(EMU) is a comprehensive, co-educational Public University located in Ypsilanti, Michigan . Founded in 1849 as '''Michigan State Normal School''', the first Normal School west of the Appalachian Mountains , it became the '''Michigan State Normal College''' in 1899, then '''Eastern Michigan College''' in 1956, and finally in 1959. The university is governed by an eight-member Board of Regents, who are appointed by the Governor of Michigan for eight-year terms. The school belongs to the Mid-American Conference and was re-accredited by the North Central Association in 2001. Its mascot, since 1991, has been the Eastern Eagle.
Total student population averages about 25,000 of whom roughly 7,000 are graduate students. Currently, EMU comprises five colleges - Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, Health & Human Services, and Technology - along with a Graduate School. Most programs are undergraduate or master's level although the university has doctoral programs in Educational Leadership and Technology. Its College of Education is one of the nation's oldest and largest colleges of education and produces more classroom teachers than any other school.
Eastern Michigan University has had twenty-one presidents since its founding. John Fallon III, Ph.D., began his tenure as EMU president on July 15, 2005.
- The Bruce T. Halle Library has one of the largest collections of Children's Literature in the United States . Bruce T. Halle also started and now owns Discount Tire Company He currently resides in Scottsdale AZ.
- Legendary Cartoonist Winsor McCay attended business classes at EMU when it was called the Michigan State Normal College.
- Noted as "the most elaborate pop hoax in history," the " Paul Is Dead " myth has generated more rumors and speculation for The Beatles than for any other group. It all started on Sunday, Oct 12, 1969, Russ Gibb, working on WKNR-FM heard from an Eastern Michigan University student about a series of clues that seemed to point to Paul's death. The story took on a life of its own, both on Keener and WKNR-FM and Russ received credit for making it a national story. The documentary 'Who Buried Paul McCartney?' by Wouter van Opdorp explores the origin of the Paul-is-dead story.
- EMU is home to one of the nation's foremost Forensics (competitive speech) teams, with 10 team national championships, and 63 individual national championships. They are also the only program in the country to place in the top ten at every national championship since they began in 1971, with a 36 year streak of excellence.
- EMU has also produced a number of successful performing artists (especially actors), including Dan Florek and Michael A. Garcia, both of whom are alums of the EMU Forensics Team. In his time on the team, Garcia won eight individual national championships, a record unbroken to this day. James R. Siterlet and Micheal T. McLoughlin (then known as "M. Thom McLoughlin") were nominated for the prestigious Irene Ryan Award competition while in the drama school at EMU. (Siterlet eventually became an academic while McLoughlin went on to become a lawyer and was a White House intern in Fall 2000.) Jeff Daniels attended the EMU drama school in Summer 1976, to participate in a special Bi-Centenniel Repertory programme; and his younger sister, Patti Daniels, graduated from the drama school in the early 1980's.
- Kim Antieau -- American novelist
- Charlie Batch -- NFL player, currently with the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Earl Boykins -- NBA player, currently with the Denver Nuggets
- Richard Campbell -- Head athletic trainer for the New York Islanders
- John C. Coburn -- Four-star general, Commander U.S. Army Materiel Command
- Dennis Cockrum -- American actor
- Dr. Royal S. Copeland -- U.S. Senator from New York
- Dave Coverly -- syndicated cartoonist, Speed Bump (comic Strip)
- Loren D. Estelman -- American author
- Dann Florek -- American actor
- George Gervin -- Retired hall of Famer of the NBA
- Bruce Halle -- Philanthropist and founder of Discount Tire Company (largest independent tire dealer in America )
- Stan Heath -- Head basketball coach for the University Of Arkansas Razorbacks
- John Heffron -- Winner of NBC's Last Comic Standing 2 in 2004
- John Hieftje -- Mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan since 2000
- Sheryl James -- Winner of the 1991 Pulitzer Prize For Feature Writing
- Hayes Jones -- Tokyo Olympics 110 meter Hurdles Gold Medalist
- Ella Joyce -- American stage actress
- Grant Long -- Retired NBA player
- Frank J. Manley -- Among the founders of the "community school" movement
- Greg Mathis , Judge and later TV personality of Judge Mathis fame --- Winsor McCay -- Animation pioneer
- Michael G. Morris -- President and CEO of American Electric Power
- Charles E. Potter -- U.S. Senator from Michigan
- Carl D. Pursell -- U.S. Congressman from Michigan
- John Reinhard -- poet
- Chris Roberson -- NFL player, currently with the Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jack Roush -- CEO, and owner of Roush Racing NASCAR and Chairman of the Board of Roush Enterprises
- Faris Abdullah Sanabani -- Yemeni magazine, newspaper and book publisher
- Rodney E. Slater -- U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Bill Clinton
- Greg C. Smith -- Executive Vice President and President, The Americas of Ford Motor Company
- Larry Soderquist -- Corporate and Securities law expert, author, and Vanderbilt professor
- Kevin Walter -- NFL player, currently with the Houston Texans
- Bob Welch -- Former Major League Baseball player, 2-time All-Star, Cy Young Award winner (1990), and best-selling author
- The Eastern Michigan University Alma Mater is "Our Pledge":
''Eastern, sacred alma mater,''
''To your name we shall be true.''
