Winona State University

Infobox_University
name = Winona State University
native_name =
latin_name =


motto = A Community of Learners Improving Our World
established = 1858
type = Public
endowment =
staff =
faculty =
president = Judith A. Ramaley
provost =
principal =
rector =
chancellor =
vice_chancellor =
dean =
head_label =
head =
students =
undergrad = 8,274
postgrad =
doctoral =
city = Winona
state = Minnesota
country = United States
campus = Small Town
free_label =
free =
colors = Purple and White
nickname = Warriors
affiliations =
website = http://www.winona.edu/

Winona State University is primarily an undergraduate university, the oldest of the schools that constitute Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU). It is not part of the University of Minnesota, the state's land grant institution. Founded in 1858 to train teachers, today it offers more than 80 undergraduate majors and 10 pre-professional programs. Enrollment for fall 2007 was 8,274 students. It has several master's programs, most relating to nursing and education. WSU also offers a doctoral program in nursing. The original campus is in Winona, Minnesota, and there is a branch campus in Rochester, Minnesota (WSU Rochester Center). Pre-professional programs include medicine, law and dentistry. Its pre-medical program operates in conjunction with Mayo Medical School, affiliated with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Its school song is "Hail! Winona"

Winona State University is currently in the process of implementing a program dubbed the "Learning for the 21st Century Initiative." Previously it was called "The Winona Experience," which generated some controversy, and before that "The New University." This radical series of changes in University operation and structure seeks to better the vocational-education experience of each student.

WSU is also noted Fact|date=March 2007 as being one of the earliest universities in the country to offer a "Laptop University" program. In this program each student, upon acceptance, is required to lease his or her choice of either an Apple Macintosh or Gateway (PC) laptop directly from the university. The purpose of this program is to increase the bond between education and technology. WSU's laptop program has been used as a model for many like it nation-wide.Fact|date=March 2007

Quick facts about WSU:

* Undergraduate Programs
* Enrollment: 100
* Graduate Programs: 30
* States Represented: 32
* Countries Represented: 54
* Average class size: 24
* Student to faculty ratio: 21:1

History

Winona State University was founded in 1858 when the first Minnesota State Legislature established normal schools “to prepare teachers for the common schools of the state.” The first tax supported school west of the Mississippi River was established at Winona to train teachers for a new frontier. Citizens of Winona quickly supported the school with donations of more than $7,000 in money and land.

Classes began in 1860, although the school closed for nearly three years during the Civil War. It reopened in November, 1864 to continue its mission of preparing teachers for the new State of Minnesota. Construction of the first building was completed in 1866, and classes were held in Main Hall by 1869.

Phelps Hall, with a kindergarten teaching lab, gymnasium and library opened in 1909. Phelps today houses the Psychology and Advising and Retention departments. Classes for students in Rochester were first offered in 1917. The State Normal School became Winona Teachers College in 1921 and was authorized to grant the bachelor’s degree. In 1926, four students – two men and two women – graduated with the 4-year teaching degree.

From the 1920s until World War II significant curriculum changes enhanced the academic quality of educating teachers. New courses were added and departments emerged to organize a growing institution. Intramural and extramural athletics, social organizations and co-curricular activities grew with the student population.

The boom following World War II spurred rapid growth. In 1957, the institution was renamed as Winona State College, reflecting an expanded mission that included the addition of the Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science in Education and Associate in Arts degrees. By the late 1960s the campus had six residence halls, a new library, five academic buildings, athletics facilities, a student center and an expanded and remodeled Somsen Hall.

In 1975, the school became Winona State University. Today, the University is structured into five colleges: Business, Education, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Health Sciences and Science and Engineering. It is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

Three campuses now comprise the University. The original Winona campus and the Winona West campus serve primarily traditional students, while the Rochester campus focuses on non-traditional students, graduate programs and the Institute for Lifelong Education.

