Olivet Nazarene University

Olivet Nazarene University traces its roots to 1907, when the Eastern Illinois Holiness Association [ 3 ] started Miss Mary Nesbitt's Grammar School in a house in Georgetown, Illinois . In 1908, the school's founders acquired 14 acres [ 4 ] in the village of Olivet , and moved the grammar school to the proposed campus. [ 5 ] A Wesleyan – holiness community sprang up around the school. [ 6 ] In 1909, the liberal arts college was chartered and named Illinois Holiness University , with A. M. Hills from Texas Holiness University as its first president. [ 4 ] It was then given to the Church of the Nazarene in 1912, with E. F. Walker as president, and inherited one of the most populated Nazarene regions in the United States. [ 4 ] It was renamed Olivet University in 1915, [ 7 ] and again in 1921 to Olivet College . [ 8 ] The economic solvency of the school became a problem in the 1920s, and the trustees were forced to declare bankruptcy in 1926. The school's treasurer, T. W. Willingham, purchased the school back at an auction and was elected president. In 1939, the main building on campus was destroyed by fire. [ 5 ] This prompted the school to look for a new location. Under President A.L. Parrott, the school moved in 1940, onto the previous 42-acre (170,000 m 2 ) campus of St. Viator's College . [ 9 ] With the move, the school's name was changed to Olivet Nazarene College (ONC). [ 8 ] The school's name was changed again in 1986 to Olivet Nazarene University (ONU). [ 5 ] The past 20 years have seen a significant change in the culture and image of Olivet. [ citation needed ] Following the appointment of John C. Bowling as University president, the university began appealing to a more diverse set of students from different Christian denominations. [ citation needed ] The school began several different construction projects to mark the growth of the school as a whole.

[ citation needed ] The university currently is organized with seven academic units: the College of Arts and Sciences, the McGraw School of Business, the Martin D. Walker School of Engineering, the School of Education, the School of Life and Health Sciences, the School of Theology and Christian Ministry, and the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies. [ citation needed ]

ONU's campus is 250 acres (1.0 km 2 ) in the village of Bourbonnais, Illinois , outside the city of Kankakee, Illinois , [ 10 ] with 30 buildings. [ 11 ] Four buildings are original from St. Viator College , including Burke Administration, Chapman Hall, Miller Business Center, and Birchard Gymnasium. There are also satellite campuses for adult education in Rolling Meadows, Illinois and Hong Kong . [ 12 ] Campus features This section does not cite any sources . ( June 2021 ) Since Olivet Nazarene University relocated to Bourbonnais, the campus has undergone several different waves of construction. In addition, within the past two years, [ needs update ] there have been numerous construction projects including the construction of the Betty and Kenneth Hawkins Centennial Chapel, the largest theater in Kankakee County , which seats approximately 3,059 people, and the Student Life and Recreation Center, which opened in December 2012. In total, there are seven academic buildings (Burke, Wisner, Weber, Reed, Larsen, Forton Villa, and Leslie Parrott), two gymnasiums (Birchard and McHie), and six residence halls (Chapman, Hills, Nesbitt, Parrott, McClain, Howe and Williams). The university also has several off-campus apartment buildings (Old Oak, Oak Run, University Place, Grand, Stadium, Stratford, and Bresee). Centennial Chapel has showcased many Christian artists including Bill Gaither and Chris Tomlin . The university has also completed their student life and recreation center which was opened on December 12, 2012. This building serves as central hub for the campus and features an Olympic-sized pool, Jacuzzi, lazy river, resistance pool, indoor track, one of the tallest collegiate rock climbing walls in North America, various classrooms, offices, a fitness center, game room and coffee shop.

ONU is one of nine regional U.S. liberal arts colleges [ 13 ] affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene . [ 14 ] ONU is the college for the "Central USA Region" of the United States. [ 15 ] In terms of the Church of the Nazarene, the "Central Region" comprises the Wisconsin, Northwestern Illinois, Illinois, Chicago Central, Northern Michigan, Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northwest Indiana, Northeastern Indiana, Indianapolis, and Southwest Indiana districts, which include Wisconsin , Michigan , Illinois , and Indiana . [ 16 ] Each college receives financial backing from the Nazarene churches on its region; part of each church budget is paid into a fund for its regional school. Each college or university is also bound by a gentlemen's agreement not to actively recruit outside its respective "educational region." [ 17 ] The school owns and operates Christian adult contemporary radio station WONU, which broadcasts from the school's main campus. [ 18 ]