Minnesota State University, Mankato facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Minnesota State University, Mankato

Former names	Mankato Normal School (1868–1921) Mankato State Teachers College (1921–1957) Mankato State College (1957–1975) Mankato State University (1975–1998)
Motto	Big Ideas. Real-world Thinking.
Type	Public university
Established	1868; 157 years ago (1868)
Parent institution	Minnesota State system
Accreditation	HLC
Endowment	$54.1 million (2020)
Budget	$264 million (2019)
President	Edward Inch
Provost	David Hood
Academic staff	750
Administrative staff	1,250
Students	17,357
Undergraduates	15,527
Postgraduates	1,830
Doctoral students	30
Location	Mankato , Minnesota , United States 44°08′49″N 93°59′53″W / 44.147°N 93.998°W / 44.147; -93.998
Campus	Mid-size city 303 acres (123 ha)
Newspaper	The Reporter
Colors	Purple      Gold
Nickname	Mavericks
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division II – NSIC NCAA Division I - CCHA, WCHA
Mascot	Stomper

Minnesota State University, Mankato (also called MNSU, MSU, or Minnesota State) is a public university in Mankato, Minnesota, United States. It is the second-largest university in Minnesota. More than 145,000 people who studied here now live all over the world.

The university started in 1868. It is the second-oldest school in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. Many people see it as a very important school in the system. Minnesota State University, Mankato helps the local and state economy a lot. It adds $827 million every year.

Minnesota State offers many different study programs. You can choose from over 130 programs for your first degree. There are also more than 80 master's programs and 4 doctoral programs. It has Minnesota's only aviation program that is approved by national, regional, and state groups. About 750 full-time teachers work here. This means there is one teacher for every 21 students.

Besides the main campus, MNSU has two smaller campuses. One is in Edina, near the Twin Cities. The other is in Owatonna. You can also earn bachelor's degrees online. Some programs are offered at the Normandale Partnership Center in Bloomington. In 2023, MNSU teamed up with Saint Paul College. They started the Minnesota Polytechnic and Applied Learning Institute (MinnPoly). This made MNSU Minnesota's first polytechnic institute.

The Minnesota State Mavericks are the university's sports teams. They play in 21 different sports. Most teams compete in NCAA Division II in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. However, the men's and women's ice hockey teams play at the higher Division I level. The men's team is in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). The women's team is in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA).

University History

How It Started (1860–1921)

By 1858, leaders in Minnesota saw a need for a teaching school in the southern part of the state. In 1860, they decided to create state-run normal schools. These schools would train teachers. Mankato and Saint Cloud were chosen as locations. Local communities had to raise money to help start the schools.

A local lawyer named Daniel Buck helped the City of Mankato donate $5,000. They also sold $5,000 in bonds. This money helped start the Mankato Normal School. It was the second state normal school. Classes officially began in 1868 with 27 students. The school's main goal was to train teachers for country schools in southern Minnesota. Students learned math, science, engineering, farming, and how to teach.

The first building owned by the Normal School started being built on June 22, 1869. George M. Gage was the first principal from 1868 to 1872.

Most students at Mankato Normal School were women. They earned certificates to become teachers. In 1872, Julia Sears became the first woman to lead a public college in the U.S. She was a supporter of women's rights. In 1873, the State Normal Board changed her role. They made her assistant principal and replaced her with David C. John. Her pay was also lowered.

This led to something called the "Sears Rebellion." Forty-one students refused to go to class. Thirty-two were kicked out for not returning. Many local people signed a petition to have Sears put back in charge. The rebellion ended when Sears left for another teaching job. Today, a student dorm is named after Julia Sears. A group was also formed to support women's education at the university.

Growing as a Teaching College (1921–1957)

By 1921, the school had grown a lot. It started offering four-year bachelor's degrees. Because of this, its name changed to Mankato State Teachers College. The original main building burned down in 1922. A new one was finished in 1924.

Student numbers went down during World War II. The college then focused on teaching people in government work programs and the Naval Corps.

Clarence L. Crawford became president in 1946. He stayed for 20 years. During his time, the college grew from about 400 students to 14,000. After the war, many more students enrolled. The original buildings were in a lower part of Mankato, called the Valley Campus. This campus was too small for all the new students. The college got 12 old Army barracks to help with space.

By the late 1950s, work began on a completely new campus. This new campus was built on a hill. It became known as the Highland Campus. An experimental school, the Wilson School, was built there. It was used to try out new teaching methods for students from kindergarten to 12th grade. This gave future teachers a chance to learn new ways of teaching.

