I dropped my kids off at Camp Livingston in Bennington, Indiana and took the opportunity to stop for a visit at the University of Cincinnati before returning home. It was a bit warmer (understatement) than I would have preferred for a tour, but it was great to be on campus! Did you know that UC engineering alumnus, Joseph Strauss, designed the Golden Gate Bridge? He even saved a brick from when the old McMicken Hall was torn down and put it in one of the piers!
Here are 5 other fun and more useful facts about the University of Cincinnati:
1) The concept of Cooperative Education was founded at the University of Cincinnati by Herman Schneider, a Dean in the College of Engineering. Students looking for experiential learning and paid professional work experience often look to UC because of their Co-Op program. Students alternate traditional academic semesters with semesters of working full-time in a field of interest - sometimes this field confirms their career interests, while other times it makes students realize that they want to pursue a different path. Both outcomes are extremely valuable while students are still in college and evaluating what comes next. While coops have been a fundamental part of the UC experience for engineering, IT, business and DAAP students, UC is working to expand access to co-ops for all majors.
2) The College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) puts on over 1,000 performances per year that are free to attend for UC students. Playbill Magazine has recognized CCM as one of the "10 Most Represented Colleges on Broadway.” Non-music majors can participate in university-wide choral and orchestral ensembles and may take electives like Intro to Piano or Intro to Guitar. One of the most popular classes at UC is The Music of the Beatles.
3) The Lindner College of Business at UC has a new building that was completed in Fall 2019 to facilitate learning for undergraduate and graduate business students. UC's relationship with the local business community is certainly an advantage for business students - partnerships with Kroger, Procter & Gamble, General Electric, and Fifth Third Bank allow for real-world experiences through projects and internship opportunities. Lindner offers four undergraduate degree options - a Bachelor of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics, a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management.
4) Among the famous alumni at UC are astronaut Neil Armstrong and developer of the oral polio vaccine, Albert Sabin. UC is one of only 115 colleges and universities in the U.S. that is classified as a Tier 1 Research institution. Undergraduate students interested in research may want to join the Undergraduate Research Society or apply for the Undergraduate Research Fellowship to earn up to $700 to support research activities.
5) UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art ad Planning (DAAP) offers a number of undergraduate programs including the Bachelor of Science in Communication, Fashion or Industrial Design; Bachelor of Science in Architecture or Interior Design; Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Art History, Bachelor of Urban Planning, Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies, and Bachelor of Science in Horticulture. In 2021, 43 seniors graduated from the Fashion Design program and the culmination of their work can be seen in the virtual launch of DAAPFASH21.