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Winona State University

Coordinates: 44°02′50.64″N 91°38′38.04″W / 44.0474000°N 91.6439000°W / 44.0474000; -91.6439000
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Winona State University
File:Winona State University.png
MottoA Community of Learners Improving Our World
TypePublic
Established1858
PresidentScott R. Olson
ProvostNancy Jannik
Students8,896 (Fall 2011)
Location
Winona
,
Minnesota
,
United States
CampusSmall city
Colors  Purple and   White
NicknameWarriors
MascotWazoo
Websitehttp://www.winona.edu/

Winona State University (also known as WSU) is a comprehensive public university in Winona, Minnesota, United States, a college and river town located in picturesque bluff country on the Mississippi River, with around 8,900 enrolled undergraduate and graduate students. The oldest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System, the fifth-largest system of two- and four-year colleges and universities in the country, based on student enrollment. WSU offers more than 80 programs on its main campus, as well as select programs on its satellite Winona, West Campus and Winona State University—Rochester.

In 2012, WSU was ranked second among public universities in Minnesota in the 2012 edition of “Best Colleges” by U.S. News Media Group.[1]

Winona State has been ranked as one of America’s "100 Best College Buys" for quality and value, 16 years in a row. Winona State University and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities are the only two Minnesota schools included in the report.[2]

It has also been named among the "Best in the Midwest" by The Princeton Review for 8 years,[3] and ranks as a "top-tier" institution among Midwestern universities, and the top 50 institutions in the Midwest Region Master's Category by the U.S. News & World Report.

It was named as one of the country’s most environmentally-responsible colleges for 2010 (The Princeton Review/ U.S. Green Building Council)[4] and ranked as one of the top 20 of safest campuses in the US in 2010 (The Daily Beast).[5]It has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll annually since 2008 (Corporation for National and Community Service).[6]

About WSU

Somsen Hall, the old college main

Founded in 1858, Winona State offers a breadth of learning opportunities outside its classrooms, hosting national-caliber festivals and presenters that draw arts enthusiasts and lifelong learners from Southeastern Minnesota and beyond.

The university’s mission is to enhance the intellectual, social, cultural and economic vitality of the people and communities we serve: a community of learners improving our world.

WSU is noted as being one of the earliest universities in the country to offer a "Laptop University" program, now known as the e-Warrior Digital Life and Learning Program. In this program each student, upon acceptance, is required to lease his or her choice of either an Apple Macintosh or Microsoft Windows based laptop directly from the university. [1] The purpose of this program is to increase the bond between education and technology.

Each student attending Winona State University pays a .43 cent per credit fee to fund the Minnesota State University Student Association, a student-led non-profit that advocates on behalf of all Minnesota state university students.

History

The Model School, now called Phelps Hall, the oldest building on campus

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

Architectural sculpture above an entrance to Somsen Hall.
  • First State Normal School of Minnesota (1858)
  • Winona Normal School (1873)
  • Winona State Teachers' College (1921)
  • Winona State College (1957)
  • Winona State University (1975)

Quick facts

  • Enrollment: 8,896
  • Total number students served: 9,549
  • Undergraduate programs: 65
  • Graduate Programs: 12
  • States Represented: 32
  • Countries Represented: 55
  • Average class size: 24
  • Student to faculty ratio: 21:1
  • Percent students of color: 5.3%
  • Full-time students: 87.2%
  • Part-time students: 12.8%
  • Percent female: 62.3%
  • Percent male: 37.7%

Programs

Largest programs:

  • Nursing, elementary education, business administration, biology, exercise science

Unique programs:

  • Child advocacy studies, composite materials engineering, master's and doctoral program in nursing, paralegal, aviation and airway science, music business, graphic design, and public administration (the only MNSCU school offering a degree in Public Administration).

Special options:

  • Program minors: Adventure tourism, airway science aviation, biochemistry, business law, dance, electronics, geography, global studies, intercultural communication, international business
  • Emphases & options: Advertising, broadcasting, journalism, photojournalism, public relations, law enforcement, corrections, cell and molecular biology, ecology, water resources management, professional Sales
  • Preprofessional programs: Dentistry, engineering, law, medicine, mortuary science, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, veterinary medicine

Student activities

Student activities: Student government and more than 210 social, service and professional clubs and organizations for academics, fine arts, athletics, media, culture and cultural issues, and religion. The university also sponsors professional cultural programs and student theatrical, musical and dance performances.

Housing

More than 2,500 students choose to live on the Winona State University campus each year, and on-campus residents enjoy resources and experiences that complement their academic work. The university features six residence halls on campus, including a new residence hall opening in fall 2010. Three additional residence halls and the University Apartments at East Lake are connected by shuttle bus to the central Winona campus. Numerous off-campus rental housing opportunities are available within five blocks of campus.

Winona State facilities

Integrated Wellness Complex
  • Warrior Hub, WSU academic services are provided in one location, the Warrior Hub. Services include financial aid, registrar, advising, career and account services.

