The University
Minnesota State University, Mankato is a comprehensive, four-year university about 85 miles south of Minneapolis/St. Paul, located on 350 acres overlooking the Minnesota River Valley. MSU is the third largest higher educational institution in the state and is part of the Minnesota State Universities and Colleges system. The University is a national leader in wireless technology — students enjoy the benefits of untethered laptop computers and cell phones with Internet and e-mail capabilities. Yahoo! Internet Life magazine named MSU as one of the top 100 most wired campuses in the country in 2001. MSU was also named Nokia's "model wireless campus" for the Western Hemisphere in 2000.

Nationally recognized programs include: engineering, experiential education, computer science, nursing, business, law enforcement, clinical psychology, women's studies, public administration, and graduate programs in rehabilitative services and speech/communication.

MSU is listed as a top University for "Schools that Offer the Best Value for Your Tuition Dollar" by Kaplan/Newsweek College Catalog 2002. MSU's Engineering program is ranked among the top 50 undergraduate programs in the nation by 2001 U.S. News & World Report.

The University's graduate programs in speech language pathology and rehabilitation counseling have been listed among the best byU.S. News. In addition, MSU is ranked in the second tier of the 2002 U.S. News & World Report's 15th annual America's Best Colleges rankings.

MSU achieved its $35 million capital campaign goal this year which will allows the University to invest in its students through scholarships, new technology, teaching endowments, new places for learning and development of partnerships for research and learning.

Students
More than 13,000 students attend MSU representing 50 states and 83 countries. The average age of undergraduates is 22 and the school's 1,600 graduate students average 33.5 years old. Nearly 83 percent of these students come from Minnesota, and 11 percent reside in surrounding Midwest states. MSU has approximately 600 international students representing 70 countries. The campus community is made up of 78.9 percent Caucasian and approximately five percent minority groups. The University now boasts 90,000 alumni throughout the world.

MSU has three on-campus residence halls with capacity for 2,900 featuring First-Year-Experience programs and Learning Communities for freshman and special interest floors. The retention rate for first year students is nearly 80 percent. Some 4,000 students live within a few blocks of the campus, and another 2,000 live a mile or so away in Mankato.

Students enjoy comprehensive educational opportunities, and exciting cultural and athletic events on campus. Nearly 200 departmental and academic organizations, intramural sports, leadership and religious organizations, honorary and professional fraternities and sororities, and special interest groups play a major role in student's lives. The college maintains an established athletic program featuring Division I men and women's hockey, and 19 NCAA Division II varsity sports teams.

Majors and Degrees
The University offers more than 150 programs in six undergraduate colleges: College of Allied Health & Nursing, College of Arts & Humanities, College of Business, College of Education, College of Science, Engineering & Technology, and College of Social & Behavioral Sciences. In addition, MSU is the leading provider of graduate education in the MnSCU system, offering 71 programs. Degrees offered at MSU include: Undergraduate: BA, BS, BFA, BMUS, BST, AA, AS, and Graduate: MA, MS, MAT, MM, MFA.

MSU is rich in tradition for providing high-quality education and has 24 programs accredited by national professional organizations including the North Central Association of Colleges which recently commended MSU for "strong and extensive governance, leadership and vision." The largest programs at Minnesota State University, Mankato are: elementary education, computer & information sciences, nursing, business administration, and law enforcement. Its most unique programs: automotive engineering/technology, aviation, civil engineering, experiential education, Scandinavian Studies, gerontology, ethnic studies, and urban and regional studies. The campus also offers ROTC (army).

Nationally recognized programs include: engineering, experiential education, computer science, nursing, business, law enforcement, clinical psychology, women's studies, public administration, and graduate programs in rehabilitative services and speech/communication.

Faculty
MSU employs 587 faculty, of whom 42 percent are women, and nine percent are people of color. Nearly 77 percent of full-time faculty hold doctorate, first professional or other terminal degrees. MSU faculty receive millions in research dollars from such organizations as NASA, National Science Foundation, IBM, National Institute of Health, Department of Education and National Institute of Mental Health, to name a few.

