Campus Life

The Adawe LifePlan Center helps students succeed throughout the college experience and after graduation. Career planning and decision-making is a developmental process. The responsibility of choosing a career is ultimately up to the student, and this office can assist by providing the following support:

• individual career counseling;

• assisting with the identification of internships;

• locating employer contacts for on- and off-campus employment;

• offering workshops in resume' writing, interviewing skills and

• graduate school application writing;

• planning and promoting career fairs;

• offering use of computers and software such as System of Interactive Guidance and Information (SIGI Plus), where students can match their interests, skills, activities and values with potential majors and careers. This program is updated every year to contain the most current information on various fields. The Holland Code Personality paper assessment is available as well.

Our resource room provides publications with information about careers in various fields, company literature and other career guidance subjects. Computers with Internet access are available for student use to search for jobs and graduate schools or to develop resumes. Full-time, part-time and internship jobs are posted in binders to view.

Many times parents wonder how to be the best support to their student as they navigate their way through college.  You may find yourself asking questions like… How do I support my student through this experience?  What can I do to be helpful?  Below, you will find two resource links to help understand your student and their college experience.

• Parent Information Sheet

• Parents: What to Expect Year by Year

The Braves Fan Shop is located within  Gangwish Library and provides a wide variety of retail options for students, community members, faculty, staff, and alumni. Some of the items you will find within the Fan Shop include textbooks, class supplies, apparel, calendars and planners, coolers, drinkware, novelties, greeting cards, gifts, and much more. Telephone and web orders are welcome and items can be delivered to your student or mailed to your home. Cash, personal checks, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and Braves Bucks are accepted.

Regular hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and on special event weekends. Summer hours vary.

Ottawa University is concerned with the safety of its students and employs staff members to provide security for the campus. The officers patrol campus on foot as well as in University vehicles. OU security will contact the Ottawa Police and/or Franklin County Sheriff’s Department when local, state and Federal regulations are violated or when their assistance is appropriate.

OU security officers patrol the campus 24-hours a day. Officers are also available to escort students from one building to another.

Ottawa University offers personal counseling for students at no charge. Counseling is available for students dealing with personal issues ranging from homesickness to personal crisis. Information shared with the counseling center is confidential and cannot be divulged to parents. Knowing that some students may need assistance beyond the resources of Ottawa University, the counselor is prepared to make necessary referrals to appropriate mental health professionals and mental health agencies.

The Hetrick Bistro is located in the Gibson Student Center in the center of the OU campus. Food services are managed by a professional food service company. All meals are served in the Hetrick Bistro. A variety of dining options are available daily through the various food court stations.

The Gibson Student Center is closed during University breaks and during the summer.

Open seven days a week, the NEW Gangwish Library offers a number of services and resources to address the research needs of students. In addition, students have full access to the Internet from the library and can communicate with friends and parents via student email accounts at terminals located in the library. The new space allows students to utilize one of our many large study rooms for group projects or meetings. With the expanded seating options, the Gangwish Library is an ideal location for study hall sessions, as well as general study sessions and tutoring.

The library also subscribes to a number of research databases for student use. With an interlibrary loan system and access to the University of Kansas online catalog, the library offers easy and efficient access to the specialized research needed for coursework.

Hours of operation vary during breaks and the summer terms.

The Office of Health Services is located in the Ward Science Hall 1st floor and operates in partnership with Ransom Memorial Hospital. The campus nurse is on duty from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Some of the services offered through the Office of Health Services include assessment and treatment of minor illnesses and injuries; tuberculin skin testing; accucheck blood sugar testing; throat cultures for Strep A; and health education programs. The Office of Health Services also makes referrals as needed to physicians or the Franklin County Health Department for immunization. Ransom Memorial Hospital is located within three blocks of the OU campus.

The Campus mail center (located at the Gangwish Library, Braves Fan Shop) is a full-service mail center that processes mail and packages for the United States Postal Service, United Parcel Service and Federal Express. OU receives packages from other carriers, but only ships those listed above. Each student receives a mailbox when they enroll. The box number remains the same as long as they remain an OU student. To reach your student, address all letters, packages and other deliveries in the following manner:

Student Name
Ottawa University
1001 South Cedar Street, #Box Number
Ottawa, KS  66067-3399

Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Cash, personal checks, MasterCard, Visa, and Discover are accepted. Some other services offered include selling postage stamps and receiving special deliveries.

Student must register their vehicles through the Office of Student Affairs. Please remind your son or daughter to comply with all posted parking regulations, and encourage him/her to pay fines in a prompt manner to prevent loss of parking privileges and additional fines.

Ottawa University lots require permits and signage around campus identifies lots or spaces designated for special purposes (i.e. handcap, visitors, etc.).

Student employment is coordinated through the Office of Financial Aid. The purpose of the program is to provide part-time work positions for students to earn spending money while attending college. It is through this program various departments and offices provide students the opportunity to gain valuable experience and training for future employment.

First year students must attend a presentation during orientation week. Students receive general information about various types of financial aid, information about the student employment program, and as well as completing the required forms.