Ohio Dominican University: Catholic Or Not?

is ohio dominican university authentically catholic

Ohio Dominican University (ODU) is a private Catholic liberal arts university in Columbus, Ohio, with a rich history and notable alumni. The university was founded in 1911 by the Dominican Sisters of Peace, who had identified a need for Catholic higher education for girls and young women in the region. The Sisters are still active members of the faculty, administration, and Board of Trustees. ODU is committed to promoting peace and justice in the world and educating students to become ethical and effective leaders in the global society, grounded in the pursuit of truth, justice, and peace. The university's Catholic identity is reflected in its dedication to academic excellence, creative faith, and community development, as well as its commitment to service and action for all humanity.

Characteristics Values
Type of university Catholic liberal arts university
Founding date 1911
Founding organisation Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs (now known as the Dominican Sisters of Peace)
Colours White, black and gold
Symbolism of colours Black and white: the university’s tie to the Order of Preachers; Gold: the university’s service to the Church
Symbol Shield
Symbolism of shield Two-thirds black and one-third white, representing the habit of the Dominicans
Motto To contemplate truth and to share with others the fruits of this contemplation
Values Justice, peace, truth
Student population 1,252 (as of 2024)
Undergraduate degrees 42 majors
Graduate degree programs 9
Varsity sports 14
Military-connected students Yes

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Ohio Dominican University's Catholic and Dominican traditions

Ohio Dominican University is a Catholic university with a rich history and strong ties to the Dominican faith and the Dominican Sisters of Peace. The university was founded in 1911 as the College of St. Mary of the Springs by the Dominican Sisters, who had identified a local need for Catholic higher education for girls and young women. The Sisters are still active members of the faculty, administration, and Board of Trustees.

The university's Catholic and Dominican traditions are evident in its commitment to academic excellence, creative faith, and community development. The university is guided by the Dominican motto: "to contemplate truth and to share with others the fruits of this contemplation". This motto reflects the university's dedication to promoting peace, justice, and truth in the world and encouraging its students to become ethical and effective leaders.

The colours of Ohio Dominican University—white, black, and gold—also reflect its Catholic and Dominican identity. The black and white colours signify the university's connection to the Order of Preachers, founded by St. Dominic in 1216, while the gold represents the university's service to the Church. The shield, with its black and white sections, is designed to resemble the habit of the Dominicans, with a white garment and a black cloak.

The university's Catholic intellectual tradition promotes a rigorous academic life that develops the whole person. The Core Curriculum, taken by all students, explores important questions of humanity, society, justice, and truth. The university also offers opportunities for members of the university community to understand and experience the meaning and value of a Dominican education, such as through the Preaching in Action Conference, which focuses on promoting justice through preaching.

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The university's commitment to academic excellence

Ohio Dominican University is a Catholic liberal arts university in the Dominican tradition. It was founded in 1911 as the College of St. Mary of the Springs by the Dominican Sisters of Peace, who are still active members of the faculty, administration, and Board of Trustees. The Sisters identified a local need for Catholic higher education for girls and young women, and the academy offered education to pioneer children of Catholics and non-Catholics alike. The university's Catholic identity is a call to action and service to humanity, remaining faithful to its history while being open to innovation.

Ohio Dominican University's commitment to academic excellence is evident in its rigorous academic life that develops the whole person. The university offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with students having access to resources, programs, and support to help them grow personally, professionally, and spiritually. The Catholic intellectual tradition promotes inclusivity, with a focus on developing individuals who are committed to intellectual, spiritual, and professional growth. The university's core curriculum explores important questions such as what is the human person, how do we fit together in society, what is justice, and what is truth.

The university's dedication to academic excellence is also reflected in its colours of white, black, and gold, which signify its tie to the Order of Preachers and its commitment to the life of study and service. The shield, with its black and white colours, represents the habit of the Dominicans, while the flame superimposed on a field of white signifies the enabling of insight through liberal education. Ohio Dominican University's educational mission is guided by the Dominican motto: "to contemplate truth and to share with others the fruits of this contemplation".

The university's faculty, students, and staff are guided by the Dominican tradition of spirituality, which includes liturgical prayer and meditation, study, and ministry of the Word. This tradition promotes a life of study and service through excellence in preaching and teaching, with a focus on developing ethical and effective leaders who are grounded in the pursuit of truth, justice, and peace. Ohio Dominican University's commitment to academic excellence is further demonstrated by its partnership with other universities with a Dominican presence, allowing students to collaborate and learn about promoting justice through preaching.

Ohio Dominican University's commitment to academic excellence is evident in its dedication to the Catholic intellectual tradition, its rigorous academic programs, and its focus on developing well-rounded individuals. The university's Catholic identity and values guide its educational mission, with a commitment to service and the pursuit of truth, justice, and peace.

