Ohio Eastern Campus History

The Ohio University Eastern Campus enjoys the best of two worlds: its faculty, staff and students live in a pleasant, rural area of scenic southeastern Ohio and still have access to the amenities of a large metropolitan area within easy driving distance.

Belmont County and Surrounding Area

Ohio University Eastern is five miles from St. Clairsville, Ohio, the county seat; 14 miles from Wheeling, West Virginia. Conveniently located off Exit 213 of Interstate 70, on what some still refer to as the National Road, Ohio University-Eastern is near a major shopping complex, The Ohio Valley Mall, which contains approximately 150 shops and restaurants.

The educational systems in Belmont County and the surrounding area are diverse and multi-faceted. Parents can choose from public, private, and parochial systems. There are eight public school districts in the county. Belmont County also offers a comprehensive vocational program through the Belmont-Harrison Career Center. The Olney Friends Boarding School in Barnesville provides a private day and boarding-school education for grades 9-12. In neighboring Wheeling, Linsly Institute, and Wheeling Country Day School offer private college preparatory courses as well as elementary and Montessori-method classes.

Belmont County residents and visitors can enjoy a wide range of cultural and recreational activities. Sports include hunting, fishing, boating tennis, and golf. The Ohio River and lakes in the region provide excellent boating and fishing resources. Several golf courses are within 25 minutes of the campus, including the Belmont Hills Country Club, Wheeling Park, Crispin, and the Robert Trent Jones - designed Speidel Course in Oglebay Park.

Wheeling offers cultural attractions such as the metropolitan-class Wheeling Symphony, Towngate Theater, Capital Music Hall Players, Jamboree USA, and Oglebay Institute, which operates a museum, a nature center, and a fine arts center. Oglebay Park is considered one of America's finest municipal parks, with more than 1,500 acres offering camping, fishing, swimming, golf, horseback riding, museums, and the nationally known North American Good Zoo. Wheeling also hosts the Christmas Festival of Lights, which attracts more than one million visitors each year.

Nearby Pittsburgh is home to numerous museums, art galleries, a world-class symphony orchestra, and a nationally recognized opera company. Pittsburgh also provides shopping, restaurants, and an international airport. Both Pittsburgh and Wheeling offer large selections of traveling Broadway productions and family entertainment.

Ohio University Eastern

Ohio University Eastern is one of five regional campuses of Ohio University. Its primary mission is to offer Ohio University courses, programs, and selected degrees to the residents of southeastern Ohio and neighboring states. Any resident of Ohio with a high school diploma or its equivalent is guaranteed admission. Located off Exit 213 of Interstate 70, Ohio University Eastern occupies a 358-acre campus with ample parking. Ohio University Eastern combines the advantages of a small college with the resources of a major university; small classes, a student-oriented faculty, quality university-level instruction, and affordable tuition and fees. Ohio University Eastern has approximately 24 full-time faculty on campus. Of the tenure-track faculty, 100% have doctorates. Additionally, about 75 adjunct instructors are employed to deliver nearly 190 sections of coursework offered each quarter.

This is a teaching faculty with the primary assignment of helping prepare students for a variety of careers. The low student-to-faculty ration allows for greater student participation in class and more personal attention.

Students

More than 1,000 students enroll annually at the Eastern campus for one or more courses. Approximately 90% are degree-seeking undergraduates, and the remainder are graduate students or "special" students taking workshops. Although 60% of the students reside in Belmont County, the campus draws students from more than 20 Ohio counties, the northern panhandle of West Virginia, and the southwestern counties of Pennsylvania.

Some students leave the campus after two years to complete their education on the main campus or at other universities in the area. Some students complete their baccalaureate program at Eastern, especially those interested in nursing, teacher education, and social work.

Non-Traditional Students Emphasis

Ohio University Eastern offers special programs for non-traditional students. The Credit for Work Experience program is a vigorous program that affords qualified students the opportunity to apply for university credit based on prior work experience. Ohio University Eastern offers individualized counseling and a course to help students prepare the documentation necessary to apply for credit.