Day 1 - Ohio Six Counselor Tour - Wittenberg and Ohio Wesleyan

Yesterday, I arrived in Columbus, Ohio in advance of the three day Ohio Six Counselor Tour. (For those unfamiliar with the Midwest, Columbus is about a 90 minute direct flight from New York City. I've had longer commutes to work on days when the MTA is acting up.) Today was day one and we had the opportunity to visit Wittenberg University and Ohio Wesleyan University.

Wittenberg University is a small private college of a little under 2,000 students located a little under one hour away from Columbus. The three most popular majors are Biology, Education, and Business, though they offer a wide range of liberal arts degrees. The first session I attended gave us a closer look at the brand new COMPASS: Sweet Success Center. This is a new space that brings together Academic Services, Disability Services, Student Success and Leadership, and Student Employment. In what is definitely a campus event first for me, we had to dust off some dog hair from the chairs which was left over from a service dog training meeting the night before. I was VERY impressed with the level of attention given to supporting students. If you want to go someplace that can help you craft a truly integrated support system, this is your place. For example, students who are struggling to be accountable with their studying can opt into a swipe system at the library that will help them log their study hours (with said hours emailed to their coach/advisor/or any other person they are getting organizational help from on campus). I got the sense that there was a really intentional and personal approach to student support. On paper, I think the hardest pill for many New York City students to swallow might be the fact that this school is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church. However, before even stepping foot on campus I could see their pride flags hanging from the light poles in the parking lot, so before you make assumptions about what kind of values or politics can be found on campus, evaluate if you might be the one who is closed minded. I experienced the campus, faculty, staff, and students to be welcoming to people of all faiths (or those with no faith at all). From an ElRo specific perspective, I think part of what might make Wittenberg most attractive is the fact that it would be a target or likely for most of our students. Plus, added bonus is that it is testing optional.

We then spent the afternoon at Ohio Wesleyan University, a Colleges That Change Lives school located about 30 minutes from Columbus. Right off the bat one thing was clear - this was one seriously energetic staff. They were a well oiled machine, right down to the red and black clothes they were wearing (the school colors, of course). At 175 years old, Ohio Wesleyan has three founding principles that it sticks to to this day: 1) A commitment to the liberal arts 2) A foundation with Methodist principles but being open to all 3) Emphasizing how important it is to consider the public good, seeking to have graduates that look to be positive global citizens. A huge portion of students (55%) earn at least one credit abroad, so this is a place looking to push students beyond the scope of small town Ohio. Ohio Wesleyan is also keenly aware of the ways students need to remain competitive and relevant in the career marketplace so they are rapidly adding new majors like Business Administration, Social Justice, and Data Analytics (all still rooted in a Liberal Arts foundation). This school has positioned itself as a place seeking big thinkers and idealists with lots of energy. We heard from a dynamic panel of current students and toured the length of the campus (situated as a long and skinny rectangle, with the town and basic amenities all within walking distance). Like Wittenberg, OWU is another potential fit for virtually every ElRo student - including the possibility of merit aid for many if not most applicants from our school. A theme for the day: it was also testing optional.

Tomorrow is another jam packed day with two more campuses. Thank you to the schools for putting together this great opportunity!