Towson University facts for kids
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Former name
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Maryland State Normal School (1866–1935) Maryland State Teachers College at Towson (1935–1963) Towson State College (1963–1976) Towson State University (1976–1997) |
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| Type | Public university |
| Established | December 8, 1866 |
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Parent institution
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University System of Maryland |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $87.8 million (Towson University, 2019) |
| Budget | $540 million |
| President | Mark R. Ginsberg |
| Provost | Melanie Perreault |
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Academic staff
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1,644 |
| Students | 22,294 |
| Undergraduates | 18,807 |
| Postgraduates | 3,478 |
| Location |
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United States
39°23′40″N 76°36′30″W / 39.39444°N 76.60833°W |
| Campus | Suburban, 329 acres (1.33 km2) |
| Colors | Black and Gold |
| Nickname | Tigers |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I – CAA |
| Mascot | Doc the Tiger |
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Towson University (often called TU or Towson) is a large public university located in Towson, Maryland. It was started in 1866 as Maryland's very first school for training teachers. Back then, these schools were called "normal schools."
Today, Towson University is part of the University System of Maryland. It has grown a lot since it began, now having eight different colleges and more than 20,000 students. The campus covers 329 acres and is just eight miles north of downtown Baltimore. Towson is one of the biggest public universities in Maryland and still trains the most teachers in the state.
Contents
History of Towson University
How Towson University Began
The idea for Towson University started in 1865 when the Maryland government decided to fund the state's first teacher-training school. This type of school was known as a "normal school."
On January 15, 1866, the "Maryland State Normal School" (M.S.N.S.) officially opened. It was part of new education changes after the American Civil War. The school first opened in Baltimore with only eleven students and three teachers. McFadden Alexander Newell was the first principal.
The school quickly became very popular and needed more space. It moved to a new temporary spot in 1873. Then, in 1876, a special building was built just for the school in West Baltimore. By then, it had 206 students.
Moving to Towson Town
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By the early 1900s, Maryland needed many more teachers than the school could train. The West Baltimore building was too small. Principal Sarah Richmond worked hard to find a new, bigger campus.
In 1910, a committee chose an 80-acre site in Towson for the new campus. The state government paid $600,000 for the move in 1912. Construction started in 1913 on the main building, now called Stephens Hall. In September 1915, the new campus opened with Stephens Hall, Newell Hall, and a power plant.
Changes and New Names
In 1934, the state decided that all new public school teachers needed a four-year Bachelor's degree. So, the school changed its programs to offer these degrees. The next year, its name became Maryland State Teachers College at Towson.
At first, the college only trained teachers. But in 1946, it added a junior college program. This allowed students to complete two years of college and then transfer to another school. This was the start of its arts and sciences programs. In 1958, the college began offering master's degrees for teachers.
By 1960, the arts and sciences programs grew into full four-year degrees. Because of this wider focus, the school changed its name again to Towson State College.
In the mid-1960s, many more students started applying to colleges. Towson State's student numbers jumped from about 3,500 to over 13,000 in just ten years. This growth led to building many new facilities, like the Center for the Arts and the University Union. In 1976, the school's name changed one last time to Towson State University.
In 1988, Towson joined the new University System of Maryland with ten other public colleges. Finally, on July 1, 1997, the word "State" was dropped from its name, and it became simply Towson University. This new name showed how much the university had grown and changed.
Academics at Towson
| USNWR National University | 197 |
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| Washington Monthly National University | 58 |
| Forbes | 320 |
Towson University is officially recognized by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. This means its programs meet high quality standards. For students starting in Fall 2010, Towson accepted about 57% of those who applied. The average grade point average (GPA) for new students was 3.45.
Towson offers programs for both undergraduate (first degree) and graduate (advanced degree) students. It has thirty academic departments, which are organized into eight main colleges:
- College of Business and Economics
- College of Education
- College of Health Professions
- College of Liberal Arts
- Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics
- Towson University Honors College
- College of Graduate Studies and Research
- Towson University College of Fine Arts and Communication
- This college includes departments for Art, Dance, Electronic Media and Film, Mass Communication, Communication Studies, and Performing Arts. It also hosts the Asian Arts & Culture Center.
What Can You Study?
The university offers 110 different majors for undergraduate students. It also has more than 80 graduate degrees and special certifications. Once students choose what they want to study, they become part of the college that offers that program.
Towson has a special program called gerontology, which studies aging. It is one of only about 100 such programs for undergraduate students in the entire United States.
Student Life at Towson
Where Students Live
About 74% of new students and over 5,000 students overall live on campus. The university has 16 different residence halls. These include apartment buildings, tall modern towers, and smaller, more traditional buildings. Students can also choose from 10 special living communities. While living on campus, students can get help from a counseling center, an academic advising center, a health center, and a career center.
Getting Around Campus
Towson University has its own free shuttle bus system for students. These shuttles travel to most parts of the campus. There are also shuttles that go to student housing complexes just outside the main campus. Students can also easily access the MTA Maryland buses, which connect to the light rail system.
Campus Police
The Towson University Police Department (TUPD) is in charge of keeping students, teachers, and visitors safe on campus. They also patrol the nearby streets. The Baltimore County Police Department helps them when needed. The TUPD has different teams, like the Patrol Unit and the Community Crime Reduction Unit. They also handle emergency calls.
Towson Campus
Campus Development Plans
Towson University has a plan to grow its campus and student numbers. This plan, called TU:2010, was approved in 2003. It aims to make the campus better and connect it more with the Towson community.
The plan includes over 70 different projects. These range from making the campus more diverse to getting students involved in community service. The most noticeable part of the plan is building new academic and student life buildings. It also includes improving roads, parking, and green spaces.
