Emporia State University Emporia State University , often referred to as Emporia State or ESU , is a public university in Emporia , Kansas , United States , east of the Flint Hills . Established in March 1863 , and originally known as the Kansas State Normal School , is the third oldest public university in the state of Kansas . Emporia State one of the six public universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents . The university offers degrees in more than 80 courses of study through 4 colleges : the School of Business , College of Liberal Arts and Sciences , School of Library and Information Management , and the Teachers College . The Teachers College is one of only four post – secondary institutions in the nation to be identified as an " Exemplary Model Teacher Education " program by Arthur Levine in his 2006 national study of teacher education programs . Emporia State ' s intercollegiate athletic teams are known as the Hornets with the exception of the women ' s teams , which are known as the Lady Hornets . Emporia State competes in NCAA Division II and is a member of the Mid - America Intercollegiate Athletics Association ( MIAA ) . Since joining the NCAA Division II in 1991 , the Lady Hornets basketball team is the only team to win a NCAA championship . History . The university was founded in March 1863 when the Kansas Legislature passed the enabling act to establish the Kansas State Normal School . Although the university was established in 1863 , the first class didn ' t begin until February 15 , 1865 . The first president of the Kansas Normal School and its only teacher , Lyman Kellogg , taught 18 students on the second floor of the district school house . At the first commencement on June 28 , 1867 , the graduating class consisted of two women — Ellen Plumb and Mary Jane Watson ; the first , Judge Watson ’ s daughter and the second from Senator Preston B . Plumb ’ s family . Kellogg saw to it that the Normal got off to an good start before becoming a successful lawyer , honored judge , and Attorney General of Kansas . The school ' s first graduating class consisted of two women — Ellen Plumb and Mary Jane Watson — in 1867 , the year the first permanent building was completed . The name " Normal " originated in France during the 17th century and was given to schools that had " model " classrooms or schools designed to educate teachers – in – training the proper practices of teaching students . The United States had many Normal schools in the 19th century and most changed their names to " Teachers College " . Many later became " State Universities . " In 1876 , the Kansas Legislature passed the " Miscellaneous appropriations bill of 1876 " . The end result was that Leavenworth Normal and Concordia Normal were closed so the state funding for normal schools could be directed to Emporia . KSN branched out with locations in Pittsburg and Hays , Kansas . The western branch in Hays opened June 3 , 1902 and is today known as Fort Hays State University . The Pittsburg branch was opened as the Manual Training Auxiliary School in 1904 and became a four – year school named Kansas State Teachers College of Pittsburg in 1913 . Today it is Pittsburg State University . In February 1923 , the name of the school was changed to the Kansas State Teachers College . In July 1974 , the name was changed to Emporia Kansas State College . On April 21 , 1977 , the college became Emporia State University . Even before any of the name changes were made official by the Kansas Legislature and Board of Regents , though , the school was called Emporia State unofficially by some in the public and in many news reports . Dr . Michael Shonrock became the 16th president of Emporia State University on Jan . 3 , 2012 . Academic organization . By enrollment , Emporia State is the seventh - largest university in Kansas . In the Fall 2014 semester , Emporia State set a record enrollment with 6 , 114 students . Emporia State University comprises four colleges : the School of Business , College of Liberal Arts and Sciences , School of Library and Information Management , and the Teachers College . In July 2013 , Emporia State University was named a " Great College to Work For " by the Chronicle of Higher Education and Princeton Review included ESU among its " Best of the Midwest " institutions of higher education . Emporia State University was again named a " Great College to Work For " in 2014 . by the Chronicle of Higher Education Emporia State University is accredited by the The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools . The university offers degrees in more than 80 courses of study . Emporia State has a satellite campus in Kansas City , which is mostly online classes , but some classes are held in the building . School of Business . The Emporia State University School of Business is a public business school located on the main campus of Emporia State University in Emporia , Kansas . The School of Business was founded in 1868 and currently has more than 30 faculty members and approximately 300 students . The School is an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business ( AACSB International ) accredited school . The programs have been thoroughly reviewed and found to be of the highest quality . This