1862
U.S. Department of Agriculture established as a cabinet-level department
The Morrill Act established a nationwide system of colleges called the land-grant system, endowed by grants of public lands.
1862
1871
1871
Mississippi became a part of the land-grant system with the first assignment of funding to Alcorn University and the University of Mississippi.
1878
Mississippi A&M in Starkville was established as Mississippi’s land-grant institution.
1878
1887
1887
The Hatch Act established the agricultural experiment station system, with a focus on applied research.
1888
The Mississippi legislature passed the experiment station act. State Sen. J.Z. George (namesake of George Hall at Mississippi State) helped lay much of the groundwork by introducing the first experiment station bill in 1885.
1888
1890
1890
The Second Morrill Act provided direct support to each state for land-grants.
1892
The state legislature appropriated funds for a “mechanical” curriculum at Mississippi A&M
1892
1902
1902
The School of Engineering was established.
1914
The Smith-Lever Act established the cooperative extension system to make knowledge directly available to farmers and farm families.
1914
1918
1918
The Mississippi legislature assigned responsibility for extension work to Mississippi A&M College.
1932
Mississippi A&M became Mississippi State College.
1932
1954
1954
A separate School of Forest Resources was established at Mississippi State.
1958
Mississippi State College became Mississippi State University.
1958
1961
1961
The position of vice president for the agricultural division was established at Mississippi State.
1962
The McIntire-Stennis Forestry Act was passed, further establishing the importance of commercial forests.
1962
1964
1964
The Mississippi legislature, recognizing the significance of 17 million acres of commercial forestry to the state, established the Forest Products Utilization Laboratory at Mississippi State.
1974
The Mississippi legislature approved the establishment of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State.
1974
1977
1977
The MSU Extension Service’s 30-minute Farmweek TV program debuted statewide on Mississippi public broadcasting stations. Devoted to agriculture and rural life, Farmweek is the longest-running program of its type in the nation.
1994
The Forest and Wildlife Research Center was established by the legislature.
1994
2002
2002
With a $25 million gift, the College of Engineering became the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering.
2011
Mississippi State received a “Very High Research” designation from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. In FY 2010, the university secured $201 million in external research funding. Among all institutions--public and private--the university's expenditures in agricultural sciences ranked 7th nationally, with engineering 34th.
2011
