Since 1870

From a modest mining school with twelve students to a world-renowned technological university, this campus has been shaped by visionaries who dared to dig deeper and push the boundaries of what's possible.

Pioneers & Leaders

Wall of Fame

From determined students to visionary faculty and dedicated staff, to pioneering leaders, these individuals carved a legacy into the bedrock of our campus. Each one improved the university, reminding us that every Miner has the power to shape tomorrow, one bold idea at a time. View the Wall of Fame

Women's Hall of Fame

The Women’s Hall of Fame recognition has been awarded since 2005 to alumni, faculty or staff who are selected because of their success, influence, and ability to inspire and positively affect students, the Missouri S&T community and beyond. View the Women’s Hall of Fame

History & Heritage

The Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy was founded as a land-grant school under the Morrill Act, by a legislative act to enlarge the University of Missouri passed on February 27, 1870. The first head and administrator of the school, Dr. Charles Penrose Williams, was appointed in August of 1871.

The first building of the MSM campus was the Rolla Building. It was owned by the city of Rolla and the top two floors were rented by MSM, with the remainder of the building occupied by the high school. Twelve boys form local farms and one girl, Miss Clara Smith, were enrolled November 6, 1871. The formal opening of the School did not occur until November 23, 1871, when a county-wide school teacher "institute" had convened and assembled at the Rolla Building.
The Rolla Building
The Chancellor's Residence
T. R. Thomas and Karl Hamm next to bomb calorimeter
Forge Room
Seated man with feet on desk in student room
The Lathe Room
Three men dressed as St. Pat and attendents
Class in Qualitative Analysis, at Work

The Missouri University of Science and Technology Chancellor’s Residence was constructed in 1889. The building was initially called “The Club House" and provided dormitory rooms for 30 young men and dining hall services for twice that many.

In 1895 the dormitory became a rooming house only and students had to find meals elsewhere. The Missouri State Geological Survey occupied the building for several years. Since 1905, however, it has been the home to the chief executive head of the campus.

Archives

Preserving our institutional memory is essential to Missouri S&T. The university now offers free online access several of our printed archives.

Now & Beyond

Building Tomorrow's Foundation

Today, Missouri S&T stands as a world-renowned technological university, transformed from its humble beginnings as a mining school with twelve students in the 1870s. We continue to honor our legacy of digging deeper and pushing boundaries, now preparing the next generation of innovators to tackle the complex challenges of the 21st century. From state-of-the-art facilities to cutting-edge research, our campus reflects both our proud heritage and our bold vision for the future.
S&T's recent achievement of Carnegie R1 research status reflects our students' hands-on involvement in the cutting-edge research that drives innovation.
The iconic pedestrian bridge spans the highway, connecting students to campus.
Our STEM and educational outreach programs, like summer camps and after-school programs, foster intrigue and interest in learning for young students.
Hossein Libre, an undergraduate in Ceramic Engineering and Chemistry, works on a PISA RAFT resin formulation for Digital Light Process (DLP) 3D printing of biomaterials for tissue engineering with help from post-doc researcher Aaron Priester.
The Innovation Lab highlights our commitment to excellent facilities, giving our students a place to build, create, and imagine.
We are committed to the academic and career success of our students, through our student success programs, record breaking career fairs and expert staff.

The Miner Spirit Endures

What makes Missouri S&T special isn't just our academic excellence—it's the Miner spirit that connects every student, alumnus, faculty member, and staff. This spirit of determination, innovation, and community has been our constant from the first twelve students in the Rolla Building to today's diverse, dynamic campus community. As we look ahead, we're committed to maintaining our position as a leader in technological education while expanding our impact. Every program we develop, every partnership we forge, and every student we graduate contributes to laying the foundations for tomorrow—ensuring that the Miner legacy of excellence continues to shape the future for generations to come.

Learn more about our future