Marshall University

Marshall University is a public university based in Huntington, West Virginia. It was founded in 1837 as a private subscription school by several residents of Guyandotte and the surrounding area, on the site once known as Maple Grove (home of the Mount Hebron Church).

On March 30, 1838, the institution was formally dedicated by the Virginia General Assembly as Marshall Academy, however the majority of its offerings remained below the college level. In 1858, the Virginia General Assembly changed the name to Marshall College.^[1] The Civil War closed the often financially-challenged school for much of the 1860s.^[2]

On June 20, 1863, Cabell County, Virginia was one of the 50 counites to leave Virginia at the height of the American Civil War and the college fell under the jurisdiction of the new state of West Virginia. In 1867, the West Virginia Legislature resurrected the institution as a teacher training facility and renamed it State Normal School of Marshall College. With the exception of the landmark Old Main building, expansion of the facilities and the college itself did not begin until 1907, when the Board of Regents of West Virginia changed the title of the head from "principal" to "president" and allowed the creation of new college-level departments.^[3]

The West Virginia Board of Education authorized Marshall College to offer the master's degree in six programs (chemistry, education, history, political science, psychology, and sociology) in 1938, as the institution underwent another expansion, which accelerated after World War II.^[4]

On March 1, 1961, Marshall College became Marshall University as the West Virginia Legislature approved university status for the institution and the legislation was signed by governor W. W. Baron.^[5] In 1997, it merged with the West Virginia College of Graduate Studies (COGS),^[6] with the latter being renamed Marshall University Graduate College.^[7]

Marshall's enrollment was 16,500 in 2004. In addition to the main campus in Huntington and Marshall University Graduate College in South Charleston, West Virginia, the school maintains undergraduate centers in Gilbert, Point Pleasant, and Hurricane, West Virginia. Since 1989, Marshall has been governed by the University of West Virginia Board of Trustees.

Marshall University is composed of eight colleges and schools: the College of Liberal Arts (COLA), the College of Fine Arts (COFA), the College of Education and Human Services (COEHS), the College of Information Technology and Engineering (CITE), the Elizabeth McDowell Lewis College of Business (LCOB), the College of Science (COS), the College of Health Professions (COHP), and the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications (SOJMC). The University is also home to the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, a regional center for cancer research and which has a national reputation for its programs in rural health care delivery. The prominent forensic science graduate program is one of only three masters-level academic programs in the United States accredited by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

In of May 2006, Dr. Stephen J. Kopp took over as Marshall University's president and Dr. Sarah Denman serves as the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. The eight college deans are Dr. Christina Murphy (COLA), Mr. Don Van Horn (COFA), Dr. Rosalyn Anstine Templeton (COEHS), Dr. Tony B. Szwilski (CITE), Dr. Paul Uselding (LCOB), Dr. Andrew Rogerson (COS), Dr. Shortie McKinney (COHP), and Dr. Corley Dennison (SOJMC). Dr. Terry Fenger serves as Director of the Forensic Science Center. Dr. Charles McKown is the Dean of the School of Medicine.

Marshall University also operates the Robert C. Byrd Institute, with operations on both the Huntington and South Charleston campuses, as well as in Fairmont, West Virginia, and Rocket Center, West Virginia. The goal of the Institute is the transfer technology from the academic departments to private industry with the goal of job development in regional area.

History

Old Main, now serves as the primary administrative building for the university, was built on land known as Maple Grove in what was then the state of Virginia ^[8]. John Laidley, a local attorney, hosted the meeting which lead to the founding of Marshall Academy. The school was named after Laidley's friend, the eminent John Marshall ^[8] who had served as the fourth Chief Justice of the United States from January 1801 to July 1835. In 1838, the Virginia General Assembly officially chartered the academy, and the school that year began its first full term. The academy was closed for several years during the American Civil War ^[9].

In 1863 the western counties of Virginia officially formed the State of West Virginia, and in the legislature of West Virginia created the State Normal School of Marshall College ^{[10] [11]}.

Forty years later, in 1907, enrollment surpassed 1,000 students ^[11].

In 1937, the college suffered through a devastating flooding by the Ohio River ^[12]. Numerous structures, such as Northcott Hall and the James E. Morrow Library were extensively flooded. Much of Huntington was also heavily damaged, and as a result, a floodwall was constructed around much of the town to prevent future occurrences.

In 1938, the college officially began granting Master's degrees in chemistry, education, history, political science, psychology, and sociology. In that year the school was accredited as a "university level institution"; however, the renaming of the school would remain a contentious political issue for decades to come.

In 1960, John F. Kennedy spoke at the college during his cross-country campaign for the presidency.

In 1961, the state legislature finally created Marshall University. Governor William Wallace Barron signed the legislation at the university the day after it passed the legislature, on March 2, 1961. Interestingly, the student newspaper, The Parthenon, prepared two front pages for the day, depending on the outcome of the legislature's vote. Also in 1961, WMUL-FM began operations as the first public radio station in West Virginia. The station, which began in the Science Building at 10 watts of power now broadcasts from the Communications Building with 1,150 watts.

In 1969, the university's athletic program, facing a number of scandals, fired both its football and basketball coaches and was suspended from the Mid-American Conference and from the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The university respectably rebuilt its athletic program over the next several years, and in 1977, the university joined the Southern Conference.

