The Ohio State University (OSU), located just north of the heart of downtown Columbus, ranks first in academics among all public Ohio colleges, claims the OSU website. OSU also maintains spoke campuses in Lima, Mansfield, Marion and Newark. Total student enrollment topped 64,000 in the 2010-11 academic year, and the university offerings included more than 250 undergraduate majors and 170 graduate majors. Numbers aside, the pride and joy of OSU is its football team, the Buckeyes, and the decades-old rivalry with the University of Michigan Wolverines. Students at OSU quickly learn the team cheer "O-H" and response "I-O."
Kent State University, a public university located in Kent, hit the national spotlight on May 4, 1970, when four students were shot and killed and nine were wounded by the Ohio National Guard during a protest. Since then, Kent State has excelled in communications and research, operating centers such as the Center for Applied Conflict Management, which opened in 1971 to honor the memories of the dead and wounded from the 1970 shooting. In 2011, the campus population included more than 19,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students. According to the Kent State University website, more than 80 percent of students receive financial aid for at least part of the cost of their studies.
The University of Findlay, located in the city of Findlay in northwest Ohio, is a private university offering unusual majors including equestrian studies and forensic science. According to the school's website, two of its master's programs allow for completion of the program entirely online. The university also hosts the Mazza Museum of International Art from Picture Books, which displays more than 4,000 original pieces of children's picture book art. During the 2010-11 academic year, the University of Findlay consisted of 4,100 students and more than 60 programs of study.
Otterbein University, located just north of Columbus in the suburb of Westerville, is a small, private liberal arts school. Otterbein's campus is home to 3,100 students, who choose from more than 50 undergraduate majors and four graduate programs. The university band, theater and choir offer many performances for local residents to enjoy. Students can easily walk Otterbein's campus, which runs along the downtown area of the suburb. The Towers Hall, constructed in 1872, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and a nearby park, Towers Park, is one of many in the area that offers ample opportunities for recreation and physical activity.