Bowling Green State University

Table of Contents

Tours

  1. Bowling Green Tour Route

    Bowling Green State University is a public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio. The 1,338-acre main academic and residential campus is 15 miles

    Stops

    1. University Seal

      Hi, welcome to BGSU!

      Choosing a university is not an easy decision—and we want to help you narrow down your choices by providing you with a way to visualize yourself as a Falcon. Experience the tight-knit culture and beautiful architecture of BGSU’s campus by checking out our virtual campus tour which replicates our on-campus tour.


      The official University Seal was designed by Leon Winslow in 1914 to follow the format of the State Seal of Ohio. 

      There are three myths that go along with our Seal that I would like to share with you. 

      - If you stand on the seal and kiss your sweetheart at midnight, under a full moon, you’ll soon be married;

      - If you walk with your sweetheart and pass on different sides you will soon break up;

      - Walking to the right will assure you a passing grade and to the left you take your chances.

    2. McFall Center

      Originally built in 1927 to be the University Library now houses: 

      ○ Graduate College 

      ○ University President’s Office 

      ○ Student Affairs 

    3. Founders Hall (Residence Hall)

      Built in 1955 as a women's dormitory. Founders Hall has been renovated throughout the years and at one time featured a non-alcoholic nightclub called "Quad Rock Café" in 1988. Currently it's houses the Honors College office and Honors Learning Community.

      360 Virtual Tour of Founders Hall >>



      The layouts in Founders Hall are a mix of suite-style and in-room bathroom. This dorm features a Marketplace is close to the Bowen-Thompson Student Union and many academic buildings. Students can request to live in All Gender Housing in this hall. 
      Learn more about Founders Hall >>


      BEDROOM LAYOUTS:

      Six-person suites (three double-bedrooms, a living room and shared bathroom)
      Two-person in-person bathroom (Two single bedrooms attached by a foyer and shared bathroom)
      Single Room: 90 Sq. Ft. | Double Room: 141 Sq. Ft.

      BUILDING FEATURES:

      Marketplace 
      Air conditioning in the rooms
      All Gender Housing available (application required)
      Honors Learning Community
      600+ Students (37.8% Returning/62.2% Honors LC Members)
    4. Administration Building

      Built in 1963 as the President and administrative offices for BGSU now houses:

      ● Office of Student Financial Aid 

      Walk-in appointments Monday-Friday 9:00am - 4:30pm 

      ● Bursar’s Office 

      ● College of Arts and Sciences advising offices 

    5. Prout Chapel

      Built in 1951 and has now become a popular venue for the wedding ceremonies of couples who met at the university, commonly referred to as "Falcon Flames"
      ● Non-denominational church open to all religious 

      ● Over 20 different religious organizations on campus 

      ● Chapel used for poetry readings, religious services, organizations ceremonies, etc. 

       

    6. Bowen-Thompson Student Union

      Built in 1958, remodeled in 1977 after two fires and substantially renovated in 2002, the Bowen-Thompson Student Union houses: 

      First Floor 

      ● Computer Lab 

      ○ Access to printers 

      ○ Computers labs located in every residence hall and many academic buildings 

      ● Starbucks 

      ● Falcon’s Nest 

      ○ Accepts falcon dollars portion of meal plan 

      Different options: Marco’s Pizza, Jamba Juice, Mondo’s Subs, Panda Express, Chickendipity, Bowl & Grains, salad bar, Steak n Shake

      ● Information Desk 

       

      Second Floor 

      ● Career Center 

      ● Ballroom and Multipurpose Room 

      ○ Holds blood drives, church services, large events, organization meetings 

      ● Student Union Theater 

      ● Off-Campus Student Lounge 

       

      Third Floor 

      ● Office of the Dean of Students 

      ● Lounges areas 

      ● Meeting rooms 

       

      Fourth Floor 

      ● Office of Multicultural Affairs 

      ● Student Organization Offices 

      ● Multicultural Student Center and LGBTQ Resource Center 

    7. Oaks Dining Hall

      Built in 2011, The Oaks is an all you care to eat dining facility. 

