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Morehead State University

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For the university in Moorhead, Minnesota, see Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Morehead State University (MSU) is a public university in Morehead, Kentucky. The university began as Morehead Normal School, which opened its doors in 1887. The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, a two-year residential early college high school on the university's campus, was established in 2014.

Morehead State University
Former name
Morehead Normal School (1887–1922)
Morehead State Normal School (1922–1926)
Morehead State Normal School and Teachers College (1926–1930)
Morehead State Teachers College (1930–1948)
Morehead State College (1948–1966)
MottoLux
Motto in English
Light
TypePublic university
Established1887
Academic affiliations
Space-grant
Endowment$71 million (2022)[1]
PresidentJoseph A. (Jay) Morgan[2]
Academic staff
405[3]
Administrative staff
591[3]
Students8,619 (fall 2023)[4]
Undergraduates8,059 (fall 2023)[4]
Postgraduates560 (fall 2023)[4]
Location
Morehead
,
Kentucky
,
United States

38°11′20″N 83°25′52″W / 38.189°N 83.431°W / 38.189; -83.431
CampusRural 700 acres (2 km2)
ColorsBlue and Gold[5]
   
NicknameEagles
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division I FCS
OVC, Pioneer Football League
MascotBeaker
Websitewww.moreheadstate.edu

History

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Welcome Sign

The university began as Morehead Normal School, which opened its doors in 1887. One student appeared on the first day of class in October 1887, in a little, rented cottage where the Adron Doran University Center now stands. The private school closed in the spring of 1922 when the Kentucky General Assembly established Morehead State Normal School. The state institution accepted its first students in the fall of 1923, and graduated its first class in 1927. Name changes occurred again 1926, when it was extended to Morehead State Normal School and Teachers College; in 1930, when it was shortened to just Morehead State Teachers College; in 1948, when it was shortened again to Morehead State College; and, finally, to Morehead State University in 1966. Fourteen people, starting with Frank C. Button, have served as president. Joseph A. Morgan assumed office as the 14th president on July 1, 2017.[6]

Presidents

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  1. Frank C. Button, 1923–29
  2. John Howard Payne, 1929–35
  3. Harvey A. Babb, 1935–40
  4. William H. Vaughan, 1940–46
  5. William J. Baird, 1946–51
  6. Charles R. Spain, 1951–54
  7. Adron Doran, 1954–77
  8. Morris L. Norfleet, 1977–84
  9. Herb. F. Reinhard Jr., 1984–86
  10. A.D. Albright, 1986–87
  11. C. Nelson Grote, 1987–92
  12. Ronald G. Eaglin, 1992–2004
  13. Wayne D. Andrews, 2005–2017
  14. Joseph A. Morgan, 2017–present[7]

Academics

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Morehead State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.[8] It offers over 212 degree programs at the two-year, four-year, and graduate levels through four colleges: Caudill College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences; Elmer R. Smith College of Business and Technology; Ernst & Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education; and College of Science. It was the first institution in Kentucky to offer a complete degree program online, the Master of Business Administration (MBA). MSU is one of five institutions in the U.S. with a bachelor's degree in space science.[3] Over 74,000 persons have received degrees from MSU.

Rankings

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Academic rankings
Regional
U.S. News & World Report[9]33

The 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings listed Morehead State at 14th place among public "regional universities" in the South and 33rd overall among all regional universities in the South.[10]

Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics

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Joe Craft and Ambassador Kelly Craft

The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics was established in 2014. It is a two-year residential early college high school serving approximately 146 high school juniors and seniors at Morehead State University. Students live in Grote-Thompson Hall on campus and take MSU classes during their time at the academy, graduating with a Craft Academy high school diploma as well as at least 60 hours of MSU college credit, with tuition, room and board, and meal plan all free of charge. The academy is funded in large part by Joe Craft and Ambassador Kelly Craft, who donated over $10 million to the academy, the largest donation in MSU history.[11][12]

In 2019, the academy graduated its third class, with an average ACT score of 31.[13]

Campus

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Morehead State University
 
 
 
 
LocationBounded by University Blvd., Battson Ave. and Ward Oates Dr., Morehead, Kentucky
Coordinates38°11′12″N 83°26′03″W / 38.1867°N 83.4341°W / 38.1867; -83.4341
Area12 acres (4.9 ha)
Architectural styleLate 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Collegiate Gothic
NRHP reference No.94001381[14]
Added to NRHPNovember 25, 1994

Morehead State University is located in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County. The more than 700-acre main campus within the city limits of Morehead includes more than 50 major structures with a total replacement value of more than $650 million. Beyond the city, the university's real estate holdings include the 320-acre Derrickson Agricultural Complex, Eagle Trace, a par-72, 6,902-yard public golf course, and 166 acres of the Browning Orchard. The instructional plant includes 135 classrooms and 150 laboratories. Housing facilities include space for approximately 2,900 students in a variety of living styles, including traditional residence halls, suites, and apartments. The second component of the Space Science Center opened in 2009—a $16.6 million instruction and research support facility.[3]

Morehead State University Historic District

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A portion of the campus was named as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. The contributing properties include the following buildings: the President's Home, Senff Natatorium (demolished in 2008),[15] Button Auditorium, Fields Hall, Camden-Carroll Library, Allie Young Hall, Rader Hall, Grote-Thompson Hall, and the Breckenridge Training School.

