Minnesota State University, Mankato
Encyclopedia
Minnesota State University, Mankato (Minnesota State Mankato) (MSU) is a public four-year university located in Mankato, Minnesota
, a community of 53,000 located 75 miles (120.7 km) southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. As of Fall 2011, the student body is the third-largest in the state of Minnesota
with over 15,000 students. There are two satellite campuses, one in the Twin Cities suburb of Edina
and the other in Owatonna
. The school is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System
(MnSCU). Students are served by 600 full-time faculty members creating a 28:1 student to faculty ratio. Minnesota State Mankato currently offers 158 undergraduate programs of study, 82 graduate programs and is the first institution in the United States
to offer a Master of Fine Arts
degree in Forensics
.
, in 1872.
Minnesota State Mankato has previously been named:
Minnesota State Mankato 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. Doctorate degrees are offered in Nursing Practice, Education and Psychology.
The university is accredited by 25 national accrediting agencies, including the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
.
Each student attending MSU pays a fee of $0.43 per credit hour to sustain the Minnesota State University Student Association
, a student led non-profit that advocates on behalf of all Minnesota State Mankato students.
teams both compete in the NCAA Division I Western Collegiate Hockey Association
(WCHA), along with four other Minnesota-based college teams. Other university athletic teams began competing in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
of NCAA Division II in 2008-09 following the disbandment of the North Central Conference.
Minnesota State University has been the location of the summer training camp for the Minnesota Vikings
National Football League
team for over 40 years.
The Minnesota State women's basketball team won the 2009 NCAA Division II national championship with a 103–94 win over Franklin Pierce University on March 27, 2009 in San Antonio. The combined score of the game (197 points) established a championship tournament record for most points in a game by two teams.
Mankato, Minnesota
Mankato is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 39,309 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The county seat of Blue Earth County, it is located...
, a community of 53,000 located 75 miles (120.7 km) southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. As of Fall 2011, the student body is the third-largest in the state of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
with over 15,000 students. There are two satellite campuses, one in the Twin Cities suburb of Edina
Edina, Minnesota
Edina is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and a first-ring suburb situated immediately southwest of Minneapolis. Edina began as a small farming and milling community in the 1860s. The population was 47,941 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
and the other in Owatonna
Owatonna, Minnesota
Owatonna is a city in Steele County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 25,599 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Steele County. Owatonna is home to the Steele County Fairgrounds, which hosts the Steele County Free Fair in August....
. The school is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System comprises 31 colleges and universities, including 24 two-year colleges and seven state universities...
(MnSCU). Students are served by 600 full-time faculty members creating a 28:1 student to faculty ratio. Minnesota State Mankato currently offers 158 undergraduate programs of study, 82 graduate programs and is the first institution in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to offer a Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
degree in Forensics
Forensics
Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...
.
History
The school was founded in 1868 with an enrollment of only 27 students. The institution has the distinction of being the first public college in the United States to be headed by a woman, suffragette Julia SearsJulia Sears
Julia Sears was a pioneering academic and suffragette. She achieved a milestone early in her career when in 1872 she became the first woman in the U.S. to head a public college, Minnesota State Normal College at Mankato, now Minnesota State University, Mankato...
, in 1872.
Minnesota State Mankato has previously been named:
- Mankato Normal School 1868–1921
- Mankato State Teachers College 1921–1957
- Mankato State College 1957–1975
- Mankato State University 1975–1999
- Minnesota State University, Mankato 1999–present
Presidents
- Edward SearingEdward SearingEdward Searing was an American educator.Born in Aurora, New York, in Cayuga County, New York, Searing received his bachelors and masters degree from the University of Michigan. In 1857, he moved to Wisconsin and taught school. Searing then moved to Milton, Wisconsin in 1863 and became a professor...
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 McMahon 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
Academic profile
Minnesota State University, Mankato currently offers 158 undergraduate programs of study, including 16 preprofessional programs, and 82 graduate programs. These are divided into six colleges:- Allied Health and Nursing
- Arts and Humanities
- Business
- Education
- Science, Engineering and Technology
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
Minnesota State Mankato also confers Master's degrees in these areas, and is the first institution in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to offer a Master of Fine Arts degree in Forensics. Doctorate degrees are offered in Nursing Practice, Education and Psychology.
The university is accredited by 25 national accrediting agencies, including the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
.
