[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 142 (Wednesday, September 30, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7044-S7045]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           OTTAWA UNIVERSITY

 Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I wish to commemorate the 150th 
anniversary of

[[Page S7045]]

the founding of Ottawa University in Ottawa, KS.
  Ottawa University has grown from a single building in 1865 to a 
comprehensive, global institution of higher learning dedicated to 
preparing and educating students to have a lifetime of enlightened 
faith, exemplary service, inspired leadership, and personal growth and 
significance.
  The university traces its roots to a strong partnership between 
Baptist missionaries and the Ottawa Indian tribe. In 1865, the 
partnership between members of the Baptist church and the Ottawa Indian 
tribe, under the leadership of Tauy Jones, led to the founding of a 
school for the benefit of children of the Ottawa Indian tribe. 
Originally chartered as a boarding school, OU's leaders also recognized 
the importance of offering a college-level education and having a 
college to serve as an economic growth engine for the community 
emerging around the Marais des Cygnes River.
  Ottawa University's partnership with the Ottawa Indian tribe remains 
strong. In 2008, Kevin C. Eichner, president of Ottawa University, and 
Chief John Ballard of the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma, entered into an 
agreement to grant, in perpetuity, free tuition and room and board to 
all certified members of the Ottawa tribe who wish to attend the 
residential college in Ottawa, KS, or any of OU's adult on-ground or 
online programs. This 2008 agreement has been widely embraced and 
celebrated by members of the tribe and the faculty, alumni, board 
members, and friends of OU as emblematic of the institution's core 
mission and principles and its enduring commitment to maintaining a 
strong partnership with the Ottawa Indian tribe.
  Throughout its history, Ottawa University has pursued an innovative 
approach to higher education. In the 1970s, OU was among the first 
universities to embrace a growing demand for programs of higher 
education specifically tailored to the needs of adult students, opening 
an adult campus in Kansas City in 1974; Phoenix, AZ, in 1977; 
Brookfield, WI, in 1992; Jeffersonville, IN, in 2002; and Chandler, AZ, 
in 2009. In 2008, OU began offering complete degree programs online.
  Today, Ottawa University serves more than 5,000 students from 50 
States and six countries. The university employs more than 200 faculty 
and staff who are committed to ensuring that each student receives a 
high-quality education that honors OU's mission and history. Today 
there are more than 23,000 distinguished OU graduates serving their 
communities, professions, and churches around the world.
  Congratulations to Ottawa University on the 150th anniversary of its 
founding, its enduring partnership with the Ottawa Indian tribe, and 
the achievements of all faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have 
contributed to the university's success.

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