View source for Winona State University

{{Short description|Public university in Winona, Minnesota, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{advert|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox university
 | name                   = Winona State University
 | former_names           = First State Normal School of Minnesota (1858–1873)<br />Winona Normal School (1873–1921)<br />Winona State Teachers' College (1921–1957)<br />Winona State College (1957–1975)
 | native_name            = 
 | latin_name             = 
 | image                  = Winona state univ seal.png
 | image_size             = 150
 | motto                  = A Community of Learners Improving Our World
 | established            = {{start date and age|1858}}
 | type                   = [[Public university]]
 | endowment              = $62.4 million (2023)<ref>{{cite web|title=Winona State University 990|url=https://irs-efile-renderer.instrumentl.com/render?object_id=202500159349300480}}</ref>
 | budget                 = $159 million (2019)<ref>{{cite web|title=2019 Minnesota State Legislative Databook|url=https://www.minnstate.edu/legislative/docs/Legislative-Data-Book-2019.pdf|website=Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System website|publisher=Minnesota State System|access-date=December 5, 2019}}</ref>
 | president              = Kenneth Janz<ref>{{cite web |title=University Administration |website= Winona State University |url=https://www.winona.edu/about/leadership/administration/}}</ref>
 | students               = 6,165<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hertel |first1=Nora |title=How has enrollment at Minnesota State schools changed in a decade? |url=https://www2.winona.edu/ipar/Media/WSU-Fast-Facts-2021-2022-pdf.pdf/ |access-date=5 December 2019 |publisher=St. Cloud Times |date=October 22, 2019}}</ref>
 | city                   = [[Winona, Minnesota|Winona]]
 | state                  = Minnesota
 | country                = United States
 | campus                 = [[City|Small city]]
 | colors                 = Purple and White<br />{{color box|#4B08A1}}&nbsp;{{color box|white}}
 | nickname               = [[Winona State Warriors|Warriors]]
 | mascot                 = Wazoo
 | website                = {{url||https://www.winona.edu/}}
 | logo                   = Winona State University wordmark.svg
 | logo_size              = 200
}}

'''Winona State University''' is a [[public university]] in [[Winona, Minnesota]], United States. It was founded as '''First State Normal School of Minnesota''' in 1858 and is the oldest member of the [[Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System]]. It was the first [[normal school]] west of the Mississippi River.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hanschu|first1=Steven|title=The Kansas State Normal years: 1863&ndash;1923|date=2013|publisher=Emporia State University University Libraries and Archives|pages=19–28|url=http://academic.emporia.edu/esrs/vol49/hanschu.pdf}}</ref>

The university offers more than 80 programs on its main campus as well as collegiate programs on satellite campuses at Winona State University-Rochester. Its average annual enrollment is approximately 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Its sports teams compete as the [[Winona State Warriors]] in the NCAA Division II athletics in 14 sports, primarily in the [[Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference]].

==History==
{{Infobox NRHP
| name = Model School Building and College Hall of the Winona Normal School
| nrhp_type = 
| image = Somsen & Phelps Halls.jpg
| caption = College Hall (left) and the Model School Building (right), now Somsen and Phelps Halls
| coordinates = {{coord|44|2|52|N|91|38|33|W|display=inline}}
| locmapin = Minnesota#USA
| location = 416 Washington Street and 151 W. Sanborn Street, [[Winona, Minnesota]]
| built = 1915 (Model School), 1924 (College Hall)
| architect = [[Clarence H. Johnston Sr.]]
| architecture = [[Jacobethan]] (Model School), [[Collegiate Gothic]] (College Hall)
| refnum = 13000884<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2010a}}</ref>
| added = December 3, 2013
}}
Winona State University was founded as the First State Normal School, an institution specifically for educating and producing new elementary school teachers. In the 1850s, Minnesota was on the [[American frontier]] and lacked trained teachers. Winona settler John Ford lobbied the [[Minnesota Legislature]] to establish normal schools and rallied more than $5,000 in local donations to establish the state's first such institution.<ref name=Gaut>{{cite web |last=Gaut |first=Greg |title=National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Model School Building and College Hall of the Winona Normal School |url=http://www.mnhs.org/shpo/nrhp/docs_pdfs/0061_winonanormalschool.pdf |publisher=National Park Service |date=2013-05-17 |access-date=2015-07-07}}</ref> It was also the first tax-funded school west of the [[Mississippi River]].<ref name=History>{{cite web |title=Winona State History |url=http://www.winona.edu/history.asp |publisher=Winona State University |access-date=2015-07-07}}</ref>

