Minnesota State University, Mankato

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Minnesota State University, Mankato

MSU logo

Established 1868-10-07
Type Public
President Dr. Richard Davenport
Faculty 600 full-time
Staff 1,300
Students 13,814 (Fall 2005)
Undergraduates 12,352
Postgraduates 1,462
Location Mankato, MN, USA
Campus Urban
300 acres (1.2 km²)
Sports teams Mavericks
Colors Purple & Gold
Mascot Stomper
Website MNSU.edu

Minnesota State University, Mankato is a four-year university located in Mankato, Minnesota. The school has an enrollment of nearly 14,000 students and 600 full-time faculty members. MSU is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System (MnSCU).

Contents

[edit] History

The institution has the distinction of being the first public college in the United States to be headed by a woman, suffragette Julia Sears, in 1872.

MSU Mankato has been previously named:

  • Mankato Normal School 1868-1921
  • Mankato State Teachers College 1921-1957
  • Mankato State College 1957-1975
  • Mankato State University 1975-1998

[edit] Principals

  • George M. Gage 1868-72
  • Julia Sears 1872-73
  • Rev. David C. John 1873-80

[edit] Presidents

  • Edward Searing 1880-98
  • Charles H. Cooper 1898-1930
  • Dr. Frank D. McElroy 1930-46
  • Dr. Clarence L. Crawford 1946-65
  • Dr. Melvin G. Scarlett 1965-66 (acting president)
  • Dr. James F. Nickerson 1966-73
  • Dr. Kent Alm 1973-74 (acting president)
  • Dr. Douglas R. Moore 1974-78
  • Edward McMahan 1978-79 (acting president)
  • Dr. Margaret R. Preska 1979-92
  • Dr. John B. Davis, Jr. 1992 (acting president)
  • Dr. Richard R. Rush 1992-2001
  • Dr. Karen Boubel 2001-02 (interim president)
  • Dr. Richard Davenport 2002-present

[edit] Academic programs

MSU currently offers 158 undergraduate programs of study, including 16 preprofessional programs, and 82 graduate programs. These are divided into six major academic areas:

MSU also confers Master's degrees in these areas, and is the first institution in the United States to offer a Master of Fine Arts degree in Forensics.

The university is accredited by 25 national accrediting agencies, including the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

[edit] Student accommodations

MSU currently has three student housing complexes.

  • McElroy Center, consisting of five four-story halls. All the halls are connected to each other through a central hallway.
  • Crawford Center, consisting of four four-story halls. All the halls are connected to each other through a central hallway.
  • Gage Center, consisting of two thirteen-story towers. The two towers are connected through Gage commons.

Scheduled to open in June 2008, is the new Julia A. Sears residence hall, named after the university's first female principal.

[edit] MSU athletics

Stomper, Minnesota State University - Mankato mascot
Stomper, Minnesota State University - Mankato mascot

The athletic teams of Minnesota State are the Mavericks. The men's and women's ice hockey teams both compete in the Division I WCHA, along with four other Minnesota-based college teams. Other university athletic teams compete in the North Central Conference of NCAA Division II.

Minnesota State University, Mankato is the current location of the summer training camp for the Minnesota Vikings National Football League team.

Former PGA Professional, and current PGA Champions Tour star Mike Zinni is the head coach of the MSU Men's Golf Team.

[edit] Maverick radio

The university operates a public radio station, KMSU 89.7 FM.

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] External links