Olivet Nazarene University - Overview
Introduction to Olivet Nazarene University (ONU)
"Education with a Christian Purpose." Since 1907, Olivet Nazarene University has made it a mission. At Olivet, considered one of the nation's premier private, Christian colleges, faith is at the heart of superior academics, nationally competitive athletics, a thriving social atmosphere, and countless ministry opportunities. Here, students not only learn how to make a living, they learn how to live.
Home to 4,600 students (2,600 undergraduate), Olivet's 250-acre, park-like campus is centrally located in Bourbonnais, Illinois, just 50 miles south of Chicago's Loop, with additional locations in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, the Chicago area, and Hong Kong.
Academics at Olivet -- Inside and Beyond the Classroom
At the undergraduate level, Olivet offers more than 100 areas of study, organized into four schools and one college. (The university also offers more than 20 master's degrees and a doctoral degree through the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies.)
Faculty members, seasoned experts in their respective fields, aim to challenge each student, operating on the conviction that Christians can have an increased impact on the world through excellence in scholarship, logical thought, and effective communication. The student-to-faculty ratio is 19:1.
Learning does not stop in the traditional classroom at Olivet. Olivet students put their education to use beyond those walls, from accounting students preparing tax returns for those in the community who need it most, to engineering students developing a water filtration system for a village in South America, to science students conducting scholarship-funded research during the summer, to teacher education students interacting with local school children in and out of Olivet's classrooms.
Beyond Olivet's campus, the university offers many opportunities for study abroad or off-campus study. Whether it is exploring the political currents of the Middle East, interning in the Los Angeles film industry, or debating with world-renowned scholars at Oxford University, the university works with interested students to find a program that meets students' plans and aspirations.
Olivet holds the accreditation and approval of the nation's top associations, including the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the American Dietetics Association, the Council on Social Work Education, the National Association of Schools of Music, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology.
Vibrant Student Life of Olivet Nazarene University
At Olivet, the college experience is about more than just classrooms and books. In addition to a strong academic program, Olivet offers countless opportunities for spiritual and personal growth.
The university is committed to providing students with a campus environment that is both fun and enriching. Whether it's through planned events -- that are fun and, at times, wacky -- or day-to-day living, Olivetians experience life to the fullest and build memories to last a lifetime.
Students are never at a loss for things to do on campus. When they are not hanging out in one of ONU's coffeehouses or working out in the state-of-the-art fitness center, Olivetians can be found doing -- just about everything.
Student participate in more than 50 clubs and organizations representing diverse ministries and interests, and an overwhelming majority compete in an active intramural program that features multiple skill levels and a variety of activities, from kickball and basketball to chess and video games.
Evenings and weekends are filled with athletic contests and cultural events, including student art shows and drama productions, and concerts featuring a range of performances, from dramatists to the nation's hottest contemporary Christian music groups to stars of the Metropolitan Opera.
Chapel is also a vital part of community life at Olivet. As a Christian community, Olivet is committed to making worship of God the central focus of life. Faith in Jesus Christ cannot be separated from the educational experience. Through weekly chapel services, each segment of the Olivet community has the opportunity to join with others for worship, instruction in the Word and encouragement to serve. Notable and world-renowned speakers regularly address the campus community during these services.
Winning Championships. Developing Champions
In Olivet's championship-caliber intercollegiate athletics program, champions are trained for success on and off the playing field. Competitors bloom while playing for a national title; they become champions by serving the community around them.
Olivet's 18 intercollegiate teams compete at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division I level, comparable to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II. The Tigers compete in two of the strongest conferences in the NAIA: the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) and the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA).
The university is also the summer training camp home of the NFL's Chicago Bears.
Cost, Affordability, and Financial Aid
Olivet believes in affordable excellence, as the cost to attend the university is competitively priced for private colleges nationwide. Approximately 99 percent of traditional undergraduates receive a total of $35.4 million in federal and state grants and institutional scholarships. Tuition for 2011-12 is $26,750. Room and board is $6,400.