Ferris State University was founded in 1884 in Big Rapids, Michigan. At the time, it was known as Big Rapids Industrial School, and was unique at the time for accepting female students. It was founded by Woodbridge Nathan Ferris who was a governor of the state of Michigan, and went on to become a US Senator. It was this namesake that would lead to the eventual renaming of the school several times incorporating the name Ferris, until it was eventually given its current name of Ferris State University in 1987.
Of particular note is the fact that none of the classes at Ferris State are taught by grad students - you are guaranteed to have contact with the actual professor, and with a 16:1 student to faculty ratio you are assured a fair amount of access to your instructors.
There are over 13,000+ students enrolled at Ferris State, most of which are at the main campus in Big Rapids. The University consists of eight colleges: Technology, Business (the only business school in Michigan to offer a major in Public Relations), Education and Human Services, Allied Health Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Optometry, Pharmacy and The Kendall College of Art and Design. They only grant doctoral degrees through the Optometry and Pharmacy colleges. Kendall College of Art and Design is actually at a satellite campus in nearby Grand Rapids, Michigan and offers over 25 degree programs. Ferris also has a partnership arrangement with Northwestern Michigan College to grant Bachelor degrees to graduates of its Great Lakes Maritime Academy.
The University has come under some criticism for its Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia, which consists of an extensive collection of items that promote racial segregation or promulgate racial stereotypes of African Americans. The Ferris State University administration has repeatedly stated that they feel it is important to preserve these items "for the purpose of academic research and education about their cultural influence".
The student government at Ferris State University has gained nationwide notoriety for creating Textbookunion.com, a cost saving initiative for textbook prices that has gained recognition from student bodies across the nation. Created in 2006, textbookunion.com has been presented at state and national student government conferences in an effort to help the initiative gain traction. As of this writing, it currently only feeds textbook information from specific universities in Michigan. However, textbookunion.com is in the process of bringing the program to the national level, and any student may still use its sophisticated search engine to find the lowest price on the internet for a specific textbook.
In athletics, the Ferris State teams are known as the "Bulldogs", and the colors are maroon and gold. Most Ferris State athletic teams are Division II-A. Also of note in its athletic program is that, in conjunction with its Professional Golf Management program, the university manages the Katke Golf Club, which is an 18-hole course next to the main campus in Big Rapids.
Ferris State University is a solid choice if you're interested in attending a smaller school in Michigan. For more information, including reviews from actual students at Ferris State, check out the links below.
About the author: J. Vincent Burr is the creator and chief educational writer for the college review site MyNextCollege.com, which contains a plethora of information about Ferris State University including reviews by actual students. |
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