Arts

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The Morehead State University Arts and Humanities Council, established in 2003, encourages dialogue and partnerships in the arts.[16] Part of a larger initiative within the Caudill College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Council works to develop cultural opportunities both on and off campus. Morehead, long known for its patronage of the arts in Kentucky with such organizations as the Kentucky Folk Art Center[17] and the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music,[18] was the childhood home of philanthropist Lucille Caudill Little. Named after Lucille Little, MSU's Little Company is a touring troupe of students in the Theatre Department that performs plays and conducts workshops for up to 100 schools in the area each year.[19] Along with theatre, Morehead State University has a well-developed dance program. The Morehead Dance Ensemble, which one must audition for, presents a Spring Dance Concert, attends dance conferences, and engages in other projects.[20]

Morehead State Public Radio

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Morehead State Public Radio (MSPR) is governed by the Board of Regents at Morehead State University. MSPR is operated by its flagship station WMKY at 90.3 FM in Morehead. WMKY in Morehead is licensed for 50,000 watts and serves more than 20 counties in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. The WMKY studios are located in Breckinridge Hall on the campus of Morehead State University. Since 1965, WMKY has served the communities of eastern Kentucky, southern Ohio, and western West Virginia. MSPR's mission to the region is to provide programming that is educational, informative, and entertaining. Through the work provided by a staff consisting of full-time directors, student interns, work studies, and community volunteers, MSPR offers regional news, public affairs, and documentary programming, as well as a variety of regional music programs consisting of classical, jazz, and Americana. MSPR produces regular daily newscasts and in-depth features on people, places, and events in the region.[21]

Athletics

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Main article: Morehead State Eagles
 
Jayne Stadium
 
Jayne Stadium Visitors Section

The Morehead State athletic teams are called the Eagles. The eagle mascot is named Beaker, and the school colors are blue and gold. The university is a member of the NCAA Division I ranks (for football, the Football Championship Subdivision), primarily competing in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) since the 1948–49 academic year;[22][23] while its football team competes in the Pioneer Football League (PFL). The Eagles previously competed in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC; now currently known as the River States Conference (RSC) since the 2016–17 school year) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1933–34 to 1947–48; and in the defunct West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) from 1929–30 to 1932–33.

Morehead State competes in 17 intercollegiate varsity sports:[24] Men's sports baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf and track & field; while women's include basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track & field and volleyball; and co-ed sports include cheerleading, dance and rifle.

With 2017–18 being its initial season and the OVC not yet sponsoring the sport, the beach volleyball team will compete as an independent. The football team competes as a member of the Pioneer Football League, a non-scholarship Division I (FCS) league.

Accomplishments

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The MSU Eagles basketball won the 2009 OVC tournament championship, sending them to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1984. At the 2011 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, 13th-seeded Morehead State upset Louisville 62–61. It was the second NCAA Tournament win for Morehead State in a three-year span. The Eagles also beat Alabama State in the 2009 Opening Round game. The Eagles then faced 12th-seeded Richmond in the third round, which was only the ninth time in tournament history that a 12–13 match-up occurred in the round of 32. The coed cheerleading squad has won 23 national championships, and the all-female squad has won 10 national titles.[25] The baseball team has won seven OVC conference titles, and the women's volleyball team has won the OVC conference title five times. The Eagles have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) three times. Their combined record is 5–4.

Greek life

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Fraternities Sororities

Residence halls

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Morehead State University's Office of Student Housing provides residential options within the following residence halls:

  • Andrews Hall
  • Cartmell Hall
  • Cooper Hall
  • Craft Tower
  • Eagle Lake Apartments
  • East Mignon Hall
  • Fields Hall
  • Grote-Thompson Hall
  • Lundergan Hall
  • Mays Hall Apartments
  • Mignon Hall
  • Mignon Tower
  • Normal Hall Apartments
  • Nunn Hall
  • Padula Hall
  • West Mignon Hall[34]

Campus buildings/property

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Adron Doran University Center
 
