Missouri State at a Glance

History and overview

Missouri State University was founded as the Missouri State Normal School, Fourth District, by legislative action on March 17, 1905. Missouri State first opened its doors in June 1906. After 102 years and four name changes, Missouri State is a public, comprehensive metropolitan system with a statewide mission in public affairs offering a wide variety of programs and services to its students and the citizens of the state.

In a campus ceremony on March 17, 2005, the 100th anniversary of Founders’ Day, Governor Matt Blunt signed Senate Bill 98, which included changing Southwest Missouri State University’s name to Missouri State University. This is the fifth and final name for the University.

Location

The city of Springfield, Missouri, and the surrounding Ozarks provide numerous services and activities to meet the needs of its citizens. Missouri’s third largest city is within a 500-mile radius of nearly 50 percent of the U.S. population.

Among the entertainment perks, Springfield supports a symphony, ballet, art museum, civic theater, professional baseball team and even an opera. The Battlefield Mall is one of the largest indoor shopping centers in the state, and there are nearly 1,500 retail outlets in the Springfield area, including Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World.

Mission

Missouri State University is a public, comprehensive university system with a mission in public affairs, whose purpose is to develop educated persons while guided by three overarching and enduring commitments to student learning, inclusive excellence and institutional impact.

The academic experience is grounded in a general education curriculum which draws heavily from the liberal arts and sciences. This foundation provides the basis for mastery of disciplinary and professional studies. It also provides essential forums in which students develop the capacity to make well-informed, independent critical judgments about the cultures, values and institutions in society.

Public affairs

Approved in 1995, Missouri State University’s statewide mission in public affairs is maturing. With an emphasis on three specific components in the undergraduate curriculum — ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement — the University will provide enhanced educational experiences to 21st century students.

Missouri State is the host campus for the Missouri Campus Compact and the Public Affairs Conference.

Academics

Missouri State offers more than 85 majors leading to more than 185 academic options for undergraduates. The graduate offerings include more than 45 degree programs, including doctorates in audiology, physical therapy and soon the Doctor of Nursing Practice. Two cooperative doctorates and a cooperative engineering program are offered through the University of Missouri at Columbia. Many of these programs are the state’s strongest and largest of their kind. The University is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools as well as by 23 professional associations.

The University has a wide variety of international education programs and has established a branch campus in China. In addition, Missouri State has the largest cooperative program in the state, with more than 1,200 students participating in internships in the public and private sectors.

Research

Missouri State University accounts for millions of dollars of grant-funded research each year. Faculty and student research conducted throughout the University System ranges in scope from the studies of grape genomics and meteor impacts to early childhood development and juvenile crime. The principal focus of the University is applied research geared to serving the needs of diverse constituencies in the public and private sectors.

• Jordan Valley Innovation Center focuses on applied research in biomaterials, nano-technologies, advanced technologies, advanced manufacturing, genomics/proteomics, bio-systems software engineering and bio-medical instrument development.
• The Bull Shoals Field Station, located in Taney County, is a place where students and researchers study the ecosystems of southwest Missouri.
• Researchers at the Bernice Warren Center for Archaeological Research conduct archaeological fieldwork and other projects on a contractual basis.
• IDEA Commons is Missouri State’s vision and commitment to create a new type of urban research park. This unique project will bring together Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship and Arts (IDEA) and is an example of how the university continues to be engaged in promoting the community’s livability and economic success.
• The Center for Resource Planning and Management provides outreach services in planning and community development, and assists in developing public policy regarding how to best use resources.
• The Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute supports efforts to protect and restore water quality and supply in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas.

Missouri State University received 153 grants in fiscal year 2011. The grants generated $18,718,505 in additional resources for the University.

Athletics

Missouri State is committed to an intercollegiate athletics program that complements the mission of the University. Since moving to NCAA Division I in 1982-83, Bears teams have made more than 48 NCAA championship appearances. Seven teams have become national champions. Sports include: baseball, basketball (M,W), cross country (W), field hockey, football, golf (M,W), indoor track (W), soccer (M,W), softball, swimming (M,W) and volleyball.

Finances

Missouri State University’s budget for the current fiscal year is about $264 million. Total budgeted expenses of $245,318,997 will be financed from anticipated revenues totaling $264,798,471.

Missouri State is budgeted to receive a net of $79.3 million from the state of Missouri — the same amount as in fiscal year 2011-12.

The Missouri State University Foundation celebrated its 30th anniversary by setting a new record for fundraising for the fourth year in a row in Fiscal Year 2011. The Foundation raised $16,698,481 from 24,316 donors.  

Campus community and alumni

More than 22,860 students were enrolled in fall 2011. The official enrollment figure included 20,802 students on the Springfield campus and 2,142 on the West Plains campus. The average ACT score for incoming freshmen on the Springfield campus is 24.1, well above state and national averages.

The Springfield campus had 3,895 full-time and part-time employees working in 2011-12, making MSU the eighth-largest employer in Springfield.

Missouri State University has over 100,000 successful alumni; most of whom currently reside in Missouri, representing every county. More than 27,000 alumni live outside Missouri, representing every state in the United States and several foreign countries.