... AND CO NTING Cel~brating 125 years.of ho~, On a fair morning in nrnmlse an~ October 1887, one ,..,IU U student arrived for Annn~ .nih, the first day of class at a U~,..,~I I LU • ~7 tiny rented cottage, known . as Morehead Normal School. Another student would enroll later that afternoon, leading to 32 pupils by the end of the school year. Since that first student arrived on campus, more than 63,000 men and women have followed and now call MSU their alma mater. We have grown by leaps and bounds, and transformed into a beacon of higher learning, and we are proud to call this community home. 4. FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS CATERING Wants to congratulate Morehead State University on their .... 5. MSU AT AGLANCE 125th • ADOZEN TOUGH DECISIONS MADE nlversa • THE DIFFERENCE 6 A commentary by Keith Kappes 125TH ANNIVERSARY 606-783-2797 8• HOMECOMING SCHEDULE OF EVENTS www.msucatering.catertrax.com 1o. MOREHEAD STATE MILESTONES 125 YEARS OF INFLUENTIAL 12 • EAGLES MOREHEAD NORMAL SCHOOL/ 14 • MARCHING BAND HONORS NIXON 18. MSU NAMED SPACES AND PLACES Magazine cover, layout & design by James Carr. All current photographs - used were compliments of Tim Holbrook. Morehead State University: 125 t • 'I• • Years and Counting is a special publication of The Morehead News. "A light to the mountains II n nearly 125 years, the sweep of history has carried Morehead State · University and its predecessor institution, the Morehead Normal ISchool, from one makeshift classroom to the high-tech world of inter- net-based classes and a radio telescope/space tracking system which reaches from. a campus ridgetop literally to the stars. One student appeared on the first day of class in October 1887, in a little, Founded: 1887 as Morehead Normal School rented cottage where the Adron Doran University Center now stands. Enrollment: approximately 10,000 students from MSU FIGHT SONG Fight, Fight, Fight for Morehead. Tens of thousands of students have come from the foothills and moun ­ 106 Kentucky counties, 42 states and 35 nations Fight on, varsity. tains, the river towns and the hillside farms of East Kentucky and beyond Type of institution: public, coed Ever onward marching to seek the means to a better life in this beautiful, forested valley. The Average class size: 18 To our victory. P III school's first president, Frank Button, and his widowed mother, Phebe, Student/faculty ratio: 17 to 1 We're gonna Fight, Fight, Fight for Morehead. literally spent their lives bringing "a light to the mountains" by founding • Two-thirds of the faculty hold doctoral degrees. Colors gold and blue. a church-sponsored school to train teachers. MSU offers nearly 143 undergraduate degree programs including associate and baccalaure­ Our hopes on you we're pinning, whether losing or winning. ___1. P III The University began as Morehead Normal School, which opened its ate degrees, 70 graduate degree programs and Go, you Eagles and fight, fight, fight. doors in 1887. The private school closed in the spring of 1922 when the five education specialist programs (Ed.S.) in Q Kentucky General Assembly established Morehead State Normal School. five specialty areas, as well as Ed.D programs. --- The state institution accepted its first students in the fall of 1923 and Classes offered: on campus, at regional cam­ graduated its first class in 1927. Name changes occurred in 1926 when pus centers in Ashland, Jackson, Mount Ster­ MUCH MORE THAN AN ALMA MATER More than 55,000 call MSU their alma mater. They "and Teachers College" was added, again in 1930 when it was shortened ling, Prestonsburg and West Liberty, and have taken their invaluable education, skills and to Morehead State Teachers College, again in 1948 when "Teachers" was several other locations in East Kentucky and experience from MSU across the U.S. and interna­ dropped and, finally, to university status in 1966. Thirteen men, starting online. tionally. Some have gone on to become an NFL with Frank C. Button, have served as president. Dr. Wayne D. Andrews • MSU has the state's best computer-student Super Bowl MVP or an NBA 1st round draft pick. assumed office as the 13th president on Jan. 1, 2005. ratio in its computer laboratories. Residence halls: 10 coed residence halls Others are making an impact as state legislators, • The campus is ranked among the safest in the broadcasters or teachers of the year. Wherever we nation. go, the goals, achievements and attitudes of Eagle Student activities: more than 100 clubs and or­ alumni continue to put MSU on the map. ganizations 15 percent of the MSU student body participates in Greek life. 55,000 degrees awarded Colors: blue and gold Mascot: eagle (a.k.a. Beaker) Athletics: charter member of Ohio Valley Confer­ ence in NCAA Division I MSU sponsors 16 intercollegiate sports for men and women. • Football Eagles compete in the Pioneer Football League. Eagle Athletics info: www.msueagles.com TMN 10.23.12 I 7 cutbacks, shuttering the Council on Higher Educa- first phase of today's $16 stepped up to oppose the ..