Founded in 1946, Ohio University-Chillicothe is the first regional campus in the state. For more than 60 years, OU-C has remained true to its mission of preparing students for the challenges of tomorrow and additionally providing service to the region.
 

OU-C is in the fortunate position of being part of a great, national university and an engaged member of the Chillicothe/Ross County community.
 

The campus recently broke ground on an addition to the Technical Studies Building that supports OU-C’s mission of serving it students and serving its region by providing additional space for the Law Enforcement Technology program and an entrepreneurship program. The facility is scheduled to be operational in spring 2011.
 

The completion of the Parkway Project transforms the exterior of the Chillicothe Campus that reflects the quality of the OU-C educational experience. The campus now has more of the appearance associated with a small campus.
 

The campus is experiencing a time of tremendous growth. Fall quarter 2009 enrollment exceeded 2,100 students, a 15 percent increase over the previous year and the highest enrollment in at least 10 years. During fall quarter 2008, OU-C was third among 24 regional campuses in Ohio with a 13.8 percent headcount increase over the previous fall, according to the Board of Regents’ preliminary headcount enrollment report.
 

OU-C has recently developed partnerships with Berger Hospital System and Ohio Christian University, the local Veterans Administration Medical Center and Southern State Community College. These partnerships, which include regional medical centers, a private university and a community college, help to open the doors of higher education to residents of the campus’ service area.
 

A grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, which was secured in the summer of 2008, is allowing the library to utilize technology so that students from the region are better prepared to compete in an increasingly global marketplace.
 

OU-C partnered with eight area high schools as an Early Adopter pilot program for the “Seniors to Sophomores” program. This University System of Ohio initiative allows qualified high school students to get an early jump on their college careers by earning college credit during their senior year in high school.
 

The Ohio University-Chillicothe/Berger Collaborative Nursing Program was awarded the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration’s Recognition of Excellence honor in the highly competitive “Educating America’s 21st Century Workplace” category, one of the five accolades for successful programs and practices.
 

A grant directed by Ohio University-Chillicothe Instructor of Geography Gary Haynes has been recognized by the Ohio Environmental Education Fund as an outstanding project and met the agency’s highest standards of excellence and effectiveness in environmental education. The project was designed to bolster environmental education in Ross County schools. More than 3,300 students made use of the educational material provided to the classrooms.
 

OU-C Professor of History John Reiger is the first individual interviewed for “Sierra Sportsmen,” a Web site the Sierra Club recently launched to reach out to hunters and anglers. As the story notes, “Dr. Reiger literally ‘wrote the book’ on the history of American sportsmen and conservation, called American Sportsmen and the Origins of Conservation.” The book was originally published in 1975 and was revised in 2001.
 

Ohio University-Chillicothe’s nursing program has earned a ringing endorsement from a national accrediting body. OU-C’s Associate Degree Nursing Program received an eight-year, full accreditation from the Board of Commissioners of the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. This is the maximum accreditation possible.
 

Project SERVE (Summer Enrichment Reading and Volunteer Experience) takes an active approach toward helping first-year students at Ohio University-Chillicothe get off on the right foot in making the most of their college journeys. The initiative combines a common reading project and community service aspect to focus on working and learning together both inside and outside of the classroom. New college students opting to participate in the 2-credit hour class meet together for 2 hours of classroom time per week for five weeks prior to the start of fall classes.
 

Ohio University-Chillicothe is going Hollywood. Jerod Wheeler, a 2006 OU-C graduate, has appeared in an episode of the popular TV series “ER.” Wheeler honed his acting skills while performing in stage productions at OU-C during his college career.
 

High school teachers receive hands-on instruction in how to best educate top students during the annual Advanced Placement Summer Institute at Ohio University-Chillicothe each summer. The one-week workshops are designed to give teachers the insights they need to be most effective in challenging their students. OU-C, which has hosted the institute since 1999, is one of only five sites in the state to offer the institute. The institutes include teachers from across Ohio and out of state. This type of program underscores OU-C’s commitment to enhancing education at all levels.
 

The Learning Commons in Stevenson Center, which opened in fall 2006, represents an initiative that creatively and efficiently utilizes space in a manner that advances the campus’ educational mission and best meets the needs of OU-C students. The Learning Commons consists of Quinn Library, the Writing Center, the Math Center and the computer lab and was designed with input from students and faculty. The commons helps establish a sense of community.
 

Through various outreach efforts, the campus is committed to providing an educational experience that offers students real-world experience and benefits the region. The nursing program’s health fairs in area schools and volunteerism efforts by campus organizations such as the Human Services Association are some examples.