ohio governor ...
, and the
FirstEnergy Stadium-Cub Cadet Field FirstEnergy Corp is an electric utility headquartered in Akron, Ohio. It was established when Ohio Edison acquired Centerior Energy in 1997. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the distribution, transmission, and generation of electri ...
. In football, Akron's major rivalry is with
Kent State Golden Flashes The Kent State Golden Flashes are the athletic teams that represent Kent State University. The university fields 19 varsity athletic teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I level with football competing in ...
. In 2005, the Akron Zips
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team won their first MAC championship, allowing them to compete for the
Motor City Bowl The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (known as the Motor City Bowl until 2009) was a post-season college football bowl game that was played annually from 1997 to 2013. The first five games (1997–2001) were played at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, ...
, Akron's first Division I-A
bowl game In North America, a bowl game is one of a number of post-season college football games that are primarily played by teams belonging to the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). For most of its history, the Division I Bowl Subdivis ...
appearance where they lost to the
Memphis Tigers The Memphis Tigers are the athletic teams that represent the University of Memphis, located in Memphis, Tennessee. The teams compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the American Athletic C ...
. In soccer, the Akron Zips men's soccer team, ranked number one throughout the 2009 regular season, went undefeated, making it to the
NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship The NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament, sometimes known as the College Cup, is an American intercollegiate soccer tournament conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and determines the Division I men's national champi ...
. The following season they secured the 2010 "College Cup" against the
Louisville Cardinals The Louisville Cardinals (also known as the Cards) are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. The Cardinals teams play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, beginning in the 2014 season. While playing in the Big East Co ...
. This was the first NCAA national team championship won by the
Akron Zips Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city pr ...
. In 2009, the men's basketball team won the MAC Tournament title, defeating Buffalo in
Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
at the
Quicken Loans Arena Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is a multi-purpose arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The building is the home of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League (AHL). It also serv ...
65–53, thus qualifying Akron for its first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 1986 and first as a MAC member. In 2010, the team reached the MAC Tournament Championship game for the fourth straight year, but lost in overtime. The Zips played in the postseason CBI tournament where they lost to Wisconsin–Green Bay 70–66. In 2022, the Zips defeated rival Kent State in the 2022 MAC men's basketball tournament championship to earn a spot in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, their fourth MAC tournament title overall and first title and NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013.


Greek life

The University of Akron has more than twenty fraternities and sororities. *
Kappa Kappa Gamma Kappa Kappa Gamma (), also known simply as Kappa or KKG, is a collegiate sorority founded at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, United States. It has a membership of more than 260,000 women, with 140 collegiate chapters in the United States a ...
was the oldest continuous sorority chapter on the campus, locally founded in 1877. This organization suspended operation in 2022. *The Lone Star Fraternity (Pi Kappa Epsilon) is the oldest local fraternity in the United States, and the only chapter in existence. Lone Star Fraternity was founded by W.V.N. Yates on February 22, 1882. The 135th anniversary was celebrated in 2017. This organization suspended operation in 2021. *
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 ...
was founded on the University of Akron's campus as "Sigma Delta Theta" in 1920 and at the time it was the oldest local sorority on campus. Sigma Delta Theta later became the Beta Tau chapter of Alpha Delta Pi in 1938. *The Ohio Epsilon chapter of
Phi Delta Theta Phi Delta Theta (), commonly known as Phi Delt, is an international secret and social fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, along with Beta Theta Pi and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad ...
fraternity, founded in 1875, is the oldest continuous Greek-letter organization on campus.


Notable alumni


Politics

*Former Akron mayor and Ohio Congressman
Thomas C. Sawyer Thomas Charles Sawyer (born August 15, 1945) is an American politician who represented his hometown of Akron, Ohio on all levels of government for nearly fifty years. Previously, he served in the United States Congress, in the Ohio Senate, in th ...
attended undergraduate and graduate school there. *
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (in case citations, 6th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * Eastern District of Kentucky * Western District of ...
Senior Judge Deborah L. Cook received her
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
and
Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...
degrees from the university. *Former Ohio congresswoman
Betty Sutton Betty Sue Sutton (born July 31, 1963) is an American politician who currently serves as a Judge of Ohio's 9th District Court of Appeals. She previously served as a U.S. Representative for from 2007 to 2013. She is a member of the Democratic Party ...
received her
Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...
from the university as well. *Former
Republican National Committee The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. political committee that assists the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican brand and political platform, as well as assisting in fu ...
chairman Ray C. Bliss graduated from Akron in 1935. The university's Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics is named for him. *Current Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan earned BA in education from the university. *Former
Republican National Committee The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. political committee that assists the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican brand and political platform, as well as assisting in fu ...
Co-chair and current
Ohio Republican Party The Ohio Republican Party is the Ohio affiliate of the Republican Party. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1854. History After the Civil War, Ohio politics was dominated by the Republican Party, and Ohio Republicans also played key roles in ...
Chairman Bob Paduchik earned his bachelor's degree in political science from the university in 1989.