~.~ECISIONS MADE THE laboratory school also im- tion and former executive million MSU Space Sci- proposal, MSU could J (Editor's Note - As this salute to Morehead State University's 125th proved the public school vice president of UK. ence Center where future have lost students, part of anniversary was being prepared, we asked Publisher Keith Kappes of The Morehead News to write a personal perspective on the system by making it re- His effective steward- space scientists are its state funding and a institution he served for more than 40 years.) sponsible for educating ship of the splintered in- building real satellites big chunk of its service all Rowan County stu- stitution prompted the that NASA sends into region. A commentary by Keith Kappes dents. Regents to change his orbit. This fall's record enroll- Norfleet's establish- status to officially be the The eleventh decision ment from those moun- ment of the MSU Founda- 10th president. I have long admired and respected those individual on my list was made by tain counties and tion in 1979 also was a The ninth decision that President Wayne D. An- elsewhere is strong evi- leaders whose personal courage and confidence led strategic move that has made a difference was drews in 2006, shortly dence that his courage them to make tough, sometimes unpopular, decisions paid huge dividends. President C. Nelson after taking office, to pur- which significantly altered the future of what has be­ paid off and that MSU NO.7 may surprise Grote's bold move in 1990 sue funding of a health come Morehead State University. alumni remain fiercely some of my readers. It to secure millions of dol- sciences facility on the proud of the school that Toward that end, I have identified 12 decisions which was the then-secret deci- lars in state funds to re- campus of St. Claire Re- Brother Button and his I believe represent ~istoric turning points in the institu­ sion in 1986 by former place the campus gional Medical Center. tion's path to its current status as a respected, grow­ widowed mother started governors Louie Nunn underground utility sys- UK later joined the part- ing, and progressive public regional university. here in 1887 as a "light to and Edward Breathitt, tem. nership and today the the mountains". Five of those choices occurred before I joined the leaders of the MSU Board It was the only capital $33 million Center for MSU family in early 1969. Happy Birthday, MSU! of Regents at the time, to The first was in 1922 when Sen. Allie Young, a former project in the entire state Health, Education and Re- raise private funds to buy budget that year. The re- search (CHER) is a na- judge, risked his statewide standing as a political king­ (Opinions expressed in director and football and basketball coaches, he was a out the contract of Presi- suiting installation of tional model of health maker to successfully influence the selection of More­ the commentary are key figure in the university becoming a charter mem­ dent Herb. F. Reinhard. head as the site of a new state normal school to serve fiber optic cable allowed care cooperation. solely those of Keith ber of the Ohio Valley Conference. Reinhard accepted the Eastern Kentucky. MSU to become one of No. 12 also belongs to Kappes, MSU Class of The OVC today is regarded as one of the premier Di­ money and resigned, end- Disregarding the danger of political fallout from the the first public campuses President Andrews. 1970 and 1973 and former vision I athletic conferences in the U.S. ing the most divisive pe- other communities vying for the new school, the to be fully wired for the It is his courageous de- vice president for univer- Johnson, for whom the AAC arena is so appropri­ riod in MSU's history. His Internet. shrewd lawyer personally tipped the scales in favor of cision in late 2011 to al- sity relations.) ately named, also led MSU into the NCAA in 1953, an­ two-year tenure left the No. 10 happened about his hometown. most singlehandedly lead other smart choice. institution badly split and 2004 when President the fight against a legisla- Later, Young was to use his own funds to help the Next on the list is President Adron Doran's heroic de­ in need of healing. Ronald G. Eaglin ac- new school survive its infancy. tive proposal to designate cision in 1958 to recruit Marshall Banks as the first NO.8 on my list is the Second on my chronological list of key decisions is cepted a recommenda- the University of Pikeville black scholarship athlete in the OVC and at a previ­ decision by the Board of tion from Dr.