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Missouri Southern State University (formerly Missouri Southern State College), is a public, state university located at 3950 E. Newman Road, Joplin, Missouri. Established in 1937 as Joplin Junior College, Missouri Southern became a four-year college in 1968. In 2003, the Missouri General Assembly authorized the renaming of the college to Missouri Southern State University - Joplin, and in 2005 the university dropped Joplin from its name. Current enrollment is 5675 (Fall 2006).

MSSU's mission^[1] is to provide an international education, defined by the state of Missouri as, "develop[ing] such academic support programs and public service activities it deems necessary and appropriate to establish international or global education as a distinctive theme of its mission."^[2] The international mission was strongly promoted by the school's longtime president, Dr. Julio León, a native of Chilé, who retired on August 17, 2007. While a Presidential search is conducted, Dr. Terri Agee is serving as the Interim President for the 2007-08 academic year. The international mission is supported by the selection of a country to serve as a Fall semester theme (e.g., Fall 2005 - Mexico^[3]; Fall 2006 - France^[4]; Fall 2007 - China^[5]). During the themed semesters, lectures and programs dedicated to the selected country are held on campus. The university also hosts a biennial piano competition ^[6], which will be held April 21-26, 2008.

The university has also established a distance learning program for individuals unable to attend the campus. The university has sought to offer the most affordable education of the state universities with low per-credit costs and a textbook rental program that lowers the costs of class materials.

The campus of Missouri Southern is cross divided by Duquense Road (running north-south) and Newman Road (running east-west). The main portion is located west of Duquense and to the south of Newman. The main group of buildings consist of Billingsly Student Center, Webster Hall, Spiva Library, Hearnes Hall, Kuhn Hall, Reynolds Hall, Thomas E. Taylor Performing Arts Center, Matthews Hall, and Gene Taylor Hall. Billingsley serves as the student union, and houses a small food court and the student book shop are located. Webster Hall is the primary location for the offices and classes of the Social Sciences. Hearnes Hall is the location of offices and classes for the English Department, as well as administrative services. Science and Mathematics classes are located in Reynolds Hall; Information Technology is located in Plaster Hall; Gene Taylor Hall is home to the School of Education and Psychology.

• Dr. Teri Agee (Interim) (2007-Present)
• Dr. Julio León (1982-2007)
• Dr. Donald C. Darnton (1979-1982)
• Leon C. Billingsly (1967-1978)

• Janet L. Kavandi, NASA astronaut.
• Rod Smith, wide receiver for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League, 1995-present.
• James Thrash, wide receiver for the Washington Redskins, of the National Football League.
• Dennis Weaver, actor best known for his television roles in Gunsmoke and McCloud (TV series) as well as the early Steven Spielberg thriller Duel (film).

The Lion logo of MSSU

Missouri Southern's mascot is the Lions. The Lions play in NCAA Division II and in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association. MSSU fields 7 men's and 7 women's sports ^[7].

• Missouri Southern State University Web site
• The Chart (Campus Newspaper)

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