Central State University

Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, is one of the nation's oldest historically black universities, with a 120-year legacy of academic and athletic achievements. The College of Education, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Business and Industry, which includes the Departments of Manufacturing Engineering and Water Resources Management, form the core of the Universitys varied academic offerings. The CSU Institute for Urban Education (IUE) builds on Central States roots as a center of excellence for teacher education. It also reflects the College of Educations emphasis on preparing teachers for work in todays urban classrooms. Housed in the newly constructed Center for Education and Natural Sciences, the IUE serves as a national resource center for the training of urban teachers and the exchange of scholarship on urban education issues. A newly developed program in environmental engineering builds on CSUs signature Water Resources Management Program, and a new major in criminal justice will further expand career opportunities for Central State University students. A centrally located branch campus in Dayton, Ohio, CSU-Dayton, offers a range of courses and class schedules that serve the needs of nontraditional learners wishing to complete their undergraduate degrees, pursue masters degrees in education, or take advantage of professional development opportunities. Central State is home to the nationally renowned Central State University Chorus, which has twice been nominated for a Grammy. The Lady Marauders basketball team is perennially in the national rankings and has traveled to 12 straight NAIA national tournaments. The track and field team as well as the cheerleading and dance troupes have also won championships and awards, and the Central State marching band, the Invincible Marching Marauders, have twice performed at the national Honda Battle of the Bands and been featured in the 2006 film Dave Chappelles Block Party. With the return of football to Central State in 2005, the Mighty Marauders are reviving a legacy that produced several national championships. Central States move to NCAA Division II widens the Universitys competitive field and provides more exposure for CSUs student athletes. CSU is Ohios only predominately African American public institution of higher education, but it is, and has always been, open to all persons of good moral character, as ordained by the 1887 legislation that created Central State's predecessor. The University actively promotes diversity in its student body, faculty and staff, even as the institution adheres to its core historical responsibility to educate young African American men and women.