Classes at Winona Normal School began in September 1860, but the next year most of the male students as well as the principal and other staff left to serve in the [[American Civil War]]. The school closed in March 1862 due to the war, then for another two years due to the [[Sioux]] War of 1862.<ref>{{Cite book|title=History of St. Cloud Teachers College|last=Brainard|first=Dudley S.|publisher=St. Cloud State University|year=1953|location=St. Cloud State University Institutional Repository|page=3}}</ref> Its first class graduated in 1866. The program soon added a [[laboratory school]] in which local children received education from faculty while students observed or, occasionally, led lessons themselves. The normal school quickly outgrew its original four-room building, but state funding and local donations of money and land led to the construction of a proper facility in 1869.<ref name=Gaut />

The campus expanded with two new wings on "Old Main" in 1894, a library/gymnasium/kindergarten building—Ogden Hall—in 1909, and a women's dormitory—Morey Hall—in 1910. In 1915 a new building was constructed to house the laboratory school, and a second women's dormitory—Shepard Hall—appeared in 1920.<ref name=Gaut />

Winona State Normal School became Winona Teachers College in 1921 and was authorized to grant a four-year [[Bachelor of Education]] degree.<ref name=History /> In December 1922 a fire broke out in Old Main and completely destroyed it. No one was harmed, as it was during a term break. Local public buildings and churches offered space for classes and administrative business until a new main building, College Hall, was constructed in 1924.<ref name=Gaut />

The 1915 Model School Building, now Phelps Hall, and the 1924 College Hall, now Somsen Hall, were listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2013 for having local significance in education.<ref name=MNHS>{{cite web |title=Model School Building and College Hall of the Winona Normal School |url=http://nrhp.mnhs.org/NRDetails.cfm?NPSNum=13000884 |work=Minnesota National Register Properties Database |publisher=Minnesota Historical Society |year=2009 |access-date=2015-06-23}}</ref> They were nominated as examples of the normal school movement, which helped shape public education in Minnesota.  Winona Normal School was Minnesota's first teacher training school and first laboratory school, and operated from 1860 to 1971.<ref name=Gaut />

===Name changes===
[[File:SomsenHallWSUchimera.JPG|thumb|right|upright|[[Grotesque#In architecture|Architectural sculpture]] above an entrance to Somsen Hall]]
* First State Normal School of Minnesota (1858)
* Winona Normal School (1873)
* Winona State Teachers' College (1921)
* Winona State College (1957)
* Winona State University (1975)

[[Image:KruegerLibraryWSU2007-01.JPG|thumb|right|The university library, named for former university president Darrell Krueger]]

==Academics==
[[File:2017July4WSU.jpg|thumb|right|The Winona State University main campus and its surroundings in Winona, Minnesota]]
{{Infobox US university ranking
| USNWR_REG = 71
| Wamo_MASTERSU = 294
| Forbes = RNP
}}

Winona State University offers 65 undergraduate programs and 12 graduate programs. It was one of the earliest universities in the country {{when?|date=August 2023}} to offer a "Laptop University" program, now known as the e-Warrior Digital Life and Learning Program. In this program, each student, upon acceptance, is required to lease their choice of either an [[Apple Macintosh]] or Microsoft Windows-based laptop from the university.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winona.edu/its/laptop/software_info.asp |title=Information Technology - Winona State University |publisher=Winona.edu |date=2015-07-06 |access-date=2015-07-14}}</ref> In 2013 Winona State University became the first public university in the Midwest to offer a tablet and a laptop to all students.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://winonastatenews.com/4064/tablets-at-wsu/ |title=Tablets at WSU |work=Winonastatenews.com |date=2013-06-17 |access-date=2015-07-14}}</ref> The program's purpose is to increase the bond between education and technology.