Athletics

*Former Akron Zips football players
Chase Blackburn Chase Wyatt Blackburn (born June 10, 1983) is a former American football coach and former linebacker who is the special teams coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the New York Giants as an ...
,
Charlie Frye Charles Thomas Frye (born August 28, 1981) is a former American football quarterback and former quarterbacks coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the ...
,
Domenik Hixon Domenik Hixon (born October 8, 1984) is a former American football wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college foot ...
, Dwight Smith, and Jason Taylor have each gone on to find success in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
. Blackburn and Hixon were members of the 2008 Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, while Smith won a Super Bowl Ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003. Taylor was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2006 and was named the NFL's Man of the Year in 2007. *Baseball players
Mike Birkbeck Michael Laurence Birkbeck (born March 10, 1961) is a college baseball coach and former baseball pitcher. He is the pitching coach at Kent State University. Birkbeck attended Orrville High School in Orrville, Ohio and played college baseball at th ...
and
Mark Malaska Dennis Mark Malaska (born January 17, 1978 in Youngstown, Ohio) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in and the Boston Red Sox in in Major League Baseball. Malaska grew up on the south sid ...
have gone on to find success in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
. Birkbeck played for the Milwaukee Brewers from 1986 to 1989 and the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
in 1992 and 1995. Malaska played for the
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...
in 2003 and was a member of the 2004 World Series Champion
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. Former Zips baseball player
Keith Dambrot Keith Brett Dambrot (born October 26, 1958) is an American college basketball coach and the current men's basketball head coach of Duquesne University. During his high school head coaching career, he coached future NBA star LeBron James for two y ...
went on to become a distinguished college basketball coach. *Soccer players in the MLS (24) include Colorado Rapids (1): Dillon Serna (2012); Columbus Crew (2): Chad Barson (2009–12),
Wil Trapp William Alexander Trapp (born January 15, 1993) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defensive midfielder for Major League Soccer club Minnesota United. A native of Columbus, Ohio, Trapp graduated from Lincoln High Sch ...
(2011-12); D.C. United (2):
Perry Kitchen Perry Allen Kitchen (born February 29, 1992) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a defensive midfielder. He was part of the Akron Zips side that won the 2010 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship, and was a firs ...
(2010),
Chris Korb Chris Korb (born October 8, 1987) is a former American soccer player who last played in 2017, for D.C. United in Major League Soccer. Early life Korb was born on October 8, 1987 in Ohio to Rozann and Kenneth Korb. His dad coached his first s ...
(2008–10); Houston Dynamo (1):
Kofi Sarkodie Kofi Kwarteng Frempong Sarkodie (born March 22, 1991) is an American soccer player. Career Youth, College and Amateur After graduating from the IMG Soccer Academy in 2008, Sarkodie attended the University of Akron. Sarkodie started in all ...
(2008–10); Montreal Impact (2):
Evan Bush Evan William Bush (born March 6, 1986) is an American soccer player, who plays as a goalkeeper for Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer. Career College and amateur Bush attended Lake Catholic High School in Mentor, Ohio and played college so ...
(2005–08), Sinisa Ubiparipovic (2004-06); New England Revolution (1):
Scott Caldwell Scott Caldwell (born March 15, 1991) is an American professional soccer player who plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer. Career Youth, college and amateur Caldwell spent a year with the New England Revolution academy, making six app ...
(2009–12); New York Red Bulls (1): Eric Stevenson (2009–13); Philadelphia Union (2): Robbie Derschang (2012–13),
Aodhan Quinn Aodhan Quinn (born March 22, 1992) is an American professional soccer player who currently plays for Phoenix Rising FC in the USL Championship. Career Early career Quinn played college soccer at Bradley University in 2010 and at the Universit ...
(2011-13); Portland Timbers (6):
Bryan Gallego Bryan Gallego (born March 10, 1993) is a former American association football, soccer player. Career Youth, college and amateur Gallego grew up in Kinnelon, New Jersey and graduated from Kinnelon High School as part of the class of 2011. He sp ...
(2011–13), David Meves (2009–12),
Darlington Nagbe Darlington Joephillip Nagbe (born July 19, 1990) is an professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer. Born in Liberia, he represented the United States national team. Nagbe spent the first seven ...
(2008–10),
