Saginaw Valley State University

Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) (commonly referred to as SVSU, SV, or Saginaw Valley) is a public university located in University Center, Michigan. Originally founded in 1963 as Saginaw Valley College, it is located on 748 acres approximately 6 miles from downtown Saginaw in Kochville Township, Saginaw County. It is also only 8.5 miles from Bay City and 20 miles from Midland.

Founded in 1963, it is the youngest of Michigan's 15 public colleges and universities. SVSU offers over 100 academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels with approximately 10,000 students at its main campus in University Center. SVSU offers strong programs of study in its five colleges. Among the more popular are teaching, nursing, engineering, business, the health professions, and traditional liberal arts programs like the performing and visual arts, as well as degree programs like criminal justice, psychology and professional technical writing.

History

Higher education in the Saginaw Valley region dates back to the founding of Bay City Junior College in 1922. Though the junior college was replaced by Delta College in 1961, the area still lacked a four-year baccalaureate institution. Saginaw Valley College was founded as a private institution in November 1963, and became a state-supported institution in 1965. The name changed to Saginaw Valley State College in 1974 and again to Saginaw Valley State University in 1987.