Ottawa University (OU) is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...

university with its main campus in

Ottawa, Kansas Ottawa (pronounced ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Franklin County, Kansas, United States. It is located on both banks of the Marais des Cygnes River near the center of Franklin County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the c ...

, a second residential campus in Surprise, Arizona, and adult campuses in the Kansas City, Phoenix and Milwaukee metropolitan areas. It was founded in 1865 and is affiliated with the

Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma The Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma is one of four federally recognized Native American tribes of Odawa people in the United States. Its Algonquian-speaking ancestors had migrated gradually from the Atlantic coast and Great Lakes areas, reaching what a ...

and the

American Baptist Churches USA The American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) is a mainline/evangelical Baptist Christian denomination within the United States. The denomination maintains headquarters in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The organization is usually considered mainl ...

. The residential campus in Ottawa has a student enrollment of more than 850 students, while the OUAZ campus in Surprise boasts more than 900. In total, Ottawa University serves more than 4,000 students across all of its campuses and online.

History

The origins of Ottawa University date back to the 1860s when Baptist missionaries established the First Baptist Church in the area that would eventually develop into Ottawa, which at the time was occupied by Native Americans. Elsewhere, Kansas Baptists had managed to charter an institute of higher learning that they were planning on calling the "Roger Williams University" after

Roger Williams Roger Williams (21 September 1603between 27 January and 15 March 1683) was an English-born New England Puritan minister, theologian, and author who founded Providence Plantations, which became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation ...

, the founder of the

First Baptist Church in America The First Baptist Church in America is the First Baptist Church of Providence, Rhode Island, also known as the First Baptist Meetinghouse. It is the oldest Baptist church congregation in the United States, founded in 1638 by Roger Williams in Pr ...

. In the early 1860s, they were looking for a place to establish it and at the 1860 Baptist State Convention in

Atchison, Kansas Atchison is a city and county seat of Atchison County, Kansas, United States, along the Missouri River. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 10,885. The city is named in honor of US Senator David Rice Atchison from Missouri ...

, Rev. John Tecumseh "Tauy" Jones made a case for the university coming to Ottawa; he proposed that the Baptists work with the Native Americans in the area, who had land that they might be willing to sell for the purpose of creating a college. After discussions with the Native Americanswho were amenable to the ideait was agreed that 20,000 acres of land would be set aside for the express purpose of constructing a college. On August 20, 1862, the first board of trustees (made up of four Native Americans and two white Baptists) met and decided to purchase 5,000 acres of the aforementioned land so as to establish a campus. In 1865, the name "Roger Williams University" was decommissioned and "Ottawa University" was adopted. Eventually, the campus was whittled down to about 640 acres. Rev.

Isaac Smith Kalloch Isaac Smith Kalloch (July 10, 1832 – December 9, 1887) was a Baptist pastor from New England who served as the 18th Mayor of San Francisco serving from December 1, 1879, to December 4, 1881. He also served as the first president of Ottawa Uni ...

, a Baptist minister from

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

, served as the first president from 1866 to 1868 and oversaw the construction of Tauy Jones Hall, the oldest surviving building on campus.

Campuses

Aerial view of Ottawa University Ottawa Kansas 09-04-2013

The original campus, founded in 1865, is in

. It is referred to as OU. A second residential campus opened in 2017 in Surprise, Arizona, and is referred to as OUAZ. In addition to the residential locations, OU has adult campuses in

Overland Park, Kansas Overland Park ( ) is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas. Located in Johnson County, Kansas, it is one of four principal cities in the Kansas City metropolitan area and the most populous suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. As ...

;

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...

; and

Brookfield, Wisconsin Brookfield is a city located in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States in the Milwaukee metropolitan area The Milwaukee metropolitan area (also known as Metro Milwaukee or Greater Milwaukee) is a major metropolitan area located in Southeast ...

. Note: However over the tab reading "Locations" to see campus locations.

Affiliation

It is affiliated with the

. Ottawa University is accredited by the

Higher Learning Commission The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa ...

. Its education programs in Kansas are accredited by the

National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) was a professional accreditor focused on accrediting teacher education programs in U.S. colleges and universities. It was founded in 1954 and was recognized as an accreditor by ...

and approved by the

Kansas State Department of Education Kansas State Department Board of Education (KSDE) is Kansas's Board of Education, headquartered in Topeka.Welcome to KSDE
" Kan ...

Academics

Ottawa University offers bachelor's degree programs in more than 25 disciplines. Current graduate program offerings include Master of Accountancy,

Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accoun ...

(MBA),

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

in Education (MAEd), Master of Arts in Human Resources (MAHR), Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC), Master of Arts in Leadership, Master of Science in Addiction Counseling, and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). In 2017, '' U.S. News & World Report'' ranked the school as the 3rd-highest regional private college in Kansas; the site also ranked Ottawa University as 42 out of 150 in a ranking of Midwest Regional Colleges.

Research and cultural resources

Ottawa University is the Alpha chapter of

Pi Kappa Delta Pi Kappa Delta () is a Forensics (Public Speaking and Debate) Honor Society for undergraduate university students and a professional organization for graduates, typically university Speech and Debate Coaches. Pi Kappa Delta, or PKD, encourages th ...

, the national speech and debate honorary. In 1913, Ottawa became the founding member and continues to invest in forensic activities over 100 years later. Free and open to the Ottawa, Kansas, and surrounding communities, the music department holds a number of concerts throughout the year both on campus and in local venues. The theatre department offers a variety of productions for the community. The University serves as a host for community related events throughout the year.

