Founded as a normal school by provision of the North Dakota Constitution in 1889, Mayville State was granted 30,000 acres of land and organized by the first Legislative Assembly. Classes began in 1889, with funds for the current Old Main a building provided by the Second Legislative Assembly in early 1891, where classes were initially held in 1894. In 1926, the State Board of Higher Education authorized Mayville State to grant a Bachelor of Arts in Education. The Mayville Normal School thus became a teacher's college, providing general education and offering a four-year degree. Successive additions strengthened the curriculum; and as enrollment grew, new buildings appeared. In 1948, the B.A. in Education became a B.S. in Education and the first non-teaching Bachelor of Arts was offered in 1961. In 1973 and 1982, the college established programs in business administration and computer studies respectively. In the early 1980s, the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of General Studies became available. The present name, Mayville State University, was approved by the legislature in 1987. On April 9, 2010, the university broke ground on "the first state funded building in more than 40 years." Agassiz Hall, the largest residence hall has been remodeled to provide suite- and apartment-style living accommodations for men and women. An addition to the science and library buildings is providing a new home for the Division of Education and Psychology. Great progress continues to be made on a state-funded HPER project, which involves replacement of the 1929 Old Gymnasium and expansion of classroom and lab/practice space for Sports Management, Fitness and Wellness, Health Education, and Physical Education majors.
Athletics
Mayville State teams, nicknamed athletically as the Comets, are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, primarily competing as a member of the North Star Athletic Association. Men's sports include baseball, basketball and football; while women's sports include basketball, cheerleading, softball and volleyball. The Mayville State University Comets finished runner-up at the NAIA Division IIMen's Basketball National Tournament in 2007. This is the only men's basketball team in North Dakota history to play in a national collegiate championship game. Mayville State's softball team appeared in one Women's College World Series in 1976.
