Muskingum University

Former names	Muskingum College (1837–2009)
Motto	Omne trium perfectum (Latin)
Motto in English	Everything of the three perfect (Note: the seal depicts a laurel wreath, lamp, and Bible symbolizing body, mind, and soul.)
Type	Private university
Established	1837; 188 years ago (1837)
Religious affiliation	Presbyterian
Academic affiliations	APCU CIC
Endowment	$93.8 million (2024)[1]
President	Susan Schneider Hasseler
Students	2,108 (fall 2023)[2]
Undergraduates	1,524 (fall 2023)[2]
Postgraduates	584 (fall 2023)[2]
Location	New Concord, Ohio , U.S. 39°59′53″N81°44′17″W / 39.998°N 81.738°W /39.998; -81.738
Campus	Rural, 225 acres (91 ha)
Colors	Black and Magenta
Nickname	Fighting Muskies
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division III –OAC
Website	muskingum.edu

Muskingum University is aprivate university inNew Concord, Ohio, United States. Chartered in 1837 as Muskingum College, the institution is affiliated with thePresbyterian Church (USA). New Concord is located in far easternMuskingum County, which derives its name from theMuskingum River. It offers more than 60 undergraduate majors and graduate programs and enrolled 2,100 students in 2023. Muskingum's campus consists of 21 buildings, a football stadium, and a small lake which all sit atop 225 acres (0.91 km²) of rolling hills overlooking New Concord. Alumni are referred to as the "Long Magenta Line" and students are known simply as "Muskies", while its athletic teams are called the "Fighting Muskies".

In 1827, theNational Road (nowUS 40) was laid through what is nowNew Concord, roughly following what had been the primitive roadway known asZane's Trace. A year later, the village of New Concord was established by Scotch-IrishPresbyterians. On July 9, 1836, the first recorded meeting of the "Friends of Education" in New Concord, led by residents Samuel Willson and Benjamin Waddle, was held. A year later, theOhio General Assembly authorized the creation of a college in New Concord after being petitioned by the "Friends of Education" committee. On April 24, 1837, Muskingum College opened. Muskingum became a coeducational institution in 1854. In 1958, theUnited Presbyterian Church of North America and thePresbyterian Church in the United States of America merged by signing a historic agreement in Brown Chapel on Muskingum's campus. In 2001, the school's women'ssoftball team captured theNCAA Division III National Championship, the school's first national title.

In 2009, Muskingum College achieved university status to become Muskingum University.

Muskingum has been continuouslyaccredited by the North Central Association of college and Secondary Schools orone of its successors since 1919. "The school up on the hill", as it is sometimes called by locals, offersBachelor of Arts andBachelor of Science degrees at the undergraduate level, and at the graduate level Master of Information Strategy Systems and Technology,Master of Arts in Education, andMaster of Arts in Teaching graduate degrees. The university offers 44academic majors along with a large number ofminors, nine pre-professional programs (includingpre-law and pre-medicine) and teaching licensure.

Most of Muskingum's academic buildings are clustered around a traditional quad near the southern part of the campus. The quad is bordered by Montgomery Hall and the College Library to the south, Caldwell Hall, Cambridge Hall and the Student/Faculty Center to the west, the Recreation Center and John Glenn Gym to the north and Boyd Science Center to the east. Brown Chapel sits on the southeastern corner of the quad.^[3]

