Michigan State University

Overview

Michigan State University, whose constituents are called Spartans, is the United States of America’s pioneering land-grant university. It revolutionized higher education in 1855 by providing scientific agriculture education to citizens without regard to their social class. At the time, it was known as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan. It only became known by its present name on July 2, 1862, when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Morrill Act.

The Morrill Act paved the way for the creation of land-grant universities throughout the country, with Michigan State University in East Lansing being one of the first. This change came about because of the United States’ need for more practical professionals such as farmers, engineers, and scientists. Because of that, the university is now a leading educational institution in plant science studies. Indeed, it works together with the U.S. Department of Energy to operate a plant research laboratory. Furthermore, in 1888, the university founded its horticultural laboratory, the first in the country, through the efforts of the botanist Liberty Hyde Bailey.

Apart from those, Michigan State University is well-regarded for its National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. Started in 1963, it remains the largest nuclear science laboratory inside a university campus. The university is also known for its education center, communication program, management course, and business administration subject. It has also markedly improved the following offerings, making them at par with other top universities in the country: sociology, hospitality and tourism, ecology, political science, and biotechnology.

But it is not just academics and research that Michigan State University is known for. Its students also excel in sports, as its men’s basketball team has been consistent in their performance at the NCAA. Indeed, the team has been a part of the Final Four several times. Magic Johnson, a renowned NBA player, calls MSU his alma mater.

In other fields, Michigan State University has produced notable alumni such as William Chandler Bagley, an educator who worked towards the improvement of public education in the country. There is also Richard Ford, who is the author of the popular Independence Day, which received the Pulitzer Prize.

There is also a museum and a botanical garden that students, staff, and visitors alike can relax in. The 5,300-acre campus and around 566 buildings make that possible. With these, the university continues to nurture talents and enables them to explore different aspects of university life.