Michael Nanchoff Michael Nanchoff (born September 23, 1988) is an American retired soccer player who is currently an assistant coach for the Akron Zips men's soccer team. Career College and Amateur Before college, Nanchoff played for Walsh Jesuit High School i ...
(2007–10),
Steve Zakuani Steve Zakuani (born 9 February 1988) is a Congolese former footballer. He was born in Zaire—now the Democratic Republic of the Congo—and grew up in London. After a successful college career, he played for the Seattle Sounders FC and the Port ...
(2007–08),
Ben Zemanski Ben Zemanski (born May 12, 1988 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is an American retired soccer player and current assistant coach for the Portland Pilots. Career College and Amateur Zemanski attended the Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, where he ...
(2006-09); Seattle Sounders (2):
Blair Gavin Blair Gavin (born January 8, 1989) is a former American association football, soccer player who is head coach of USL Championship side FC Tulsa. Career College and Amateur Gavin grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, played club soccer for the Sereno ...
(2007–09),
DeAndre Yedlin DeAndre Roselle Yedlin (born July 9, 1993) is an American professional soccer player who plays for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the United States national team. Primarily a right-back, he has also featured as a right wing-back and ...
(2011-12); Sporting Kansas City (2): Reinaldo Brenes (2010–13),
Teal Bunbury Teal Alexander Bunbury (born February 27, 1990) is a professional soccer player who plays as a forward and midfielder for Nashville SC in Major League Soccer. Born in Canada, he represented the United States national team. Early life Bunbur ...
(2008-09); Toronto FC
Richie Laryea Richmond Mamah Laryea ( ; Ga: ; born January 7, 1995) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a right-back or midfielder for Major League Soccer club Toronto FC, on loan from Premier League club Nottingham Forest, and the Can ...
(2014–15) Vancouver Whitecaps (1):
Darren Mattocks Darren Dimitri Mattocks (born 2 September 1990) is a Jamaican professional footballer who last played as a forward for Phoenix Rising FC and the Jamaica national football team. College career Mattocks played for the University of Akron where ...
(2010–11). *Track and field athlete
Shawn Barber Shawn William Barber (born January 14, 1975) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Richmon ...
, went professional in 2015, signing with Nike, after winning the IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Men's Pole Vault.
Clayton Murphy Clayton Murphy (born February 26, 1995) is an American middle-distance runner. He won the bronze medal in the 800-meter run at the 2016 Olympic Games. He was the gold medalist in the 800-meter run at the 2015 Pan American Games. He ran collegiat ...
is a professional middle-distance track runner with Nike, and earned the bronze medal in the 800m in the 2016 Olympic Games. *Cheerleader Alexis Kaufman, known as
Alexa Bliss Alexis Cabrera (née Kaufman; born August 9, 1991) is an American professional wrestler. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Alexa Bliss. In 2013, Bliss signed a contract with WWE and was a ...
, has held a combined total of seven championships in
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
. She is also both the second and youngest woman to be named a
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
Triple Crown (professional wrestling) The Triple Crown is an accomplishment recognized by various professional wrestling promotions. It is a distinction made to a professional wrestler who has won three of a single promotion's championships; specifically, a world championship, anoth ...
. * *Basketball player
Kwan Cheatham Kwan Cheatham Jr. (born August 21, 1995) is an American basketball player for Victoria Libertas Pesaro of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He plays forward and center. Early and personal life Cheatham was born in Vallejo, California. His p ...
plays for
Ironi Nes Ziona Ironi Ness Ziona B.C. (or spelled as Ironi Nes Ziona B.C.) is a professional basketball club based in Ness Ziona, Israel. The team plays its home games at the Lev Hamoshava, which has capacity for 1,200 people. The club plays in the Israeli Bas ...
of the
Israel Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl ( he, ליגת העל, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is the top-tier level league of professional competition in Israeli club basketball, making it Israel's primary basketball co ...
.


See also

*
List of colleges and universities in Ohio The state of Ohio is home to a number of public and private institutions of higher learning. Prior to statehood, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 included a provision to establish an institution of higher education in what became Ohio. American Wes ...


Notes


References


External links

*
University of Akron athletics website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akron, University Of Educational institutions established in 1870 Education in Akron, Ohio Buildings and structures in Akron, Ohio Tourist attractions in Akron, Ohio Public universities and colleges in Ohio 1870 establishments in Ohio