Ohio Technical College history

In October 1970, the Board of Trustees of the Licking County Technical Institute District, appointed in accordance with Ohio law, held its first meeting.

Classes were first held in Founders Hall of the Newark campus in the fall of 1971 with 114 students enrolling in accounting, electronic engineering, electromechanical engineering, glass-plastics, radiologic and secretarial science technologies programs. Therefore, at the February 19, 1971, meeting of the Board of Trustees, founding President Robert A. Barnes, PhD, presented for consideration four possible names for the new institution and recommended the current name.

With COTC Board authorization given on October 16, 1972, college officials began the process of seeking full accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools at the earliest possible date.

On June 8, 1973, the college held its first commencement ceremony for 25 graduating students.

In 1977 COTC began offering off-campus courses in Coshocton and Knox counties.

In the spring of 1980, the service area for COTC was officially expanded by the Ohio Board of Regents to include Coshocton and Knox counties.

In 1981, the increase in popularity of diesel cars prompted the School to expand its curriculum to include automotive diesel.

In 1984, an Automotive Technology program was added.

In 1986, COTC established full-time offices in both counties to offer off-campus courses.

In 1987, the Motorcycle and Small Engine Training program was added, following a name change to Ohio Auto/Diesel Technical Institute.

A new Associate of Technical Studies degree program was developed and approved in 1994.

In 1995, due to the addition of this new program and degree-granting ability, Ohio Auto/Diesel Technical Institute changed its name to Ohio Auto Diesel Technical College.

In 2000, BMW of North America entered into contract with OTC to provide the FAST Track program, which stands for Factory Advanced Skilled Training.

In 2003, High Performance and Racing and Alternative Fuel Technology classes were added to the curriculum.

The Central Ohio Technical College boasted an enrollment of almost five thousand students in 2005, offering classes at the Newark campus, as well as at satellite campuses in Knox and Coshocton Counties, Ohio.

The college also announced plans in 2006 to begin offering classes in Pataskala, Ohio.

Those renovations were completed prior to the autumn 2007 and beginning that quarter Coshocton classes moved into Montgomery Hall.

Work was completed on the new John L. & Christine Warner Library and Student Center on the Newark Campus in late summer 2008.

In 2009, OTC was named national “School of the Year” by Tomorrow’s Technician Magazine.

In 2010, OTC partnered with Edelbrock to offer a 12-week course that focuses on building and tuning American muscle cars and performance vehicles.

The renovated building opened under the name Ariel Hall in 2012.