Football Team Plane Crash

See also: Southern Airways Flight 932

On November 14, 1970, an airplane crash claimed the lives of 75 people, including 37 members of the Marshall football team and all but one member of the coaching staff. The team and staff were returning from an away game with East Carolina University. The plaza of the center has a fountain which does not flow from November 14 until the first day of spring football practice the following year. The 2006 Warner Brothers film We Are Marshall dramatizes the crash and its aftermath. The film opened in Huntington a week before its national release date.

In 1971 the Williamson and Logan campuses of Marshall University were combined by the West Virginia Legislature to form Southern West Virginia Community College (now Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College).^[13]

Some other notable events that occurred at Marshall University include that in 1977 the university founded its School of Medicine, the first professional school and the first doctoral program. Over the next 20 years the school would add doctoral programs in many fields. Twenty years later, in 1997, the West Virginia Graduate College became the graduate college of Marshall University. Its campus is located in South Charleston, West Virginia.In 1998, the John Deaver Drinko Library opened on campus. The center includes a 24-hour study center and a coffee shop, and has both wired and wireless networking throughout the building. John Deaver Drinko graduated from the university in 1942. In 2002, Marshall became the first university to eliminate landline telephones from its dormitory rooms. All Marshall students who live in residence halls now receive their own mobile phones.

Academics

From its humble beginnings as a small teachers college, Marshall is now gaining prominence as a full-fledged university.

The scholarship and achievements of Marshall's faculty are also bringing more attention to the University. Dr. Jackie Agesa and Dr. Richard Agesa are among the top 20 black economists in the nation. Dr. Jean Edward Smith, known for his works Grant and John Marshall: Definer of a Nation, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in biography. The Higher Education for Learning Problems (H.E.L.P.) program founded by Dr. Barbara Guyer assists students with learning disabilities and related disorders complete their college education.

The Center for Academic Excellence offers an enhanced educational experience for superior students. Marshall offers two prestigious and academically rigorous scholarship programs: the John Marshall Scholars and the Society of Yeager Scholars program.

The University maintains major involvement in the arts for the cultural benefit of the surrounding Appalachian region. The Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts center is a state-of-the-art, 530-seat facility for studies in the fields of music, art, and theatre. The Jomie Jazz Center is a $2.6 million facility that houses the University's study program in jazz.

Athletics

Marshall's sports teams are known as the Thundering Herd; the school's mascot is a buffalo. The school colors are kelly green and white. Marshall participates in NCAA Division I (I-A for football) as a member of Conference USA.

From 1964 to 1983, Marshall's football program suffered a dismal streak of losing seasons, exacerbated by the 1970 plane crash -- the worst tragedy in college sports history -- and recruiting violations that cost the school membership in the Mid-American Conference.

Beginning in 1984, Marshall football experienced a remarkable turnaround. The Thundering Herd posted 21 straight winning seasons before going 4-7 in 2005 under first-year head coach Mark Snyder, a former Herd standout defensive back and native of nearby Ironton, Ohio. During the 1990s, Marshall posted the highest winning percentage of any NCAA Division I program. The Thundering Herd won Division I-AA national championships in 1992 and 1996 before moving to I-A in 1997. Marshall has gone to seven bowl games in its first nine seasons back in I-A, posting a 5-2 record and establishing itself as one of the nation's top non-BCS programs.

Under head coach and Marshall alum Bobby Pruett, the Thundering Herd made a triumphant return to Division I-A, returning to the Mid-American Conference. Led by quarterback Chad Pennington (now with the New York Jets) and All-America wide receiver Randy Moss (now with the Oakland Raiders), Marshall won the MAC championship in 1997. In 1998, the Herd completed an undefeated season resulting in an Associated Press Top 10 ranking. By 2000, with quarterback Byron Leftwich (currently with the Jacksonville Jaguars) Marshall extended its string of consecutive MAC titles to four. The Herd lost in the MAC championship game in 2001, but reclaimed the conference title in 2002.

In 2003, Marshall renamed its football stadium with a capacity of 38,016, Joan C. Edwards Stadium, honoring a major donor to the university and its athletic program. The facility became the first football stadium in Division I-A to be named after a woman. Also in 2003, Marshall University disbanded its Men's Track & Field program, expressing financial concerns with the school's 2005 move from MAC to Conference USA.

The Thundering Herd women's volleyball team won the 2005 Conference USA regular season and tournament championships. Despite past conference titles and three appearances in the NCAA Tournament, men's basketball at the University has been in a state of relative mediocrity since the 1988 campaign. Both men's and women's basketball are played at the 9,600-seat Cam Henderson Center, named for the innovative coach who guided the school's athletic department from 1935 to 1955.

Other sports at the school include women's cross country, softball, swimming & diving, and tennis; men's baseball; and teams for both genders in track and field, golf and soccer. Marshall also fields club teams in rugby for both women and men, and a men's lacrosse team.

Marshall's biggest rivalries are with West Virginia University, East Carolina University, and Ohio University. Since its return to Division I-A in football, a rivalry with the University of Central Florida has been fostered, as both teams have played in the MAC and C-USA conferences together.

Student life

Residence halls

There are eight residence halls, seven of which are located on the main campus.

References

See also

• Sons of Marshall
• List of Marshall University people
• Buildings at Marshall University
• Robert C. Byrd Institute
• Huntington, West Virginia
• Education in West Virginia

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