Doctorate of Psychology in School Psychology
Minnesota State Mankato offers a doctoral degree in school psychology (Psy.D.). The program accepted its first cohort in fall of 2008. Doctoral students in this program are trained in both psychology and education. This training emphasizes preparation in mental health and educational interventions, child development, learning, behavior, motivation, curriculum and instruction, assessment, consultation, collaboration, school law, and systems. Students with this degree can work in a variety of settings including:- Public and private schools
- Universities
- School-based health and mental health centers
- Community-based day-treatment or residential clinics and hospitals
- Juvenile justice centers
- Private practice
Master of Arts Program in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Minnesota State University offers an I/O Psychogy Master's Programs. In SIOP's (Society for Industrial and Organization Psychology) last rankings of MA/MS programs, Minnesota State Mankato's program ranked first in students' ratings, fifth in program resources, and 7th in program culture. Students are able to present their research at the annual Midwest Psychology Conference in Owatonna, MN along with various other presentation opportunities around the United States. The I/O Department also runs their own consulting company entitled The Organizational Effectiveness Research Group. Students are able to gain first hand experience working in this consulting firm while completing their degree.Masters Degree in Experiential Education
The Masters Degree in Experiential Education at Minnesota State University is the oldest graduate degree program in experiential education in the United States. The program is located in the Educational Leadership department and offers continually-increasing options for graduate students to explore their passions in experiential education. This program was originally started in 1971, as a joint venture between Minnesota State Mankato and Minnesota Outward Bound School (now a part of Outward Bound Wilderness). In addition to their classroom experiences, the program offers students an opportunity to develop experiences away from school through practicums, internships, field-based and project-based activities.Student life
Minnesota State Mankato has four student housing complexes:- McElroy Residence Community, 1000 residents, consists of five four-story halls. All the halls are connected to each other through a central hallway.
- Crawford Residence Community, 800 residents, consists of four four-story halls. All the halls are connected to each other through a central hallway. Crawford and McElroy are connected by Carkoski Commons.
- Gage Residence Community, 1200 residents, consists of two twelve-story towers. The two towers are connected through Gage commons.
- Julia A. Sears Residence Community, 600 residents, consists of four four-story halls. All the halls are connected to each other through a central hallway.
Each student attending MSU pays a fee of $0.43 per credit hour to sustain the Minnesota State University Student Association
Minnesota State University Student Association
The Minnesota State University Student Association is an independent, non-profit organization funded and operated by students. MSUSA serves nearly 70,000 students attending Minnesota's seven state universities: Bemidji State University, Minnesota State University Mankato, Metropolitan State...
, a student led non-profit that advocates on behalf of all Minnesota State Mankato students.
Music
The Music Department at Minnesota State offers four degree programs in Performance, Education, Music Industry, and a Bachelor's in Music, as well as a minor in music. The Department has seven performing student ensembles, The University Chorale, the Concert Choir, the Symphonic Wind Band, the Concert Wind Ensemble, the University Orchestra, the Jazz Mavericks Big Band, and the Jazz Lab Band. Students participate in a variety of other ensembles and musical experiences, including community groups. These ensembles are open to all MSU students.Athletics
The athletic teams are known as the Minnesota State Mavericks with school colors of purple and gold. More than 500 students participate each year in athletics each year for the University. It offers teams in men's and women's hockey and basketball, football, baseball, golf, women's swimming, track, cross country, women's tennis, wrestling, soccer, golf, volleyball, and softball. The men's and women's ice hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
teams both compete in the NCAA Division I Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
(WCHA), along with four other Minnesota-based college teams. Other university athletic teams began competing in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern United States. Nine of its members are in Minnesota, with two members in South Dakota and one member each in the states of Iowa, Nebraska and North Dakota. It participates in the NCAA's...
of NCAA Division II in 2008-09 following the disbandment of the North Central Conference.
Minnesota State University has been the location of the summer training camp for the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
team for over 40 years.
The Minnesota State women's basketball team won the 2009 NCAA Division II national championship with a 103–94 win over Franklin Pierce University on March 27, 2009 in San Antonio. The combined score of the game (197 points) established a championship tournament record for most points in a game by two teams.
Notable alumni
- Susan Adams Loyd - Former Clear Channel Executive of the Year and former general manager of WCCO-TV in Minneapolis
- Adrienne ArmstrongAdrienne ArmstrongAdrienne Armstrong is the co-owner of Adeline Records, Adeline Street, and Atomic Garden . She is married to Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. Adrienne earned a degree in sociology from Minnesota State University, Mankato...
- Record producer, clothing designer and wife of Billie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
, the singer/guitarist of the band Green DayGreen DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool... - David BackesDavid Backes (ice hockey)David Anthony Backes is an American professional ice hockey right winger and captain of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League ....
- NHL forward, St. Louis Blues, Team USATeam USATeam USA is a wrestling faction brought together as part of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's X-Cup Tournaments, which involved a team of X Division superstars from various countries representing their nation in an international wrestling competition.-America's X-Cup:Team USA was created and led...
