School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

Students in the School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences can study abroad for a semester or for the summer and still graduate on time.

Every year we bring to campus 30+ established industry professionals to conduct workshops, symposiums and master classes. These guest artists include directors, choreographers, musicians, designers, stage managers, visual artists, playwrights and Tony Award-winning actors. You’ll  interact one-on-one with these industry superstars, receiving knowledge and feedback to hone your skills.

Our arts programming includes six instrumental and vocal ensembles that perform numerous concerts per year and embark on national and global tours to countries like China, Italy, New Zealand, Romania, England and Ireland. In addition, we average six fully produced theatre productions per year, including dance concerts, plays and musicals. And we host 4-6 professional and student juried art exhibits on campus every year plus numerous regional juried art shows and competitions.

Trevor is a New York City-based actor, vocalist, and pianist, who is most recently on the National Tour of The Book of Mormon!

“I love traveling around the country, sharing the stage with incredible people, and impacting the audience in ways I may never know.”

Micaela operates a graphic design studio in San Diego, Calif., working with global clients on brand development, identity design, packaging, print and environmental design. She’s garnered numerous industry awards for her work.

“I love that I chose an unconventional path of becoming a freelancer right after graduating from ONU. I’ve spent the past decade building a thriving design business – all while traveling to and working from over 60+ countries! The freedom to choose my hours, work from anywhere and wake up every day excited about what I do has been a dream come true.”

Anne is the general management associate at the National Artists Management Company in New York City where she works on Broadway shows. Previously she was the assistant general manager for NETworks Presentations working on over seven North American and international tours. After that she served as the company manager on the national tour of "The Sound of Music" playing 41 states during her two years on the road.

“What I love the most is that I am absolutely artistically fulfilled every day. I get to do what I’m good at – business and management – but I still get to look out onto Times Square from my office and be so involved with everything that goes on at the theatre. I love nothing more than being a part of the magic of Broadway and touring productions, from backstage or in an office.”

Mary Beth most recently participated in the ensemble of the “Mean Girls” first national tour, covering the roles of Cady Heron, Gretchen Weiners and the Adult Women. She has performed extensively at regional theatres throughout the country, including the Paper Mill Playhouse, Sacramento Music Circus, and the Fulton Theatre.

“I love that my performing career has granted me the opportunity to visit friends and family across the country, work with Tony Award-winning directors and choreographers, and tell a story about authenticity and inclusion. It’s a joy doing what I love every day!”

Elizabeth is a clarinet teacher for area schools in the Palm Beach County School District. She is also a freelance clarinetist and has her own clarinet studio. She is finishing her DMA at Arizona State University.

“I love performing and teaching! I enjoy seeing my students progress and express themselves through music. Playing in a professional orchestra has always been a lifelong dream of mine, and ONU has played a large part in making that dream possible.”

Not many people get to visit beluga whales every morning on the way to the office; Heather is one of the lucky ones. Senior director of guest relations at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, she oversees more than 100 customer service professionals who support Shedd’s nearly 2 million guest per year.

“We strive to help all guest look nature in the eye, form connections with our amazing animals, and give them the tools to take action for the animals after their visit.”

A space enthusiast from a young age, Ashley often daydreamed about becoming an astronaut. But art—not science—is her vibe. And while she isn’t working for NASA, she still gets to “geek out” about all things space in her amazingly cool position as an exhibit designer at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.

“I love that I am constantly learning new things from my incredibly smart and talented co-workers.”

Students in the School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences can study abroad for a semester or for the summer and still graduate on time.

If law school is your ultimate goal, our 3+3 program enables you to complete your bachelor’s degree and juris doctorate degree in just six years instead of seven. You not only save on tuition costs, you enter the workforce earlier. These majors can participate in this program: criminal justice; political science; history; and English. Learn more

Collaborate with your professors on research projects and creative endeavors. You could also co-author a paper or present your findings at a professional conference. Most students don’t have these types of research opportunities until graduate school.

We even help with funding for students to travel to and attend professional conferences.

ICAPP gives ONU students and faculty a voice in the national conversation. Non-partisan and education-based, it promotes good citizenship through education and information. ICAPP is concerned with any issue impacting citizens in the Midwest. Through activities like opinion polling, public policy papers and more, ICAPP promotes civic literacy and an informed understanding of public policy. Learn more.

Grapple with the ethical issues of the day by joining the Philosophy and Ethics Club and participating in the Ethics Bowl. Learn about publishing through a paid position with Polaris, ONU’s highly regarded literary magazine. Join our award-winning Mock Trial team. Study and work at the center of power – Washington, D.C. – through our collaboration with the Washington Center. These are just a few of our incredible outside-the-classroom experiences!

We offer on-campus and off-campus opportunities to expand your knowledge. Through our Reading Series, for example, you can interact on campus with professional guest writers in a variety of genres, including poetry, fiction, science fiction, screenwriting and more. In addition, many classes incorporate trips to places like the Metzger Nature Center, the Ohio Renaissance Fair, the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the Blackfriars Playhouse (Virginia), the Stratford Shakespeare Festival (Ontario) and others.

Probation officer for the United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit, Kody supervises offenders convicted of federal crimes and investigates offenses ranging from major drug crimes to firearm offenses, white collar crime to terrorism, working with officers and agents from the FBI, ATF, DEA and U.S. Marshals Service. 

“I enjoy contributing to an agency that is so much bigger than myself, and I take pride in being a federal law enforcement officer.”

Maria is working as an English language assistant in Valencia, Spain, assisting students with their conversational, grammar and reading skills, and teaching them about the cultures of the United States and Puerto Rico.

“I enjoy exposing my students to diversity and teaching them that language doesn’t have boundaries and that it’s always a fun experience to learn something new.”

Alice is a lecturer on science, technology, and society at Stanford. She received her Ph.D. from Virginia Tech, where she explored the sociotechnical ecology of harm and violence against persons, technologies, and environments. 

“I enjoy becoming – with technology, nature and others – to challenge the fortunes of the future.”

Managing editor at U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., Adam drives the integrated online editorial and audience strategy, manages the editorial staff, and writes and edits content on U.S. foreign policy and peace building.

“I enjoy working with USIP’s experts to help the American public better understand the most pressing peace and security challenges.”

Rachael is a compliance specialist for PNC Bank in Cleveland and a licensed attorney in Ohio who works on issues related to the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering compliance.

“I love that my days are never the same, and I am continually meeting new people with different backgrounds, careers and experiences.”

Rikki is the youth services director at Shelby County Libraries in Sidney, Ohio, overseeing a department that provides services for children and young adults at six library locations. 

“I love that I get to be in the library every day and call it work, sharing my love for books and reading and making connections with children, parents and community partners.”

Josi is the public program coordinator for the Andrew Jackson Hermitage in Nashville, Tenn., the historical site of the home and farm of the 7th president of the United States. Her responsibilities include researching, developing, and executing historically-influenced programs for the site.

“It’s an incredible responsibility to help personalize the past for people. When history is human, people bring more heart into understanding and learning from it.”

As deputy director and curator for the Atomic Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, Joseph supports the museum’s CEO and manages the museum’s exhibits and collection of artifacts. The Atomic Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate since 2012, educates the public about the U.S.’s nuclear weapons testing program.

“My passion comes from a desire to make history, including topics that can be difficult to discuss, accessible to the public."