distinction is found with less than 5 % of business schools worldwide . Koch Center for Leadership and Ethics . The Koch Center for Leadership and Ethics , located in the School of Business , is a center made up of classes that will focus on communication , ethics , and entrepreneurial management . The Center was funded through initial grants of $ 750 , 000 from the Fred and Mary Koch Foundation and Koch Industries . College of Liberal Arts and Sciences . The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in numerous fields , with an emphasis on health professions and related programs , biological and biomedical sciences , and social sciences . Courses are offered at the main campus , online , and at satellite campuses . The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Emporia State consists of : School of Library and Information Management . Founded in 1902 , the School of Library and Information Management , better known as SLIM , is the oldest school of library and information studies in the western half of the United States and offers courses at six program sites in Colorado , Kansas , Oregon , and Utah . SLIM is the only program in Kansas accredited by the American Library Association , and offers a two - year , 36 - credit - hour Master of Library Science that prepares students for careers as information professionals in all types of libraries and information agencies . The School Library Media Licensure program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education ( NCATE ) . SLIM also offers a SLIM offers the following degrees , certificates and endorsements : The Teachers College . The Emporia State University ' s Teachers College is one of only four post – secondary institutions in the nation to be identified as an " Exemplary Model Teacher Education " program by Arthur Levine in his 2006 national study of teacher education programs . The other three were Alverno College , Stanford University , and University of Virginia . In 2011 , The Teachers College was featured in a video produced by the U . S . Department of Education highlighting the use of professional development schools . Jones Institute for Educational Excellence . The Jones Institute for Educational Excellence is a non - profit organization partially funded by the Walter S . and Evan C . Jones Trust of Lyon County , Kansas . Established in August 1982 and originally called the Center for Educational Research and Service , the office is part of The Teachers College at Emporia State University . Kansas City Campus . Emporia State University – Kansas City is the branch campus of Emporia State , located in Overland Park . The campus offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees . Buildings . Academic buildings . Most academic buildings at Emporia State University are dedicated to someone or are an important part of Emporia State ' s history . Beach Music Hall , named in honor of Frank A . Beach who was a distinguished Professor of Music at the Kansas State Teachers College , is home to the Music Department . Beach Music Hall , originally constructed in 1926 , was completely renovated in 1997 – 98 . The original building houses administrative offices , classrooms , Heath Recital Hall , Hendricks Computer Laboratory , faculty studios , and practice rooms . A new addition to the north of Beach Music Hall , The Shepherd Music Center , houses the choral and instrumental rehearsal rooms , percussion studio , and the digital audio recording center . Bruekelman – Cram Science Hall is home to the Physical Sciences Department . Inside includes classrooms for Chemistry , Physics , and Earth science . Some museums are located with in the Breuekelman – Cram Science Hall including the Johnston Geology Museum , the Richard H . Schmidt Museum of Natural History , and the Peterson Planetarium . The Butcher Education Center is home to the Sociology , Anthropology , and Crime & Delinquency Studies Department . On the south side of the building is the ESU Center for Early Childhood Education , which is a daycare center and also serves as a preschool . Cremer Hall is home to the School of Business . The building is named after Raymond Griffith Cremer , ESU ' s first business degree graduate . The building opened in 1964 and was completed in 1969 . Cremer Hall is also the home of the Kansas Business Hall of Fame . The Kansas Business Hall of Fame , Inc . was formally chartered as a not – for – profit organization on May 8 , 1987 . Following the guidelines of the American National Business Hall of Fame , the organization became a fully accredited member in September , 1987 . The Health , Physical Education and Recreation ( HPER ) Building is home to the Athletics department and the student recreation center . In the HPER Building , the university ' s intercollegiate athletics is housed there as well as the ESU Athletics Hall of Fame . Also in the building are classrooms and gymnasiums that the teams use for practice . Inside John E . King Hall , named after the 11th president of ESU , is the Theatre Department , and the Arts and Communication Departments . Also inside is the Karl C . Bruder Theatre , named after the man that started the summer theatre program at KSTC in 1955 and still runs today . Plumb Hall serves as the Administration