Northwest Missouri State University
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Northwest_Missouri_State_University".

Motto:	A Higher Form of Higher Learning
Established:	1905
Type:	Public, secular
President:	Dean L. Hubbard
Staff:	876
Undergraduates:	5,782
Postgraduates:	1,121
Location:	Maryville, Missouri, USA
Campus:	Rural
Athletics:	NCAA, MIAA
Nickname:	Bearcats
Mascot:	Bobby the Bearcat
Website:	http://www.nwmissouri.edu

Northwest Missouri State University is a state university in Maryville, Missouri. Founded in 1905 as a teachers college, it is a university offering undergraduate and graduate classes. The campus, based on the design for Forest Park (St. Louis)Forest Park at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, is the official Missouri State Arboretum.^{citation needed}The school is governed by a state-appointed Board of Regents and headed by President Dr. Dean L. Hubbard. Northwest competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (Division II) and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association for men's and women's sports. The mascot is a Bearcat. The Bearcats have won two NCAA Division II national championships (1998 and 1999) and finished as runner-up (2005, 2006, and 2007) in American football.^{citation needed}

History

History of NWMSU College, Bell Tower exhibit

In 1905 the Missouri Legislature created five districts in the state to establish teaching standards or norms (hence the original name Normal school) in a state teacher college network.

Maryville won the competition for the Northwest district with an offer to donate 86 acres (on coincidentally the northwest corner of town) and $58,000 on the site of a Methodist Seminary. The other districts in the network were to be at Kirksville (Northeast - now Truman State), Cape Girardeau (Southeast), Springfield (Southwest - now Missouri State), and Warrensburg (Central - now Central Missouri).

The original mission of the school was to teach elementary school teachers. Classes began on June 13, 1906 with a lab school teaching Maryville's children (that was eventually named the Horace Mann school) in kindergarten through third grade. The school was eventually expanded to a full-fledged high school before dropping back to its current configuration of kindergarten through sixth grade.

Class of 1948 bell

In 1919 the school was granted the name Northwest Missouri State Teacher's College, and with that the ability to grant baccalaureate degrees. In 1949 the name was shrunk to Northwest Missouri State College by the Board of Regents.

Rivalry with Missouri Western in St. Joseph

In 1969, Missouri Governor Warren Hearnes pushed for switching St. Joseph Junior College from a two-year school into a four-year state college. At approximately the same time, authorities decided against a plan to continue routing Interstate 29 north of St. Joseph along U.S. Route 71 through Maryville and Clarinda, Iowa (instead picking a route to Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska along the sparsely populated Missouri River bottoms).

Opening a new four-year state school within 45 miles (72 km) of Maryville (along with a delay in converting U.S. Route 71 to Maryville to four-lane status until ultimately 2002) was perceived in Maryville as an attempt to kill the school (and the town with which it is intertwined.) Those fears came to the forefront in 1988 when Shalia Aery, commissioner of higher education under Governor John Ashcroft announced a strategy to close the school. The plan was ultimately withdrawn.

Northwest Missouri State University

On August 14, 1972, Northwest was elevated to university status so that it could offer masters graduate degrees. Its name changed to Northwest Missouri State University.

One point of pride for the university is its Missouri Quality Awards. The university currently holds three of these honors, the first granted in 1997, the second in 2001, and the third in 2005. Northwest is the only educational institution to receive multiple Missouri Quality Awards.^{citation needed}

The President's home is on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1987, Northwest revealed its unique Electronic Campus Program. This put computers in all residence halls as well as faculty offices. The VAX computers were command line driven and included access to programs such as Wordstar. Brit Hume, visiting the college during this period on a speaking engagement, wrote a guest column in the Washington Post proclaiming Northwest as the country's first electronic campus.^{citation needed} In 1997, the program was upgraded and all of the faculty members received laptop computers, while network machines were implemented in each residence hall room. Recently, all students staying in the residence halls were given a laptop. Many locations on campus are now connected via WiFi.

Missouri State Arboretum

Main article: Missouri State Arboretum

The Administration Building rises above the Missouri State Arboretum

The campus design was inspired by the Forest Park design for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair which evolved into the campus for Washington University. In 1993 the state legislature designated Northwest the official Missouri State Arboretum.

Bearcat Stadium

Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics, and Computing

International Walk

In 2000 Northwest began offering an on-campus course for gifted high school students who spend their junior and senior years of high school living on the campus completing their high school courses as well as two years of college work. Upon graduation, students receive their high school diploma and an associates degree from Northwest.

The Missouri Academy average enrollment is around 80 students, but since 2007 enrollment has increased by 20 students, and continues to increase. The program is called the Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics and Computing. It is located at the center of the campus.