      ● Offer wide range of meals 

      ○ Full-time fresh pizza, salad, and dessert bars 

      ○ Vegan options  

       

      ● Teaching kitchen - recently renovated, opened January 2018 

      Provides students with a collaborative space to learn healthy recipes and cooking skills 

      Hosts events, tastings, and hands-on learning opportunities for students 

       

      ● LEED Certified (constructed with sustainability in mind) 


    8. Offenhauer Towers (Residence Hall)

      Built in 1971 and had a photo lab, leather shop, sewing room, game room, weight room, and library at the time. 
      After renovations throughout the years Offenhauer now features:
      ● Houses first-year and returning students 

      ● Air-conditioned, traditional-style hall 

      ● Contains the Market convenience store 

      ● Multiple learning communities housed in Offenhauer: 

      ○ Forensic Science 

      ○ Natural and Health Science Residential 

      ACTION - Secondary Math and Science Education Majors 

      ○ Academic Investment in Math and Science (ACTION) 

    9. McDonald Hall (Residence Hall)

      Built in 1964 as a women's residence hall, McDonald has been renovated throughout the years and now houses all students. 

      ● Traditional, double room (no AC) 

      ● Multiple learning communities 

      ○ Construction Management 

      ○ Aviation 

      ○ Air Force ROTC 

      ○ Army ROTC 

      ○ SEARCH 

      ○ Education and Human Development 

      ○ Educators in Context and Communities 

      ● Student lounges are available to do homework, play games, or other activities with their friends 

      ● Mac Room 

      Everything made of wood comes with the room 

      Can bring your own microwave, futon, mini-fridge 

      Beds are de-loftable 

      ● Mac bathrooms (there should be a photo in the room) 

      Community-style bathrooms 

      ○ Several toilets, sinks, and showers 

      ○ gender is typically split by wing 

      ● Kitchen 

      Fully-functioning 

      ○ Can rent out kitchen appliances from the front desk 

    10. Bureau of Criminal Investigation

      Built in 2014, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation facility provides laboratory and investigative services free of charge to Ohio’s criminal justice agencies. This public partnership with the Ohio Attorney General's office brings with it the Center for the Future of Forensic Science which fosters innovative forensic scientific research and creates training opportunities for forensic professionals and for students in forensic science-related fields. 
    11. Technology Building

      Built in 1973, the Technology building houses College of Technology, Architecture and Applied Engineering 

      some majors in this college include: 

      ■ Construction Management 

      ■ Visual Communication Technology 

      ■ Engineering Technology 

      ■ Aviation 

       

    12. Park Avenue (Architecture)

      Renovated in 2016 Park Avenue houses the undergraduate and graduate design studios and features faculty offices, an administrative suite, a materials and reference library, lecture room, gallery, and print room featuring new plotters and laser cutters.
      ● BGSU is the only university in NW Ohio to offer a Masters in Architecture 

      ● Space for Architecture students to attend class, collaborate, and work on projects. 

      Architecture students have 24 hour access to this building via a personal entry device (PED) 

    13. BG Flight Center

      The original BG airport was built in 1939 and acquired by BGSU in 1942 to house the Navy V-5 and V-12 programs

      The new BG flight center was built in 2015 and expanded in 2018 to include a new hanger for additional planes for this fast growing program. 

      ● One of two universities in United States that has an airport on its main campus 

      ● Holds approximately 75 aircrafts 

      ● Bowling Green Flight Center - resource for students studying Aviation 

    14. Union Oval

      Home to our large orange BGSU letters, the Union Oval known as the “heart of campus” 

      Every year Campus Fest, takes place here within first few weeks of classes during fall semester. Student organizations and local businesses set up information booths and offer free food and prizes to win; plus there are opportunities to learn info about organizations and how to join.

