Marshall University

Marshall University was founded in 1837 as a private subscription school by residents of Guyandotte and the surrounding area . Local attorney John Laidley hosted the meeting that led to the founding of Marshall Academy, naming it after his friend John Marshall, who had served as Chief Justice until his death in 1835 . On March 30, 1838, the Virginia General Assembly formally dedicated the institution as Marshall Academy . In 1858, the name changed to Marshall College, and after West Virginia statehood in 1863, the West Virginia Legislature re-established it in 1867 as a teacher training facility called the State Normal School of Marshall College . The school began offering four-year degrees in 1920 and master's degrees in 1938 . After decades of political debate, the West Virginia Legislature elevated the college to university status on March 2, 1961, making it Marshall University . A defining tragedy occurred on November 14, 1970, when Southern Airways Flight 932 crashed, killing all 75 people on board including 37 members of the Thundering Herd football team and five coaches . The university's resilience in rebuilding the program became an inspirational story. In 1977, the School of Medicine was founded . Marshall merged with the West Virginia University College of Graduate Studies in 1997, creating the Marshall University Graduate College in South Charleston . Recent developments include the Bill Noe Flight School opening in 2021, the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation opening in 2024, and a new Institute for Cyber Security building scheduled for Fall 2026