Administration Building

Northwest's Administration Building

Construction inspired by 1904 St. Louis World's Fair

The defining landmark of the campus is the Administration Building, very similar to Brookings Hall at Washington University in St. Louis. Brookings Hall served as the Administration Building of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. The master St. Louis design was created by Cope & Stewardson, famed for designing schools throughout the country based on the Oxford University style.

The Collegiate Gothic structure with its central tower keep design evokes Tattershall Castle and lords over the campus with the motto, "And the truth shall make you free," engraved in stone. Because of this design, the term "Tower" is used frequently throughout campus and is the name of the school yearbook. Work on the building began in 1906 and continued on and off until classes began in it on October 3, 1910. The architect of record for the Maryville building is John H. Felt. On March 15, 1919, a tornado ripped the roof off its auditorium and blew out most of its windows.

1979 Fire

On July 24, 1979, a fire destroyed 60 percent of the building on the central and west wing as well as the north wing housing the auditorium and Little Theater. However the east wing survived with relatively little damage. Many thought the building was going to be razed.

However, a $13.8 million capital program repaired most of the building and made extensive changes to the campus layout. The building ceased to serve as classroom space, with the exception of 3rd floor, which houses the Family and Consumer Sciences Department. The theater and music departments moved out of the building to the new Mary Linn Performing Arts Center west of Bearcat Stadium. The north wing of the Administration Building was torn down and sealed, although the outline of the wing is still visible against the bricks on the north. The former Wells Library (now Wells Hall) was turned into a classroom area and home for the National Public Radio affiliate radio station KXCV-FM and the library was moved to its current location in the new B.D. Owens Library. All the academic files were burned and lost with no backups prior to the fire.

Student life

Athletics

Programs

Northwest Missouri State University has 10 athletics programs that compete in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association or the MIAA. They include football, basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, tennis, cross country, track/field, golf, and soccer. Northwest is particularly known for their football program. Since 1996, the football program has won 2 national championships, made 4 championship game appearances, made 9 post season appearances, and won 9 conference championships in the MIAA. Bearcat Athletics Official Website

Football

Mel Tjeerdsma

Main article Mel Tjeerdsma

In 1994 Mel Tjeerdsma (pronounced ‘church-mah’), who earned a masters in physical education from Northwest in 1977, began his first year as football coach. The Bearcats went 0-11. In 1998, Tjeerdsma lead the Bearcats to their best season ever with a 15-0 record. Mel Tjeerdsma also has an NCAA Division II record 22 postseason victories.

Mel Tjeerdsma Field at Bearcat Stadium

Main article: Tjeerdsma Field

The St. Louis Rams donated their private jet to the team to fly the Bearcats to the 1999 championship game in Florence, Alabama.{{{author}}}, {{{title}}}, [[{{{publisher}}}]], {{{date}}}. Interest in Northwest has prompted it to play one game a year at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri with Pittsburg State University. When Tjeerdsma's teams began their championship run, conditions were so bad at Rickenbrode Stadium (the previous name of Bearcat Stadium) that the Bearcats were unable to play some home playoff games to which they were entitled. This spurred $5 million in renovations to the stadium, including the additions of luxury boxes and a color replay video board. The renovated stadium opened in 2003 under the name Bearcat Stadium. It has a capacity of 6,500 and lights and FieldTurf were installed in the summer of 2007. Formerly, Tjeerdsma Field was called Memorial Stadium, Rickenbrode Stadium and currently is called Bearcat Stadium. On August 22, 2007 the field was dedicated in honor of the school's coach Mel Tjeerdsma during a game against Arkansas Tech University.

Record Since Mel Tjeerdsma

NCAA Division II championship games

In 1998 the Bearcats won the NCAA Division II national football championship by going 15-0 -- the first time in history a Division II school won 15 games and the first time a Northwest school won a team national championship in any sport.

In 1999 Northwest defeated Carson-Newman College 58-52 in four overtimes to defend the title. The game was the longest in NCAA football playoff history in number of extra periods, surpassing six contests that were extended by three overtimes. The broadcast analyst on ESPN called it the best college football game he'd ever seen. The game solidified ESPN's interest in Division II football, prompting ESPN to cover the semi-final games.

In 2005 the Bearcats were a Cinderella team, ranked 22nd at the start of the playoffs, but they won all of their playoff games on the road until reaching the finals against Grand Valley State University. Northwest led the game until the closing minutes and still almost pulled the game out. The Cinderella nature of Northwest coming from 22nd to challenge the #1 team in the final has been evoked as a weakness of the Bowl Championship Series, where such a run would be impossible.

