From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Private college in Defiance, Ohio, U.S.
Defiance College
is a
private college
located in
Defiance, Ohio
and affiliated with the
United Church of Christ
. The campus includes eighteen buildings and access to the 200-acre (80.9 ha) Thoreau Wildlife Sanctuary.
[2]
The college is
accredited
by the
Higher Learning Commission
, but the college has been on probation since 2023 for concerns with one out of the eighteen accreditation criteria.
[3]
History
[
edit
]
Defiance College in 1900.
The college began as
Defiance Female Seminary
in 1850 and was opened by the
Christian Connection
, which itself later became part of the United Church of Christ, to provide schooling for young women. In 1903 the Defiance Female Seminary formally became Defiance College, making it one of only two religious-affiliated colleges to begin operation in
Ohio
during the 20th century.
McCann era
[
edit
]
During President Kevin McCann's leadership (1951?1964), the campus increased in size to 140 acres (56.7 ha); the library, student union, and Pilgrim halls were built; and old buildings were renovated. President
Dwight D. Eisenhower
paid two visits to Defiance. On October 15, 1953, he laid the cornerstone for the Anthony Wayne Library of American Study
[1]
. Eisenhower re-visited the campus on May 26, 1963, to deliver the commencement address, at which time the college announced that one room in the library had been designated "the Eisenhower Room," honoring the friendship between Eisenhower and
Kevin C. McCann
.
Athletics
[
edit
]
The Defiance College Yellow Jackets compete in
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
(HCAC) as an
NCAA
Division III school.
[4]
On October 6, 2023, it was announced that the Defiance College Yellow Jackets would rejoin the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
(NAIA) on July 1, 2024 and would compete in the
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
(WHAC) in every sport except for football, which will join the
Mid-States Football Association
(MSFA).
Notable alumni
[
edit
]
- John Ashton
, film actor
- Pam Borton
, former Division 1 Final Four women's
basketball
head coach
- John Brennan Crutchley
, convicted serial killer, rapist, and kidnapper
- Ben Davis
, football player
- Esquire Jauchem
, producer, director, and designer in theater, opera, dance, and television
- Don Martindale
, football coach
- Richard Mourdock
, Treasurer of State,
Indiana
- Bruce Shingledecker
, painter
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
|
---|
Current members
| |
---|
Future member
| |
---|
41°17′48″N
84°21′30″W
/
41.29667°N 84.35833°W
/
41.29667; -84.35833