• Paul Hall (1873) is the oldest building on Muskingum's campus. Two previous versions of this building burnt down early in the school's history. This third structure is named for Dr. David Paul, president of the college from 1865 to 1879. The building, which currently houses the art department, is registered as a National Historic Site.^[4]
• Johnson Hall (1899) is named for Dr. Jesse Johnson, Muskingum's president from 1883 to 1902. Renovated in 1977, it contained art studios, the Louis Palmer Gallery and a 160-seat proscenium thrust theater. Johnson Hall was torn down in 2008.
• The Little Theater (1900) was constructed for physical education purposes and remodeled in 1943 for theatrical use, and was used as classroom space primarily in theatre until it was torn down in 2009.
• Brown Chapel (1912) is a multi-purpose building which serves the college as a church, chapel, auditorium and classroom. The chapel was named for J.M. Brown, a benefactor of the college and long-time member of the school's board of trustees.^[5]
• Montgomery Hall (1921) is the administrative hub of the campus, containing administrative and faculty offices and classrooms. The building is named for Dr. John Knox Montgomery Sr., president of Muskingum from 1904 until 1931, and the unofficial"Father of Muskingum College".
• Cambridge Hall (1929) was built largely with funds contributed by citizens of nearby Cambridge, Ohio. Along with classrooms, the business, English, political science, psychology, sociology, history departments.^{[citation needed]}
• John Glenn Gym (1935) was named in 1962 in honor of the distinguished astronaut-senator graduate. It houses two gymnasiums, a swimming pool, recreation and intramural equipment and coaches' offices.
• The Student/Faculty Center (1960) includes the campus center, snack bar, mailroom, bookstore, and meeting rooms. It also houses the Student Life Office, the Office of Career Services, Internships and Leadership Development, Student Senate, Student Activities, Counseling and Special Events.^{[citation needed]}
• Boyd Science Center (1971) is a four-floor building housing the biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, modern languages, computer science and physics departments.^{[citation needed]}
• Anne C. Steele Center (1986) is a four-story building named for Dr. Anne C. Steele, Muskingum's 20th president, and first female president. Muskingum's Opening Convocation and Commencement are held each year in the center. It houses a 2,800-seat gym, dance rooms, racquetball courts, weight room, athletic training room and locker rooms. It also houses the physical education department and the athletic department.
• Caldwell Hall (2004) a 32,000 ft (9,800 m). sq., state-of-the-art^{[citation needed]} facility houses Muskingum's speech, journalism and theatre programs, and graphic arts initiative. This 21st century instructional space features multi-media classrooms, computer-aided design laboratory, lecture hall, seminar rooms, exhibit hall, radio and television studios, a 250-seat theatre, recital hall and cinema, costume & set design laboratories, tech support areas and an experimental theatre/rehearsal hall.
• Chess Center (2008) a 23,000 ft (7,000 m). sq., state-of-the-art^{[citation needed]} campus center. featuring a three-level forum where students gather, socialize, study, work, & work out. The innovative design of this new building also "bridges" the east and west hills of the campus.
• The Neptune Center (2008) This building is home for the Art Department's program in ceramics, sculpture, and other three-dimensional creative work.^{[citation needed]}
• Walter Hall (2010) - Dedicated in April 2011. It became the new home for the music program, world languages and the Center for the Advancement of Learning (PLUS program).^{[citation needed]}
• Roberta A. Smith Library (2016) This new facility houses the new library as well as the Teacher Preparation Program.^{[citation needed]}
• Louis O. Palmer Gallery (2013) The Palmer Gallery is a teaching gallery designed to showcase the work of Muskingum students, faculty, alumni, and guest artists. It features a central gallery, auxiliary spaces to support events, and environmentally-friendly solar panels to help support its electricity consumption.

The university has five active fraternities:Phi Kappa Tau,Phi Kappa Psi,Kappa Sigma, Ulster (local), and M.A.C.E. (local). The Muskingum chapters of Phi Kappa Tau and Kappa Sigma both trace their roots to local fraternities, Alban and Sphynx. The university also has four active sororities: Chi Alpha Nu (local), FAD (local), Delta Gamma Theta (local), andTheta Phi Alpha.

Muskingum v Baldwin Wallace football game in 2018

Muskingum v Baldwin Wallace women's volleyball, 2021

Muskingum competes athletically in theNCAA as aDivision III school and as one of the first and longest affiliated members of theOhio Athletic Conference (OAC). M.U.'s teams compete under the name theFighting Muskies. Its mascot is the Fighting Muskie (muskellunge), the largest member of the pike family.

Rather than using the traditional magenta, Muskies athletics wear black and red. The school's main athletic rival is fellow OAC competitor theMarietta College Pioneers (which ironically was originally called the Muskingum Academy when established in 1797). Muskingum fields teams inAmerican football, men's and women's basketball, women'svolleyball,baseball, women's STUNT, women'ssoftball,wrestling and men's and women's indoortrack, outdoor track,soccer,tennis,cross country, lacrosse, andgolf.

Muskingum has won 79 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Championships, since the school joined the conference in the 1922–23 school year.

In the 41 seasons between 1926 and 1966, Muskingum won 12 OAC football championships, ten outright, and two shared.^[6] Six of those championships were won from 1945 to 1966 when the team was led byCollege Football Hall of Fame memberEd Sherman,^[7] a former Muskingum quarterback. In Sherman's last three seasons, the Muskies represented the OAC in theGrantland Rice Bowl in 1964^[8] and 1966.^[9]

Collectively, Muskingum's alumni are referred to as the "Long Magenta Line".

Formerastronaut and U.S. senatorJohn Glenn grew up in New Concord and graduated with aBachelor of Science degree inEngineering from Muskingum in 1943.^[10][11] He was awarded an honorary degree from Muskingum in 1961, and announced his retirement from theUnited States Senate in Brown Chapel live on national television in 1997. Upon his retirement, Glenn donated his archives to theOhio State University, with special conditions that Muskingum students could benefit from the collection at any time.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toMuskingum University.

• Official website
• Athletics website

• Muskingum University
• Victorian architecture in Ohio
• Private universities and colleges in Ohio
• Universities and colleges established in 1837
• Education in Muskingum County, Ohio
• National Register of Historic Places in Muskingum County, Ohio
• Buildings and structures in Muskingum County, Ohio
• Universities and colleges affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA)
• Tourist attractions in Muskingum County, Ohio
• 1837 establishments in Ohio

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