Each Winona State University student pays 43 cents per credit to fund the [[Minnesota State University Student Association]], a student-led nonprofit that advocates on behalf of all Minnesota state university students.

===International education===

The International Services Office is the initial contact for all international students. Winona State University provides scholarship opportunities for International Students.

Winona State University has established many sister school relations with colleges and universities around the world, including [[Tamkang University]] in Taiwan, [[Hebei University of Technology]] in Mainland China, [[Akita University]], [[Tokyo International University]], [[Toyo University]] in Japan, [[Soonchunhyang University]], [[Chung-Ang University]] in South Korea, and universities in Malaysia, Mexico, Spain, Egypt, Hong Kong, Australia, etc.

==Winona State facilities==
{| class="wikitable floatright sortable collapsible"; text-align:right; font-size:80%;"
|+ style="font-size:90%" |Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023<ref>{{cite web |title= College Scorecard: Winona State University|url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?175272-Winona-State-University|website=College Scorecard |publisher=[[United States Department of Education]] |access-date=June 23, 2025 }}</ref>
|-
! Race and ethnicity
! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Total
|-
| [[Non-Hispanic whites|White]]
|align=right| {{bartable|82|%|2||background:cyan}}
|-
| [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]]
|align=right| {{bartable|5|%|2||background:green}}
|-
| [[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races]]
|align=right| {{bartable|4|%|2||background:violet}}
|-
| [[Asian Americans|Asian]]
|align=right| {{bartable|3|%|2||background:orange}}
|-
| [[African Americans|Black]]
|align=right| {{bartable|3|%|2||background:purple}}
|-
| [[International student]]
|align=right| {{bartable|2|%|2||background:#008080}}
|-
| Unknown
|align=right| {{bartable|1|%|2||background:grey}} 
|-
! colspan="4" data-sort-type=number |[[Economic diversity]]
|-
| [[American lower class|Low-income]]{{efn|The percentage of students who received an income-based federal [[Pell grant]] intended for low-income students.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|25|%|2||background:red}}
|-
| [[Affluence in the United States|Affluent]]{{efn|The percentage of students who are a part of the [[American middle class]] at the bare minimum.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|75|%|2||background:black}}
|}
{{wide image|Winona State Panorama.jpg|550px||100%|center|alt=Winona State Panorama}}
===Housing===
Winona State University hosts on-campus living communities in multiple buildings on its main Winona campus (https://www.winona.edu/student-life/housing-dining/). Three buildings (Lourdes Hall, Tau Center, and Maria Hall) previously formed a West Campus, which was used for on-campus living until 2021.

====Kirkland Hall and Haake Hall====
Originally named New Hall East and New Center West, Kirkland Hall/Haake Hall opened in 2010 and consists of two adjacent buildings that are mirror images of each other.<ref name="new">{{Cite news |url=https://www.winonadailynews.com/news/local/winona-state-dedicates-new-residence-halls/article_30f7b5b8-d8d2-11df-9db2-001cc4c03286.html |title=Winona State dedicates new residence halls |author=Jerome Christenson |access-date=2020-01-01|work=Winona Daily News}}</ref> The coed complex has 106 units, each single-gendered.

====Prentiss-Lucas Hall====
Prentiss-Lucas Hall (commonly called P-L<ref name=pl>{{cite web| date = November 9, 2003| url =http://www.winona.edu/housing/halls/pl/Default.htm| title = Prentiss-Lucas Hall| publisher =Winona State University|access-date = 2007-07-22}}</ref>) is one of the six freshmen residence halls. Its two sides are mirror-image duplicates of each other (Prentiss is the men's residence side and Lucas the women's),<ref name="pl"/> linked by a common lobby and lower level. This hall closed down after the spring semester of 2019, but reopened in fall 2020 to accommodate single-occupancy room housing in response to COVID-19.