Athletics

Kansas Braves

The athletic teams of the Kansas (main) campus are called the Braves. The university is a member of the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its st ...

(NAIA), primarily competing in the

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The KCAC is the oldest conference in the NAIA and the second oldest in the United Stat ...

(KCAC) since the 1982–83 academic year; which they were a member on a previous stint from their charter member days in 1902–03 to 1970–71. The Braves previously competed as a founding member of the

Heart of America Athletic Conference The Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC or The Heart) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member institutions are located in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska in ...

(HAAC) from its inception in 1971–72 to 1981–82. Ottawa competes in 31 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, powerlifting, soccer, tennis, track & field, volleyball and wrestling; while women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, cross country, flag football, golf, lacrosse, powerlifting, soccer, softball, stunt, tennis, track & field, volleyball and wrestling; and co-ed sports include competitive cheer, competitive dance and eSports. Also OU offers varied intramural programs.

Arizona Spirit

The athletic teams of the Arizona (OUAZ) campus are called the Spirit. The campus is a member of the

(NAIA), primarily competing in the

Golden State Athletic Conference The Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference commissioner is Mike Daniels. Conference leadership is shared among the membe ...

(GSAC) since the 2018–19 academic year; while its football team competes in the

Sooner Athletic Conference The Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Originally developed as a five-team conference of Oklahoma-based schools, the SAC now boasts 12 s ...

(SAC) since the 2018 fall season. They are also a member of the

National Christian College Athletic Association The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) is an association of Christian universities, colleges, and Bible colleges in the United States and Canada whose mission is "the promotion and enhancement of intercollegiate athletic ...

(NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the West Region of the Division I level. OUAZ competes in 27 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, water polo and weightlifting; while women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, stunt, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, water polo and weightlifting; and co-ed sports include competitive cheer and competitive dance.

Student life

The campus in Ottawa, Kansas, offers more than 30 student groups, clubs and organizations, including the oldest student-run newspaper in Kansas, ''The Campus''. The school offers drama, music, fraternities and sororities, honor societies, campus ministry opportunities, and other activities. The campus in Surprise offers music ensembles, academic and professional clubs, campus ministries, and club teams such as bowling, lacrosse and outdoor adventures.

Notable people

;Faculty * Irene Rima Makaryk, distinguished professor ;Alumni *

Wayne Angell Wayne D. Angell (born June 28, 1930) is an American economist, politician and professor who served as a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors from 1986 to 1994. Angell was born in Liberal, Kansas. Biography He graduated from Ottawa ...

, former Federal Reserve governor, Kansas State Representative and Bear Stearns chief economist *

Mitch Barnhart Mitch Barnhart (born August 27, 1959) is the athletics director for the Kentucky Wildcats athletics program at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. Barnhart was hired by the university in 2002 succeeding Larry Ivy. Barnhart served ...

Athletic Director An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches an ...

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentu ...

* Leonard Erickson, researcher of DNA repair *

Howard K. Gloyd Howard Kay Gloyd (February 12, 1902 – August 7, 1978) was an American herpetologist who is credited with describing several new species and subspecies of reptiles, such as the Florida cottonmouth, '' Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti''. Also, he ...

herpetologist Herpetology (from Greek ἑρπετόν ''herpetón'', meaning "reptile" or "creeping animal") is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians (including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians ( gymnophiona)) and rep ...

, credited with describing several new species of reptiles *

Robin Harris Robin Hughes Harris Sr. (August 30, 1953 – March 18, 1990) was an American comedian and actor, best known for his recurring comic sketch about "Bébé's Kids". He was posthumously nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting ...

, comedian * Marvin Harvey, basketball coach *

Timon Marshall Timon Marshall (born August 7, 1979) is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He has most recently played for the Corpus Christi Fury in the American Indoor Football League. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs ...

Arena Football League The Arena Football League (AFL) was a professional arena football league in the United States. It was founded in 1986, but played its first official games in the 1987 season, making it the third longest-running professional football league in ...

player * Merritt C. Mechem, territorial Supreme Court justice and one-term Republican governor of

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

Dorothy C. Stratton Dorothy Constance Stratton (March 24, 1899 – September 17, 2006) is best known as the first director of the SPARS, the U.S. Coast Guard Women's Reserve. In 1942, she became the first woman to be commissioned an officer in U.S. Coast Guard ...

, director of the United States Coast Guard Women's Reserve ( SPARS) during World War II *

DeDe Dorsey DeDe Dorsey (born August 1, 1984) is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Lindenwood. Dorsey was also a member of the Indianapolis Colt ...

, National Football League (Indianapolis Colts (2006-Super Bowl XLI Champions) and Detroit Lions) *

Derrick Ward Derrick LaRon Ward (born August 30, 1980) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the New York Jets in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft and played for the New York Giants, Tampa ...

, National Football League (played football for Ottawa University for one semester, and did not graduate from this institution) *

Mary Watson Weaver Mary Eliza Watson Weaver (January 16, 1903 – November 16, 1990) was an American composer, pianist, and poet who was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Life Mary received B.A. and B. M. degrees from Smith College (Massachusetts) and Ottawa Universi ...

, composer

References

External links

*
Ottawa Braves athletics website

Ottawa–Arizona Spirit athletics website
{{Authority control Education in Franklin County, Kansas Universities and colleges affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA Educational institutions established in 1865 Buildings and structures in Ottawa, Kansas Private universities and colleges in Kansas 1865 establishments in Kansas