In the 2006 regular season the Bearcats went undefeated at 11-0. It was during their third playoff game, a game played against Bloomsburg University, that ESPN-U televised the game live from Maryville. This was the first nationally televised game from Bearcat Stadium. The game was also the first time that temporary lights (provided by ESPN) were used at Bearcat Stadium, (its lights were removed in 1977.) The Bearcats went 3-0 in the playoffs, thus earning a rematch against the Grand Valley State University Lakers at the NCAA Division II National Championship Game in Florence, AL, on December 16, 2006. The Bearcats fell to GVSU 17-14 after turning the ball over four times during the game.

In the 2007 regular season the Bearcats went 9-1. Their only loss was to the #1 University of Nebraska at Omaha, who went 12-0 in the regular season. The Bearcats received a first round bye. In the second round, they faced #3 West Texas A&M University at Bearcat Stadium, and won with a final score of 56-28. In the quarterfinals the Bearcats traveled to Chadron, Nebraska to face #1 Chadron State College. Xavier Omon lead the Bearcats to a 26-13 victory by rushing for a personal best 309 yards (283 m). The Bearcats faced their long-time post-season rivals Grand Valley State University in the semifinals. Both Grand Valley and Northwest were #2 seeds in their respective regions, but the NCAA stated that due to Northwest's strength of schedule, Northwest would receive the home game. The game was broadcast from Bearcat Stadium on ESPN2; this was the second nationally televised game from Bearcat Stadium. The game was close through the third quarter. At the beginning of the fourth quarter Northwest lead the close contest, 17-16. But after a Northwest interception that produced a touchdown, and a 98-yard (90 m) Xavier Omon touchdown run, the Bearcats prevailed with a final score of 34-16, ending Grand Valley's NCAA record-setting 40-game winning streak. The Bearcats lost to #8 Valdosta State University in the NCAA Division II national football championship at 12pm (Eastern) on Saturday December 15th, 2007 in Florence, Alabama; the game was broadcast on ESPN2. VSU's Defense stopped the run.

During the Tjeersma run through 2007, Northwest has made nine post-season appearances and won seven MIAA titles.

Thwarted Initiatives

University of Missouri–Northwest

In 2004 Northwest entered into an agreement to become the fifth campus of the University of Missouri System and change its name to the University of Missouri–Northwest.

Northwest approached the University of Missouri noting that University of Missouri–Columbia is the only state school north of the Missouri River to offer doctorate degrees while six state schools south of the river offer the degrees (the schools in Kansas City, Rolla and St. Louis along with the state universities at Cape Girardeau, Springfield and Warrensburg).

Northwest was motivated to approach the system after Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri proposed changing its status so that it could offer masters degrees—a move that was perceived to encroach on Northwest's masters turf since the two schools are close geographically. Northwest proposed to initially offer doctorate degrees in quality, alternative fuels, and geographic information science.

The move required enabling legislation. In 2005 the Missouri Legislature approved the expansion of Missouri Western but let the agreement for Northwest sunset in early 2006.

The move would have required Northwest to increase tuition, raise entrance requirements and increase staff pay.

Battle With Anheuser-Busch Over Ventria Biopharming

In November 2004 Ventria Bioscience entered into an agreement with Northwest to create a facility near the university and to relocate its operations, research and production to the state. Shortly thereafter Ventria added Northwest alumnus Melvin D. Booth, former president of MedImmune and university president Dr.Dean L. Hubbard to its board of directors. Hubbard receives no compensation for his service on the board of directors.

On April 12, 2005 Anheuser-Busch, the number one buyer of rice in the United States said it would not purchase rice grown in Missouri if genetically modified rice were to be grown in the state. This decision was prompted by Ventria's intent to grow 200 acres (800,000 m²) of its genetically modified protein producing rice in southeast Missouri. A compromise was brokered by Governor Matt Blunt (R-MO) and Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) which would have allowed Ventria to grow its rice with a buffer zone of 120 miles (190 km) from other Missouri rice crops. Anheuser-Busch and Ventria both agreed to this proposal, but in December 2005 Ventria withdrew from the agreement with Northwest due in part to a dramatic reduction in the amount of financial support offered by the state government. Ventria has previously planted in California, Iowa, and North Carolina, and has been approved by USDA-APHIS to plant in North Carolina again in 2006.

