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Eastern Michigan University

Former names	Michigan State Normal School (1849–1899) Michigan State Normal College (1899–1956) Eastern Michigan College (1956-1959)
Motto	"Equity, Exemplar, Excellence"
Type	Public research university
Established	1849; 176 years ago (1849)
Accreditation	HLC
Academic affiliations	Space-grant
Endowment	$94.01 million (2022)
President	James M Smith
Provost	Rhonda Longworth
Academic staff	1,014 (2023/24)
Administrative staff	851 (2023/24)
Students	13,352 (Fall 2023)
Undergraduates	11,129 (Fall 2023)
Postgraduates	2,223 (Fall 2023)
Location	Ypsilanti , Michigan , United States 42°15′01″N 83°37′28″W / 42.250154°N 83.624454°W / 42.250154; -83.624454
Campus	Large Suburb, 800 acres (3 km²)
Newspaper	The Eastern Echo
Colors	Green and white
Nickname	Eagles
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FBS – MAC CAA
Mascot	Swoop

Eastern Michigan University (often called EMU or Eastern) is a public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. It was started in 1849 as the Michigan State Normal School. A "normal school" was a special kind of college that trained teachers. EMU was the fourth normal school in the United States and the first one outside of New England.

In 1899, it became the first normal school in the country to offer a four-year degree. It was then called the Michigan State Normal College. Later, in 1959, it became a full university and got its current name, Eastern Michigan University.

EMU is one of eight research universities in Michigan. This means it does a lot of important research. The university is managed by a group of eight leaders called the Board of Regents. These leaders are chosen by Michigan's governor.

The university has eight main colleges and schools. These include colleges for arts, business, education, health, and engineering. The campus is very large, covering about 800 acres with over 120 buildings. More than 13,000 students attend EMU today.

Since 1991, EMU's sports teams have been known as the "Eagles". Their mascot, Swoop, was chosen in 1994. The Eagles compete in NCAA Division I sports as part of the Mid-American Conference. They play football at Rynearson Stadium and basketball at the George Gervin GameAbove Center.

History of Eastern Michigan University
What Students Learn at EMU
EMU Campus Life
EMU Sports: The Eagles
Famous People from EMU
Images for kids
See also

History of Eastern Michigan University

The Old Main Building was finished in 1852. It burned down in 1859 but was rebuilt in 1860.

The state of Michigan started the Michigan State Normal School in 1849. It was built in Ypsilanti. Many towns wanted to be home to this first normal school. The school officially opened its doors on March 29, 1853, with 122 students. Normal schools were created to make sure teachers were well-trained. This helped improve the quality of public schools.

Adonijah Welch was the Normal School's first leader. He later became the first president of Iowa State University. A building at EMU, Welch Hall, is named after him. It was built in 1895 and is one of the oldest buildings still standing on campus.

The Old Gymnasium on campus was built in 1894 and taken down in 1965.

In 1899, the school became the Michigan State Normal College. This happened when it started offering the first four-year degree for a normal school in the country. The college became Michigan's top school for training teachers. It continued to grow through major world events like World War I and World War II.

In 1956, the school officially changed its name to Eastern Michigan College. This was because it had grown a lot and offered more types of programs after World War II.

Frederic Henry Pease Auditorium during renovation.

In 1959, the school became a university and was named Eastern Michigan University. This happened after it created its Graduate School. Between 1959 and 1980, new colleges were officially formed. These included the College of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, and the College of Business.

More recently, EMU added online courses and special training programs for businesses. Most programs are for bachelor's or master's degrees. However, the university also offers doctoral degrees in areas like Educational Leadership and Psychology.

Eastern Michigan University is led by an eight-member Board of Regents. The governor appoints these members, and they serve for eight years. The Regents then choose the university's president.

What Students Learn at EMU

Joining EMU: Admissions

EMU is known as a "selective" university. For students who started in fall 2023, EMU received over 20,000 applications. It accepted about 81% of these students. Out of those accepted, about 11.5% chose to attend EMU.

About 68% of first-year students continue their studies at EMU. About 46% of students graduate within six years.

For students transferring from other colleges in fall 2023, EMU accepted about 71% of applicants. To transfer, students usually need at least 12 college credits and a 2.0 GPA (grade point average).

The middle 50% of new students in fall 2023 had SAT scores between 910 and 1150. Their ACT scores were between 18 and 26.

Academic Colleges and Schools

EMU offers many different degrees. You can earn bachelor's, master's, and even doctoral degrees. There are over 200 main subjects (majors) and smaller subjects (minors) for undergraduate students. There are also more than 170 graduate programs. EMU also offers online courses and degrees.

The university has seven main colleges and schools:

College/school	Started

College of Arts and Sciences	1959
College of Education	1959
Graduate School	1959
College of Business	1964
College of Health and Human Services	1975
GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology	1980
Honors College	2005

The two oldest colleges are the College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). The CAS is the largest college at EMU, with 125 different study programs. It uses many buildings on campus, like Pray-Harrold and Sherzer Hall. EMU has a long history of training teachers since 1849. It is known as one of the biggest producers of education staff in the country. EMU's special education program, started in 1923, is also one of the oldest in the United States.

The College of Business (COB) started in 1964. It used to be in Downtown Ypsilanti. In 2020, it moved back to the main campus in Boone Hall. The COB is known for its "Ethos Week" and "Ethos Honor Society," which focus on business ethics.

