Urbana University

Infobox_University

name = Urbana University
established = 1850
type = Private
president = Dr. Stephen B. Jones
city = Urbana
state = Ohio
country = United States
campus = convert|128|acre|km2
colors = Blue and White
mascot = The Blue Knight
website = [http://www.urbana.edu/ www.urbana.edu]

Urbana University is a small university specializing in liberal arts education. Urbana is located in Urbana, Ohio, approximately one hour west of Columbus and one hour northeast of Dayton.

History

Urbana University was founded in 1850 by followers of the 18th century Swedish philosopher and scientist, Emanuel Swedenborg. The university was the second institution of higher learning in Ohio to admit women; the first was Oberlin College. The groundwork for the founding of the university was in part laid by John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed. While more famous for spreading apple seeds throughout the East, Chapman was also a Swedenborgian missionary and helped spread this faith among the early settlers around Urbana. Chapman encouraged his friend and fellow Swedenborgian, Colonel John James, to donate the land on which Urbana University was built. To this day, the University maintains an informal relationship with the "Swedenborgian General Convention of the Church of the New Jerusalem in the United States of America".

Urbana Today

In addition to being a traditional liberal arts college, Urbana University's School of Adult and Graduate Education offers Associate degree and Bachelor of Science degree completion programs in Business Management, Education, Criminal Justice Leadership, Human Services Leadership, and many more. In addition to these programs, Master's programs are available in Business Administration and in Education.

Classes meet on the Urbana University main campus, and at several off-campus locations throughout Western Ohio. These locations are in Bellefontaine, Dayton, Kettering, Piqua, and Springfield.