Midwestern State University is a public liberal arts college in Wichita Falls, Texas and a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. In 2015, it had over 6,000 students. Midwestern is one of four independent public universities in Texas unaffiliated with a state public university system. It is the state's only public liberal arts college.
Video Midwestern State University
History
Founded in 1922 as Wichita Falls Junior College, it was renamed Hardin Junior College in 1937 when it moved to its present location off Taft Boulevard. In 1946, a senior division was added and it was renamed Hardin College. In January 1950, the name changed to Midwestern University, the junior college division remaining Hardin Junior College. In these years, wider recognition came to the school. In March 1948, the University became a member of the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. In January 1959, the University added a Graduate School which received full approval from the State Board of Education in August of that year.
A further change in the school's status came September 1, 1961, when by action of the 56th session of the Texas State Legislature, Midwestern University became part of the Texas Colleges and Universities System and the junior college division was dissolved. In 1975, the Texas Legislature changed the name to Midwestern State University.
From its beginnings as a municipal junior college housed in a high school building, Midwestern has become a state university whose campus of 255 acres and 70 buildings offers a wide variety of academic programs in liberal and fine arts, mathematics, sciences, business, and applied sciences.
On March 9, 2015, the university announced that Suzanne Shipley was selected to become its next president, following Jesse Rogers' retirement after 48 years of service to the school.
On December 13, 2016, the university broke ground on a new campus in Flower Mound, Texas. The two-story facility will share space with North Central Texas College and is expected to open in January 2018.
Maps Midwestern State University
Academics
Midwestern State University is organized into seven colleges with 16 undergraduate programs offering 43 majors and 30 minors, and 9 graduate programs offering 28 majors and 15 minors.
MSU is the only university in Texas with membership in the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and was the first public university in Texas to establish a core curriculum. The university is also a member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities and the Association for Core Texts and Courses.
Dalquest Desert Research Station
The Dalquest Desert Research Station is located on 3,000 acres of West Texas soil north of the Big Bend Ranch State Park. The land was a gift from the late Dr. Walter W. Dalquest, a professor at MSU, and his wife, Rose, on the condition that it be used for scientific research by biologist and geologist. Today the site is used by professors, students, naturalist, scientist, and educators.
Athletics
Midwestern State fields 13 intercollegiate NCAA Division II athletic teams. MSU is a member of the Lone Star Conference (LSC). Men's Soccer competes in the Heartland Conference. The school mascot is the mustang.
The basketball and volleyball teams play at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. The football team plays at Memorial Stadium (Wichita Falls). The soccer teams play at the MSU Soccer Field. The softball team plays at Mustangs Park. The tennis teams play at the MSU Tennis Center.
Student life
The university's campus covers 255 acres (1.0 km2) with over 50 buildings uniformly built of red brick with tiled roofs and arched facades.
Students are members of sixteen nationally affiliated fraternities and sororities. Sororities on campus include Kappa Delta Chi, Sigma Kappa, Chi Omega, Gamma Phi Beta, Alpha Phi, Kappa Delta Chi, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, and Sigma Lambda Alpha. Fraternities are Tau Kappa Epsilon, Sigma Nu, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Sigma Kappa, Omega Delta Phi, Kappa Sigma, Alpha Phi Alpha and Kappa Alpha Order.
There are more than one hundred other student organizations on campus, such as the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, several musical organizations, and sports clubs such as MSU Rugby. Air Force ROTC is also offered with a cross-town agreement with the University of North Texas.
There is a campus newspaper, The Wichitan, and a student-run television channel and production studio, M&G Media. The campus newspaper and production studio are housed in the Mass Communications wing of the Fain Fine Arts Center.
Housing and dining services
Midwestern State includes four residence halls and three apartments. Residence halls include Legacy Hall, McCullough-Trigg, Killingsworth Hall. and Pierce Hall. Apartments include Sundance Courts, Bridwell Courts and Sunwatcher Village.