The College of Health and Human Services was established in 1975. The newest college is the Honors College, which began in 2005.

Some of the most popular majors for students graduating in 2023 were:

Nursing
Psychology
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies (combining different subjects)
Social Work
Computer Science
Marketing
Speech Communication and Rhetoric
Biology
Accounting
Business Administration

University Library

The Bruce T. Halle Library opened in 1998. It has over 1,000,000 items, including books, magazines, and recordings. These help students with their studies and research. The library is named after Bruce Halle, who founded Discount Tire and was a student at the Michigan State Normal College.

EMU Campus Life

Main Campus and Other Locations

Eastern Michigan University's main campus is in Ypsilanti, Michigan. It has 122 buildings and covers about 800 acres.

EMU also offers classes at 7 other locations. These are called satellite campuses. Some of these include:

EMU–Brighton in Brighton
EMU–Detroit in Detroit
EMU–Jackson in Jackson
EMU–Monroe in Monroe
EMU–Northern Michigan in Traverse City
Kresge Environmental Center in Lapeer

Student Activities and Groups

EMU offers many activities for students outside of classes. There are plays, musicals, and many student organizations. Students can hang out at the Student Center, the Rec/IM (for sports), and the Halle Library.

The Campus Life office plans fun events like Friday night movies and "Eastern Excursions" to nearby cities like Detroit. Students also volunteer with groups like Habitat for Humanity. There are over 340 student clubs and organizations at EMU.

EMU also has many Greek organizations, which are fraternities and sororities. These groups offer social activities and community service. Some have houses near campus. The oldest Greek organization on campus is Sigma Nu Phi, a sorority founded in 1897. Greek Life at EMU hosts a yearly "Greek Week" to celebrate unity.

Campus News and Media

The Eastern Echo is EMU's student newspaper. It is published several times a week during the school year and online. It is run by students and is not controlled by the university.

Cellar Roots is the school's student-run magazine for writing and art. It has won many awards for its design.

EMU has two radio stations. WEMU 89.1 FM is a public radio station that plays jazz music and broadcasts EMU sports games. Eagle Radio (WQBR) is an online-only radio station run by students.

The LINGUIST List is a big online resource for the study of language. It was started at EMU and helps linguists around the world share information.

University Traditions

EMU has several traditions throughout the year. One long-standing tradition is the Pray-Harrold Kiosk (or Pillar). This large cement pillar outside the Pray-Harrold Building is painted by different student groups to advertise events or show group spirit.

In the fall, traditions include EagleFest and Homecoming. EagleFest is a welcome event for new students, showing off campus groups and services. Community Plunge lets students, staff, and teachers volunteer in the Ypsilanti community.

In the winter, traditions include Ethos Week, the Gold Medallion Awards, and Relay For Life. Ethos Week, led by the College of Business, promotes good ethics. The Gold Medallion Awards celebrate outstanding students, staff, and faculty. EMU's Relay For Life is a 24-hour event that raises money for the American Cancer Society.

Student Housing

Roosevelt Hall

Eastern Michigan University has 14 residence halls (dormitories). Some are for first-year students, while others are for upperclassmen. Honors students live in Downing and Best Halls. EMU also has apartments for faculty, staff, and families.

About 5,000 students live on campus. In 2011, EMU became one of the first universities to offer a program called "Keys to Degrees." This program helps single parents live on campus with their children and provides extra support.

Dining services at EMU are run by Chartwells Higher Education. There are different places to eat on campus, including buffet-style dining halls and food courts. EMU is investing $200 million to improve and add new residence halls.

EMU Sports: The Eagles

Eastern Michigan's football team in 1917.

Eastern Michigan's sports teams, the Eagles, have been very successful. They have won many national championships in different sports. These include baseball, men's cross country, men's swimming and diving, and men's track and field.

The Eagles have won the most championships in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) for men's swimming and diving, with 29 titles. Their track and field teams also hold many MAC titles.

Eastern's men's basketball team has played in the NCAA Division I tournament four times. In 1996, they famously beat the Duke Blue Devils.

In 1987, EMU won its first Mid-American Conference football title. They then won the California Bowl.

Before 1991, EMU's teams were called the "Hurons." This name and an Indian logo were used from 1929 until 1991. The university changed the name to "Eagles" after the Michigan Department of Civil Rights suggested schools stop using such logos.

Famous People from EMU

EMU has over 145,000 living alumni (former students). Many famous people have attended Eastern Michigan University.

Some notable politicians and public servants include:

Frederick Fancher, a former Governor of North Dakota
Fred W. Green, a former Governor of Michigan
Marilyn Jean Kelly, a former Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
Royal Copeland and Charles E. Potter, former U.S. Senators
Rodney E. Slater, a former U.S. Secretary of Transportation

Other well-known alumni include:

Bruce Halle, who founded Discount Tire
Jack Roush, who founded Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing (a racing team)
Dann Florek, an actor
Winsor McCay, a famous cartoonist
Nagarjuna, an Indian actor
Greg Mathis, a TV judge
Dave Coverly, a cartoonist
Ryan Drummond, a voice actor

In sports, famous EMU alumni include NBA players Earl Boykins, Kennedy McIntosh, and "the Iceman" George Gervin. NFL players like Maxx Crosby, Charlie Batch, and T. J. Lang also attended Eastern Michigan. The football stadium will be named after Maxx Crosby in 2024.