Teaching Excellence
MSU prides itself on its commitment to excellence to teaching. The student to faculty ratio is 22:1 which allows for personal attention in a larger university setting. In addition, students cite faculty advising as one of MSU's strengths.

Location and Facilities
Minnesota State University, Mankato is located on 350 acres on a hilltop overlooking the Minnesota River Valley.Mankato is located approximately 75 miles south of the Twin Cities Metro area and is a two-hour drive west of Mayo Clinic in Rochester. The University has more than 20 buildings encompassing approximately 2.5 million square feet. The recently completed, $17.5 million, privately-funded Taylor Center, a sports and educational facility features a 4,800-seat, dropped-floor arena and admissions facility with a central area for welcoming all visitors to campus.

The Bresnan Arena also serves as a stage for major speakers and entertainers including Maya Angelou, Elie Wiesel, Bobby McFerrin, Janet Reno, and others. Another recently completed project is the Andreas Theatre which features a flexible "black box" studio to enhance the existing theatre arts program which ranks in the top one-percent of university theatre attendance nationwide.

MSU's beautifully landscaped campus has a newly constructed field house built with $10 million from the 2000 legislature. University officials will be lobbying the 2002 legislature for an additional $10 million for a student recreational center adjacent to the field house. MSU has three residential halls, a state-of-the-art technology center and two astronomy observatories. Enclosed passageways connect most academic buildings and campus is easily accessible to students with physical disabilities.

For the past 36 years, MSU has served as the summer training camp site for the Minnesota Vikings which draws thousands of people and media to campus and community each year.

Finances
The University is in good financial condition. Although state support has not kept pace with the needs of the institutions, private contributions, totaling almost $40 million during the past ten years, have enabled the University to continue to prosper. MSU's current operating budget for the 2001 - 2002 academic year is $130 million.

Partnerships
MSU is rich in partnerships with other institutions and industry. Most notable is the wireless technology partnership in which international giant, Nokia, named MSU its model wireless campus in the Western hemisphere. This partnership includes Midwest Wireless Technology, AT&T, AirTuit (formerly Phone Online!) and others.

The University provides customized training in partnership with South Central Technical College through the Center for Continuous Learning. In addition, MSU is the lead institution for the statewide healthcare education partnership. Through the Center for Applied Social Science, faculty-student research teams serve community organizations and government agencies. Other successful partnerships are the Center for Rural Policy and Development, and MSU's Center for Water Resources and the Center for Rapid Prototyping.

The University has numerous educational partnerships including the new Geographic Information Systems/Plant Science degree offered jointly with Minnesota West Community College, an ED.D. in Educational Leadership offered in cooperation with the University of Minnesota, and MSU also developed a dual degree option with William Mitchell Law School.

MSU is committed to work with other institutions, businesses and organizations to provide excellent academic opportunities and support to students.

History
Mankato Normal School opened its doors in 1868 to train teachers for work in rural schools. In 1921 the school became Mankato State Teachers College and was authorized by the State to offer a four-year curriculum. The institution's first four-year degree, a bachelor of education, was awarded in 1927. An enrollment surge in the late 1950s strained the capacity of the early campus and construction of a new campus began on the hilltop overlooking Mankato. In April 1957, "Mankato State Teacher's College" officially became "Mankato State College." Enrollment expansion and Mankato State College's growing reputation for academic excellence led to its "University" status in 1975. Enrollment peaked at 16,000 in 1990. In July 1995, MSU became a part of the Minnesota State Colleges and University System comprised of 34 institutions throughout the state. MSU officially changed its name to Minnesota State University, Mankato in September 1998 to reflect its growth as a comprehensive, regional institution for higher education.

Source:http://www.mnsu.edu/newservice/newstips.html