Morehead State University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Morehead State University

Former name	Morehead Normal School (1887–1922) Morehead State Normal School (1922–1926) Morehead State Normal School and Teachers College (1926–1930) Morehead State Teachers College (1930–1948) Morehead State College (1948–1966)
Motto	Lux
Motto in English	Light
Type	Public university
Established	1887
Academic affiliations	Space-grant
Endowment	$71 million (2022)
President	Joseph A. (Jay) Morgan
Academic staff	405
Administrative staff	591
Students	8,619 (Fall 2023)
Undergraduates	8,059 (Fall 2023)
Postgraduates	560 (Fall 2023)
Location	Morehead , Kentucky , United States 38°11′20″N 83°25′52″W / 38.189°N 83.431°W / 38.189; -83.431
Campus	Rural 700 acres (2 km2)
Colors	Blue and Gold
Nickname	Eagles
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS OVC, Pioneer Football League
Mascot	Beaker

Morehead State University (often called MSU) is a public university located in Morehead, Kentucky. It first opened its doors in 1887 as the Morehead Normal School. Today, MSU is also home to the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, a special high school program started in 2014.

History of Morehead State University

Welcome Sign at Morehead State University

Morehead State University began as a private school called Morehead Normal School in 1887. On the very first day in October 1887, only one student showed up for class! The school was in a small, rented cottage.

In 1922, the state of Kentucky took over the school, and it became Morehead State Normal School. The first students of the state institution started in 1923, and the first class graduated in 1927. Over the years, the school's name changed several times:

• 1926: Morehead State Normal School and Teachers College
• 1930: Morehead State Teachers College
• 1948: Morehead State College
• 1966: Morehead State University (its current name!)

Since it became a state school, 14 different people have served as president. Joseph A. Morgan became the 14th president on July 1, 2017.

Past Presidents of MSU

Academics and Learning at MSU

Fields Hall, Camden-Carroll Library, and Little Bell Tower

Campus view from West Mignon Hall

Morehead State University is officially recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This means its programs meet high standards. MSU offers over 212 different study programs. These include two-year, four-year, and graduate degrees.

The university has four main colleges:

• Caudill College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences
• Elmer R. Smith College of Business and Technology
• Ernst & Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education
• College of Science

MSU was the first school in Kentucky to offer a full degree program online. This was the Master of Business Administration (MBA). Also, MSU is one of only five schools in the United States to offer a bachelor's degree in space science. More than 70,000 people have earned degrees from Morehead State University.

University Rankings

U.S. News & World Report is a group that ranks colleges. In their 2024 rankings, Morehead State was named the 19th best public "regional university" in the South. It was also ranked 45th overall among all regional universities in the South.

Craft Academy for Science and Math

Joe Craft and Ambassador Kelly Craft

The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics started in 2014. It's a special program for talented high school juniors and seniors. About 146 students live on campus in Grote-Thompson Hall. They take college classes at MSU while still in high school.

Students in the Craft Academy graduate with a high school diploma from the academy. They also earn at least 60 hours of college credit from MSU. The best part is that tuition, room, board, and meal plans are all free! This academy gets a lot of its funding from Joe Craft and Ambassador Kelly Craft. They gave over $10 million, which is the largest donation in MSU's history.

In 2019, the third class of students graduated from the academy. Their average ACT score was 31, which is very high.

MSU Campus Life

Eagle Lake

Morehead State University is in the beautiful foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest. The main campus covers more than 700 acres in Morehead, Kentucky. It has over 50 major buildings.

Beyond the main campus, MSU owns other properties. These include the 320-acre Derrickson Agricultural Complex. There's also Eagle Trace, a public golf course. The university also owns 166 acres of the Browning Orchard.

The campus has 135 classrooms and 150 laboratories for learning. There are housing options for about 2,900 students. These include traditional dorms, suites, and apartments. In 2009, a new part of the Space Science Center opened. This $16.6 million building helps with teaching and research.

Arts and Culture at MSU

The Morehead State University Arts and Humanities Council started in 2003. It helps connect people and groups in the arts. This council works to create cultural events both on and off campus.

Morehead is known for supporting the arts in Kentucky. It has places like the Kentucky Folk Art Center and the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music. Lucille Caudill Little, a famous supporter of the arts, grew up in Morehead.

MSU's Little Company is named after Lucille Little. It's a group of theater students who travel to schools. They perform plays and lead workshops for up to 100 schools each year. Besides theater, Morehead State University also has a strong dance program. The Morehead Dance Ensemble performs a Spring Dance Concert. They also go to dance conferences and work on other projects.

Morehead State Public Radio

Morehead State Public Radio (MSPR) is run by Morehead State University. Its main station is WMKY at 90.3 FM in Morehead. WMKY is a powerful station that reaches over 20 counties in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. The WMKY studios are located in Breckinridge Hall on the MSU campus.

