Murray State College facts for kids
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Former names
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Murray State School of Agriculture |
|---|---|
| Type | Public community college |
| Established | 1908 |
| President | Tim Faltyn |
| Students | 2,200 |
| Location |
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U.S.
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| Campus | Rural |
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Sporting affiliations
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NJCAA Division I |
| Mascot | Aggies |
Murray State College is a public college in southcentral Oklahoma. It's a "community college," which means it offers programs that are often two years long. The main campus is in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. The college is named after William H. "Alfalfa Bill" Murray, who used to be the Governor of Oklahoma.
Murray State College also has a smaller campus in Ardmore, Oklahoma. It's part of the University Center of Southern Oklahoma. Three other state colleges also share this center. These are Oklahoma State University, Southeastern State University, and East Central University.
Contents
History of Murray State College
How the College Started
Murray State College began in 1908 in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. It was first called the Murray State School of Agriculture. This school was created by a law from the very first Oklahoma Legislature.
The college was named after William H. Murray. People knew him as "Alfalfa Bill." He was a legal advisor for the Chickasaw Nation's Governor, Douglas H. Johnston. He also helped create the state of Oklahoma.
Early Students and Growth
About 100 students attended the college at first. Many of them were from the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes. They had to live with families in town.
In 1916, "Alfalfa Bill" Murray helped get money from the government. This money was used to build two dorms for Native American students. On March 17, 1924, the Oklahoma Legislature allowed the school to offer college-level classes. It became a community college and started giving out its first associate degrees that same year.
Changes Over the Years
"Alfalfa Bill" Murray became Oklahoma's ninth governor in 1930. His nephew, Clive Murray, became the school's president in 1931. He led the college until 1961.
The school's name changed in 1955 to Murray State Agricultural College. In 1967, it changed again to Murray State College of Agriculture and Applied Science. These names showed that the college was offering more types of programs.
In 1972, the college got its own special board to manage it. At that time, its name officially became Murray State College. It's important not to confuse it with Murray State University in Kentucky.
What You Can Study
Murray State College offers different types of two-year degrees. These are called associate degrees.
- An Associate of Arts degree often prepares you to transfer to a four-year university.
- An Associate of Science degree is similar but focuses more on science and math subjects.
- An Associate of Applied Science degree helps you learn skills for a specific job.
Famous People Who Went Here
Many notable people have attended Murray State College.
- Bill Anoatubby is the Governor of the Chickasaw Nation.
- R. Perry Beaver was the principal chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. He was also a football coach.
- Johnston Murray was a lawyer and politician. He served as the 14th Governor of Oklahoma.
- U. L. Washington was a professional Major League Baseball player.
See also
- List of colleges and universities in Oklahoma
