Marietta College Campus Spotlight

Marietta College is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian, undergraduate, residential, contemporary liberal arts institution founded in 1835. It is one of America's 37 "Revolutionary Colleges," institutions with origins reaching back to the 18th century. The College provides a strong foundation for a lifetime of leadership, critical thinking, and problem-solving. They achieve this mission by offering undergraduates a contemporary liberal arts education and graduate students an education grounded in advanced knowledge and professional practice. Intellectual and creative excellence defines the Marietta experience.

Dr. Ruud, please share why the Liberal Arts, independent higher education, and OFIC are valuable for the state of Ohio.

Like many small colleges, Marietta is tuition-driven, so the support we receive from OFIC donors is critical for us to be able to attract high-caliber students who may not be able to afford the quality education that they desire and deserve. The experiences that our students who hail from outside of the region have while at Marietta College quite often leads them to put their permanent roots down in our part of the state after they graduate and embark on their professional lives. It is in that way that OFIC donor support creates a ripple effect in Ohio, particularly in southeast Ohio. By helping to provide financial support to our students, OFIC donors also provide the financial breathing room that our students need to explore and develop their passions, and enables them to pursue professional development opportunities that often lead to their first career.

During one of my first addresses to campus after being inaugurated in 2016 as Marietta College’s 19th President, I made a statement to our students that the jobs that many of them are likely to hold in their lifetime have yet to be created. A liberal arts education prepares students to thrive in fluid environments, to assess situations from a variety of vantage points, and to develop strategies that are mindful of their immediate and long-term impact. Marietta College’s liberal arts approach to education prepares students to address problematic or stagnant situations by re-imagining them better, by articulating a planned approach to that improvement, and by establishing a community that is ready and willing to make progress happen. Notice that I did not say, “Like-minded,” or allude to a “similar” community. At Marietta, we welcome diversity and know that it is crucial for meaningful and long-term growth for everyone. From Education to Energy Resources, our in-depth programs of study prepare our students to make immediate impacts to improve our state.

What innovative programs or strategies has the Marietta College campus developed to prepare students for life after college?

Marietta College’s Core Values provide a great road map for life. Of course, it starts with a strong liberal arts foundation — educating our students on how to think critically and be problem-solvers and effective communicators — and an in-depth education into their chosen programs of study. Our students gain an understanding of global perspective and diversity, hone their skills through experiential education, have a strong sense of community, engage in the broader community through service, and develop leadership skills over the course of their four years here. We require our students to complete a secondary concentration of study — whether it is a second major, a minor, or a certificate — to broaden their professional opportunities and to ensure that they allow themselves to explore other passions.

We also have a strong Entrepreneurship program that helps students develop the skills necessary to start their own business or to take an entrepreneurial mindset to a job that will allow them to use their creativity to identify and solve problems. Our PioBiz and PioPitch competitions challenge our students — regardless of major — to study, develop, plan, pitch and execute business plans to a team of local business owners, who provide participants with guidance throughout the process. These students compete for real start-up money, which helps get their businesses off the ground. Students who have gone through this competition have successfully continued businesses that were developed under this umbrella. Another example is our Teacher Leadership program prepares Education majors to take on leadership roles within their schools by early in their teaching careers. For instance, a recent class worked with a local school district as it prepared a new school construction levy to be placed on the local ballot. When the levy failed, our students examined what led to that outcome and provided that information to the administrators.

How is Marietta College continuing to engage Ohio employers and expand opportunities for students to develop their careers?

As the world continues navigating this pandemic, we understand that education and experiential education must continue. Even before COVID-19 caused us to transition to remote, online learning, our campus was invested in the technology — including Zoom — that allowed our students to meet with professionals and companies online during virtual sessions. Our Career Center has worked with students in search of internships, interview prep, and connections to potential employers. Our faculty have close relationships with industry and with alumni who are leaders in their respected fields, and they work hard to connect their current students with their former students in a professional setting.

Our devoted alumni have stepped up to the challenges that many students and new graduates face by offering career counseling and insight into potential experiential learning opportunities. It is amazing to see how well connected our students and alumni are, and how many companies recognize and value the skills that a Marietta College student and graduate possess. Learn more about Marietta College.