Ashland University

Ashland University, based in Ohio, was founded as Ashland College in 1878 and is affiliated with the Brethren Church. It became a fully-fledged university in 1989.

The university consists of a 135-acre main campus as well as several off-campus centres in a variety of locations throughout the state, including Cleveland, Columbus, Elyria, Massillon, Mansfield, Medina and Westlake.

The university consists of six colleges: arts and sciences, business and economics, education, nursing, Founders School for Continuing Education, and the Ashland Theological Seminary.

Ashland University is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools as well as being authorised by the Ohio Board of Regents to grant a variety bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees.

Moreover, individual programmes are accredited by national boards, such as: the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, the National Association of Schools of Music, and many more.

Ashland University has a number of sister schools across the world – from China to France – linking the university to a number of high-ranking academic institutions.

Renowned for their sports teams, Ashland University participates in NCAA Division II for athletics. The university also offers athletic scholarships in 10 men's and 10 women's sports – with the men competing in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor and outdoor track, soccer, swimming and wrestling, and the women competing in basketball, cross country, golf, indoor and outdoor track, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis and volleyball.

Moreover, the university recently constructed a $23 million athletic complex, which features a 5,200-seat football stadium, a 1,000-seat stadium for track and field alongside a state-of-the-art training facility.

Notable alumni include Bayard Elfvin, a goalkeeper for the US National soccer team, Dwight Schar, the chairman, President and CEO of Northern Virginia/Ryan Homes, and Robin Meade, a CNN news anchor as well as a former Miss Ohio.