Muskingum University

Muskingum University is a private four-year comprehensive college with a strong liberal arts tradition located in New Concord, Ohio, approximately sixty miles east of the state capital of Columbus. Founded in 1837, Muskingum University is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), although since the 1960s the school's religious nature has significantly diminished. School colors are black and magenta and the school's mascot is the “Fighting Muskie” (the muskellunge, the largest member of the pike family). The school's motto is "Omni, Trinum, Perfectum", Latin for "all perfect things are three-sided" a reference to both the Christian Trinity and Muskingum's mission to develop their students' minds, bodies and souls. Collectively the school's alumni are referred to as the "Long Magenta Line" and students (both past and present) are known simply as "Muskies". New Concord, Ohio is located in far eastern Muskingum County, OH, which derives its name from the Muskingum River. Hence the often misspelled and mispronounced Delaware Indian word Muskingum (translation- "village on the river bank" and/or "glare of an elk's eye"- there's a dispute) was used in naming the school. In June 2009, the institution's name was changed from "Muskingum College" to "Muskingum University".

Approximately 1,700 undergraduate students are currently enrolled at Muskingum, choosing from more than 40 academic majors. New programs have recently been launched in digital media design, criminal justice, and engineering. A new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) program has also been initiated.

Graduate programs are also offered in education and management information systems, strategy and technology. Muskingum is nationally known for its innovative PLUS program, a service which assists students with learning disabilities cope, adjust, and ultimately succeed in a higher learning environment.

Muskingum's campus consists of 21 major buildings, a football stadium and a small lake, which all sit atop 225 acres (0.91 km²) of rolling hills overlooking New Concord. The beauty of the campus was recently captured in "A Song of the Seasons: Paintings by Jianmin Dou" by Donna Edsall and Yan Sun (2003). Scenery on campus is especially breathtaking during the fall as the leaves change.

History

In 1827, the National Road (now U.S. 40) was laid through what is now New Concord, roughly following what had been the primitive roadway known as Zane's Trace. A year later, the village of New Concord, Ohio was established by Scotch-Irish Presbyterians. On July 9, 1836, the first recorded meeting of the "Friends of Education" in New Concord, led by New Concord residents Samuel Willson and Benjamin Waddle, was held. A year later, the Ohio General Assembly authorized the creation of a college in New Concord, OH after being petitioned by the "Friends of Education" committee. On April 24, 1837, Muskingum College opened. Muskingum became a coeducational institution in 1854. In 1958, the United Presbyterian Church of North America (UPCNA) and the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA) merge together by signing a historic agreement in Brown Chapel. In 2001, the school's women's softball team captured the NCAA Division III National Championship, the school's first national title.^[2]

Academics

Muskingum has been continuously accredited by the North Central Association of College and Secondary Schools since 1919. "The school up on the hills", as it is sometimes called by locals, offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees at the undergraduate level, and at the graduate level Master of Information Strategy Systems and Technology, Master of Arts in Education, and Master of Arts in Teaching graduate degrees. The school offers 44 academic majors along with a large number of minors, 9 pre-professional programs (including pre-law and pre-medicine) and teaching licensure, all of which must be pursued within a strong liberal arts curriculum, known at Muskingum as the "Liberal Arts Essentials" (LAEs) (see below). Among Muskingum's strongest undergraduate academic programs are its science division, math program, education department, and journalism program. Muskingum is often proclaimed as a "best value" in education, by combining strong academics with low tuition, by U.S. News & World Report and similar publications. In their 2008 America's Best College's guide, U.S. News & World Report ranked Muskingum the "31st Best Master's Level University" in the Midwest academically.[1] and the "4th Best Value" among Midwest Master's Level Universities [2].

Campus

Most of Muskingum's academic buildings are clustered around a traditional quad near the southern part of the campus. The quad is bordered by Montgomery Hall and the College Library to the south, Caldwell Hall, Cambridge Hall and the Student/Faculty Center to the west, the Recreation Center and John Glenn Gym to the north and Boyd Science Center to the east. Brown Chapel sits on the southeastern corner of the quad.