====The Quad====
The Quad has four residence halls that form a square: Conway, Richards, Morey, and Shepard. The halls making up the Quad contain multiple lounges and house over 500 students.<ref>{{cite web| date = July 24, 2007| url =http://www.winona.edu/housing/6223.asp|title = The Quad| publisher =Winona State University|access-date = 2007-07-22 |archive-url= http://web.archive.org/web/20070928060517/http://www.winona.edu/housing/6223.asp |archive-date=September 28, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Conway Hall is a four-story building that has one female floor, one male floor, and two gender-inclusive floors.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.winona.edu/winona-campus/conway-hall/ | title=Conway Hall &#124; Winona State University }}</ref> Morey and Shepard Halls are connected in an "L" shape. Morey-Shepard consists of men and women divided by floor. Richards Hall is a four-story residence hall. Richards is also co-ed; the first and third floor, excluding the Richards Annex, house men and the second and fourth women. Morey Hall is the oldest on campus, completed in 1911.<ref name="new" />

====Sheehan Hall====
Sheehan Hall was completed for Winona State College as a 14-story women-only hall in 1969.<ref name="history">{{cite book|title=Winona State University: A History of One Hundred Twenty-five Years|author=Robert A. DuFresne|year=1985|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OCjtAAAAMAAJ|page=288}}</ref> It is now co-ed, and houses most freshmen.<ref name=sheehan>{{cite web| date = July 24, 2007| url =http://www.winona.edu/housing/6204.asp|title = Sheehan Hall| publisher =Winona State University|access-date = 2007-07-22}}</ref> The second through 13th floors are residential and the first is a lobby and social area with a full kitchen.<ref name=sheehanfeatures>{{cite web| date = July 24, 2007| url =http://www.winona.edu/housing/6216.asp|title = Sheehan Hall| publisher =Winona State University|access-date = 2007-07-22}}</ref>

====Sustainability House====
The Sustainability House was renovated in 2011&ndash;2012. The house is used for a cohort of U.S. military veterans and additional students as necessary.

====East Lake Apartments====
East Lake was built in 2002-03 and opened in 2004, and serves as an apartment complex for both men and women. East Lake typically houses upperclassmen. Students living in East Lake need not purchase a meal plan, but can instead get a "block meal" plan.

====Discontinued housing====

The following buildings were known as West Campus (Residential College). They were also previously owned and operated by the [[College of Saint Teresa]], a defunct [[Roman Catholic]] [[women's college]]. West Campus was closed for residential purposes in 2021 and put up for sale in 2022.

Winona State acquired Lourdes Hall in the early 1990s. It was completed in 1928 for the College of St. Teresa.<ref>{{cite book |author=Chris Miller & Mary Pendleton |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=glpDpXlTpuAC |title=Winona in Vintage Postcards |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |year=2004 |isbn=9780738532295 |page=85}}</ref> Lourdes Hall was put up for sale with Tau Center and Maria Hall in 2022.

Tau Center was acquired in 2003 and served as a coeducational residence hall/conference center. It is behind Lourdes and was previously operated by the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona|Diocese of Winona]]. It was sold to Cotter Schools in 2022.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://winonaradio.com/2022/03/18/192995-cotter-acquires-pair-of-former-west-campus-buildings/#:~:text=(KWNO)%2DCotter%20Schools%20has,west%20campus%20facilities%20last%20summer | title=Cotter Acquires Pair of Former West Campus Buildings }}</ref>

Maria Hall was acquired by Winona State in 2000 to serve as a residence hall. It housed just over 200 students, typically freshmen. The coeducational facility housed female students on the first and third floors and male students on the second and fourth floors. Each floor had a full lounge and kitchen, complete with television, furniture, stove, refrigerator, microwave, and toaster. The basement had two large lounges, a kitchen, and a laundry room. A tunnel connects Maria to Lourdes Hall. It was sold to Cotter Schools in the spring of 2022.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://winonaradio.com/2022/03/18/192995-cotter-acquires-pair-of-former-west-campus-buildings/#:~:text=(KWNO)%2DCotter%20Schools%20has,west%20campus%20facilities%20last%20summer | title=Cotter Acquires Pair of Former West Campus Buildings }}</ref>

===Academic and sporting===

[[Image:Winona State University Integrated Wellness Complex.jpg|thumb|right|Integrated Wellness Complex]]

