TU is proud to celebrate Founders' Day, which is the anniversary of the very first
day of classes at the school back in January 1866.
By Jan Lucas on January 15, 2017
In the 152 years since it opened on January 15, 1866, Towson University has grown
and changed in ways its founders could not have imagined. Enrollment, only 11 in 1866,
now approaches 23,000.
Academic offerings, once focused solely on preparing public-school teachers, now comprise
more than 60 undergraduate majors and 75 graduate and certification programs, including
four applied doctoral programs.
TU’s evolution from State Normal School to Maryland’s second-largest public university
is the legacy of generations of faculty and administrators who encouraged new ways
of learning and new ways of applying it in—and beyond—the classroom.
Today TU fosters leadership, critical thinking, diversity and inclusion, and civic
engagement in its students in addition to exemplary career preparation. Over 160,000
alumni—most of whom live and work in Maryland—reflect that commitment to the highest
standards of personal and professional excellence.
Towson University has continued to grow since it welcomed its first 11 students in
1866. In 2018, Towson University has grown to see an enrollment of almost 23,000 students. Students leave Stephens Hall in 1947. Towson University students pose for a picture with President Kim Schatzel during move-in
in 2017. The Model Elementary School, opened in 1866, was the training ground for Normal School
students. TU now offers 60 undergraduate majors and 75 graduate and certification programs,
including four doctoral programs.The original Doc the Tiger, posing with the 1963 homecoming queen. The current version of Doc is just a little bit more intimidating than previous ones. Before it was known as WTMD, Towson's non-profit, noncommercial radio station was
known as WCVT. WTMD now reaches 100,000 listeners a month, and hosts free "First Thursdays" concerts
at Canton's Waterfront Park. From 1925 to 1940, the Maypole dance was a tradition adopted by the Normal School. Towson University still has traditions, like the annual Tigerfest concert hosted every
spring. You can almost hear the librarian whispering "Shhh" in the old library located in
Stephens Hall, circa 1920. Today, the TU hosts the Albert S. Cook Library, which provides a mix of spaces and
resources to facilitate collaborative learning. Towson University has always succeeded on the lacrosse field. That tradition continues today, with three straight NCAA Tournament appearance, including
a final four appearance in 2017.
