Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a public research university in Norfolk, Virginia, United States. Established in 1930 as the two-year Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary, the school became an independent college in 1962 and attained university status in 1969. In 2023, it had an enrollment of 23,494 students, and its main campus covers 250 acres.
The university's name is derived from one of Virginia's state nicknames, "The Old Dominion", given by King Charles II of England in recognition of its loyalty to the crown during the English Civil War. ODU offers 175 undergraduate and graduate degree programs from seven colleges and three schools. It has a Carnegie Classification of "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" with "Higher Access, Medium Earnings". Old Dominion has approximately 165,000 alumni in all 50 states and 67 countries.
History
Old Dominion University was founded in 1930 as a Norfolk extension of the College of William and Mary. This branch was envisioned by administrators and officials such as Robert M. Hughes, a member of the Board of Visitors of William and Mary from 1893 to 1917, and J. A. C. Chandler, the eighteenth president of that school. In 1924 after becoming the director of the William and Mary extension in Norfolk, Joseph Healy began organizing classes and finding locations for faculty and staff. Due to his work, along with that of Robert M. Hughes, J. A. C. Chandler, and A. H. Foreman, a two-year branch division was established on March 13, 1930. On September 12, 1930, the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary held its first class with 206 students in the old Larchmont School building, an unused elementary school on Hampton Boulevard. On September 3, 1930, H. Edgar Timmerman became the Division's first director."The Division", as it was often called, started in the old Larchmont School building and allowed people with fewer financial assets to attend a school of higher education for two years. Tuition for the first year was US$50. The following September, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, more commonly known as Virginia Tech, also began offering classes at "The Division.", expanding course offerings to teachers and engineers. Created as it was in the first year of the Great Depression, the college benefited from federal funding as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. The Public Works Administration provided funds for the Administration Building, now Rollins Hall, and Foreman Field, named after A. H. Foreman, an early proponent of the college. The college grew south along Hampton Boulevard, turning an empty field into a sprawling campus.
In 1932, Lewis Warrington Webb joined the faculty as an instructor of engineering; he would later be called "the Father of Old Dominion". After serving ten years as an instructor at the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary, Webb was appointed assistant director in 1942. Webb also served as director of the Defense and War Training Program from 1940 to 1944. Through its defense and training classes, the Norfolk Division contributed to the American WWII war effort. The program also allowed the school to remain open during a period when many young men were in the armed service. The program attracted many women, who learned aircraft repair, drafting, and other war-related subjects. In 1946, Webb was appointed Director of the Norfolk Division. Webb's dream was to see the Norfolk Division become an independent institution.The two-year Norfolk Division rapidly evolved into a four-year institution, gaining independence from William and Mary in 1962. On February 16, 1962, the William and Mary system was dissolved under General Assembly legislation that was signed by Governor Albertis S. Harrison. Later that year the Norfolk Division was renamed Old Dominion College. Webb served as the first president of Old Dominion College from 1962 to 1969.
Frank Batten, who was the publisher of The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star and a member of the Norfolk Division's advisory board, was chosen as the first rector of Old Dominion College on May 27, 1962, holding the position until 1970. In 1964, the first students lived on campus in dormitories Rogers Hall and Gresham Hall, named for members of the advisory board.
Growth in enrollment, expansion of research facilities, and preparation for graduate programs led the board to seek university status. In 1969, Old Dominion College transitioned to Old Dominion University under the leadership of President James L. Bugg Jr. During Bugg's tenure, the earliest doctoral programs were established, along with a university-wide governance structure with representation from faculty, administrators, and students. Bugg also reestablished the Army ROTC program that had been created in 1948 but abandoned during the Korean War.
In the 1970s, under President Alfred B. Rollins Jr., Old Dominion established partnerships between regional organizations such as the Eastern Virginia Medical School and Norfolk State University. Under Rollins, the university expanded its state and private funding, improved student services, and introduced an honors program. In 1971 Old Dominion University established its own police force and hired several officers to attend the Tidewater Police Academy. In 1977 the Virginia General Assembly passed the Campus Police Act giving public campus police officers full law enforcement authority.
Since this time, the university has continued to expand, now enrolling over 24,000 students. The Norfolk campus has experienced significant growth in both student population and geography. Additionally, ODU has established satellite campuses in Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, and Hampton.
Directors and presidents
The Jacobson House is the on-campus home for the university president.Academics
As a comprehensive university, Old Dominion University offers and develops humanities, science, health sciences, technology, engineering, business, arts, education, and professional programs. The university offers 73 bachelor's degrees, 60 master's degrees, and 35 doctoral degrees in a wide range of fields.Because Hampton Roads is a major international maritime and commerce center, the university has a special mission for the Commonwealth of Virginia in commerce, and in international affairs and cultures. With the principal marine and aerospace activities of the Commonwealth concentrated in Hampton Roads, the university has a significant commitment to science, engineering, and technology, specifically in marine science, aerospace, and other fields of major importance to the region. Many departments conduct cooperative research with NASA. ODU is one of the few universities in the US to offer MBA concentrations in maritime, transportation, and port logistics management and also has well-respected programs in marine science and coastal and transportation engineering. Due to its location in a large metropolitan area, Old Dominion University places particular emphasis on urban issues, including education and health care, and the arts.
Undergraduate admissions
In 2024, Old Dominion University accepted 95.1% of undergraduate applicants with those admitted having an average 3.3 GPA and an average 1170 SAT score or an average 24 ACT score.Accreditation
Old Dominion University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, master, education specialist, and doctoral degrees. The Batten College of Engineering and Technology is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The Strome College of Business is AACSB accredited. The Darden College of Education, the College of Arts and Letters, and the College of Sciences are accredited by National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.Colleges and schools
College of Arts and Letters
The College of Arts and Letters offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the humanities, arts, and social sciences.College of Sciences
The College of Sciences offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs across seven departments.Ellmer College of Health Sciences
The Ellmer College of Health Sciences offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs across five schools: School of Dental Hygiene, School of Medical Diagnostic and Translational Services, School of Exercise Science, School of Speech-Language Pathology, and School of Rehabilitation Sciences. Planning is underway for the establishment of a new Joint School of Public Health.Eastern Virginia Medical School
ODU merged with Eastern Virginia Medical School on July 1, 2024, forming the Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. After the merger, EVMS became the medical school component of Old Dominion University.School of Data Science
In his 2022 State of the University Address, President Hemphill announced plans for the establishment of a new School of Data Science. The School of Data Science will offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs.Batten College of Engineering and Technology
The Batten College of Engineering and Technology offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs across six departments.In 2010, the Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology became the first college in the United States offering all degrees in the emerging discipline of Modeling and Simulation.