Murray State University Athletics
Murray State University
12/7/2005 6:00:00 AM | General
Murray State University is home to 10,000 students. They come from nearby, from throughout the nation and from around the world.
From thousands of universities, students choose Murray State University because of its academic reputation. Along with exceptional teachers, they get Murray State's personal approach to living and learning.
Long considered one of the best-kept secrets in higher education, the word is starting to get out about the excellence of Murray State University. Students don't just pick Murray State?they're drawn to it.
World-Wide Recognition
When U.S. News and World Report released its recent Best Values ranking, Murray State was sixth among the South's 123 regional universities. Murray State, which is considered "one of the South's best values" was Kentucky's only state university to earn recognition in each of the three competitive categories.
According to U.S. News, value rankings were devised to provide a realistic measure of where students can get the best education for their money. The "best values" are calculated in relation to a school's discounted price (tuition plus room, board, fees, books and estimated personal expenses, minus the average on need-based grants). When U.S. News selects its "best values" it only considers those institutions with a "top-tier" academic ranking in America's Best Colleges.
Students looking to get their money's worth find the value rankings very helpful, and in the end they'll discover that Murray State University is an excellent buy.
High Academic Standards
Murray State is certified by national and regional accreditation agencies, which means MSU meets rigid standards.
As one of the best public, liberal arts universities has attracted students of high academic standing. In fact, entering MSU students have the highest ACT average of all Kentucky regional campuses. They are accustomed to challenges and they are not disappointed.
Murray State's highly-respected liberal arts curriculum is built on a core of courses called University Studies. University Studies is designed to educate each student broadly in the various areas of human knowledge: the arts, the humanities, the natural sciences and the social sciences. Equally important, the curriculum helps students develop communication skills vital to becoming a responsible citizen and a lifelong learner.
The Campus
Since its founding in 1922, Murray State has gained a reputation of having one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. That reputation is based on the well-kept, tree-filled 200 acres which is the site of Murray State University.
Adding to the natural, scenic beauty of the campus are the many well-maintained and aesthetically-pleasing buildings. Over the years, MSU has kept its historical look despite dozens of additions.
Currently, the university has three major building projects underway and several others on the drawing board. Most notably, the university just completed a project which included an impressive entrance to the campus and a fence reminiscent of the ones which encircle the many thoroughbred horse farms which Kentucky is known for.
Residential Colleges
Through the newly created Residential Colleges, Murray State offers students a way of collegiate life that leads to individual and team success. In 1998, MSU decided to transform its housing complex (dormitories) into separate colleges where students who share the same majors or
educational pursuits share the entire collegiate experience. In essence, Murray State not only made a transformation, it separated itself from other higher education institutions.
From the moment students enroll at Murray State, they become a part of their own residential college within the university. It means belonging. It means each college will have its own government, its own athletic teams, its own faculty ombudsperson and its own traditions.
When the Chronicle of Higher Education featured MSU's improved style of education, it wrote of "a sense of college unity" and "competition that carries over into the classroom."
The London Times referred to the idea as a vision of Oxford University in Kentucky. "The system is closest to elite U.S. universities, such as Harvard and Yale, which assign their many students to residential houses," wrote the Times.
Student Life
Murray State University offers an active, vibrant and challenging environment for its students. From the classroom to the residential college room, the Murray State experience is one which students will harbor for a lifetime.
In the classroom, educators are dedicated to seeing each student reach his or her potential. Class size is about 30-35 students.
Outside of the classroom, Murray State offers many athletic and social programs. Intramural sports operate year-round, while fraternities and sororities allow students to form bonds with "brothers" and "sisters" which will last a lifetime. Murray State also attracts a wide array of nationally-acclaimed speakers, top concerts and other events.
Perhaps the biggest event on campus each year is Homecoming. Each fall thousands of alumni return to Murray State to renew old friendships and visit the place they called home for four years.
Racer Athletics
The university's intercollegiate athletic programs are a source of tradition, school pride, spirit and entertainment for students, alumni and community members alike. Competing at the highest level of college athletics, MSU is a member of NCAA Division I and the Ohio Valley Conference in its 18-team program.
Murray State is committed to athletic excellence, which is evident by its 96 OVC championships in the 54 years that the Racers have been competing in the league.
One of the greatest benefits of Racer athletics to Murray State is the attention and acclaim which it brings to the university. The Murray State basketball team has achieved extensive notoriety by competing in the NCAA Tournament in most years. Also, the Racers find themselves being written about in such publications as Sports Illustrated, ESPN (the magazine), The Sporting News, USA Today and dozens of publications and newspapers across the country. Additionally, Murray State is featured several times each year on ESPN and Fox Sports Net South as part of their college basketball and football broadcasts.
Murray State has also sent its share of player to the NFL, the NBA, Major League Baseball and other professional leagues around the world.
Local Community
Located in Murray-Calloway County in far western Kentucky, Murray State is surrounded by a neighborly Main Street community of nearly 50,000 people. Known for its friendly citizens and beautiful, wooded landscape, Murray-Calloway County is a growing and thriving area.
In addition to its strong educational, employment and quality of life opportunities, Murray-Calloway County's location is beneficial in many ways. Located in the Jackson Purchase region of West Kentucky, Murray is eight miles from Tennessee, (approximately) 50 miles from Illinois, 65 miles from Missouri and 150 miles from Indiana, Murray State is easily able to draw students from five different states. Also, four major cities (St. Louis, Nashville, Memphis, Louisville) are within a few hours' driving distance from Murray.
One of the biggest attractions in West Kentucky is scenic Kentucky Lake and the Land Between the Lakes. Just a 15-minute drive from the Murray State campus are boating, fishing, hunting, camping and hiking opportunities, which students often take advantage of during fall and spring weekends.