Towson's campus is always undergoing construction projects. These projects are completed in different stages.
| Name of Project | Cost | Completion Date | Description |
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| Union Third Floor Conference Rooms | $760,000 | August 2006 | New meeting rooms for student groups in the University Union building. |
| Cook Library Lobby Renovation and Starbucks Cafe | $1 million | September 2006 | The main entrance of the library was updated, and a Starbucks coffee shop was added. |
| Burkshire Marriott Pub | $1 million | January 2007 | An outdoor patio was enclosed, and a pub area was updated and made larger. |
| Childcare Center | $4.5 million | January 2007 | A new building was built for the university's childcare center. |
| Campus Memorial Garden | $200,000 | Summer 2007 | A quiet garden was built between the University Union and Glen Towers for everyone to enjoy. |
| Towsontown Garage Expansion | $10.6 million | December 2007 | The parking garage was made bigger to add 500 more parking spots. |
| West Village Housing – Phase I | $36 million | Fall 2008 | New student housing was built in the West Village area, adding 668 beds. |
| College of Liberal Arts – Phase I | $51.5 million | April 2009 | The first part of a new academic building for the College of Liberal Arts was constructed. |
| College of Liberal Arts – Phase II | $72 million | Summer 2011 | The second part of the College of Liberal Arts building was finished. |
| West Village Housing – Phase II | N/A | Summer 2011 | Two more residential buildings were built in the West Village, adding 651 beds for students. |
| West Village Commons | $30 million | Summer 2011 | A new building in West Village with dining, shops, meeting rooms, and student services. |
| West Village Parking Garage | $27 million | Summer 2011 | A large six-story parking garage was built in West Village with 1,500 parking spaces. |
| Campus Gateway | $11 million | Winter 2012 | A new main entrance to the campus was created near Burdick Hall. |
| SECU Arena | $65 million | Summer 2013 | A large arena with over 5,200 seats for sports and events was completed. |
Being a Green Campus
Towson University is working to be more environmentally friendly. In 2007, the university promised to become "carbon neutral" by 2050. This means they want to remove as much carbon from the air as they put into it.
The university has already cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 48%. They also recycle 44% of their waste. The dining halls no longer use trays or straws. The campus has 4,000 solar panels, 36 electric vehicle charging stations, three green roofs, and two bike-sharing programs.
Towson Tigers Athletics
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The sports teams at Towson University are called the Towson Tigers. Before the 1960s, they were known as the Towson College Knights. All of Towson's main sports teams compete in the NCAA Division I Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). There are 20 varsity athletic teams, including 13 for women and 7 for men.
Towson University has the most complete sports program in the Baltimore area. Since joining the CAA in 2001–02, the Tigers have won many championships. These include titles in men's and women's lacrosse, swimming, men's soccer, men's golf, baseball, track & field, and football.
Many Towson student-athletes have also done well in their studies. Some have even gone on to play professionally. These include Jermon Bushrod, who played in the 2009 Super Bowl for the New Orleans Saints, and Gary Neal, a former National Basketball Association player.
The Towson Tiger Mascot
The tiger became the official mascot of Towson University in 1962. This happened because a student named John Schuerholz pushed for a new mascot. Schuerholz later became a successful general manager and president for the Atlanta Braves baseball team. Towson's baseball field is named after him.
In 1996, a tiger statue was placed outside Cook Library to help boost school spirit. However, it was often damaged. After several acts of vandalism, the statue was removed in 2006.
In September 2006, a new bronze tiger statue was announced. This new statue is made of strong bronze and designed so it won't be easily damaged. It was placed outside Stephens Hall on February 8, 2007. The university president said it would be easy for everyone to see.
Towson Traditions
Tigerfest
Tigerfest is Towson University's big annual spring festival. It includes fun activities for students and live music concerts. Tigerfest happens in late April and is also open to the public. For many years, it was held in Johnny Unitas Stadium.
Starting in 2014, the event moved to Towson's new basketball arena, SECU Arena. Also in 2014, Tigerfest became a two-day event. The first day has games and activities on campus. The second day focuses on a big concert. Famous artists like Lil Yachty, Kid Cudi, and Yellowcard have performed at Tigerfest.
Community Help and Outreach
Helping the Community
Towson University has a special group called the Division of Economic and Community Outreach (DECO). It was started in 2004 to help the university work with the outside community. DECO has over 130 experts who help with things like IT solutions, mapping, training, and business growth.
Cherry Hill Learning Zone
This program is a partnership between Baltimore City Public Schools, Baltimore City government, Towson University, and community groups in Cherry Hill. Together, they are working to improve the Cherry Hill neighborhood in Baltimore. The program helps with school progress for young people and improves the overall community environment.
Baltimore Urban Debate League
The Towson Speech and Debate team works closely with the Baltimore Urban Debate League. Members of the team and university often volunteer to judge and help run debate tournaments.
Towson University often hosts these debate tournaments at least once a year. The university also offers an "Urban Debate Scholar" award. This scholarship pays for full tuition and fees at Towson for one graduating high school senior each year. They also offer other scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $4,000 to other graduating seniors.
Adopt-A-Campus Program
Towson University has a program called Adopt-A-Campus. This program allows local businesses and groups to help keep the campus beautiful. Each group is given a section of the campus to look after. They are encouraged to pick up litter and keep the area clean.
Media and Publications
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Greek Life
Towson University has more than 20 Greek letter organizations on campus. These include fraternities and sororities. In 2022, about 7% of undergraduate men and 6% of undergraduate women were part of these Greek groups.
Famous People from Towson