    15. Education Building

      ● Home to College of Education and Human Development 

      ● Some majors in this college: 

      ○ Inclusive Early Childhood 

      ○ Middle Childhood Education 

      ○ Adolescent to Young Adult Education 

      ○ Special Education 

      ○ Sports Management 

      ○ Interior Design 

      ● BGSU first started out as Bowling Green Normal College 

      ○ Small campus that only produced teachers 

      ○ BGSU has grow to encompass over 200 majors and programs 

      ○ One of the leading universities for teaching in the country 

      ● Resources and Facilities 

      Technology Resource Center: resource for students within the college including free copying, laminating, and other materials to utilize 

    16. Olscamp Hall

      Built in 1994, Olscamp Hall was designed to incorporate modern technology in the classroom. The building is named after former BGSU president, Paul J. Olscamp who wanted students of all majors to come together. 

      To this day the building provides modern facilities for regular classroom instruction as well as equipment capable of providing long-distance learning, computer integration, and multimedia effects.

      The building features:

      ● Dunkin Donuts kiosk - meal plan friendly 

      ● Math Emporium located on second floor 

      Center designed to help students learn math through web-based learning 

      ● Active learning classrooms 

      ○ Foster engagement in classroom with peers and professors 

      ○ Moveable furniture 

      ○ Whiteboard use 

      ○ Technology in classroom 

       

    17. Oak Grove Cemetery

      Oak Grove Cemetery has been located on this plot of land since the middle of the 19th century. When BGSU was first founded in 1910, the campus was contained to Old Campus. When the University grew and expanded out to the cemetery, rather than moving everything, the University decided to put up a fence around the cemetery and build around it. 

    18. Health and Human Services

      Originally built in 1942 as the student health center. After major renovations in 2013 and now houses the College of Health and Human Services which includes majors in Criminal Justice, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Gerontology, Social Work.
      This building features:
      Enhanced classrooms, collaborative spaces, research facilities, faculty offices and advising spaces will support the educational needs of student who are pursuing careers that will make a difference in the health and well-being of the people and communities they serve.

    19. Moore Musical Arts Center

      The Moore Musical Arts Center is home to our College of Musical Arts. Something cool about this building is if you were to hop in an airplane over at our wood county airport and fly over top of it, it is going to look like a baby grand piano from above. It also houses over 88 practice rooms to represent the 88 keys on the piano. The College of Music hosts several concerts throughout the year at a reduced cost for current students. BGSU is a Steinway piano-certified University

    20. Student Recreation Center

      Built in 1979 and renovated in 2014 the Student Recreation Center, commonly referred to as the Rec. The rec has four floors. The basement floor house additional rooms for GroupX class such as yoga and spinning, courts for racquetball, and the locker rooms are down here. 


      As long as you are a full time student you can come to the Rec and workout for free.  

      As you walk in the first thing you'll see the weight lifting equipment. Upstairs is where we have the majority of our cardio equipment. 

      The Rec features an Olympic size swimming pool, Cooper Pool. This is where our swimming and diving teams have their meets.  

       

    21. BGSU Athletics

      ● BGSU is a Division I athletic school 

      ○ 18 Division I sports 

      ○ Tickets to athletic events held on campus are no additional cost 

      ○ (Information about specific arenas found at end of script) 

      ● Club and Intramural Sports 

      ○ Prominent on campus; great way to stay active and meet new friends 

      ○ Club sports: compete against other universities 

      ○ Intramural sports: compete against other BGSU teams 

    22. Kreischer Quadrangle (Residence Hall)

      ● Traditional residence hall with double rooms and community restrooms in each wing (no AC) 

      ● Home to multiple Learning Communities: 

      ○ Arts Village 

      ○ Batchelder Music 

      ● Houses Sundial late-night dining facility and the Market 

      ○ Burger bar 

      ○ Marco’s Pizza 

      Al Dente pasta bar 

      ○ Many other options 

    23. Wolfe Center for the Arts

      ● Home to the Department of Theatre and Film 

       

      ● Facilities and resources: 

      ○ Digital Arts Labs 

      ○ Two theaters 

      ○ Rehearsal halls 

      ○ Costume shop 

      ○ Scene shop 

      ○ Departmental offices and classrooms 

      ● Students can get discounted tickets to various productions held in the Wolfe Center 