Fields Hall, Camden-Carroll Library, and Little Bell Tower
 
Little Bell Tower
 
Howell-McDowell Administration Building
 
Campus view from West Mignon Hall
 
View of Morehead State University from the main parking lot
 
Eagle Lake
 
Ellis T. Johnson Arena
  • Academic Athletic Center (AAC)
  • Adron Doran University Center (ADUC)
  • Alumni Relations and Development(Palmer House)
  • Baird Music Hall
  • Bert Combs Building
  • Breckinridge Hall
  • Browning Orchard
  • Button Auditorium
  • Camden-Carroll Library
  • Center for Rural Development
  • Challenge Course
  • Chi Alpha Fellowship
  • Claypool-Young Art Building
  • Combs Building
  • Cora Wilson Stewart Moonlight School
  • Derrickson Agricultural Complex
  • Eagle Athletics Guided Learning & Enhancement Center
  • Eagle Lake
  • Eagle Trace Golf Course
  • East Parking Complex and Rocky Adkins Dining Commons (The Rock)
  • Education Services Building
  • Enrollment Services Center
  • Ginger Hall
  • Howell-McDowell Administration Building
  • Innovation Launchpad
  • Intramural/Soccer Practice Field
  • Jayne Stadium
  • Kentucky Center for Traditional Music
  • Kentucky Folk Art Center
  • Lappin Hall
  • Laughlin Health Building
  • Little Bell Tower
  • Lloyd Cassity Building
  • Lundergan Hall
  • Newman Center (Catholic Student Center)
  • President's Home
  • Procurement Services
  • Padula Hall
  • Rader Hall
  • Recreation & Wellness Center
  • Reed Hall
  • Rice Service Building (Facilities Management)
  • Richardson Arena and Equine Health Education Center
  • Fazoli's Breadstick Beach Volleyball Courts
  • Space Science Center (Smith-Booth Hall)
  • University Store
  • University Farm
  • University Softball Field
  • Water Testing Laboratory
  • Wesley Foundation (Methodist Student Center)
  • 21M Space Tracking Antenna
  • 342 (Baptist Campus Ministries)[35]

Notable alumni

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Kenneth Faried, former NBA player for the Denver Nuggets, Brooklyn Nets, and Houston Rockets, selected 22nd overall in the 2011 NBA draft
 
Phil Simms, former quarterback for the New York Giants, MVP of Super Bowl XXI and a 15-year NFL veteran, now a football analyst for the CBS television network

References

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  1. ^ "Morehead State University Foundation – FY2021–2022 Dashboard". Archived from the original on June 20, 2023. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  2. ^ Morehead State University – Office of the President, retrieved August 7, 2017
  3. ^ a b c d "MSU At-a-Glance". Morehead State University. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "CPE Interactive Data Center". Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  5. ^ "Morehead State University: Brand and Style Guide". Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  6. ^ "History of MSU". Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  7. ^ Morehead State University: Past Presidents, retrieved August 1, 2017
  8. ^ "Accreditation". Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  9. ^ "2023-2024 Best Regional Universities Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. September 18, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  10. ^ "2025 Top Public Universities in the South". U.S. News & World Report. September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  11. ^ Althia Raj (July 4, 2018). "Life As Trump's Envoy In Ottawa Hasn't Been Easy On Kelly Craft, Friends Say". HuffPost Canada.
  12. ^ "Morehead State University: Morehead State's Craft Academy continues to grow". Morehead State News. April 22, 2021.
  13. ^ Kenny, Tom (October 19, 2019). "Morehead State to receive additional money for the Craft Academy". WTVQ.
  14. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  15. ^ "Senff building demolished". The Morehead News. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
  16. ^ "Morehead State University - Arts & Humanities Council". Archived from the original on May 30, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
  17. ^ "Morehead State University - Kentucky Folk Art Center". Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  18. ^ "Morehead State University - Kentucky Center for Traditional Music". Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  19. ^ "The Little Company". Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  20. ^ "Dance Program". Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  21. ^ "About Us". Morehead State Public Radio. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  22. ^ "Morehead State University". NCAA. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  23. ^ "OVC Member Institutions". Ohio Valley Conference. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  24. ^ "Morehead State Eagles". Morehead State University. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  25. ^ "All-Girl Cheer Wins Second Straight National Title". Morehead State Athletics. January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  26. ^ Home @ pikappaalphahh.bravehost.com – A Bravenet.com Hosted Site, archived from the original on July 8, 2011, retrieved September 2, 2007
  27. ^ Morehead State University – Greek Affairs: Pi Kappa Phi, archived from the original on September 27, 2007, retrieved September 2, 2007
  28. ^ Morehead State University: Sigma Phi Epsilon, archived from the original on September 27, 2007, retrieved September 2, 2007
  29. ^ Sigma Pi Fraternity, archived from the original on September 27, 2007, retrieved September 2, 2007
  30. ^ Sigma Pi Fraternity >> Morehead State Chapter, archived from the original on October 6, 2007, retrieved September 27, 2007
  31. ^ Epsilon Theta Chapter, archived from the original on October 10, 2008, retrieved September 2, 2007
  32. ^ Welcome to our DZ website, archived from the original on April 2, 2006, retrieved September 2, 2007
  33. ^ Home, archived from the original on September 27, 2007, retrieved September 2, 2007
  34. ^ Morehead State University – Housing Options, retrieved September 30, 2020
  35. ^ "Morehead State University: Campus Map". www.moreheadstate.edu. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  36. ^ "John Blanton". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
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