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About Ohio Christian University

We are committed to offering a complete education that develops students intellectually, professionally, and spiritually. We achieve this by providing accredited degree programs for residential undergraduate students, graduate students, adult, and online students. In addition, our Trailblazer Academy allows high school students to complete college classes. All of our programs are designed to equip students to become leaders in their careers, communities, families, and the world.

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OCU’s Registrar Named Fellow In Leadership Ohio Class of 2023

Ohio Christian University Registrar, Michelle Blanton, is one of 35 distinguished individuals chosen to serve and advise state leaders. Leadership Ohio shared the following regarding Blanton and the Class of 2023: For almost 15 years, Michelle Blanton has worked at Ohio Christian University. Blanton started working in the College of Adult and Graduate Studies upon graduating with her Bachelor of Arts in Business from Ohio Christian University in 2008. After working in Student Services for eight years, Blanton became the Director of Admissions of the same division. In 2016, Blanton moved to the University Registrar’s Office as Associate Registrar. In this position she worked with students conducting graduation audits and planning the annual graduation ceremonies. From 2019-2022, Blanton served as the Director of Alumni Relations cultivating and stewarding relationships with previous students. Blanton returned to the University Registrar’s Office in 2022 as the University Registrar. In addition to her involvement at the University, Blanton is very active in her community. She is a 2014 Pickaway Fellow and serves on a variety of local and statewide boards and committees. In 2017, Blanton was elected to Circleville City Council as an at-large member. She has been Chair of the Safety and Finance Committees. Blanton is a 2021 graduate of the JoAnn Davidson Ohio Leadership Institute and is running to be the next Mayor of Circleville in 2023. Blanton lives in Circleville with Travis, her husband, Elijah, her son, and dog, Roxy. Watching basketball, singing and reading are a few of her hobbies. Columbus, Ohio - Leadership Ohio, the state's premier leadership development program that connects diverse leaders from across Ohio to promote positive change, is pleased to announce the class of 2023. After receiving over 120 nominations, and through a competitive selection process, 35 individuals have been appointed Leadership Ohio Fellows. Over the next eight months, these leaders will engage in in-depth explorations of critical questions, challenges, and opportunities facing Ohio and its people. “This is a distinguished group of accomplished individuals from all across the state,” said James W. Murray, president of the board of trustees, Leadership Ohio. “Ohio needs effective and civil leadership in today’s polarized society, and we are excited to welcome this diverse cross-sector cohort to Leadership Ohio today.” The Class of 2023 participants come from a variety of industries, including business, healthcare, education, and government. Fellows hail from many corners of the state, and represent a spectrum of ideological viewpoints. This year's class includes leaders from organizations such as Taft Law, Ohio Department of Transportation, JPMorgan Chase, and Goodwill Ohio, and includes a record eight elected and appointed government officials. Fellows will engage in a series of intensive sessions that cover topics such as the state judiciary, small town resurgence, and civil discourse while being exposed to an influential network of decision makers. Fellows will also develop Ohio Impact Projects taking direct action on a pressing issue or opportunity to benefit Ohio. Importantly, they will build impactful relationships with other leaders from around the state with goals for lasting change. "We are excited to welcome the Class of 2023 to Leadership Ohio," said Dr. Lisa Duty, executive director of Leadership Ohio. "These distinguished individuals are part of a growing network of change-makers and innovators who are on the leading edge of solutions for a future-driven Ohio.” Upon graduation, Fellows are inducted into the Leadership Ohio alumni network comprised of accomplished, diverse, talented Ohioans. Leadership Ohio’s alumni reside in Ohio cities big and small, lead major companies and nonprofits, launch small businesses, and serve in government agencies, elected offices, commissions, and Ohio’s boardrooms. For more information about Leadership Ohio, visit www.leadershipohio.org. Nominations for the Class of 2024 open in Autumn 2023.