Degree offered

Degrees offered: Associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, undergraduate and graduate certificates, specialist degrees, applied doctorate degrees

Highlights

  1. E-Warrior Digital Life and Learning program: Students select from one of three laptop models and enjoy wireless access from anywhere on campus.
  2. Sustainability is a core commitment. Winona State University is a signatory of the American Colleges and Universities Presidents Climate Commitment and a partner in Sustain Winona, a communitybased initiative dedicated to energy conservation, renewable energy technologies and pollution prevention strategies.
  3. Breathe Free: In January 2009, the university became tobacco-free, providing a safe and healthful environment for work and study for students, employees and visitors.
  4. Offers academic majors, preprofessional options, master's options and doctoral program at its campuses in Winona and Rochester.
  5. Home of the National Child Protection Training Center, offering experience and training for professionals from the judicial system, social services and law enforcement from across the nation.
  6. Lead institution in HealthForce Minnesota, a collaborative program that aims to advance Minnesota as a leader in health care education, practice, research and innovation. HealthForce initiatives include Scrubs Camps, which offer hands-on health care experience for students in grades nine to 12 and adults age 18 and up.
  7. As part of the Path to Purple initiative, Winona State works with Rochester Community and Technical College to offer programs in which students are able to begin their undergraduate education at the college and transfer to the university's Winona or Rochester campuses.
  8. In addition to offering upper-division undergraduate degree programs and courses, the Rochester campus also offers an array of graduate programs in the colleges of education and nursing, including a doctorate of nursing practice.
  9. Daily campus visits at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Visits include tours of the campus and residence halls and a meeting with an admissions counselor.
  10. College of Business accredited by AACSB International.

Athletics

Main article: Winona State Warriors

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 for most sports, except for women's gymnastics (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, the Warrior gymnastics team competed in the NCAA Division II nationals in Springfield, Massachusetts, taking home the third place trophy, the first team at Winona State to compete in both affiliations at the national level. 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 in 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.[2]. On March 7, 2007, the Men's Basketball team won its 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 its second NCAA Division II National Championship in three years.

Winona State's baseball team played for national championship on June 4, 2011, faced West Florida in Cary, N.C., in the final of the NCAA Division II World Series, and finished second.

University presidents

The Winona State University library, named for former university president Darrell Krueger.
  • 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 (2005–2012)
  • Josh Torgerson (2012-present)

Notable alumni

International education

Winona State University has an institutional understanding of the ongoing and far-reaching importance of having international students as part of its student body. The university has made serious and innovative commitments to international students through special scholarships, residence hall programs, orientation weeks and a variety of academic and social support programs. International students are encouraged and provided opportunities to share their history, language and culture with American students and the Winona community.

The International Services Office is the initial contact for all international students. The professional staff is caring, friendly and knowledgeable. They have the training and experience to help with the concerns and issues of international students.

The staff welcomes students to campus and assists them with the transition to life at an American university. Upon arrival at WSU, students visit the International Student Office to pick up an arrival packet. International students participate in an orientation program, where thy review immigration regulation, find answers to questions, get to the know the university and the community, receive registration information, and learn about the requirements of the Cross-Cultural Scholarship program.

Winona State University provides innovative scholarship opportunities for International Students.

Cross-Cultural Scholarship

The Cross-Cultural Scholarship offers International Students the ability to pay at the resident rate of tuition. Scholarship recipients share their culture with Americans as part of the requirement of the Cross-Cultural Outreach Program.

The Cross-Cultural Scholarship The Cross-Cultural Scholarship is available to all International students who qualify for admission at Winona State University and hold a F-1 Student Visa. These scholarships are equivalent to the difference between the resident rate of tuition and non-resident rate of tuition. Since tuition is based on a tuition band, the amount of the scholarship for the Academic Year of 2004 - 2005 is valued at an estimate of USD $4,534 based on 24 - 36 semester credits. Fall enrollees receive the scholarship for the academic year and Summer School. Spring Semester enrollees receive the scholarship for Spring Semester and Summer School.

Application And Renewal Process For Cross Cultural Scholarship Prospective International Students are invited to apply for the Cross-Cultural Scholarship by completing the application. The application will be reviewed as soon as it is received and a decision will be made concerning your possible selection as a scholarship recipient. An award letter clarifying the details of the scholarship will accompany the I-20 form at the time of Admission. Renewing the scholarship for your second year at the University is a simple process by completing the following:

The Cross-Cultural scholarship is a substantial source of savings for International Students.

Presidential Honor Scholarship

Presidential Honor Scholarships at Winona State University are designed especially for International Student freshmen with no transfer credits. Students must provide ORIGINAL TOEFL or SAT score to be eligible for the Presidential Honor Scholarship

Application And Renewal Process for the Presidential Honor Scholarship Prospective International Students are invited to apply for the Presidential Honor Scholarship by completing the application. The application will be reviewed as soon as it is received and a decision will be made concerning your possible selection as a scholarship recipient. An award letter clarifying the details of the scholarship will accompany the I-20 form at the time of Admission.

Winona State University has established many sister school relations with colleges and universities around the world, including Tamkang University in Taiwan, Hebei University of Technology in Mainland China, Akita University, Tokyo International University, Toyo University in Japan, Soonchunhyang University, Chung-Ang University in South Korea, and universities in Malaysia, Mexico, Spain, Egypt, Hong Kong, Australia, etc.

See also

References

  1. ^ WSU Ranked Among the Best Colleges by US New Media Group
  2. ^ WSU named best college buy
  3. ^ WSU receive ‘Best in Midwest’ honors from Princeton Review
  4. ^ Winona State University named "Green College"
  5. ^ 11th in the country: WSU campus safety
  6. ^ President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll
  7. ^ "Rep. Jeanne Poppe". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved October 8, 2012.

44°02′50.64″N 91°38′38.04″W / 44.0474000°N 91.6439000°W / 44.0474000; -91.6439000

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