Type Public Endowment $10,912,494 Acceptance rate 93.5% (2014) Undergraduate tuition and fees 7,360 USD (2016) Phone +1 218-755-2001 | Established 1919 President Faith Hensrud Total enrollment 5,120 (2016) Mascot Bucky the Beaver Colors White, Green | |
Former names Bemidji State Normal School;
Bemidji State Teachers College;
Bemidji State College Provost Michael Anderson (interim) Address 1500 Birchmont Dr NE, Bemidji, MN 56601, USA Notable alumni Matt Climie, Andrew Murray, Matt Read, Trent Baalke, Michele Leonhart Similar St Cloud State University, Minnesota State University, University of Minnesot, Minnesota State University, Winona State University Profiles | ||
Bemidji state university
Bemidji State University (BSU) is a public state university in Bemidji, Minnesota, United States, located on the shores of Lake Bemidji. Founded as a preparatory institution for teachers in 1919, it provides higher education to north-central Minnesota. It is a member of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.
Contents
- Bemidji state university
- Bemidji state university choose it
- History
- Presidents of Bemidji State University
- Academic programs
- Foreign programs
- Athletics
- Homecoming tradition
- Life on Campus
- Notable alumni
- References
Bemidji state university choose it
History
BSU was founded in 1919 and opened under the name Bemidji State Normal School. The first President Manfred Deputy was appointed to run the new institution and the first class consisted of 38 students. The name was later changed to Bemidji State Teachers College, then shortened to Bemidji State College, and finally in 1975, it was changed to its current name Bemidji State University. During the 1998–1999 academic year, the Board of Trustees recommended changing the name of the university to Minnesota State University–Bemidji, to reflect a change toward unification within the newly formed Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System after other larger institutions had done so. Prominent vocal and written opposition from students, alumni, and local Bemidji residents forced the board to withdraw the recommendation to change the name. Current enrollment is about 5,300 students, with students from 44 US states and 40 countries.
Presidents of Bemidji State University
Dr. Faith Hensrud was named Bemidji State University's eleventh president on April 20, 2016, and took office on July 1, 2016. Hensrud previously worked at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, having served as provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs since 2012.
There have been eleven presidents in the 97-year history of Bemidji State University.
Academic programs
Bemidji State University is becoming well known for its programs and conferences in writing. It offers the only BFA in professional and creative writing in the MnSCU system. The program includes a minor and certificates in electronic writing, consisting of courses in weblogs, wikis, web content writing, web design, digital rhetoric, and teaching writing with technology. Bemidji State also has a 96% rate of social work majors passing their licensing exams compared to the 76% rate for the entire state. In addition, Sattgast Hall is home to a number of natural sciences programs and pre-professional studies.
Foreign programs
For 16 years BSU has had a relationship with Liaoning University, a university in China. Each year a professor from Liaoning University goes to BSU to teach Chinese and each summer BSU students participate in "Sino-Summer", a month-long visit to China with half of the time spent at Liaoning University and half touring other parts of China including Beijing, Xi'an and Guilin. In 2007, for the first time in almost two decades, no group of BSU students went to China through the Sino-Summer program.
Athletics
The school sports teams are called the Beavers and compete in NCAA Division II, except in men's ice hockey and women's ice hockey. The Beavers are members of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in most sports, with the men's hockey team competing at the Division I level.
Homecoming tradition
In a tradition dating back to the mid-1990s, anytime the team wins homecoming, the players run from the football stadium to nearby Lake Bemidji and dive in. The tradition dates to 1995 when Bemidji State upset the defending conference champion Winona State University in the homecoming game and took their first "victory dip" in the lake. The roots of the tradition date back two years earlier however when, in 1993, an assistant coach attempted to inspire the winless team. He wrote a fictional news story of the upcoming homecoming game. In his account, the team earned an upset homecoming victory and dove into Lake Bemidji in celebration. A real-world victory didn't happen in 1993, nor 1994, but when homecoming victory came in 1995 it was time to get wet. Between 1995 and 2012 the Beavers have won twelve of the seventeen homecoming games.
Life on Campus
Bemidji State University offers a unique experience while attending. With six different housing options: Birch, Linden, Oak, Pine and Tamarack hall (the tallest building in Beltrami County) as well as Cedar Apartments. There is Housing that fits everybody's needs. Bemidji State University also offers a wide variety of student clubs and organizations including anything from Dance Team to Medieval Club to Spanish Club. While joining a club may not be for you, you might enjoy one of the many perks that comes with the lake side property such as swimming, fishing, boating etc. When you aren't spending your time studying at the A.C. Clark Library you'll have plenty to keep you entertained.