• Paul Hall (1873) is the oldest building on Muskingum's campus. Two previous versions of this building burnt down early in the school's history. This third structure is named for Dr. David Paul, president of the College from 1865 to 1879. The building, which currently houses the music department, is registered as a National Historic Site.

• Johnson Hall (1899) is named for Dr. Jesse Johnson, Muskingum's president from 1883 to 1902. Renovated in 1977, it contained art studios, the Louis Palmer Gallery and a 160-seat proscenium thrust theater. Johnson Hall was torn down in 2009 to make room for Walter Hall.

• The Little Theater (1900) was constructed for physical education purposes and remodeled in 1943 for theatrical use, and was used as classroom space primarily in theatre until it was torn down in 2009.

• Brown Chapel (1912) is a multi-purpose building which serves the College as a church, chapel, auditorium and classroom. The Chapel was named for J.M. Brown, a benefactor of the College and long-time member of the school's board of trustees.

• Montgomery Hall (1921) is the administrative hub of the campus, containing administrative and faculty offices and classrooms. The building is named for Dr. John Knox Montgomery Sr., president of Muskingum from 1904 until 1931, and the unofficial "Father of Muskingum College".

• Cambridge Hall (1929) was built largely with funds contributed by citizens of nearby Cambridge, OH. Along with classrooms, the business, English, political science, psychology, sociology, history departments.

• John Glenn Gym (1935) was named in 1962 in honor of the distinguished astronaut-senator graduate. It houses two gymnasiums, a swimming pool, recreation and intramural equipment and coaches' offices.

• The College Library (1960) holds more than 215,000 volumes.

• The Student/Faculty Center (1960) includes the campus center, snack bar, mailroom, bookstore, and meeting rooms. It also houses the Student Life Office, the Office of Career Services, Internships and Leadership Development, Student Senate, Student Activities, Counciling and Special Events.

• Boyd Science Center (1971) is a four-floor building housing the biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, modern languages, computer science and physics departments.

• Recreation Center (1986) is a four-story building holding a 2,800-seat gym, dance rooms, racquetball courts, weight room, athletic training room and locker rooms. The "Rec" Center also houses the physical education department and the athletic department.

• Caldwell Hall (2004) a 32,000 ft (9,800 m). sq., state-of-the-art facility houses Muskingum’s speech, journalism and theatre programs, and graphic arts initiative. This 21st century instructional space features multi-media classrooms, computer-aided design laboratory, lecture hall, seminar rooms, exhibit hall, radio and television studios, a 250-seat theatre, recital hall and cinema, costume & set design laboratories, tech support areas and an experimental theatre/rehearsal hall.

• Chess Center (2008) a 23,000 ft (7,000 m). sq., state-of-the-art campus center. featuring a three-level forum where students gather, socialize, study, work, & work out. The innovative design of this new building also "bridges" the east and west hills of the campus.

• The Neptune Center (2008) This new building is home for our Art Department’s program in ceramics, sculpture, and other three-dimensional creative work. The Neptune Center provides our students and faculty with spacious state-of-the-art facilities for design and fabrication of ceramics, metals, wood and other malleable materials.

• Walter Hall (2010) - Dedicated in April 2011. Has become the new home for music program, world languages and the Center for the Advancement of Learning (PLUS program).

Athletics

Muskingum competes athletically in the NCAA as a Division III school and as one of the first and longest affiliated members of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). M.U.'s teams compete under the moniker, the "Fighting Muskies". Rather than using the traditional magenta, Muskies athletics wear black and red. The school's main athletic rival is fellow OAC competitor the Marietta College Pioneers (which ironically was originally called the "Muskingum Academy" when established in 1797). Muskingum fields teams in American football, women's volleyball, baseball, women's softball, wrestling and men's and women's indoor track, outdoor track, soccer, tennis, cross country and golf. Muskingum has won 79 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Championships, since the school joined the conference in 1923:

