1937 – Joplin Junior College was established and opened for the first time with 114 students and 9 faculty members. Joplin Junior College was an extension of the Joplin School system.
1938 – Joplin Junior College moved to 4th and Byers in Joplin, Missouri. This was the junior college’s first home.
Two students, Mary Laird from Joplin and Joan Epperson from Neosho decided to combine their high schools’ team colors, green from Joplin High School-Parkwood and gold from Neosho High School, to create the green and gold that Missouri Southern still uses today.
Members of the football team chose the lion as the school's mascot before their first official game.
The Alma Mater was written by a group of students, including Mary Laird, Emerson Jackson, Joan Epperson, Enos Currey, and Ellen Beasley. Mary Laird was principally responsible for the lyrics, while Emerson Jackson set it to music. It was first sung in 1939.
1939 – First published issue of The Chart
The Chart was published for the first time on November 10, 1939, replacing the previously published school newspaper The Challenge.
1941 – The first summer semester was held at Joplin Junior College from May 26, 1941 (four days after Commencement that year) through August 1, 1941.
1944 – The 1944 edition of the Crossroads yearbook honored those missing or killed in action during World War II. A total of 24 Joplin Junior College students would die in that war. A memorial to all of the students lost during World War II can be found near Billingsly Student Center.
1954 – Following the May 17, 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Joplin Schools integrated, with Joplin Junior College being the first of the schools to integrate during the 1954-1955 school year. Black students enrolled at Joplin Junior College and joined the student body for the first time this year.
1958 – Joplin Junior College moved to a new location at 8th and Wall Street in Joplin, Missouri.
April 1964 – Voters created the Junior College District of Jasper County, ending the junior college’s 27 years as part of the Joplin School system. Voters approved the construction of a new campus for the school. Joplin Junior College became known as Jasper County Junior College at this time.
October 1964 – Residents of Jasper County pledge over $300,000 toward the purchase of the Mission Hills farm and the building of the new campus. At the time the Mission Hills Estate was owned by Frank and Juanita Wallower. The couple lived on the farm with their Scottish terriers and a herd of Hereford show cattle.
July 1965 – In July of 1965, House Bill No. 210 was signed by Missouri Governor Warren E. Hearnes in ceremonies held in Joplin. The bill established a state college, offering a four-year baccalaureate degree. Jasper County Junior College became known as Missouri Southern College.
1967 – A new 320-acre campus with five new buildings and an extended Mansion House opened at the present location to 2,399 students and 95 faculty members. The first buildings on the campus were Spiva Library, Hearnes Hall, Reynolds Hall and the Fine Arts Building.
June 1, 1969 – On June 1, 1969 at 3:00 the first class of 198 baccalaureate degree candidates graduated. This class of students started working toward their degrees when the school was still a junior college.
1972 – Missouri Southern College was officially renamed to Missouri Southern State College, prior to this the name solely reserved for the senior college since the 4-year degree began to be offered in 1967.
October, 1974 – The first intercollegiate women's athletic team, the women's basketball team, was established in October of 1974. Former Coach Sallie Beard recounted the event: "...A group (5 I think) walked into my office and said 'We would like to create a basketball team. Will you help us?' My response was 'Sure!'" Softball and Tennis women's teams were also started during the 1974-1975 academic year. The total budget for all of the teams combined was $2000.
1984 – The campus television station, KGCS, then MSTV, was established. It started as a cable access channel in Joplin, became a broadcast channel in 1988 and a digital broadcast channel in 2008.
November 22, 1990 – In the early morning hours of November 22, 1990 (Thanksgiving day) an arsonist set fire to the Barn Theatre on the Missouri Southern campus. The unique theatre, a converted barn, hosted plays from 1967 until its destruction in 1990.
May 1995 – Governor Mel Carnahan signed legislation that authorized Missouri Southern State College to establish international education as distinctive to its mission. International education is still a part of Missouri Southern's statewide mission today.
1996 – Missouri Southern State College published to the internet for the first time to the now defunct website, mssc.edu. The old website is still viewable on the Wayback Machine, provided by the Internet Archive!
July 12, 2003 – Missouri Southern State College was officially renamed Missouri Southern State University through Missouri Senate Bill 55.
May 20, 2006 – During the 46th Commencement at Missouri Southern, Master’s degrees were awarded for the first time. Six students attained a Master of Science in Education degree during this ceremony.
May 22, 2011 – Following the May 22, 2011 EF5 tornado that destroyed parts of Joplin, Missouri and the surrounding area, Missouri Southern served as an emergency shelter for displaced residents. At one point nearly 500 people (and their pets) were housed on the campus. The Missouri Southern Social Sciences Department is currently preserving a collection of photographs and documents about the Joplin Tornado. This collection is currently available on the Missouri Digital Heritage website.
September 10, 2021 – The City of Joplin and Missouri Southern officially opened the walking trail that connects the Missouri Southern campus to the City of Joplin with a bridge across Turkey Creek.
April 2024 – A groundbreaking ceremony was held on the Missouri Southern campus for the Roy Blunt Health Science Innovation Center. The Center is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in 2026.