*[[KQAL]], Winona State's radio station
*[[Krueger Library]]
*[[Maxwell Field at Warrior Stadium]], home of Winona State Warriors football and soccer
*[https://www.winona.edu/student-life/housing-dining/ Residence Halls at Winona State University]
*Kryzsko Commons, the primary student center on campus
*[[WSU's Performing Arts Center]], home to the theatre arts and dance department and the music department; site of the [[Great River Shakespeare Festival]]
*The Integrated Wellness Complex<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.winona.edu/wellness/ |title=Integrated Wellness Complex |publisher=Winona.edu |access-date=2015-07-14}}</ref> aligns counseling, health, academics, intramurals, fitness and athletics into a single facility.
*Warrior Hub,<ref>{{cite web|author=Winona State University WSU |url=http://www.winona.edu/warriorhub/ |title=Warrior Hub - Winona State University |publisher=Winona.edu |date=2015-07-09 |access-date=2015-07-14}}</ref> home of Winona State University's academic services, including financial aid, registrar, advising, career and account services

==Athletics==
{{main|Winona State Warriors}}
[[File:Winona_st_warriors_wordmark.png|thumb|200px|Winona State athletics wordmark]]
Winona State University competes in [[NCAA Division II|Division II]] [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] athletics and its teams are called the Warriors. It is a member of the [[Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference]] for most sports, except women's gymnastics ([[Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]).

The school's first national championship came in 1985 when the gymnastics team took the [[National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics]] (NAIA) title, claiming four individual champions and 11 All-American honors, along with National Coach and Gymnast of the Year. The same year, the Warrior gymnastics team competed in the NCAA Division II nationals in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]], taking home the third-place trophy, the first Winona State team to compete in both affiliations at the national level. The Warriors claimed the NAIA national title again in 1987, this time paced by one individual champion and seven All-American honors. Two gymnasts were named Academic All-Americans for their outstanding academic achievements, and the National Coach of the Year award went to Winona State University's head coach.

==Notable alumni==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}} 
* [[Ali al-Ahmed]], Saudi scholar, founder of Institute for Gulf Affairs
* [[Austin Aries]], professional wrestler
* [[J.D. Barnett]], college basketball coach
* [[Karla Bigham]], state senator
* [[John Blatnik]], member of U.S. Congress
* [[Josh Braaten]], actor
* [[David Braun (American football)|David Braun]], college football coach
* [[Tom Brown (basketball)|Tom Brown]], college basketball coach
* [[Logan Clark]], wrestler
* [[Carlson Twins|Kyle and Lane Carlson]], models
* [[Greg Davids|Gregory Davids]], member of the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]]
* [[Dick Day]], state senator
* [[Mary Olstine Graham]], educator
* [[Jennie Ellis Keysor]], educator, writer
* [[Austin W. Lord]], architect, painter, and university administrator
* [[Troy Merritt]], 2009 PGA Tour Q-School medalist
* [[Patricia Neder]], Olympic handball player
* [[Gene Pelowski]], member of the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]]
* [[Tim Penny]], member of U.S. Congress
* [[Jeanne Poppe]], member of the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/votetracker/legislator_view.php?id=132|title= Rep. Jeanne Poppe|publisher= Minnesota Public Radio |access-date= October 8, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Jake Runestad]], composer and conductor
* [[Jerry Seeman]], professional football official
* [[Verner Suomi]], father of satellite meteorology
* [[Brian Wrobel]], professional football player
* [[James J. Mingus]], four-star Army General Officer, Army Vice Chief of Staff
* [[Randall Herbst]], collegiate basketball coach
{{div col end}}

==See also==
{{Portal|United States}}
* [[List of colleges and universities in Minnesota]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Winona County, Minnesota]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{noteslist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://winonastatewarriors.com/ Athletics website]

{{Minnesota State Colleges and Universities}}
{{Colleges and universities in Minnesota}}
{{Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference navbox}}
{{Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference navbox}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|44|02|51|N|91|38|36|W|type:edu|display=title}}

[[Category:Winona State University| ]]
[[Category:1858 establishments in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Winona, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Education in Winona County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1858]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Winona County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Winona County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Public universities and colleges in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges accredited by the Higher Learning Commission]]