Name changes

* First State Normal School of Minnesota (1858)
* Winona State Normal School (1873)
* Winona State Teachers' College (1921)
* Winona State College (1957)
* Winona State University (1975)

Leadership

University presidents

* John Ogden (1860-1862)
* William F. Phelps (1864-1876)
* Charles A. Morey (1876-1879)
* Irwin Shepard (1879-1898)
* Jesse F. Millspaugh (1898-1904)
* Guy E.Maxwell (1904-1939)
* O. Myking Mehus (1939-1943)
* Arthur T. French (1939, 1943-1944)
* Nels Minne (1944-1967)
* Robert A. Dufresne (1967-1977)
* Robert A. Hanson (1977-1983)
* Thomas F. Stark (1983-1988)
* Darrell W. Krueger (1989-2005)
* Judith A. Ramaley (2005-Present)

Notable alumni

* John Blatnik, Member of the U.S. Congress
* Tim Penny, Member of the U.S. Congress
* Michele Bachmann, Member of the U.S. Congress
* Austin Aries, professional wrestler
* Kyle and Lane Carlson, models
* Brian Wrobel, NFL, Green Bay Packers
* Chris Samp, NFL, Europe
* Jerry Seeman, NFL official
* Rich Mancuso, Member of the U.S. Congress
* J. D. Barnett, Basketball Coach
* Dick Day, Minnesota State Senator
* Ali Al-Ahmed, Saudi scholar

Athletics

Winona State University competes in Division II NCAA athletics and its teams are called the Warriors. It is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) for most sports, though Men's Tennis competes in the North Central Conference, and Women's Gymnastics compete in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

The school's first national championship came in 1985 when the gymnastics team took the NAIA Gymnastics title, along with claiming four individual champions and 11 All-American honors, along with National Coach and Gymnast of the Year honors. That same year, (1985), the Warrior gymnastics team competed in the NCAA Division II nationals in Springfield, MA, taking home the third place trophy, the first team at Winona State to compete in both affiliations at the national level. In that same year, the lady Warriors posed great threats to Division I powerhouse schools, beating the University of Iowa, Iowa State, and holding their own against the likes of Nebraska, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Illinois. Again in 1987, the Warriors claimed the NAIA national title, this time paced by one individual champion and seven All-American honors. Two gymnasts were also named Academic All-Americans for their outstanding academic achievements in the classroom. The National Coach of the Year award also went to the WSU head coach.

In the three years following, the gymnasts finished strong in the NCAA II regional competitions and managed to send individuals to the Division II nationals in 1986 (2) and 1987 (1). In 1989, the team represented the school at the Division II nationals in California after a record-breaking season.

The WSU football team won the NSIC conference championship ten times in a 15 year span (1993-2007). The Warriors have also appeared in postseason playoffs 5 times. During the 1993 season they appeared n the NAIA I playoffs and in the NCAA II playoffs 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2006. They have also participated in the Mineral Water Bowl [http://www.mineralwaterbowl.net] in Excelsior Springs Missouri 2000 and 2002.

The Men's Basketball team won the 2006 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship, the first NCAA title for the University. [http://www.ncaasports.com/basketball/mens/recaps/d2_0325_63/2006] . On March 7, 2007, the Men's Basketball team won their 53rd consecutive regular or post season victory, beating the Division II mark set by Langston University of Oklahoma. The streak ended at 57 on March 24, 2007 with a loss at the Division II Championship game to the Barton College Bulldogs 77-75 on a last-second shot. On March 29, 2008 the Men's Basketball team defeated Augusta State University 87-76 to win their second NCAA Division II National Championship in three years.

Winona State has a mild crosstown rivalry with Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.

Winona State facilities

*KQAL, Winona State's radio station
*Krueger Library
*Maxwell Field at Alltel Stadium - Home of the Winona State Warriors Football, Soccer and Softball teams.
*Academic Halls at Winona State University
*Residence Halls at Winona State University
*Kryzsko Commons, the primary student center on-campus, houses the WSU bookstore and numerous lounges, including The Smaug.

External links

* [http://www.winona.edu Winona State University official website]
* [http://www.winona.edu/library/ Winona State University Library]