| The University | The President | Athletic Director | Staff Directory |
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The University of Memphis was founded under the auspices of the General Education Bill, enacted by the Tennessee Legislature in 1909. Known originally as West Tennessee State Normal School, the institution opened its doors Sept. 10, 1912, with Dr. Seymour A. Mynders as president.
Students in the first classes selected blue and gray as the school colors and the tiger as the mascot. Tradition holds that the colors, those of the opposing armies during the Civil War, were chosen in commemoration of the reuniting of the country after that divisive conflict.
Over the next decade, The Desoto yearbook was created, the first library was opened in the Administration Building, the first dining hall was built and the first men's dorm was built; today that dorm, Scates Hall, houses the College of Arts and Sciences' Dean's offices.
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The college changed names again in 1941, becoming Memphis State College, and in 1946, J. Millard "Jack" Smith became president - the first alumnus to hold the position. In 1950 graduate studies were initiated, and in 1954 the school switched from a quarter to a semester system.
In 1957 the state legislature designated Memphis State full university status. In 1959 the university admitted its first black students, and the first doctoral programs began in 1966. The 1970s, under President Cecil C. Humphreys, saw new buildings constructed across the campus, including a University Center and a 12-story library. In 1983 MSU became the first public university in Tennessee to gain accreditation of its entire curriculum.
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Today, the University of Memphis is one of Tennessee's three comprehensive doctoral- extensive institutions of higher learning. Situated in a beautiful park-like setting in the state's largest city, it is the flagship of the Tennessee Board of Regents system. It awards more than 3,000 degrees annually.
With an enrollment of approximately 21,000 students, The University of Memphis has 25 Chairs of Excellence, more than any other Tennessee university, and five state-approved Centers of Excellence.
Facts at a Glance
President
Dr. Shirley C. Raines
Founded
1912 as West Tennessee State Normal School
Campus Size
1,160 acres and 202 buildings at eight sites
Operating Budget
$330 million
Local Economic Impact
$1.43 billion
Enrollment (for Fall 2005)
Total 20,465
Undergraduate 15,765
Graduate 4,700
Law School 408
Full-time 67%
Part-time 33%
Men 39%
Women 61%
Accreditation
The University of Memphis is fully accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Workforce
Approximately 2,500 employees including 850 full-time faculty
Notable Alumni
| Martin S. Belz (1972) | President of Belz Enterprises |
| Isaac Bruce (1997) | NFL Football Player |
| Dixie Carter (1963) | Actress |
| Kellye Cash (1987) | Miss America 1987 |
| Robert N. Clement (1968) | Former U.S. Congressman |
| Steve Cohen (1973) | U.S. Congressman |
| Eric Jerome Dickey (1983) | Best-Selling Author |
| Bernice Donald (1974) | Judge, Federal District Court |
| William B. Dunavant Jr. (1954) | Chairman of Dunavant Enterprises |
| John Dye (1996) | Actor |
| Larry Finch (1973) | Former Memphis Basketball Head Coach |
| Anfernee Hardaway (1993) | NBA Basketball Player |
| Dr. W.W. Herenton (1966) | Mayor, City of Memphis |
| Barbara Walker Hummel (1947) | Miss America 1947 |
| Craig Leake (1969) | Television Producer |
| R. Brad Martin (1976) | Chairman of the Board/CEO, SAKS Inc. |
| Wink Martindale (1957) | Television Personality |
| Elliot Perry (1991) | Former NBA Basketball Player |
| William Sanderson (1968) | Actor |
| Lynda Mead Shea (1968) | Miss America 1960 |
| Charles C. Thompson (1964) | Author and TV Producer |
| Fred Thompson (1964) | Actor and 2008 Presidential Candidate |
| Pat Kerr Tigrett (1963) | International Fashion Designer |
| Tamika Whitmore (1999) | WNBA (2006 All-Star) |
| Lorenzen Wright (1996) | NBA Basketball Player |
| Dan Uggla (2001) | MLB (2006 All-Star) |
