Missouri Western State University

Missouri Western State University was founded in 1915 as St. Joseph Junior College and held courses in the original location of Central High School at 13th and Patee. In 1933 when Central High School moved to its current location the junior college relocated to the Robidoux Polytechnic High School building at 10th Street between Edmond and Charles. In 1917 it adopted the Griffon as its mascot. [ 3 ] The establishment of a four-year school was a central campaign issue in the 1964 Democratic gubernatorial primary, when Warren Hearnes of the Bootheel challenged Hilary A. Bush of Kansas City. Hearnes promised to transform the college into a four-year institution despite the presence of another state university (then Northwest Missouri State College, now Northwest Missouri State University ) 40 miles (64 km) to the north in Maryville . Hearnes narrowly won the primary and then won general election. A year later, the college became Missouri Western Junior College , and was transferred from the St. Joseph School District to the Missouri Western Junior College District, comprising 11 school districts in five counties. The college was granted four-year status as Missouri Western College in 1969 during Hearnes' second term. The Missouri Western Junior College district funded the first two years, with the state funding the final two years. [ 4 ] [ 5 ] Years later, Missouri Western named its library after Hearnes; school officials said Missouri Western would have never become a four-year college without him. [ 6 ] Shortly after the conversion, the college acquired the farm of St. Joseph State Hospital #2, on the east side of Interstate 29 , for its campus on the east edge of St. Joseph. The original plan had called for it to be built across from the hospital, just west of Bishop LeBlond High School and closer to downtown St. Joseph. [ 7 ] The college became Missouri Western State College in 1973 and became fully supported by the state in 1977.

It was granted university status in 2005 and began offering graduate degrees in 2007. [ 8 ] In 1988, Shalia Aery, commissioner of higher education under Governor John Ashcroft , recommended that Northwest close and leave Missouri Western as the surviving school. [ 9 ] That plan was ultimately dropped. Legislation in 2005 changed the institution's name to Missouri Western State University. [ 10 ] That legislation designated Missouri Western as Missouri's Applied Learning Institution and allowed it to grant master's degrees. The university graduated its first 12 master's degree recipients in May 2009. [ 11 ] In its first six years offering graduate degrees, graduate enrollment at Western grew by 100% or more each year. As of 2016, Western offered 18 master's degrees and six graduate certificates. [ 12 ] In 2010, the Steven L. Craig School of Business was accredited by AACSB International . [ 13 ] As of April 2020, the school planned to phase out or radically revising nearly 60 of its degree offerings. These changes were a response to years of "downward student enrollment trends, strained state funding resources, rising costs, deferred maintenance needs, long-term debt [and] now the economic impact of covid-19". [ 14 ] [ 15 ] The university's most visible corporate affiliation is with Hillyard, Inc. , a cleaning supplies company. [ citation needed ] The school's Spratt Memorial Stadium is named for Elliot "Bub" Spratt, an executive at the company. Leah Spratt Hall is named for a sister of Elliot. The university hosts the Hillyard Tip Off Basketball Classic tournament. [ 16 ]

Missouri Western grounds from across Interstate 29 in 2007 prior to construction of the Kansas City Chiefs training camp (to the right of the MWSU sign) Campus clock The main buildings of Missouri Western State University are all dedicated to someone who is an important part in MWSU's history. [ 17 ] More information Building name, Function ... {{cite web|url=https://www.missouriwestern.edu/eml/|title=Department of English and Modern Languages|work=missouriwestern.edu}} Financial Aid, Student Affairs\n|- \n| Fulkerson Center || Conference rooms\n|-\n| Vartabedian Hall || Housing\n|-\n| Griffon Indoor Sports Complex || Athletic training facility, coaches' offices\n|-\n| Hearnes Center || Library, Bookstore, Center for Academic Support, Information Technology Services, Instructional Media Center\n|-\n| Houlne Center for Convergent Technology || Applied Learning Labs and Job Training in Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Technology, Construction, and Technology Services such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Robotics \n|-\n| Juda Hall || Housing\n|-\n| Leaverton Hall || Housing\n|-\n| Logan Hall || Housing\n|-\n| Looney Complex || [[Missouri Western State Griffons|Athletics Department]], (HPER)–Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Services\n|-\n| ",{"template":{"target":{"wt":"nowrap","href":"./Template:Nowrap"},"params":{"1":{"wt":"Missouri Department of Conservation"}},"i":2}}," || [[Missouri Department of Conservation]], Biology department\n|-\n| Murphy Hall || Communication and Journalism; Education; Nursing and Allied Health; Psychology\n|-\n| Popplewell Hall || Administrative building, ''Stephen L.

Craig School of Business'', College of Professional Studies; Department of History, Philosophy, and Geography, Department of Economics, Political Science, & Sociology.\n|-\n| Potter Hall || Art and Music Departments\n|-\n| Remington Hall || Math and Science Departments\n|-\n| Scanlon Hall|| Housing\n|-\n| Spratt Hall || Advancement offices, Alumni Relations, Foundation, Public Relations, [[Walter Cronkite#Memorial at Missouri Western State University|Walter Cronkite Memorial]]\n|-\n| Vaselakos Hall || Housing\n|-\n| Wilson Hall || Criminal Justice, Legal Studies, Social Work, Engineering Technology, Military Science, and Law Enforcement Academy\n"]}"> Building name Function Agenstein Hall Math and Science Departments Baker Family Fitness Center Student Fitness Center Beshears Hall Housing Blum Union Dining ( Aramark ), Center for Multiculture Education, Center for Student Engagement, Esports Arena, Health Center, Campus Police Commons Building Housing Eder Hall Admissions, Department of English and Modern Languages, [ 18 ] Financial Aid, Student Affairs Fulkerson Center Conference rooms Vartabedian Hall Housing Griffon Indoor Sports Complex Athletic training facility, coaches' offices Hearnes Center Library, Bookstore, Center for Academic Support, Information Technology Services, Instructional Media Center Houlne Center for Convergent Technology Applied Learning Labs and Job Training in Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Technology, Construction, and Technology Services such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Robotics Juda Hall Housing Leaverton Hall Housing Logan Hall Housing Looney Complex Athletics Department , (HPER) – Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Services Missouri Department of Conservation Missouri Department of Conservation , Biology department Murphy Hall Communication and Journalism; Education; Nursing and Allied Health; Psychology Popplewell Hall Administrative building, Stephen L.