Since 1965, WMKY has served communities in the region. MSPR's goal is to provide programs that teach, inform, and entertain. A team of full-time staff, student interns, and volunteers helps run MSPR. They offer local news, public affairs programs, and documentaries. They also play different types of regional music, like classical, jazz, and Americana. MSPR produces daily news reports and in-depth stories about people, places, and events in the area.

MSU Athletics: The Eagles

Jayne Stadium

Jayne Stadium Visitors Section

The sports teams at Morehead State are called the Eagles. Their mascot is named Beaker, and the school colors are blue and gold. MSU is part of NCAA Division I for most sports. For football, they are in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

Most MSU teams compete in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). They have been in this conference since 1948. The football team plays in the Pioneer Football League.

Morehead State competes in 17 different sports:

• Men's Sports: Baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, and track & field.
• Women's Sports: Basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field, and volleyball.
• Co-ed Sports: Cheerleading, dance, and rifle.

The beach volleyball team started in 2017. The football team plays in the Pioneer Football League, which does not offer sports scholarships.

Eagles' Sports Achievements

The MSU Eagles men's basketball team won the OVC tournament in 2009. This sent them to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1984. In the 2011 NCAA tournament, 13th-seeded Morehead State surprised everyone by beating Louisville 62–61. This was their second NCAA Tournament win in just three years! They also beat Alabama State in the 2009 opening game.

The coed cheerleading squad at MSU has won 23 national championships. The all-female cheerleading squad has won 10 national titles. The baseball team has won seven OVC conference titles. The women's volleyball team has won the OVC conference title five times. The Eagles have also played in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) three times.

Greek Life at MSU

Many students at Morehead State University join fraternities and sororities. These are social organizations that often focus on community service, leadership, and friendship.

Residence Halls at MSU

Morehead State University has many places for students to live on campus. These are called residence halls or dorms.

Campus Buildings and Property

Adron Doran University Center

View of Morehead State University from the main parking lot

Ellis T. Johnson Arena

Howell-McDowell Administration Building

Little Bell Tower

Morehead State University has many important buildings and areas on its campus. Some of these include:

• Academic Athletic Center (AAC)
• Adron Doran University Center (ADUC)
• Alumni Relations and Development (Palmer House)
• Baird Music Hall
• Bert Combs Building
• Breckinridge Hall
• Browning Orchard
• Button Auditorium
• Camden-Carroll Library
• Center for Rural Development
• Challenge Course
• Chi Alpha Fellowship
• Claypool-Young Art Building
• Combs Building
• Cora Wilson Stewart Moonlight School
• Derrickson Agricultural Complex
• Eagle Athletics Guided Learning & Enhancement Center
• Eagle Lake
• Eagle Trace Golf Course
• East Parking Complex and Rocky Adkins Dining Commons (The Rock)
• Education Services Building
• Enrollment Services Center
• Ginger Hall
• Howell-McDowell Administration Building
• Innovation Launchpad
• Intramural/Soccer Practice Field
• Jayne Stadium
• Kentucky Center for Traditional Music
• Kentucky Folk Art Center
• Lappin Hall
• Laughlin Health Building
• Little Bell Tower
• Lloyd Cassity Building
• Lundergan Hall
• Newman Center (Catholic Student Center)
• President's Home
• Procurement Services
• Padula Hall
• Rader Hall
• Recreation & Wellness Center
• Reed Hall
• Rice Service Building (Facilities Management)
• Richardson Arena and Equine Health Education Center
• Fazoli's Breadstick Beach Volleyball Courts
• Space Science Center (Smith-Booth Hall)
• University Store
• University Farm
• University Softball Field
• Water Testing Laboratory
• Wesley Foundation (Methodist Student Center)
• Wetherby Gymnasium
• 21M Space Tracking Antenna
• 342 (Baptist Campus Ministries)

Notable Alumni of MSU

Kenneth Faried, former NBA player for the Denver Nuggets, Brooklyn Nets, and Houston Rockets

Phil Simms, former quarterback for the New York Giants and a football analyst for CBS

Many successful people have graduated from Morehead State University. Here are a few:

• Rocky Adkins – A senior advisor to Governor Andy Beshear and a former Kentucky state representative.
• Kenneth Faried – A former professional basketball player in the NBA.
• Mike Gottfried – A former college football coach and now a football analyst for ESPN.
• Steve Hamilton – A former professional baseball pitcher and basketball player.
• Steve Inskeep – A well-known host of the Morning Edition show on NPR.
• Liz Johnson – A professional bowler.
• Steve Kazee – A Tony Award-winning actor.
• Kelly Kulick – A professional bowler and the first woman to win a regular PBA Tour event.
• Phil Simms – A former NFL quarterback for the New York Giants. He was the MVP of Super Bowl XXI and is now a football analyst for CBS.
• Janet Stumbo – The first woman to be elected to the Kentucky Supreme Court.
• Chuck Woolery – A famous television game show host.