Northwest Missouri State University

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Last updated on Jan. 17, 2012

| Overview | The Location | Enrollment Statistics | Academic Information |
| Student Life | Athletics | Alumni | Distinctions |

Overview

Since 1905, Northwest has provided high-quality, hands-on education to students in this region. Beginning as the Fifth District Normal School, Northwest has evolved to encompass 130 academic programs and a vibrant campus of more than 7,200 students and about 750 faculty and staff.

To learn more about Northwest, read the quick facts below. For more in depth information, visit our links at left.

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The Location

• Northwest’s main campus: 370 acres
• Northwest’s campus is designated the Missouri Arboretum
• University Farm: 500 acres
• Rural lakefront: 315 acres
• Northwest Kansas City Center in Liberty offers graduate degrees in education and business
• Northwest St. Joseph Center in downtown St. Joseph offers graduate degrees in education, business and science.

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Enrollment Statistics

• 7,225 students
• 72% instate, 28% out of state enrollment
• 3.7% international enrollment
• 11% minority enrollment
• Students represent 48 states and 33 countries

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Academic Information

• 74% retention rate, considerably higher than national and regional averages
• 93% of our graduates find employment or continue their education within 6 months of graduation
• Northwest's student loan default rate is only 4.3%, compared to Missouri's average rate of 7.6% and a national average of 8.8%.
• 58% graduation rate, 13% higher than the national average
• Average class size of 27
• 70% of our classes have fewer than 30 students
• 95% of tenure and tenure-track faculty have the highest degree in their field
• 100% of classes taught by professionals, not graduate assistants
• 50% of Northwest’s regular courses are web enhanced
• 22-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio
• Laptops and textbooks are included in tuition at Northwest, ensuring that all students have access to the tools they need to be successful in the classroom. The textbook rental program saves students an average of $1,168 per year.

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Student Life

• More than 70% of students actively participate in one or more of Northwest’s 150 student organizations
• Students gave about 25,000 hours of their time to their community in the 2009-2010 academic year
• Students have about 1,200 opportunities to build their resumes right on campus through student employment
• Northwest named to 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. This marks the fifth year Northwest has been named to the honor roll since its inception in 2006.

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Athletics

• Women's basketball team advanced to the 2011 NCAA Division II Final Four
• Wrestling club won the 2011 National Collegiate Wrestling Association Division II National Championship
• 2010 and 2012 National Cheerleading Champions
• 1998, 1999 and 2009 NCAA Division II national football champions
• Myles Burnsides named 2009 National-Scholar Athlete of the Year
• Mascot: Bobby Bearcat
• Colors: Green and White

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Alumni

• More than 70,000 alumni and friends
• 18 Alumni Chapters throughout the United States and 1 in Japan
• In FY10, The Northwest Foundation recorded the second best year in the foundation’s history, raising more than $6 million.
• In FY10, The Northwest Foundation awarded 852 scholarships, providing $601,287 in support to students

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Distinctions

• Winner of the 2011 Annual Recycling Award from the Missouri State Recycling Program, which recognizes outstanding contributions in a series of recycling collection, waste or recycled content procurement.
• The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a mixed use academic and business incubator, winner of the Southern Growth Policies 2010 Innovator Award. This marked Northwest’s second-straight year to win the award.
• Since 1982, Northwest has been on the cutting edge of alternative fuels. Approximately 75-85% of the University’s thermal energy needs are provided through alternative fuels, saving taxpayers more than $13 million since the program’s inception.
• The Horace Mann Laboratory School and Early Care Education Laboratory Center provide a clinical experience for pre-service teachers and a diverse and interactive learning environment for children ages three through sixth grade.
• The Department of Agriculture offers students hands- on experience at the University Farm, which is home to beef, swine, dairy, poultry and sheep herds, as well as row, silage and hay crops. The campus orchard evaluates the viability of berry, grape and fruit hybrids for our region, discovering alternative crops for northwest Missouri and improving profitability of local small farms.
• The Department of Mass Communications offers students hands-on experience through two campus radio stations, a campus TV station, a semi-independent broadcast production company, and award-winning student publications including a newspaper, yearbook and online magazine.

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