(Vancouver 2010) - Adrian Battles - NFL guard, Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
- Lou Bellamy - Founder of the Penumbra theater in St. Paul
- Ryan CarterRyan CarterRyan Michael Carter is a professional ice hockey player currently playing for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League .- Playing career :...
- NHL forward, Carolina HurricanesCarolina HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center... - Jim DillingJim DillingJim Dilling is an American high jumper who was the 2007 USA Outdoor champion. Dilling stands 6'5" and weighs 195 lbs. His personal best was attained during the 2007 season...
- High jumper, 2007 USA Outdoor Champion - Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant GeneralLieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
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- Donald D. Gerdts - Co-founder, KOCE-TVKOCE-TVKOCE-TV is a Public Broadcasting Service member Public televisionstation, and is the primary PBS member for Los Angeles and Southern California. KOCE also features programming focused on the communities of Orange County, California. It airs Orange County's only nightly newscast, Real Orange, with...
- Jennifer Hudspeth - Miss MinnesotaMiss MinnesotaThe Miss Minnesota competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Minnesota in the Miss America pageant. Minnesota has won the Miss America crown on three occasions. The last, was Gretchen Carlson, in 1989.- Winners :...
2007, Miss America Pageant - Tim JackmanTim JackmanTim Jackman is an American professional ice hockey player, currently playing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He was the first player from Minnesota State University, Mankato to be drafted after becoming the Columbus Blue Jackets' second round selection, 38th overall, at the...
- NHL forward, Calgary FlamesCalgary FlamesThe Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... - David M. JenningsDavid M. JenningsDavid M. Jennings is a Minnesota politician, a member of the Republican Party, a former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and the former superintendent of School District 112, based in Chaska....
- Former Speaker of the house, Minnesota House of RepresentativesMinnesota House of RepresentativesThe Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B... - Jon Kalinski - NHL forward, Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
- Allan Lenzmeier - President and chief operating officer of Best BuyBest BuyBest Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
- Michael MartinMichael MartinMichael Martin may refer to:*Micheál Martin, Irish politician*Michael Martin , Australian rules footballer*Michael Martin , fictional character on the Australian soap opera Neighbours...
- Chancellor, Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name... - Dennis Miller - Former President and CEO, Midwest WirelessMidwest WirelessMidwest Wireless was a wireless telephone company serving southern Minnesota, northern Iowa and western Wisconsin in the United States. The company served roughly 400,000 customers and used CDMA phone technology....
- Tywan Mitchell - Former NFL wide receiver for the Arizona CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Brad NesslerBrad NesslerBradley "Brad" Nessler is an American sportscaster, who currently calls college basketball and college football games for ESPN with occasional appearances on ESPN on ABC. He will also call Thursday Night Football on NFL Network beginning in 2011, and appears annually as a commentator in EA Sports'...
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- NHL forward, Atlanta ThrashersAtlanta ThrashersThe Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season... - Melissa PetermanMelissa PetermanMelissa Margaret Peterman is an American actress and comedienne who is best known for her role as Barbara Jean in the television comedy series Reba...
- Actress, Reba (TV series)Reba (TV series)Reba is an American sitcom starring Reba McEntire, which ran from 2001 to 2007. For the show's first five seasons, it ran on The WB, with the show transitioning to The CW in its last year.-Synopsis:... - Glen TaylorGlen TaylorGlen A. Taylor is an American businessman who is the majority owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team, owner of the Minnesota Lynx WNBA basketball team, and a former member of the Minnesota Senate.-Biography:...
- Founder, Taylor Corporation and Owner, Minnesota TimberwolvesMinnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor... - Arthur S. ThomasArthur S. ThomasArthur S. Thomas is a former Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force.-Biography:A native of Mankato, Minnesota, Thomas is an ordained Roman Catholic priest. He is a graduate of Mankato State College and the Graduate Theological Union...
- Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force - Steven WagnerSteven WagnerSteven Lee Wagner is an American professional ice hockey defenceman, who currently plays for Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga .-Playing career:...
- NHL defenseman, Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original... - Andy WeltiAndy WeltiAndy J. Welti was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Democrat, he was first elected in 2004, defeating four-term incumbent Republican Bill Kuisle...
- Representative, Minnesota House of RepresentativesMinnesota House of RepresentativesThe Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house in the Minnesota State Legislature. There are 134 members elected to two-year terms, twice the number of members in the Minnesota Senate. Each senate district is divided in half and given the suffix A or B... - Cedric YarbroughCedric YarbroughCedric Yarbrough is an American comedian and actor.Yarbrough was born in Burnsville, Minnesota. Yarbrough attended Burnsville Senior High School and later Minnesota State University, Mankato. He is also an alumnus of Dudley Riggs' Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis.Yarbrough starred on the Comedy...
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