WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Sept. 16 will mark the day 50 years ago that Missouri State University-West Plains first opened its doors to students, and university officials invite all to help them honor the milestone with a celebration beginning at noon at the Smith-London Centennial Bell Tower on Franklin Street just west of the Lybyer Technology Center.

The celebration will include a short ceremony, picnic lunch, historic photo, and cake, organizers said.  Free T-shirts will be handed out to the first 400 people who arrive, and several prizes, including an iPad, will be given away.  Registration for the giveaway prizes will take place at the event, and winners will need to be present to win, organizers said.

Missouri State-West Plains opened Sept. 16, 1963, as the West Plains Residence Center at the West Plains High School campus.  A total of 111 students enrolled for classes during that first semester.

Since then, the university has grown into a multi-building campus in the heart of West Plains with an average enrollment of 2,200 students.  It currently offers 15 associate degrees, seven certificate programs and a variety of other credit and non-credit courses as needed by the communities it serves in south-central Missouri and north-central Arkansas.  It also serves as a delivery site for a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs offered by Missouri State University-Springfield’s Outreach Program.

As a teaching and learning institution, Missouri State-West Plains provides quality post-secondary educational opportunities to a primary service area that includes Douglas, Howell, Oregon, Ozark, Shannon, Texas and Wright counties, and beyond.  In recent years, the campus has earned recognition as one of the top two-year schools in the nation by the Aspen Institute and been named a “military friendly school” by Victory Media, the premiere media entity for military personnel transitioning into civilian life.

For more information about the 50th anniversary celebration on Sept. 16, call 417-255-7240.  To learn more about the history of Missouri State-West Plains, visit, wp.missouristate.edu/About/History.htm.