Founded in 1878. Mid-size, private university.
Offers undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. Located in Ashland, Ohio, conveniently halfway between Cleveland and Columbus.
6,419
84% undergraduate | 16% graduate
60+
Academic Majors and Programs
The City of Ashland was designated a Best Hometown for 2025 by Ohio Magazine, which complimented its “inviting downtown (and) events that build a sense of community and deep ties between campus and city.”
14:1
Student-to-Faculty Ratio
90% of graduates are employed or pursuing further education within six months of graduation
In my two years leading Ashland University, we have made significant campus improvements that are transforming the student experience, highlighted by stateof-the-art student housing thanks to the single-largest gift in our history. These upgrades, along with a series of outstanding accomplishments—both inside and outside the classroom—are continuing to elevate our reputation and impact.
This momentum is real and it fills me with great optimism as we look ahead to celebrating the university’s 150th anniversary in 2028, a milestone that will honor our rich history and inspire the next chapter of growth, innovation and achievement. Together, the AU community is building a bright future and one that promises to continue to see that our distinctive “Accent on the Individual” is lived out every day.
At AU, there is a joyful spirit at work. It is a spirit of freedom, a spirit of optimism, a spirit of faith, a spirit of inquiry and opportunity.
AU is undertaking the largest dormitory renovation project in our history, as Amstutz Hall, Jacobs Hall and the first floor of Andrews Hall will be completely renovated and ready for Fall 2026 occupancy. The three residence halls will include air conditioning, pod-style private bathrooms and extensive lobby and room updates, all thanks to a $15 million gift from Dwight ’64 and Martha Schar. This project comes on the heels of a $20 million campus beautification project that included a renovation of Clayton Hall, the addition of a café in Archer Library, a new outdoor plaza and fresh signage across campus.
Also, the Delta Zeta suite has a brand new look, consisting of a kitchen and lounge remodel for one of the largest sororities.
3 A Crime Scene Lab, which mimics a onebedroom apartment and enables criminal justice students to process simulated crime scenes with all new evidence supplies.
3 The Department of Music’s Sprunger Piano Lab, featuring 17 top-of-the-line Yamaha digital pianos.
3 AU earned gold-level designation from Exercise is Medicine® On Campus, an initiative driven by the exercise science program to promote a culture of activity and chronic disease prevention and management.
Cara Rogers Stevens, Ph.D., an associate professor of history, was named one of five finalists for the 2025 George Washington Prize, one of the nation’s most notable literary awards. Her work, “Thomas Jefferson and the Fight Against Slavery,” analyzes a book by Jefferson and helps to clarify one of America’s Founding Fathers’ true views on slavery. Stevens sought to research Jefferson’s composition to address the perplexing topic of “how the guy who wrote the Declaration of Independence could also have slaves.”
Janel Molnar ’04, director of recreation and wellness, achieved national distinction for her work as a leader and mentor, having been selected for the Outstanding Peer Education Advisor award at the 2026 National Association of Student Personnel Administrators’ (NASPA) Peer Education Conference. Molnar was cited for bringing “exceptional insight, empathy and innovation to peer education, empowering students to grow into confident leaders and effective advocates.”
1of14 Ohio schools
to be fully in alignment with standards for the Science of Reading curriculum. According to a state audit AU earned a perfect 100% on the 73 metrics.
6th Physician Assistant school in the nation to integrate the Art of Medicine’s Healer’s Art Course in its M.S. in PA Studies program. The class develops the interpersonal skills necessary to be a compassionate and effective provider.
1of7schools nationally that is home to an undergraduate classical education program. The goal of AU’s classical learning minor is to equip students with the tools to foster critical thinking, moral formation and civic engagement in today’s classrooms.
1of6 finalists for the 2025 Best Audio Production in the International Student Broadcasting Championship – WRDL 88.9 FM, AU’s student radio station. WRDL and AU TV were also finalists in five categories in the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Media Awards.
AU students can achieve a deep understanding of America’s founding principles in the Ashbrook Scholar Program, work alongside an international network of 4,000 psychological researchers in more than 70 countries to develop the world-renowned Psychological Science Accelerator, manage $2 million of the university’s investment funds in the Eagle Investment Group or immerse themselves in other strong applied academic programs with distinguished faculty who build nurturing relationships with their students.
Senior biochemistry major Melanie Eichler, from Mogadore, Ohio, was selected for one of the nation’s’ preeminent undergraduate awards – a 2025 Barry Goldwater Scholarship – from a pool of more than 5,000 students representing 445 academic institutions. Under the mentorship of faculty advisor Nick Johnson, Ph.D., Eichler is researching drug delivery systems for anticancer drugs.
Kayin McDonald is a modern Renaissance man. A senior with seven majors (economics, history, international relations, philosophy, political economy, political science and religion) and a heart for service co-founded a non-profit in his spare time that is brightening the lives of our veterans. Through ruck walks and other initiatives, In a Soldier’s Shoes Foundation raises funds and works closely with shelters and community partners to provide essential items to get veterans back on their feet.
Former Eagle Hunter Allen ’25, a righthanded pitcher, is a member of the Baltimore Orioles organization, having been selected in the seventh round of the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft. Allen is working hard to become the third AU player to reach the majors this century, hoping to join fellow pitchers Brandyn Sittinger ’16 and Art Warren ’15.
Ashland added a couple of individual national champions to its historic track and field program this March. At the NCAA Div. II Championships, junior Leslie Pollock edged out teammate Molly Winner for first-place in the indoor weight throw (21.05 meters) and freshman Jon Lutz sprinted to a win in the 60-meter hurdles (7.67 seconds).
(1,300 alumni responded)
96% of alumni still feel connected to the university
87% of alumni would be very likely or somewhat likely to recommend AU to a prospective high school or transfer student
79% of alumni felt AU prepared them extremely well or quite well for their career and life after graduation
Katie Moon ’13 has put together one of the best pole vault careers in Team USA history, and it may never have happened if not for her finding a home in Ashland.
In September 2025, she padded her résumé with a third straight win at the World Athletics Championships—the first women’s pole vaulter to achieve the trifecta—complementing her gold medal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Throughout her career on the international stage, Moon has credited AU for her success. “Truly, without Ashland, those wins, those accomplishments, they do not exist for me,” said the Nike-sponsored athlete. “There is no pole vault career for me without Ashland. Because of this place, the biggest dream that I ever had, which was winning the Olympics, became a goal, a realistic goal. Just to feel that it was possible was incredible.”
I owe everything to Ashland. I owe everything to this place.
$15 million
The largest single gift in AU history from Dwight ’64 and Martha Schar will completely renovate and modernize three residence halls
$1.3 million
A grant from the U.S. Department of Education in support of the “Freedom for the Next 250: Strengthening American History and Civics Education” project
$935,000
Awarded by the State of Ohio to help provide more Ohio-based veterans with an opportunity to thrive in a supportive environment tailored to their unique needs
AU’s first grant from the National Endowment for the Arts will fund a project to research, collect and assemble a curated index of 300 public domain poems that reflect American history, spirit and stories
Ashland University’s endowment has surpassed $90 million, reflecting continued growth through thoughtful investment strategies and the ongoing generosity of our supporters.