Motto | I'm A Hornet |
---|---|
Type | State university |
Established | March 7, 1863 |
Academic affiliation
|
Kansas Board of Regents |
Endowment | $77.6 million (2016) |
Budget | $91.82 million (2017) |
President | Allison Garrett |
Provost | David Cordle |
Academic staff
|
597 |
Administrative staff
|
207 |
Students | 5,887 (fall 2016) |
Undergraduates | 3,864 |
Postgraduates | 2,230 |
Location |
Emporia, Kansas, U.S. 38°24′58″N 96°10′47″W / 38.416023°N 96.179584°WCoordinates: 38°24′58″N 96°10′47″W / 38.416023°N 96.179584°W |
Campus | Rural, 234 acres (0.95 km2) |
Colors | Black and Gold |
Nickname | Hornets |
Mascot | Corky the Hornet |
Sporting affiliations
|
NCAA Division II – MIAA |
Website | emporia |
Emporia State University, often referred to as Emporia State or ESU, is a public university in Emporia, Kansas, United States, east of the Flint Hills. Established in March 1863 and originally known as the Kansas State Normal School, Emporia State is the third oldest public university in the state of Kansas. Emporia State is one of six public universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents.
The university offers degrees in more than 80 courses of study through four colleges and/or schools: the School of Business, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Library and Information Management, and The Teachers College. The Teachers College is one of only four post-secondary institutions in the United States to be identified as an Exemplary Model Teacher Education program by Arthur Levine in his 2006 national study of teacher education programs.
Emporia State's intercollegiate athletic teams are known as the Hornets with the exception of the women's teams, which are known as the Lady Hornets. Emporia State competes in NCAA Division II and has been a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) since 1991. Since joining the NCAA Division II in 1991, the Lady Hornets basketball team is the only team to win a NCAA championship.
The origins of the university date back to 1861, when Kansas became a state. This was because as a provision was included in the Kansas Constitution for a state university. From 1861 to 1863 the question of where the university would be located—Lawrence, Manhattan or Emporia—was debated. In February 1863, Manhattan was made the location of the state's land-grant college, leaving only Lawrence and Emporia as candidates. The fact that Lawrence had $10,000 plus interest donated by Amos Lawrence plus 40 acres (160,000 m2) to donate for the university had great weight with the legislature and Lawrence beat out Emporia by one vote. A few years later, on March 7, 1863, the Kansas Legislature passed the enabling act to establish the Kansas State Normal School, which eventually evolved into Emporia State University. Although Emporia State was established in 1863, it was not until February 15, 1865 that classes began.