Becoming a Full University (1957–1995)

By 1957, the school offered more than just teacher training. It became a full four-year college. So, the state changed its name to Mankato State College. In the 1960s, the school grew so fast that people wanted it to become a university.

In 1975, the college successfully became a university. It was renamed Mankato State University. This change happened because the student body grew by 40% to 12,000 students by 1972. After this, more programs were added. These included science, technology, engineering, and health sciences.

The university also decided to combine its two campuses. The Valley Campus was eventually sold. The Highland Campus grew much larger.

The Ostrander-Student Memorial Bell Tower stands in the campus arboretum. It was completed in 1989.

Minnesota State System and Doctoral Degrees (1995–Present)

In 1995, the state government made a new system called the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. The seven state universities, including Mankato, joined this new system. In 1998, the university was renamed Minnesota State University, Mankato. This new name showed its important role in the state's education. It also helped more people in the Midwest recognize the university. The president at the time, Richard Rush, said they wanted to make it "the other great public university in Minnesota."

In 2007, the university reached another big goal. It was allowed to start offering doctoral degrees. These are the highest degrees you can earn.

What You Can Study

MNSU offers over 130 programs for your first degree. It also has 13 pre-professional programs. These help you prepare for careers like medicine or law. There are also more than 85 graduate programs. Every undergraduate program includes basic classes in math, writing, different cultures, speaking, computers, and the environment. Minnesota State is known for having many students and teachers who receive Fulbright awards. These awards help people study or teach in other countries.

Each year, over 3,000 students graduate from MNSU. Most graduates find jobs related to what they studied. About 90% are working or continuing their education within a year of graduating.

The university is approved by 26 different groups. These groups make sure the education is good. This includes the Higher Learning Commission, which approves colleges in the region.

University Departments

The university is divided into seven main colleges. Each college focuses on different subjects:

Special Centers and Institutes

MNSU has twelve special centers and institutes. These groups work across different colleges to focus on specific topics:

Unique Programs

MNSU often creates new programs for growing fields. It was the first school in the country to offer a master's degree in forensics. This is the study of using science to solve crimes. It also had one of the first programs in urban studies, which looks at cities and how they are managed.

Other special programs include:

• The Aviation and Airport Management program is the only approved aviation program in Minnesota. Students often get jobs in nearby states. The university works with airlines like Delta Air Lines and Sun Country Airlines. This helps students get job training and even jobs before they graduate.
• The master's degree in experiential education was the oldest program of its kind. It started in 1971. This program helped students learn by doing, often outdoors. The university stopped offering it after the 2022-23 school year.

Student Information

Minnesota State has many students who live on campus and study full-time. It attracts the second-highest number of new students from Minnesota each year. The university accepts about 65.5% of students who apply. The average test scores for accepted students are between 20 and 25 on the ACT.

Since 2012, Minnesota State has been the largest university in the Minnesota State system. This is based on the total number of full-time equivalent students.

Campus Life

Mankato is known as a college town. About 32% of the people in Mankato are between 15 and 24 years old. In 2017, Schools.com said Mankato was the second-best college town in the country.

Main Campus Features

Minnesota State's main campus has 30 buildings on 303 acres of land. The campus has student housing, classrooms, a main library, and a music library. There are also two places to look at stars (observatories). You can find research stations for new energy sources, a recreation center, and sports fields. Blakeslee Stadium is also on campus. The men's and women's hockey teams also use the Verizon Center and the All Seasons Arena off campus.

Julia Sears Residence Hall

Where Students Live

Minnesota State has five places for students to live. They can house up to 2,900 students. These are McElroy Hall, Crawford Hall, Preska Hall, Julia Sears Hall, and apartment-style Stadium Heights. Living on campus is not required. There are also many Learning Community programs. These groups of students live together based on shared interests, from school subjects to hobbies.

Other Campuses

Edina Campus

This campus is in Edina. It serves students from the southwest Twin Cities area. This campus offers 12 undergraduate programs. These include bachelor's degrees and teaching licenses. The College of Graduate Studies also offers 23 graduate programs here.

Owatonna Campus

The Owatonna College and University Center was built to help college graduates in the Owatonna area. This campus is a team effort between Minnesota State University, Mankato, South Central College, and Riverland Community College. It offers different types of classes, from basic arts to career training. About 4,000 students take classes here each year.