1st Annual Trailblazer Trot Results

The first ever annual Trailblazer Trot was a success, with 73 runners and walkers competing in the event. The first finisher was Drake Dickerson with a time of 15:11, followed by Steven Adams with a time of 15:40. The first overall female finisher was Lexie Engstrom with a time of 20:11, followed by Karen Alexander with a time of 25:17. There were competitors of all ages, ranged from 9 to 75 years old. Afterwards, individual prizes were awarded along with raffle prize tickets (all entries were given one raffle ticket). The Ohio Christian University Track & Field and Cross Country team is incredibly grateful to all participants, as well as everyone who donated and contributed to the fundraiser. They are excited, and already looking forward to next years event. Thank you for your participation Scrolling maybe necessary PlaceNameTimeAgeGender 1Drake Dickerson15:1123M 2Steven Adams15:4025M 3Corry Mientkiewicz16:0926M 4Nathan Brenneman16:2619M 5Hayden Mink17:0025M 6Jason Springer17:0519M 7Chester Mientkiewicz17:0828M 8Garrett Carver17:2619M 9Wyatt Vick19:0117M 10Evan Caldwell20:0121M 11Payton Herron20:0820M 12Lexie Engstrom20:1120F 13Jesse Current20:4424M 14Cory Reid21:2633M 15Todd Hintz21:3746M 16Dan Pruitt23:0915M 17Ethan Conrad24:1916M 18Karen Alexander25:1752F 19Josh Cominsky25:3745M 20Melanie Jech25:4638F 21Jason Henry25:5235M 22Impreza Rogers25:5317F 23Ireland Short25:5415F 24Rachel Lomaka26:4123F 25Jill Folk26:5245F 26Tyanna Craft27:1427F 27Bradley Neff28:1417M 28Rachel Maynard28:4835F 29Kathleen Kehl28:5436F 30Terra Neff29:0720F 31Jaden Henderson29:5618M 32Mary Picklesimer30:2329F 33Noelle Pahls30:2414F 34Kristen King30:2542F 35Jacob Nau30:2719M 36Evan Saunders30:4356M 37David Wolfe30:44 38Joshua Graybeal30:5122M 39Zach Bragg30:5721M 40Jennifer Wolfe31:10 41Monica McGinnis32:1259F 42Elaina Stephens32:3813F 43Jim Cottrell33:3663M 44Sandra Henry36:3861F 45Kamery Stephens36:397F 46Masha Waidelich36:5059F 47Clifton Craft36:5225M 48Mary Willis40:1530F 49Lance Barnett41:5818M 50Nathan Polidoro42:0119M 51Omarr Walker42:0220M 52Cynthia Tweedell42:22F 53Elijah Newland42:2321M 54Acacia May42:3221F 55Susan Saunders42:5662F 56Melanie Julien43:4159F 57George Arroyo45:1137M 58Beth Arroyo45:1536F 59Sandy Carver52:4668F 60Jana Flynn53:5754F 61Charles Workman54:3157M 62Connie Workman54:3255F 63Maddilin Flynn54:4622F 64Connie Vance54:4775F 65Beth Cominsky55:1743F 66Michelle Kiess1:05:00 F 67Kelly Rogers1:05:00 F Age Group Winners Scrolling maybe necessary GroupMaleFemale OverallDrake DickersonLexie Engstrom 10-14 Noelle Pahls 15-19Nathan BrennemanImpreza Rogers 20-29Steven AdamsRachel Lomaka 30-39Cory ReidMelanie Jech 40-49Todd HintzJill Folk 50-59Evan SaundersKaren Alexander 60-69Jim CottrellSandra Henry 70-79 Connie Vance