Campus lore

Memorial to Mike the Dog at the just east of the administration building

Roberta Hall

The Memorial Bell Tower

• Mike the Dog - Although the team mascot is a bearcat, perhaps the school's most touching monument is a small memorial to a dog near the east end of the Administration Building. Mike (which appears to resemble a Cairn Terrier) was a campus fixture from 1916-1917 and wore a green blanket with an "M" on it. Mike died after drinking arsenide of lead mistaking it for water. Students raised money for the memorial.
• Roberta Hall ghost - On April 28, 1951 a gas tanker car stored on a siding of the Wabash Railroad tracks behind what was then Residence Hall exploded, sending steel chunks several blocks away. The ensuing fire destroyed much of Residence Hall and injured Roberta Steel, who was to die from the wounds in 1952. The Hall was rebuilt and renamed for Roberta. A persistent story says that she haunts the building throwing hair brushes.
• Bobby the Bearcat - Northwest initially did not have a formal mascot and had been nicknamed the "Normals." In 1916 a Drury College coach asked the Northwest coach if his bearcats were ready to play. The name stuck.
• Kissing Bridge - The small wooden kissing bridge was over a small usually dry creek leading to Colden Pond southwest of Charles J. Colden Hall. Legend says that a female student isn’t officially a co-ed until she has been kissed on the bridge before the first snowfall. Another legend says that if you cross the bridge you will visit the campus again. The bridge has been moved from its original location closer to Colden Hall.
• University Seal in the Bell Tower - The university seal, which is also the seal of the State of Missouri, is at the base of the Bell Tower. According to legend, if you walk across it you risk flunking. In a 2004 restoration of the tower the seal was moved to a display case.
• Bell of 48 - A gift from the class of 1948, the bell is rung to announce athletic victories, in memory of any member of the University community and to announce other events deemed important by Student Senate and the administration. The bell is rung at 8:00 AM, (the time classes usually start,) on the Friday before the homecoming game, in order to signify Walk-Out Day. The seniors used to ring the bell some time in the day to "release" the other students from classes. Each year it became earlier until the University made it a tradition by cancelling classes that day.
• Hickory Stick - The hickory stick is given to the winner of the Northwest and Truman State University (Kirksville, MO) football game. The hickory stick says, "This Hickory Stick was grown on a farm in the Maryville District on which Eugene Fair, President of Northeast Missouri State was born." The first recorded game score is from 1908. Also noted on the stick is 1942, '43, '44 and '45 "WAR NO GAME." By tradition the winning team repaints the metal tip with their school color.
• School colors - The school colors are green (Pantone Solid Coated 3435) and white. Originally red and white, Northwest shortly changed them to differentiate the college from Maryville High School which had the same colors. Ironically, the high school eventually changed its colors to match the college green and white.
• World's Shortest St. Patrick's Parade - Starting off as a joke for downtown watering hole The Palms, it is an ever-diminishing tradition of having of the world's shortest Saint Patrick's Day Parade. Originally going a block on Buchanan from Fourth Street to Fifth Street, the parade has gotten shorter and shorter each year to maintain the record. It was 86 feet (26 m) in 2006.
• Laptop Program - Northwest also gives HP laptop computers to all students for use during the school year.

University Presidents

• Frank Deerwester (1906-1907)
• Homer Martien Cook (1907-1909)
• Henry Kirby Taylor (1909-1913)
• Ira Richardson (1913-1921)
• Uel W. Lamkin (1921-1945)
• J.W. Jones (1945-1964)
• Robert P. Foster (1964-1977)
• B.D. Owens (1977-1984)
• Dean L. Hubbard (1984-Present) --- Hubbard announced his retirement during the summer 0f 2008. He will retire in the summer of 2009.

Famous alumni

Northwest Alumni magazine in Spring 2006 showed an aerial view of the campus

• Jean Jennings Bartik - Among the first programmers of the ENIAC and inductee into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame
• Gary Gaetti - Major league baseball player
• Tony Miles - Canadian Football League wide receiver; school's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
• Mel Tjeerdsma - Northwest's national champion winning coach, and most winning DII post-season coach with 22 victories.
• Seth Wand - National Football League offensive lineman for the Tennessee Titans.
• Steve King - Congressman from Iowa's 5th District
• Jamaica Rector - National Football League wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals.
• Steve Williams - National Football League defensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers.
• Dave Tollefson - National Football League defensive end for the New York Giants.
• Chris Greisen - Arena Football League starting quarterback for the Georgia Force.
• Xavier Omon - Former Bearcat running back and 2008 6th round draft pick of the Buffalo Bills
• Mike Peterson - Former Bearcat tight end who signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

NWMSU

• Northwest Missouri State University
• Northwest Missouri State Athletics
• The Northwest Missourian

• Northwest Missouri State University is at coordinates 40°21′12″N 94°53′00″W / 40.353306, -94.88340 (Northwest Missouri State University)Coordinates: 40°21′12″N 94°53′00″W / 40.353306, -94.88340 (Northwest Missouri State University)