Morehead State University

Morehead State University International Student Insurance

Morehead State University, located in Morehead, Kentucky, was established in 1922 as Morehead State Normal School, a teacher training institution. The campus was built on the former site of a private denominational school that served a similar purpose. The school underwent several name changes reflecting its purpose and status (namely, adding and later dropping “and Teachers College”) until 1966, when it gained university status and adopted its present name. The school offers more than 200 degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level, as well as a doctorate in education. 

Today, Morehead enrolls about 10,000 students per year. Its colors are blue and gold, and its athletic nickname is the eagles.

On Campus

Located in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest, the campus measures in at more than 700 acres. The university also owns the Derrickson Agricultural Complex—including equine facilities, greenhouses, livestock operations, and two animal hospitals—as well as a golf course, the scenic Eagle Lake, and 166 acres of the Browning Orchard. However, despite its rural setting, Morehead is involved with several modern-day, technological industries. It’s one of five educational institutions in the U.S. offering a bachelor’s degree in space science. The school built a space tracking system in collaboration with NASA, and the campus’ Space Science Center—an instruction and research center—opened in 2009. 

Morehead also has options for the artistically inclined. The Kentucky Folk Art Center houses a permanent collection of almost 1,400 pieces of student art, which are displayed on a rotating basis in the museum’s first-floor gallery. The second-floor gallery presents rotating exhibits from folk art to textiles to photography to historical content. Meanwhile, the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music’s goal is to preserve, teach, and celebrate the state’s Bluegrass and country music heritage. Morehead offers the only bachelor’s in traditional music in the state, and it’s also home to the traditional music archives and Sounds of Our Heritage outreach program.

Notable Alumni

Notable Morehead State University alumni include NPR Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep; ESPN commentator Mike Gottfried; writer Chris Offutt; television game show host Chuck Woolery; MLB pitcher Steve Hamilton; and professional bowlers Liz Johnson and Kelly Kulick.

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