Academics
Kind, accessible, 鈥渁mazing鈥 professors are 鈥渉ands down鈥 the best thing about Oklahoma Christian University. 鈥淭he closeness that a student feels with his professor is unreal at this campus,鈥 students say. It鈥檚 鈥渓ike you鈥檙e being taught by good friends and family instead of some snobby professors.鈥 The Dean of Students in particular is 鈥渃razy cool,鈥 and 鈥渨ould do anything for a student in need鈥---鈥渋ncluding loaning you money!鈥 The administration gets slightly lower marks, particularly for its financial priorities. Although funding is going towards facilities, students point out that some buildings are 鈥渋n shambles,鈥 or are 鈥渃onstruction . . . eyesores.鈥 Most students live on campus, and 鈥淭he recent surge in new housing has only led to a ridiculous escalation in on-campus housing charges.鈥 One student sums up the general feeling: 鈥淲hile the hearts are big at this school, the administration really needs to learn to think ahead. They miss little details鈥 that really make students mad.鈥
Student Body
Most of the 鈥渓aid-back, conservative, church-going鈥 Oklahomans and Texans who predominate at OC were 鈥渞aised in the Church of Christ,鈥 and some students say the majority is 鈥渋gnorant and/or intolerant of other denominations and/or belief systems.鈥 Not everyone sees the issue in a negative light: 鈥淚 think including others and inviting them to the Church of Christ is a strength and good thing,鈥 says one undergrad. Others say there is no such problem: 鈥淭he strongest factor that unites the student body is its faith in God and the belief that his son died on the cross for our sins, and not some church affiliation.鈥 The social atmosphere is 鈥渓ike high school without the parents鈥: Students 鈥渁re heavily branded by cliques or club associations.鈥 Students emphasize, however, that 鈥渆veryone is willing to get along [and] there isn鈥檛 any obvious shunning behavior.鈥 鈥淎typical students鈥 are clustered 鈥渋n the English, Art, and Music Departments,鈥 and there is 鈥渘o obvious gay community.鈥 OC has a critical mass of students of color, including African and Japanese international students, and an active community of 鈥淭hird Culture Kids,鈥 students who grew up overseas and identify with more than one culture. One African American student, however, warns that some White students 鈥渟tare at鈥 minorities or try to 鈥渁ct black鈥 when speaking with them.
Campus Life
Students say that life at Oklahoma Christian 鈥渋s all about getting to know God more.鈥 Many students attend 鈥淢ondayand Thursday-night . . . devotionals . . . and almost all of the students [and] faculty attend church services on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights (they even close the library and cafeteria during these times to encourage it).鈥 Instead of 鈥渇rats or sororities,鈥 OC has Greek-lettered but unhoused 鈥渟ocial service clubs鈥 that 鈥渄o service projects for the community, hold banquets, and play intramural sports.鈥 Detractors gripe that clubs 鈥渇oster . . . cliquishness鈥 and receive 鈥渢oo much emphasis . . . as the only means of social interaction,鈥 but proponents say clubs provide 鈥渁 really great way to get involved on campus and meet new people.鈥 Sports also provide a sense of community. 鈥淏asketball is the big sport on campus,鈥 so students 鈥渁ll go to the basketball games,鈥 and there is 鈥渆ven a faculty team鈥 that, to considerable delight, 鈥減lays in the basketball tournament on campus.鈥 The school鈥檚 Oklahoma City location 鈥渁llows for easy access to . . . Bricktown, malls, and the Hornets basketball team,鈥 and students gush that 鈥渨e have . . . movie theaters all over the place,鈥 including an IMAX theater and the North Park Mall鈥檚 theater, where students can see a movie for $1.50.
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