| Michigan State University is a public college located | | | | from the early days, took the same scientific |
| in East Lansing, Michigan. It is a land-grant | | | | agriculture courses as male students. In 1896, the |
| university and was the first agricultural college in | | | | faculty created a "Women Course" that melded |
| the United States. Michigan State University(MSU) | | | | liberal arts and sciences, with a home economics |
| has a fantastic hospitality school and the study | | | | curriculum. That same year, the College turned |
| abroad program is the largest of any | | | | the old Abbot Hall dorm into a women's |
| single-campus university in the nation, offering | | | | dormitory. However, it was not until 1899 that |
| more than 200 programs in more than 60 | | | | the State Agricultural College admitted its first |
| countries on all continents. Following the | | | | African American student. The first African |
| introduction of the Morrill Act, "MSU" became | | | | American student, William I. Thompson, went on |
| co-educational and expanded its curriculum beyond | | | | to teach at what is now Tuskegee University. In |
| just agriculture. "MSU" is currently listed as the | | | | September 2005, current university president Lou |
| six-largest university by enrollment. As a research | | | | Anna Simon called for "MSU" to become the global |
| university, Michigan State University is a member | | | | model leader for Land Grant institutions by the |
| of the Association of American Universities.In | | | | year 2012.The Athletic teams, all 22 of them, are |
| 1855, Governor Kinsley S. Bingham signed a bill to | | | | named the Spartans and dress in green and white |
| establish the nation's first agriculture college, the | | | | colors. Michigan State offers 14 varsity sports for |
| Agricultural College of the State of Michigan. | | | | men and 15 for women. The men's basketball |
| Classes began in May of 1857 with three buildings, | | | | team has won the national championship twice, |
| five faculty members and 63 students. The first | | | | once in 1979 and another in 2000. The 1979 |
| designed curriculum was one that required more | | | | championship team was led by the well-known |
| scientific study than any undergraduate institution | | | | NBA great, Earvin "Magic" Johnson. Football has a |
| of the era, balancing liberal arts, sciene and | | | | long tradition at Michigan State, starting as a club |
| practical training. After the Reorganization Act of | | | | sport in 1884, but football gained varsity status in |
| 1861 was passed, Colleges had a four-year | | | | 1896. The team won the Rose Bowl in 1954, 1956 |
| curriculum and the power to grant master's | | | | and 1988. The basketball games are played at the |
| degrees. That same year, the school changed its | | | | Jack Breslin Student Events Center and the |
| name to State Agricultural College and its first | | | | football games are played at Spartan Stadium, in |
| class graduated. However, there was not much | | | | the center of the campus.Michigan State |
| for an elaborate graduation ceremony, most of | | | | University is one of the many fine schools to |
| the alumni were drafted into the American Civil | | | | attend after high school in the United States. The |
| War that followed soon after. The college first | | | | academic program and athletic program of the |
| admitted women in 1870, although at that time | | | | university meets the requirements to become |
| there were no female dormitories. Females, even | | | | successful beyond graduation. |