• Baseball Championship (1952)
• Men's Basketball Regular Season Championships (1972–73, 1973–74, 1950–51)
• Men's Basketball Tournament Championships (1989–90, 1987–88, 1976–77, 1936–37, 1927–28, 1926–27, 1925–26)
• Women's Basketball Regular Season Championships (1992–93, 1988–89)
• Women's Basketball Tournament Championships (1990–91, 1988–89, 1984–85)
• Men's Cross Country Championships (1961, 1928, 1927)
• Football Championships (1975, 1966, 1965, 1960, 1955, 1950, 1949, 1939, 1931, 1930, 1929, 1927, 1926)
• Men's Golf Championships (1987, 1978)
• Softball Regular Season Championships (2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998)
• Softball Tournament Championships (2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1995, 1993, 1992, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1986)
• Women's Indoor Track Championship (1987)
• Women's Outdoor Track Championships (1987, 1986, 1985)
• Volleyball Regular Season Championships (1999, 1998, 1991, 1989, 1988)
• Volleyball Tournament Championships (2002, 1999, 1998, 1992, 1988)
• Wrestling Championships (2000, 1979)
• Women's All-Sport OAC Championships (1989–90, 1988–89, 1985–86)
• Mens Undefeated OAC Track Champions Coach Ed Sherman and Rex B. Hoon OAC discuss OAC record holder for 11 years 3 sport Varsity Athlete Letter and ALL OHIO Football Junior Year Defensive Tackle, also instituted at Green Hills HS the spread offense undefeated ranked 10 th in Ohio high schools before class divisions
• Mens Soccer OAC Tournamnet 2008

During the period between 1925- 1970 Muskingum was known as a football powerhouse in the OAC, led by college football Hall of Famer Edgar Sherman, first as a player and then as head coach. The Muskies even represented the OAC in two Grantland Rice Bowls (1964 & 1966) and won 12 OAC football championships during that forty-five year period. Through the years the M.C. men's basketball team has also seen success, having won 3 regular season OAC championships and 7 OAC tournament championships. In more recent years, the Muskingum women's softball teams have achieved considerable success, winning every OAC regular season championship since 1998 and the NCAA Division III national championship in 2001. Muskingum's softball coach Donna Newberry holds the record for the most victories in NCAA Division III history.

Alumni

Collectively, Muskingum's alumni are referred to as the "Long Magenta Line". Muskingum College's favorite son is former astronaut and U.S. senator John Glenn, who graduated with a bachelor of science in 1962, the same year he became the first American to orbit the Earth (Glenn also has an honorary degree from Muskingum from 1961, but the B.S. he earned in 1962 is an earned degree). In 1983, John Glenn launched his White House bid from the Muskingum College quad in the heart of the campus. Glenn also announced his retirement from the United States Senate in Brown Chapel on live national television in 1997. Upon his retirement, Glenn donated his archives to the Ohio State University, with special conditions that Muskingum students would benefit from the collection at any time. Muskingum received national media attention once again in 1998, when a 77 year old Glenn returned to space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery, becoming the oldest person ever in space.

References

• Fisk, William L. (1978) A History of Muskingum College. New Concord: Muskingum College.

• Porter, Lorie (2001) "John Glenn's New Concord". Arcadia Publishing.

• Miller, R.J. (2006) A Christian Educator: John Knox Montgomery, President of Muskingum College 1904-1931. Kessinger Publishing, LLC.

• Muskingum College 2004 Alumni Directory (2004) Chesapeake, VA: Beranard C. Harris Publishing Company, Inc.

• Edsall, Donna and Yan Sun (2003) A Song of the Seasons: Paintings by Jianmin Dou. Arbor Hill Press.

• 2007-2008 Ohio Athletic Conference Directory & Records Book

• Davis, Dan (Sunday, March 18, 2007) "Muskie Traditions, Curiosities Uncovered," The Daily Jeffersonian. Cambridge, Ohio. Section C: Pages C-1 & C8.

• Official NCAA Softball Record Book, available online at http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/softball/softball_records_book/2007/2007_softball_records.pdf

External links

• Official website