Dining services went through a major remodel in 2016, adding new storefronts. Dining halls include the Mesquite Dining Hall and Maverick's Corner. New storefronts in the Clark Student Center include, Chick-fil-A, Grill Nation, and Burrito Bowl. Einstein Bros. Bagels is located in the Dillard College of Business Administration. We proudly serve Starbucks is located in the Moffett Library.
Traditions
The University Seal is housed inside the Clark Student Center in the atrium. Legend says that if a student steps on the seal, they will not graduate in four years. Students actively avoid the seal when walking through the Clark Student Center.
Homecoming is an annual tradition at Midwestern State University that is normally held in October. Activities included during the week are the Cardboard Boat Race, Fish Fry, Lip-Sync Contest, Bonfire, Torchlight Parade, and the Football game.
Students parade around campus the Thursday before the big Homecoming game with torchlights at night. Students line up near Killingsworth Hall and parade down the street and towards the D.L. Ligon Coliseum parking lot, led by the Golden Thunder Band. The Golden Thunder Band is the official marching band for Midwestern State University. They perform during the halftime of home football games. A smaller pep-band performs during home basketball games.
Live at the Lake is a concert series held during the summer months at the Priddy Pavilion near Sikes Lake. The concert series is sponsored by the Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU.
On the Monday before every Thanksgiving, the university welcomes the community to the MSU-Burns Fantasy of Light opening ceremony. The Fantasy of Lights is a holiday light display organized on the Hardin Lawn in front of the Hardin Administration building every year. The tradition dates back to the 1970s when the Fantasy of Lights was gifted to the university on the condition that the holiday displays always remain free to the public and are taken care of by the university.
Notable alumni
Arts and Entertainment
- Sarah Kate Allsup -- Actor
- Yakima Daniel -- Fashion Designer
- David Shea Henne -- Actor
- Phil McGraw -- Dr. Phil, television host
- Jaret Reddick -- Original founder and lead vocalist/guitarist of the popular punk band Bowling for Soup
- JoAnne Worley -- Laugh In and many other TV comedy shows
Athletics
- Marqui Christian -- National Football League safety for the Los Angeles Rams
- Bryan Gilmore -- National Football League wide receiver
- Chad DeGrenier -- American football player
- Tony Pesznecker -- professional soccer player
- Dominic Rhodes -- National Football League running back
- Chad Smith -- Professional soccer player (Charlotte Eagles (USL))
- Daniel Woolard -- Professional soccer player D.C. United
- Craig Sutherland -- professional soccer player
- Andy Tanner -- professional football player
- Eric Dawson -- professional basketball player
- Amini Silatolu -- professional football player Carolina Panthers
- Ray Gene Smith -- NFL player
- Bryce Taylor -- professional soccer player
- Randy Waldrum -- Head Women's Soccer Coach of the Houston Dash (2014-2017)
Business and Non-Profit
- Albert Buckman Wharton III -- owner of the Waggoner Ranch.
- Dr. Michael K. Obeng -- Founder and CEO of R.E.S.T.O.R.E. (Restoring Emotional Stability Through Outstanding Reconstructive Efforts)
Government
- Lanham Lyne -- Mayor of Wichita Falls, Texas, 2005-2010; State Representative, District 69, (2011-2013)
- Andy King -- Council Member for the 12th District of the New York City Council (2012-present)
- Dan Kubiak -- State representative from Rockdale, (1969-1983 and 1991-1998)
- Mark Boulware -- U.S. Ambassador to Mauritania (2007-2010)
- Walter Wilson Jenkins -- American political figure and longtime top aide to U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
Journalism and Literature
- Nick Eatman -- Author and writer for DallasCowboys.com
- James Hall - Editor, Bassmaster Magazine
- Jan Reid -- Author, Biographer, and Journalist
- Beck Weathers -- Motivational speaker and a mountain climber involved in the 1996 Everest disaster.
Science and Education
- Dr. Mark Puder -- Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
- Mark Rippetoe -- Author, strength training coach
Notable faculty lecturers and staff
- John Tower -- United States Senator
- Larry McMurtry -- American novelist
Twin universities
- Environmental Campus Birkenfeld, Germany
References
External links
- Official website
- Midwestern State Athletics website
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments