Student Life
Ohio residents account for 85% of the undergraduate student population while out-of-state students come from all 50 US states and 70 foreign countries. The student body consists of 54% women and 46% men, of which, 22% are either of international origin or members of ethnic minority groups. Bowling Green had an on-campus residential student population of 6,500 students as of 2011. Approximately 85% are in-state students. The majority of students attend classes on BGSU's main campus. In addition to the main campus enrollment, 2,500 students enrolled in classes at BGSU Firelands as of 2011. 300 students attend classes at BGSU extension locations, and over 600 students attend classes via distance learning.
The university has an extensive student life program, with over 300 student organizations; club and recreational sports programs; nationally ranked living-learning communities and freshmen experience programs; student media organizations and publications; and Greek organizations. Bowling Green State University was recognized for excellence in first-year experience programs and residential living/learning communities by U.S. News & World Report from 2002-2003 through 2010-2011. In BGSU's residential learning communities, students with similar interests, majors, cultural connections, and goals live and study together. In the academically-based communities students work closely with faculty members who teach classes and have offices in the residence hall. BGSU offers eight residential learning communities: Arts Village, Global Village, Honors Learning Community, La Comunidad, La Maison Française, Natural and Health Sciences Residential Community, Partners in Context and Community, Chapman Community at Kohl; eight residential theme communities: Army ROTC, Aviation, Batchelder Music Community, Construction Management, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Wellness, and SEARCH; and one non-residential learning community known as Honors Scholars. BGSU was included U.S. News & World Report's rankings for First-Year Experience Programs for the 2006-07 through 2011-2012 reports. The university was again ranked in the top ten in the 2011-12 edition.
In 2012 Bowling Green redesigned its undergraduate curriculum, creating an interdisciplinary program known as the BGeXperience (BGeX), that places a focus on personal growth and development, social connections, critical thinking, problem solving and diversity. First-year students begin the BGeX program during the BGeX Introduction Weekend prior to the start of the semester and continued taking courses designed to meet BGeX criteria throughout the four years of the undergraduate programs.
GeoJourney is a special academic program conducted by the School of Earth, Environment, and Society that features a nine-week field trip/camping trip/road trip across the United States to national parks and monuments granting 24 students a semester of college credit. The GeoJourney field program includes Geology, Environmental Studies and Native American studies. Credits apply to the BG Perspective general education requirements. Students on the journey conduct interdisciplinary field investigations and gain first-hand experiences in a wide range of environments. In 2004 the first GeoJourney trip went to 24 states, 30 national parks and covered over 14,500 miles across the United States.
As part of the Department of Recreational Sports, the BGSU Outdoor Program offers outdoor trips, an indoor climbing wall, team-building, and an outdoor equipment rental center to BGSU students, faculty, staff and surrounding community members. In August 2008 the program introduced the Freshman Wilderness Experience, which couples a week-long backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail with a monthly class to assist students in transitioning from high school to college life. In 2009 The Outdoor Program won the David J Web Award by the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE) as an outstanding non-profit outdoor program.
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