''Ever marching on to victory,''
''We'll stand by to see you through.''
''Softly floating on the breeze''
''Verdant green with white of snow.''
''This our banner we shall carry''
''In our hearts, where e'er we go.''
''Eastern Eagles hats off to you''
''Fight, fight, fight for ole E-M-U''
''Look to the sky,''
''The Eagles will fly,''
''The bravest will defy''
''Rah! Rah! Rah''
''Hold that line for old green and white''
''Sons and daughters show your might''
''So FIGHT! FIGHT! for ole E-M-U and vic-tor-ry
''
- The Eastern Michigan University Spirit Song is "Go Green":
''Go Green, roll up the score''
''Go Green, let's get some more''
''Raise a cheer for old green and white''
''Let's show them we came here to fight''
''Go Green, vic'try we'll claim''
''Go Green, let's win this game''
''We'll always fight (what) for (who?) old E-M-U''
''Come on and let's go Green!
- The words and music of "Our Pledge" was written by Edward Bowles and was arranged for the Marching Band by Thomas Tyra
- The Melody of "Eagles Fight Song" was written by Larry Livingston and arranged for Marching Band by Thomas Tyra. The percussion parts were written by Whitney Prince . The lyrics were revised by Dr. Max Plank after the Eastern Michigan University mascot was changed from the Huron s to the Eagles.
- "Go Green" was written by Thomas Tyra.
- The Eastern Michigan University Basketball Band is directed by the 2 graduate assistants of the band.
- The basketball band travels with the basketball teams if they go to the MAC tournament or the NCAA tournament.
Events at the Ypsilanti campus have hosted Michael Moore , Cornel West , former US President Bill Clinton , Comedian Bill Maher , Poet Maya Angelou , Sister Helen Prejean and African Methodist Episcopal Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie on campus. This year (2005-2006) special guests include comedians Dave Chappelle , Chuck D , and Lily Tomlin , documentarian Morgan Spurlock , Rock Band My Chemical Romance , Indian movie star Vasundhara Das and Indian musician A. R. Rahman .
- Average GPA : 3.2
- Average ACT Score: 21
- Average SAT Score: 1014
- Part-time employment (on or off campus): 70%
- Conference: Mid-American ( MAC )
- Nickname: Eagles (were known as the Hurons from 1929 - 1991)
- Colors: green and white
- NCAA division I-A
- Number of sports at EMU: 21
Men's Cross Country:
Men's Track and Field:
- 2004 Jordan Desilets, 3000 Meter steeplechase
- 2002 Boaz Cheboiywo, 10,000 Meter outdoor track
- 1975 Halsey Crawford, 100 yards
- 1999 Clement Chukwu, 400 meters
- 1985 Earl Jones, 800 meters
- 1932 Eugene Beatty, 400 meter hurdles
Women's Track and Field:
- 2005 Lela Nelson, heptathlon
- 1995 Sevatheda Fynes, 200 meters
- 2004 Athens Games: USA- Jamie Nieto (High Jump, 4th)
- 2000 Sydney Games: Nigeria- Nduka Awazie (4x400 meter relay, Silver)
- 1996 Atlanta Games: USA- Paul McMullen (1500 meters, 9th)
- 1984 Los Angeles Games: USA- Earl Jones (800 meters, Bronze), Trinidad and Tobago- Hasely Crawford (100 meters)
- 1980 Moscow Games: Trinidad and Tobago- Hasely Crawford (100 meters)
- 1976 Montreal Games: Trinidad and Tobago- Hasely Crawford (100 meters, Gold)
- 1972 Munich Games: Trinidad and Tobago- Hasely Crawford (100 meters)
- 1964 Tokyo Games: USA- Hayes Jones (110 High Hurdles, Gold)
- 1960 Rome Games: USA- Hayes Jones (110 High Hurdles, Bronze)
- Highest NCAA Team Finish: 2003 Men's Cross Country (3rd), 1975 Men's Cross Country 6th
- Most MAC Championships in a sport: 25, Men's Swimming and Diving 1979,1981-1996,1998,2000-2005
The Eastern Echo, EMU's independent student newspaper, publishes three times a week during the fall and winter semesters and once a week during the spring semester. The paper won eight awards in the 2005 Division 1 Michigan Collegiate Press Association contest, including second place in the general excellence category. The newspaper, which is funded through advertising revenue, is not under the editorial control of the university. It also publishes content online at http://www.easternecho.com.
|
