Oct. 7: Minnesota State Mankato to Celebrate Founders Day 2019
Monday, October 7, 2019
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Centennial Student Union Lincoln Lounge
Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State University, Mankato will hold its annual Founders Day on Monday, Oct. 7, celebrating the 151st year of the University’s founding in 1868.
The celebration, free and open to students, faculty, staff and the public, will be held at noon in the Lincoln Lounge, located on the first floor of Centennial Student Union.
During the event, the Maverick Machine band will play the University fight song, and free cupcakes will be available for all attendees.
Minnesota State Mankato President Richard Davenport will begin a short program with comments on University plans to begin the next 150 years.
Davenport will then introduce Provost and Senior Vice President Marilyn Wells, who will discuss new University academic programs added this year. Among the new programs launching this fall that Wells will describe are a master of science in data science, bachelor of science in health informatics, bachelor of science in criminal justice and minor in agribusiness & food innovation.
After Wells’ remarks, Student Government President Anisa Omar will discuss the impact and important of the University to students.
Minnesota State Mankato was founded in 1868 as Mankato Normal School, serving 27 students, with a purpose of instructing students in the science and art of teaching. The first class graduated in June 1870 with 10 students.
In 1921, the school became Mankato State Teachers College and began offering two- and three-year degrees. In 1939, the first four-year degrees were awarded. The first master’s degrees were awarded in 1954, and the first doctorates were awarded in 2009.
The school became Mankato State College in 1957, with an enrollment of 7,000. It became Mankato State University in 1975, with enrollment of 14,000, and Minnesota State University, Mankato in 1998. Enrollment is currently more than 15,000 students, and Minnesota State Mankato now offers more than 140 undergraduate programs and 80 graduate programs.
Davenport became the twelfth president of the University on July 1, 2002.
More information on the history of the institution is available here.
Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive university with 14,227 students, is part of the Minnesota State system, which includes 30 colleges and seven universities.
