Urbana University

Urbana University

Urbana University Student Center
Type	Private
Established	1850
President	Dr. George E. Lucas Jr.
Academic staff	52
Students	1,505
Location	Urbana, Ohio, United States 40°06′02″N 83°45′36″W / 40.1005556°N 83.76°W / 40.1005556; -83.76Coordinates: 40°06′02″N 83°45′36″W / 40.1005556°N 83.76°W / 40.1005556; -83.76
Campus	128 acres (0.52 km2)
Colors	Blue and White
Athletics	14 varsity teams
Nickname	Blue Knights
Mascot	Knitro the Blue Knight
Affiliations	Division II MEC
Website	www.urbana.edu

Urbana University is a private university specializing in liberal arts education. Urbana is located in Urbana, Ohio, approximately one hour west of Columbus and one hour northeast of Dayton.

Urbana University was founded in 1850 by followers of the 18th century Swedish philosopher and scientist, Emanuel Swedenborg. The university was the second institution of higher learning in Ohio to admit women; the first was Oberlin College. The groundwork for the founding of the university was in part laid by John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed who became the inspiration for the Johnny Appleseed Museum founded for his extraordinary history. While more famous for spreading apple seeds throughout the East, Chapman was also a Swedenborgian missionary and helped spread this faith among the early settlers around Urbana. Chapman encouraged his friend and fellow Swedenborgian, John Hough James, to donate the land on which Urbana University was built. To this day, the University maintains an informal relationship with the Swedenborgian General Convention of the Church of the New Jerusalem in the United States of America. The university is also home to the Johnny Appleseed Educational Center & Museum to honor John Chapman.

Classes for elementary and secondary students under the name Urbana Seminary began in the fall of 1850 in a rented room in a building in downtown Urbana. College level classes were first held in the fall of 1854, following the construction of Bailey Hall, the first building on the campus. Less than 10 years after the college opened it suspended operations from 1861-1866 during the Civil War. The college experienced a number of changes in the early 20th century when the college's curriculum was shortened to a two-year junior college format in 1907. The school later shut down the primary school in 1911; and the secondary school was closed in 1928.