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The institution's history and founding

Ohio Dominican University is a Catholic liberal arts university in the Dominican tradition, founded in 1911 as the College of St. Mary of the Springs by the Dominican Sisters of Peace. The university's history, however, dates back to 1822 with the formation of the founding congregation, now known as the Dominican Sisters of Peace. Originally from Springfield, Kentucky, the sisters moved to Somerset, Ohio, in 1830, establishing St. Mary's Academy, the first Catholic school in the state, which offered co-educational classes.

In 1868, the sisters relocated to northeast Columbus, reopening St. Mary's Academy and embracing teaching as their mission. They identified a local need for Catholic higher education for girls and young women, and in 1911, they received a charter from the State of Ohio for the College of St. Mary of the Springs. The college operated as an all-women's institution until 1964 when it became co-educational. In 1968, the name was changed to Ohio Dominican College to reflect its Dominican faith and founding.

The colours of Ohio Dominican University—white, black, and gold—are symbolic of its Catholic identity and heritage. White and black are the colours of the Dominican Order, signifying the university's connection to the Order of Preachers, founded in 1216 by St. Dominic. The papal gold represents the university's service to the Church. The shield of the university, featuring these colours, also depicts a flame, which symbolises the liberating nature of education.

Ohio Dominican University is guided by the Dominican motto: "to contemplate truth and to share with others the fruits of this contemplation". As a Catholic institution, it strives to instil a greater purpose in individuals, the community, and the world. It promotes academic excellence, fosters community, and lives out the Gospel mandate to proclaim the Good News. The university's Catholic identity is a call to action and service, grounded in faith and open to all.

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The Catholic intellectual tradition

CIT is a 2000-year dialogue between faith and culture, evolving through monasteries, cathedral schools, and universities, resulting in a repository of theological thought, devotional practices, literature, art, music, drama, architecture, legal reasoning, and social and political theory. It is inclusive and promotes a rigorous academic life that develops the whole person, with a conviction that all intellectual work quests for truth, which is ever grounded in ultimate Truth.

CIT is at the heart of Catholic universities, with their specific mission in higher education being to pursue truth, informed by ongoing scholarship, and permeated by the wisdom developed over centuries within the Catholic tradition. Catholic universities were established to continue and develop an intellectual tradition with a theistic premise about the universe, perceiving God as the origin and end of all things.

Ohio Dominican University is a Catholic liberal arts university in the Dominican tradition, founded in 1911 by the Dominican Sisters of Peace. It is committed to promoting peace and justice in the world and educating students to become ethical and effective leaders in the global society, grounded in the pursuit of truth, justice, and peace. The university offers a Core Curriculum that explores important questions such as what is the human person, how do we fit together in society, what is justice, and what is truth.

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The university's core curriculum

The core curriculum at Ohio Dominican University (ODU) provides a unifying educational experience for students. The curriculum is inspired by the four pillars of Dominican life: prayer, community, ministry, and study. It is also guided by the Dominican motto: to contemplate truth and to share with others the fruits of this contemplation.

The first-year seminar focuses on the study of humans as embodied, social, spiritual, emotional, and rational beings. Students examine their own experiences in childhood and the experiences of children in today's society, as well as the historical view of childhood from different theoretical frameworks. The Gospel of Matthew is used in this seminar as St. Dominic himself carried it with him on his journeys, allowing students to connect with the founder of the Dominican order.

In the second year, students study community and the common good by examining the role of individuals in multiple and diverse communities. This includes exploring the borders between individuals and communities, themselves and God, and their inner faith and its outward manifestation.

The Core Conversations program extends the exploration of these concepts to the entire campus community and the public by developing programming for one theme per year. Previous themes have included "Baptism by Fire," which focuses on human decisions when faced with extraordinary stresses, and "Borders and Transitions," which explores the interpretation and navigation of socio-political, scientific, global, and personal borders.

Through its core curriculum, Ohio Dominican University strives to provide a distinctively Dominican education that promotes intellectual, spiritual, and professional growth, fostering ethical and effective leaders grounded in the pursuit of truth, justice, and peace.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, Ohio Dominican University is a Catholic liberal arts university in the Dominican tradition. It was founded in 1911 as the College of St. Mary of the Springs by the Dominican Sisters of Peace, part of the Order of Preachers founded in 1216 by St. Dominic. The Sisters still sponsor the university and are active members of the faculty, administration, and Board of Trustees.

Ohio Dominican University is guided in its educational mission by the Dominican motto: "to contemplate truth and to share with others the fruits of this contemplation". The university values academic excellence, teaching instruction, creative faith, and developing community among its members. It also strives to instill a greater purpose for individuals, the community, and the world, promoting peace and justice.

The Catholic identity of Ohio Dominican University is evident in its dedication to service and action for all humanity. The university provides opportunities for members of the community to understand and experience the meaning and value of a Dominican education. It also serves as a public voice on issues of importance to the Church, culture, and society.

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