building , which is the President ' s office , the Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs , and the Vice President of Fiscal Affairs . Also in Plumb Hall is Financial Aid services , Human Resources , the Learning Center , and some classrooms . The building is named after Senator Preston B . Plumb , who was from Emporia . Also inside is Albert Taylor Hall , which is an auditorium named after the 5th president of ESU . Roosevelt Hall , once known as a high school in Emporia , serves as the home of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences . Inside are classrooms primarily for the English , Modern Languages , and Journalism classes . John E . Visser Hall is home to The Teachers College . The building is named after ESU ' s 12th president . The four - story building also serves as the home to the National Teachers Hall of Fame . The William Allen White Library is home to the School of Library and Information Management . Inside is a computer lab , the Department of University Archives , and stacks of library books . Other buildings . The Emporia State University Memorial Union is the student activity center at Emporia State University . The Union opened on February 15 , 1925 . The Memorial Union was erected as a memorial to the students who died in World War I ( WWI ) ; therefore the name - " Memorial Student Union " - was established . It was the first student union building west of the Mississippi River . It has undergone four building additions since its opening in 1925 ( 1958 , 1963 , 1972 , & 2012 ) . The three - level structure contains 168 , 000 square feet of space devoted to conference , dining , meeting , recreational , and lounge facilities . Inside the Union , the Bookstore , Admissions office , and Sodexo ( Dining Services ) are all located within the building . The Earl Sauder Alumni Center houses the Emporia State University Foundation and Alumni Association . Cora Miller Hall is home to the Division of Nursing and is located next to Newman Regional Hospital . The building was named in honor of Cora A . Miller , a registered nurse who was the first superintendent of the hospital when it opened in 1922 . She also directed the education and practice of the nurses and student nurses . The W . S . and E . C . Jones Nursing Skills Laboratory , the Frances Stout Auditorium , classrooms , faculty offices , two computer laboratories , and the Emporia State University Department of Nursing Library are located in Cora Miller Hall . Student life . Housing . At ESU , all incoming freshmen students must live in the Towers Complex ( North & South Towers , Singular & Trusler ) , unless they live within a 30 mile radius of the campus . Upperclassmen have the choice to live in Morse Hall Complex . Morse Hall Complex consists of four wings : Northeast Morse , Central Morse , South Morse and Abigail Morse . Northeast , Central and South are all upperclassmen residence halls . South Morse is used for office purposes such as the TRIO Program and Student Wellness Center are located in South . The Towers Complex is made up into four residence halls : North & South Towers , and Singular and Trusler Towers . Trusler went under renovation in the fall 2013 , with Singular going under renovation in the spring 2014 . Greek life . ESU has eight fraternities and six sororities . Student newspaper . The school newspaper of Emporia State University is " ESU Bulletin " , which was established in 1901 . " The Bulletin " is published once a week on Thursdays and is distributed free of charge in all campus buildings . Supported by student fees and advertising , " The Bulletin " is written and operated by student staff members . Student yearbook . " Sunflower " , the university ' s yearbook , is published each spring as a chronicle of the year ’ s events and activities . It is funded by student fees and is distributed during finals week of the spring semester . Students who choose to be included in the yearbook are photographed at no charge during the fall semester . Athletics . Emporia State University ' s intercollegiate athletic teams are known as the Hornets with the exception of the women ' s teams , which are known as the Lady Hornets . Emporia State competes in NCAA Division II and is a member of the Mid - America Intercollegiate Athletics Association ( MIAA ) . Since 1893 , Emporia State has belonged to six conferences : the Kansas Conference , the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference , the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference , the Great Plains Athletic Conference , the Central States Intercollegiate Conference and the MIAA . Of its varsity sports , Emporia States ' s women ' s basketball team has been the only one to claim a national title . The Lady Hornets , who was led by player Alli Volkens and head coach Brandon Schneider , won the 2010 NCAA Division II Women ' s Basketball Championship , defeating the Fort Lewis College ( Colorado ) Skyhawks . The men ' s basketball team is currently coached by Shaun Vandiver , a former NBA First Round Draft Pick . Since 1940 , home basketball games have been played at William L . White Civic Auditorium , a 5 , 000 - seat arena which is named after William Lindsay White , son of William Allen White . In addition