Administrative History

Michigan State University (1855- ) is a nationally recognized institution for higher education located in East Lansing, Michigan.

Michigan State University was created when Michigan Governor Kingsley S. Bingham signed a bill in 1855 establishing the plan to build the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan. The college officially opened on May 13, 1857. In 1862, President Lincoln signed the Morrill Act which allotted federal lands to be used for academic institutions. This Michigan college was selected as the land-grant school for the state of Michigan and became a national prototype for the land-grant system. As a land-grant school, the college aimed to provide higher education to a wider audience, regardless of social or financial standing. Michigan State University quickly began with new programs, becoming the first university to teach scientific agriculture in 1857. Over the years, Michigan State University expanded to include women and international students. It now pertains to the Big 10 Conference for athletic events and has consistently been ranked in the top 100 universities worldwide.

Citation:

msu.edu, via WWW, May 7, 2018 (legislature signed in 1855 by Governor Kingsley S. Bingham; original name Agricultural College of the State of Michigan; started May 13, 1857; Morrill Act signed in 1862, college selected as the prototype; first university to teach agricultural science; ranked in top 100 universities worldwide)

Wikipedia, via WWW, May 7, 2018 (Michigan State University part of The Big 10 sports conference)

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