Normandale Partnership Center

In 2012, a partnership center was set up at Normandale Community College in Bloomington. It offers several bachelor's degrees in the southwest Twin Cities area. Some programs first offered here, like the Twin Cities engineering program, were later expanded to other colleges in the Minnesota State system.

Student Groups

Students can join over 200 different groups. These include academic clubs, sports teams, leadership groups, and religious organizations. There are also fraternities and sororities, which are social clubs.

Campus Media

Newspaper

The Reporter is the university's student-run newspaper. It started in 1926. It covers sports and events at Minnesota State. It also publishes opinions and articles. New editions come out every week during the school year. Its office is in the Centennial Student Union.

Radio Station

89.7FM KMSU "The Maverick" is the official radio station of MNSU. It started in 1963. Its office is in the Alumni Foundation Center.

Centennial Student Union

The Centennial Student Union (CSU) opened in 1967. It is a large building, about 213,000 square feet. It is a main gathering place on campus. Many university offices are in the CSU. These include Student Activities, Student Government, the Counseling Center, and the Multicultural Center. It also has the campus bookstore. The CSU has MavAve, which is a place with fast-food restaurants like Starbucks and Chick-fil-A.

Student Activities

The Student Activities office helps with many things. It supports student organizations and helps students get involved in the community. It also plans big events like homecoming concerts and a haunted house.

LGBT Center

MNSU has one of the oldest LGBT resource centers for students in the country. It started in 1977. It is in the Centennial Student Union. The Advocate magazine said Minnesota State was one of the top 100 campuses for LGBT students.

Student Government

The Student Senate helps lead the student body. It gives advice to the university. It also decides how student fees are used. The Student Government speaks for Minnesota State University, Mankato students. They share students' ideas and concerns with university leaders and government officials.

Sports Teams

Logo of the Minnesota State Mavericks

The Minnesota State Mavericks have eight men's teams and ten women's teams. More than 650 students play sports for the university each year. Teams include men's and women's hockey, basketball, football, baseball, golf, swimming, track, cross country, tennis, wrestling, soccer, and softball.

The men's and women's ice hockey teams play in NCAA Division I. The men's team is in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). The women's team is in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). Most other sports teams compete in NCAA Division II. They are part of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

The school mascot is Stomper the Maverick. He is a cartoon wild steer. He helps cheer on fans at sports events. He often waves to children. The school colors are purple and gold.

Minnesota State sports teams have done very well in national competitions. This includes hockey, football, baseball, and basketball. Since 1993, the Mavericks have won the most individual national championships in their conference. The university has also often finished in the top 25 in national standings for overall sports performance.

The Minnesota State fight song is "The Minnesota State Rouser." It is played at all sports events. The school song is "The Minnesota State Hymn." The Minnesota State University Marching Band is called the "Maverick Machine." They help build excitement and school spirit at games.

Constructed in 2000, the Taylor Center is home to Bresnan Arena.

Sports Facilities

The Taylor Center opened in 2000. It was built with money donated by a former student, Glen Taylor. This building has 4,800 seats. It is home to the Maverick basketball, volleyball, and wrestling teams. The university's admissions office is also there. The Hall of Champions shows the university's history. Besides sports, the Taylor Center hosts graduation ceremonies, concerts, and talks.

In 2008, new outdoor sports fields were built. These include baseball fields, a soccer field, and a jogging track. There are also experimental wind power facilities.

From 1966 to 2017, the Minnesota Vikings football team held their summer training camp at Minnesota State. Over 60,000 fans would come each year to watch them practice. They could also meet players. In 2017, the Vikings moved their camp to a new facility in Eagan, Minnesota. The Vikings have since started a scholarship for Minnesota State students.

Famous People

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  Tim Walz (M.S., 2001) - Current Governor of Minnesota

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  Melissa Peterman (B.F.A.) - Actress, known for the TV show Reba

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  Julia Sears - A leader in education and supporter of women's right to vote

• 

  Glen Taylor (B.S., 1962) - A very successful businessman

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  Adam Thielen (B.S., 2012) - American football wide receiver

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  Malavath Poorna - Indian mountain climber, the youngest girl to climb Mount Everest

• 

  Theresa Greenfield (B.A., 1987) - A candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2020

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  David Backes (B.S., 2014) - Olympic ice hockey player

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  Mohamed Aden Tiiceey (M.A., 2005) - Former president of Himan and Heeb (a region in Somalia)

See also

In Spanish: Universidad Estatal de Minnesota para niños

• List of colleges and universities in Minnesota