MSU Milestones

• 2012 – MSU welcomes the largest freshmen class in history - more than 1,650.
  •  MSU alumnus Steve Kazee wins the Tony Award Sunday night for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical” for his role in “Once.”  
  • Space science faculty, staff and students delivered a Cosmic X-Ray Background Nanosatellite for launch with NASA.
  • MSU opens Veterans Resource Center in Breckinridge Hall.
  • MSU students, faculty, staff and alumni participated in MSU Cares – disaster relief in Eastern Kentucky counties damaged by tornadoes and strong storms.
  • MSU Board of Regents named the Space Science Center building Smith-Booth Hall in honor of alumni Jim Booth and Elmer Smith.
   
• 2011 – MSU kicks off a yearlong celebration of its 125th anniversary as a public institution: Celebrating hope, promise and opportunity. 
  • MSU reports highest fall enrollment in its history: 10,971. 
  •  Recreation & Wellness Center opened; the project was conceived, planned and financed by students. 
  • MSU ranked for the eighth consecutive year as one of the top public universities in the South by U.S. News & World Report. 
  • MSU students have an experiment launched on the Space Shuttle.
  • Kenneth Faried was the 17th Eagle to be drafted in the NBA. He plays for the Denver Nuggets.
  • Chynna Bozeman set the all-time leading scorer record with a career 2,170 points.
  • MSU adds the Browning Orchard as an education and field station for the agricultural sciences program.
  • Rowan County Senior High School student Hannah Mabry became the first student in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to be credited with discovering a pulsar, through an astronomy program at MSU’s Space Science Center.
   
• 2010 – Center for Health, Education and Research (CHER) opened as a result of a partnership between Morehead State University, the University of Kentucky and St. Claire Regional Medical Center. 
• 2009 – State-of-the art Space Science Center opened, giving MSU the distinction of being one of only five institutions in the nation to offer a degree in space science. 
• 2006 –  MSU developed and brought online a full motion 21-meter space tracking antenna.
• 2005 – Dr. Wayne D. Andrews named 13th president.
• 2003 – MSU reports highest fall enrollment in its history: 9,509.
• 1999 –  Morehead State was the first institution in Kentucky to offer a complete degree program online, the Master of Business Administration (MBA).
• 1978 – MSU at Mt. Sterling established.
• 2000 – First faculty chair endowed, honoring Dr. C. Louise Caudill.
• 1999 – “A Light to the Mountains” published as history of MSU.
• 1997 – MSU celebrated 75th anniversary as public institution.
• 1996 – MSU at Jackson established.
• 1995 – Original campus designated as National Historic District.
• 1992 – Dr. Ronald G. Eaglin became 12th president.
• 1991 – MSU at Prestonsburg established.
• 1987 – Dr. C. Nelson Grote became 11th president. 
  • MSU at Ashland and MSU at West Liberty established.
   
• 1986 – Dr. A.D. Albright became 10th president.
• 1984 – Dr. Herb. F. Reinhard became ninth president.
• 1979 – MSU Foundation incorporated.
• 1977 – Dr. Morris L. Norfleet became eighth president.
• 1972 – MSU celebrated 50th anniversary as public institution.
• 1966 – Name changed to Morehead State University.
• 1965 – WMKY became first public radio station in Eastern Kentucky.
• 1958 – MSU’s Marshall Banks became the first African-American student-athlete in the OVC.1954 – Dr. Adron Doran named seventh president.
• 1953 – MSU became member of NCAA.
• 1951 – Dr. Charles Spain appointed sixth president.
• 1948 – Name changed to Morehead State College.
• 1948 – MSU helped organize Ohio Valley Conference.
• 1946 – Dr. William J. Baird became fifth president.
• 1942 – U.S. Naval Electrical School based on campus through 1944.
• 1940 – Dr. William H. Vaughan named fourth president.
• 1935 – Dr. Harvey Babb became third president.
• 1930 – Name changed to Morehead State Teachers College.
• 1929 – Dr. John Howard Payne named second president.
• 1928 – Alumni Association founded.
• 1927 – First class graduated (four persons).
• 1926 – Name changed to Morehead State Normal School and Teachers College.
• 1923 – Morehead State Normal School began classes with Dr. Frank C. Button as president.
• 1922 – Morehead Normal School closed. 
  • Gov. Edwin Morrow signed legislative act creating state normal schools in Eastern and Western Kentucky; Morehead selected as eastern site.
   
• 1887 – Morehead Normal School opened as a private, church-supported institution.

Presidents of Morehead State University
Dr. Wayne D. Andrews, 2005-
Dr. Ronald G. Eaglin, 1992-2004
Dr. C. Nelson Grote, 1987-92
Dr. A.D. Albright, 1986-87
Dr. Herb. F. Reinhard Jr., 1984-86
Dr. Morris L. Norfleet, 1977-84
Dr. Adron Doran, 1954-77
Dr. Charles R. Spain, 1951-54
Dr. William J. Baird, 1946-51
Dr. William H. Vaughan, 1940-46
Dr. Harvey A. Babb, 1935-40
Dr. John Howard Payne, 1929-35
Dr. Frank C. Button, 1923-29