Emporia State University
Emporia State University (Emporia State or ESU) is a public university in Emporia, Kansas, United States. Established in March 1863 as the Kansas State Normal School, Emporia State is the third-oldest public university in the state of Kansas.[10] Emporia State is one of six public universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents.[11]
Former names
Kansas State Normal School (1863–1923)
Kansas State Teachers College (1923–1974)
Emporia Kansas State College (1974–1977)
"Changing Lives for the Common Good"
March 7, 1863[1]
$100.7 million (2021)[2]
$91.82 million (2017)
Brent Thomas
237 Full-time and 37 Part-time (Spring 2022)[3]
207
ESU Bulletin
Black and gold[9]
The university offers degrees through seven schools, one college, and one institute: the School of Business and Technology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Library and Information Management, School of Science and Mathematics, School of Visual and Performing Arts, School of Applied Health Sciences, The Teachers College, and the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies. Prior to the 2023–24 school year, Emporia State only had two schools and colleges.
Campus[edit]
Academic buildings[edit]
Most academic buildings at Emporia State University are dedicated to someone or are an important part of the school's history.[59]
Beach Music Hall, named in honor of former professor Frank A. Beach, houses the Music Department. It was built in 1926, and contains classrooms, a recital hall, and practice studios.[60]
Within the science building, Bruekelman Science Hall houses the Biological Sciences department and mathematics and economics departments, while Cram Science Hall houses the Physical Sciences department[61] and classrooms for chemistry, physics, and earth science. Inside the science building are two museums – Johnston Geology Museum[62] and the Richard H. Schmidt Museum of Natural History,[63] along with the Peterson Planetarium.[64]
Cremer Hall contains the School of Business and technology.[65] The building opened in 1964 and is also home to the Kansas Business Hall of Fame.
The HPER Building, officially known as the Health, Physical Education and Recreation building, is home to the Athletics and physical education department.[66] Inside the building are five gyms, locker rooms, classrooms, administrative offices, and a swimming pool.[67]
Inside John E. King Hall, named after the 11th president of ESU, are the Theatre Department, and the Arts and Communication Departments. Also inside is the Karl C. Bruder Theatre.[68]
Student life[edit]
Housing[edit]
At ESU, all incoming freshmen students must live in the Towers Complex (North & South Towers, Singular, and Trusler), unless they already live within a 30-mile (48 km) radius of the campus.[82] Upperclassmen have the choice to live in Abigail Morse Hall, the original dormitory on campus.[83]
South Morse Hall, which used to house students, is now used for office purposes such as the TRIO Program and Student Wellness Center are located in South.[84]
The Towers Complex is made up into four residence halls: North and South Towers, and Singular and Trusler Towers.[82] Trusler went under renovation in the fall of 2013,[85] with Singular going under renovation in the spring of 2014.[86]
In November 2017, construction started on a new residence hall, Schallenkamp Hall,[87] which was named after Emporia State's 14th president, Kay Schallenkamp.[88] It opened in 2020 and is the first new building on campus since 2000.[89]
Police and Safety[edit]
ESU Police and Safety is the campus police department. Besides enforcing the law, the department also provides other assistance for the students and faculty/staff members such as escorts and vehicle problems.[124] The department has ten full-time commissioned officers (one chief, one lieutenant, three sergeants, two corporals, and three officers), one full-time dispatcher, and several student dispatchers.[125] The Kansas Highway Patrol also has an office in the building.