      ● Architecture was designed to resemble a glacier moving across the land 

      Northwest Ohio was carved out by glaciers - land is now flat and windy 

      Designed by internationally renowned architectural firm that also built 9/11 Memorial Museum Pavilion in NYC 

    24. Fine Arts Center

      ● Home to School of Art 

      ● Houses: 

      ○ Three galleries for art showings 

      ○ Glass blowing facility 

      ○ Graphic design computer lab 

      ○ Jewelry, ceramics, and photography labs 

      Arts Resource Center (containing educational materials, references, sample works of art) 

    25. Memorial Hall

      ● Houses Army and Air Force ROTC Programs 

      ROTC is an elective - students can try it their first two years without incurring any obligation to serve 

      ○ Many scholarship opportunities for ROTC students 

      ● Houses Anderson Arena 

      ○ Home to BGSU Gymnastics Team 

    26. Jerome Library

      8 floors in the Jerome Library (you do not need to specifically mention every single floor) 

      ● 1st floor 

      ○ Research and Information Desk 

      ○ Learning Commons 

      ○ Thinkers Cafe 

      ○ Mention OhioLink 

      ○ CollabLab 

      ■ mix of technology & liberal arts 

      hands-on, creative space for students, faculty, staff, and community members to engage in collaborative work. 

      ■ Its modern design and convenient location make it the ideal place to meet for 

       

       

      collaborative activities 

      Features state of the art prototyping tools like 3D printers, 3D scanners, virtual reality headsets and more! 

      ● 2nd floor 

      Curriculum Resource Center - excellent resource for educators 

      ● 3rd floor 

      ○ Music library 

      ■ sheet music, music recordings 

      ● 4th floor 

      ○ Browne Popular Culture Library 

      ● 5th and 6th floor 

      ○ Archival collections 

      ■ history of BGSU 

      ■ historical collections of the Great Lakes 

      ● 7th floor 

      ○ Group study floor 

      ○ Little background noise 

      ● 8th floor 

      ○ Quiet study floor 

    27. Greek Housing Village

      ● Opened Fall 2016 

      The Greek Village features traditional townhome-style residences and include 10 buildings with 33 individual units for 33 chapters. The community is designed like an urban village with quadrangles, interior walkways and gathering spaces.

      ● Around 10-15% of student population is affiliated with Greek organizations 

    28. Centennial Hall (Residence Hall)

      ● First-year only residence hall 

      ● “Suite-style” double room with privately-shared bathroom (AC) 

      ● Contains computer lab, lounge areas, kitchen, and laundry facilities 

    29. Carillon Place Dining Center

      ● All-you-care-to-eat (AYCE) dining facility on campus, similar to The Oaks 

      ● Uses Swipes portion of meal plan 

      ● The Market attached next door, with a Sweet Shop located inside 

       

    30. Kohl Hall (Residence Hall)

      ● Predominantly first-year students 

      ● Learning Communities housed here place emphasis on leadership and community involvement 

      Chapman Community: service-learning community 

      ○ La Comunidad: Spanish majors, minors, and others interested 

      ○ Global Village 

      ○ French House 

      ○ Business District 

    31. Falcon Health Center

      ● Opened Fall of 2013 

      ● Full service health care facility and trained professional staff 

      ● Accepts most insurances 

      ○ BGSU requires students to have health insurance 

      If you don’t have personal insurance you can pay for insurance through BGSU’s Health Plan 

      ● Includes full service pharmacy 

      ○ Any prescriptions that students currently have can be transferred here 

    32. University Hall

      ● Renovated and reopened in Fall 2017 

      ● Houses: 

      ○ Pre-Professional program office 

      ○ International programs offices 

      ○ Education Abroad 

      ○ Center for Community & Civic Engagement 

      ○ Office of Admissions 

      Active learning classrooms with cutting-edge technology 

      ○ Study and lounge spaces for students 

      ● Hoskins Grand Foyer 

      ○ Michael Hoskins: BGSU alumnus who provided funds for study abroad trips and the 

       

       

      renovation of University Hall 

      ○ Foyer is named in his honor