uw oshkosh facts
History of UW Oshkosh
The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh was founded as Wisconsin’s third normal school in 1871. President George S. Albee headed a faculty of five normal school teachers, the model school director and three teachers. Forty-three students attended the first day of classes. The Oshkosh State Normal School became the state’s foremost teacher-training institution. A fire in 1916 destroyed the school’s main building, which was replaced with Dempsey Hall in 1918.
In later years, as the focus and curriculum expanded, the institution underwent several name changes. A graduate school was added in 1963. In its centennial year of 1971, President Roger Earl Guiles guided UW Oshkosh’s merger into the Wisconsin system.
Today, UW Oshkosh prepares students for fulfilling lives and challenging careers with 54 undergraduate majors and 15 master’s degree programs. Chancellor Richard H. Wells, who was appointed in 2000, leads this vibrant educational institution—the third largest university in Wisconsin with an enrollment of more than 11,200 students. The picturesque and environmentally sensitive campus covers 163 acres and is home to four colleges—Business Administration, Education and Human Services, Letters and Science and Nursing. UWO’s focus on teaching is evident in its distinction as having won six Regents’ Teaching Awards of Excellence. UWO also is committed to becoming a nationally recognized model for the “engaged university.”