Founded in 1905 as Missouri’s Fifth District Normal School on the grounds of a former tree nursery, the institution has evolved from a teacher training school that became known as Missouri State Teachers College in 1919, to granting baccalaureate degrees. Another name change in 1949 to Northwest Missouri State College preceded the institution offering its first graduate degree courses in 1955, and it became Northwest Missouri State University in 1972.
Today, Northwest stands tall as a coeducational, primarily residential four-year university that offers a broad range of undergraduate and selected graduate programs on its Maryville campus as well as its Northwest-Kansas City location and through Northwest Online.
Boasting an enrollment of about 10,000 students, Northwest is ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top public regional universities in the Midwest, while maintaining a high retention rate and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile among its peers. Additionally, results of the 2021 Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory show Northwest students are more satisfied than students at national peers, and 80 percent of Northwest students report they would repeat their University experience, compared to 77 percent of students surveyed nationally at their respective institutions. Furthermore, 97 percent of Northwest bachelor’s degree earners and 99 percent of master’s degree earners secure employment or continue their education within six months of graduation, according to the most recent data.
Northwest places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help graduates get a jumpstart on their careers. Students have opportunities to build their résumés with experiences on campus in nearly every area of study, including the Horace Mann Laboratory School, National Public Radio affiliate KXCV, the R.T. Wright Farm, Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area or Knacktive, a student-driven integrated digital marketing communications agency. In support of its emergency and disaster management program, Northwest organizes and hosts Missouri Hope, an annual mass casualty training exercise that attracts first responders and emergency workers from throughout the nation and provides hands-on training in preparation for natural disasters. The University’s vibrant and diverse learning community also offers more than 150 student organizations, while its internationally benchmarked student employment program helps students build professional skills in 1,200 employee roles.
In addition to its nationally competitive academic programs, Bearcat athletic programs excel on the national stage. As a founding member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in 1912, the Bearcat football program has claimed a record six NCAA Division II national championships and the Bearcat men’s basketball program has earned four NCAA Division II national championships since winning its first in 2017. Fourteen Bearcat student-athletes have won individual national championships in indoor and outdoor track and field.
Among other distinctions, Northwest launched its innovative textbook rental program in 1922, and in 1987 the University unveiled its “Electronic Campus,” becoming the first public college or university in the United States to provide a networked computer terminal in every residence hall and faculty office. Today, textbooks and a laptop are included in tuition, which is among the lowest in the nation and saves students an estimated $6,800 over four years.
In 1993, the Missouri State Legislature designated the Northwest campus as the Missouri Arboretum, which is home to more than 1,700 trees and more than 160 species. The campus also maintains two sites on the National Register of Historic Places: The Thomas Gaunt House, which has served as the residence for University presidents and their families since the institution’s founding, and the Administration Building, which opened in 1910, was the campus’s sole academic building until 1959, survived a devastating fire in 1979 and stands as an iconic symbol of Northwest’s perseverance and strength.
For more information about Northwest and its performance, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/aboutus/facts/.