Our Hope for a Renewed Witness

Last week Ohio Christian University announced that athletic teams would be transitioning from participating in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in the 2023-2024 academic year and would begin competing in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) starting in fall of 2024. University president, Dr. Ron Smith, has prepared the following statement to clarify why such a move was made. As your president beginning my third month of office, I have wrestled with a prevailing question: What is Ohio Christian University meant to be? According to our roots, the answer is to offer our students the best “Wesleyan Christian experience in our world.” In athletics that means three essential components: Christian, Character, Competition. I have written to our NAIA Commissioner thanking them for the outstanding privilege ours has been to compete in their River States Conference. We are permitted to compete with their teams every season with all who will offer us the schedule. However, I am rejoining OCU in the NCCAA. At this juncture I deeply desire our athletes to participate in, and contribute to, the Christian world of athletics. It is time we leave a mark on our conference and in our nation as Christians. We will still compete with the teams we choose outside of our conference, but we have a witness we need to make in Christian competition. We need not only to compete, but to contribute to our distinct witness among Christian America by offering character-based athletes ready to compete and to serve the nation Christ has sought to raise. From that source we will let our light shine for the whole world. While we begin to raise the banner of winning immediately, we begin our NCCAA competition in the Fall Semester of 2024. Ronald E. Smith, PhD Ohio Christian University President The Athletics department has prepared a series of questions and answers (Q&A) that should cover most questions regarding this change. You can view that list here.

Olson Returns to Serve as Sports Chaplain/Sports Psych Coach

By Abigail Hintz, Assistant Sports Information Director CIRCLEVILLE, OH — Ohio Christian University is pleased to announce the hiring of Dr. Larry Olson as the Sports Chaplain/Sport Psychology Performance Coach. In this role, Dr. Olson will assist the athletic department in providing pastoral care and spiritual guidance to student-athletes, staff and coaches. This could include overseeing Bible studies or prayer groups, consulting with athletes, coaches and staff on sport psychology issues, working to refer athletes to specialists when necessary and assisting teams with performance readiness. "First, I want to thank President Smith and AD Arroyo Jr. for bringing me on in this new post," Dr. Olson said. "Beyond that, I look forward to working with everyone in OCU Athletics as we continue in the quest for strong spiritual development and positive 'game-time' attitudes and winning performance." Dr. Olson has been with Ohio Christian University in a variety of capacities since 1984. He graduated from what was then Circleville Bible College in 1987 with a degree in Christian Ministries before getting his master's in Pastoral Counseling from Olivet Nazarene University in 1990. He went on to get his PhD in General Psychology from Capella University in 2008 during which time he had sport psychology training and was teaching classes at OCU. Dr. Olson was the athletic director at OCU from 1994-2002. He was also the head baseball coach for ten years, building the program from the ground up from 1996-2005. His current role with the university is psychology professor and professor emeritus. "I am thrilled with the hiring of Dr. Larry Olson as we continue seeking ways to enhance the student athlete experience," Ohio Christian athletic director George Arroyo Jr. said. "Dr. Olson has a genuine passion for students and sports. With the newly created role, he will assist student athletes and teams in the areas of mental performance, character development and discipleship. This is another WIN for the Ohio Christian University Trailblazers." This article was used by permission and can also be found at www.ocutrailblazers.com.

Tickets on Sale Now for Spring Musical Production

Ohio Christian University presents Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida as their spring musical production on March 31st at 7:00 PM and April 1st at 2:00 PM. After the overwhelming support for OCU’s first musical production last spring with The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the performing arts committee is excited to showcase both students and alumni in this vibrant and timeless production. Come out and enjoy a fantastic show full of powerful vocals, fun dance numbers and a love story that never dies. You’ll experience the world of ancient Egypt through the eyes of an enslaved Nubian princess, Aida, who finds her heart entangled with Radames, an Egyptian soldier who is betrothed to the Pharaoh's daughter, Amneris. As their forbidden love blossoms, Aida is forced to weigh her heart against the responsibility that she faces as the leader of her people. Audiences will enjoy hearing the story told through beautifully written songs like “Written in the Stars,” “I Know the Truth” and “Strongest Suit.” We’re welcoming Cassidy Saldana ’20 to the OCU stage as Aida, our leading female role. Daniel McQueen, a current sophomore, will be performing as the love interest, Radames, and Makayla Briggs ’21 as a Music Performance graduate will be taking on the dazzling character of Amneris to complete this classic love triangle. Dr. Dione Bennett, the show’s Vocal Director, is excited to work with several former students and current students on the challenging pieces within the show. We have many other talented cast members who will make this performance one to remember, and we can’t wait to share this production! Tickets are on sale now! Reserve your seats at Buy Tickets to AIDA | Live Performance at Ohio Christian University March 31st and April 1st.