HANCOCK COUNTY, Ohio — The University of Findlay and Bluffton University will merge by the fall of 2025, the two universities announced at a press conference Wednesday.
"Both campuses emphasize and are devoted to personal attention to students," said University of Findlay President Katherine Fell. "We know our students well. We're invested in them."
Fell and Jane Wood, president of Bluffton University, said combining forces will bring more opportunities to students of both private universities. Bluffton is about 20 miles southwest of Findlay.
"There are programs that both Dr. Fell and I have been approached about that people would like to see in the area," Wood said.
The University of Findlay will remain affiliated with the Churches of God, General Conference, and Bluffton University will remain affiliated with the Mennonite Church USA. Findlay will also continue to participate in NCAA Divison II and remain the Oilers. Bluffton will continue to compete in Division III as the Beavers.
Both universities' board of trustees' approved the merger and Fell and Wood signed a memorandum of understanding.
The potential of a merger was studied through a grant from the Transformational Partnerships Fund, "which provides support for institutions of higher education to explore student-centric partnerships," Fell said.
The universities will operate independently as regulatory approvals are expected to take 12-15 months.
“All year, Findlay has been talking about our strong roots and bright future,” said Dr. Fell. “Both Findlay and Bluffton have immensely strong roots, and together we can have a brighter future. Together, we can establish an even stronger premier institution of higher education in Northwest Ohio.”
The two universities created a website for the merger with more information.