to serving as home to the men ' s and women ' s basketball teams , the arena is used by the Lady Hornets volleyball team . In 2008 , WLW Civic Auditorium received an upgrade with a new scoreboard and video board , as well as a new color scheme on the arena floor and the throughout the entire building . The Hornets football team , is currently coached by former Hornets quarterback Garin Higgins . Since joining the MIAA in 1991 , the Hornets have gone 99 – 126 in conference play . The Hornets have also participated in five post – season bowls in which three of those were wins . Francis G . Welch Stadium serves as home to the Hornets football team . The stadium , who is named for long – time Emporia State football coach and athletic director Fran Welch , opened in 1947 and since then has gone under a few renovations . In 1994 , the east and west side concession areas , restroom facilities , and entrances were renovated , a new scoreboard was hoisted into place at the south end of the stadium and a new landscaped fence was erected . In 1997 , the Hutchinson Family Pavilion , a three – tiered facility which has enclosed theatre seating on the first floor , a president ’ s box and four sky – boxes on the second floor , and a game – day management and media center on the third floor was built . The current seating capacity is 10 , 000 . The Hornets baseball team played its first game in 1978 . The team has five conference championships , and two NCAA Division II World Series appearance with a 2009 runner – up . The team had also made five appearances in the NAIA World Series , winning the 1978 World Series . Currently the team is coached by Bob Fornelli , who is 377 – 153 ( ) at Emporia State and 683 – 266 ( ) overall . The Lady Hornets softball team played its first game in 1974 , four years before the baseball team . The team is currently coached by Julie LeMaire , who has a record of 129 – 45 ( ) while at ESU , and an overall record of 221 – 121 ( ) has eight regular season championships in the MIAA and eight tournament championships . The softball team played for the national championship in 2006 and 2008 . Trusler Sports Complex is home to the baseball and softball teams . The baseball team competes on Glennen Field , named after Dr . Robert E . Glennen , thirteenth president of Emporia State University . In 2009 , the field was renovated with a new artificial turf that replaced the infield on Glennen Field . The Lady Hornets compete on Turnbull Field , which is named in honor of J . Michael Turnbull , president and trustee of the Trusler Foundation . In addition , Emporia State also has a men / women ' s cross country / track and field team , women ' s soccer team , men / women ' s tennis , and women ' s soccer . Mascots . Corky the Hornet is Emporia State University ' s mascot . In the 1930s , when Emporia State University was named Kansas State Teachers College , the athletic teams were known as the " Yaps " . Many people were not fond of the name , most notably legendary coach , Vic Trusler . Trusler suggested to a local writer , Cecil Carle of the " Emporia Gazette , " that the university ' s athletic teams should be called the " Yellow Jackets " . However , the name changed to " Hornets " because of the lack of newspaper space . In 1933 , the Kansas State Teachers College had a student contest where students and staff could design a mascot for the college . A sophomore by the name of Paul Edwards , who graduated in 1937 , designed Corky for a campus – wide logo contest . Many students sent in their drawings of a mascot , but they chose Edwards ' Corky , a " human – like " hornet . Corky was published in " The Bulletin " , the student newspaper for Emporia State University . In August 2014 , it was announced that in January 2015 , Corky will have a nephew . Buz will be a smaller , more " child friendly " hornet that will visit local schools , participate in community events and be present at ESU activities . Buz will be designed by Corky ' s creator Paul Edwards , who is turning 100 years old in January 2015 . Buz will also debut in January 2015 at Edwards ' birthday party . Foundation . The Emporia State University Foundation was established in 1952 . It was established as an independent , nonprofit corporation that exists to support Emporia State University . The Foundation raises , receives , manages , invests , and distributes private resources in support of the university ’ s mission in the areas of teaching , research , public service , and scholarship . Now & Forever Campaign . In February 2013 , the University announced a campaign to raise $ 45 million in five – to – seven years . < ref name = Now / Forever > < / ref > The campaign started in February 2013 , when the University turned 150 . The University has a $ 45 million and a vision goal of $ 63 million – and armed with 18 Big Ideas that will propel us into our next 150 years . The $ 63 million and 18 Big Ideas comes from the year the University was established ( 1863 . ) The Campaign ' s slogan is " Silent no more . " After an announcement of a donation , big or small , the University rings a bell called Silent Joe . The bell , which is located just south of Francis G . Welch Stadium , was originally rung only after a football team won at home .