Fairmont State University

Fairmont State University, with a 120-acre main campus in Fairmont, is part of the state’s growing high technology corridor. With a long history of academic excellence, FSU is a place where teaching and learning matter and students are our first priority. Founded in 1865 as the state’s first private normal school in West Virginia, FSU celebrates its Sesquicentennial in 2015. Over the past decade, the main campus has been expanded with new construction including an Engineering Technology Building, student center, residence hall, parking garage, improved library facility and significant ADA accessibility improvements.

Falcon Fast Facts

Major Options

With 80 bachelor's degree programs and five graduate degree programs, any student can find the right fit.

Falcon Cast

Our cast (the name for a group of Falcons) soars at about 4,200 students.

Home Among the Hills

FSU's main campus is located in Fairmont, West Virginia, a friendly city of 19,000. The campus is home to the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center. FSU features a branch campus in Clarksburg, which is called the Gaston Caperton Center. The Robert C. Byrd National Aerospace Education Center, located in nearby Bridgeport, offers multiple programs in aviation.

Faculty Interaction

With a student to faculty ratio of 17:1 and an average class size of 22, FSU puts every student first.

Get Involved

From Greek life to Intramural Sports, to the Anime Club, there are more than 80 student organizations at FSU.

Fighting Falcons

As a member of the Mountain East Conference, FSU is an NCAA Division II school featuring 16 varsity sports. Come cheer on the Falcons with our mascot Freddie. MISSION STATEMENT: The Mission of Fairmont State University is to provide opportunities for individuals to achieve their professional and personal goals and discover roles for responsible citizenship that promote the common good. VISION STATEMENT: Fairmont State University aspires to be nationally recognized as a model for accessible learner-centered institutions that promote student success by providing comprehensive education and excellent teaching, flexible learning environments, and superior services. Graduates will have the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind necessary for intellectual growth, full and participatory citizenship, employability, and entrepreneurship in a changing environment.

The Story

Fairmont State University’s roots reach back to the formation of public education in the state of West Virginia. The first private normal school in West Virginia was established in Fairmont in 1865 by John N. Boyd, the school’s first principal, to train teachers. Over the past 147 years, the University has experienced many changes in name – from the West Virginia Normal School at Fairmont to the Fairmont State Normal School in the 1870s to Fairmont State Teachers College in 1931, to Fairmont State College in 1944, to Fairmont State University in 2004. These changes indicate an ongoing expansion of programs and purpose. In 1923, the Fairmont State Normal School first offered a four-year bachelor’s degree program in education, making the school a college. Today FSU offers more than 80 baccalaureate degrees in business, education, engineering and technology, fine arts, liberal arts, and nursing and allied health administration. Graduate programs have been developed in education, business, and criminal justice. The University’s changes in location in Fairmont also reflect its continued growth. On February 27, 1867, the normal school became a state institution. Construction began on a brick building on the northwest corner of Adams and Quincy streets later that year. In 1893, the school moved into a new building on Second Street and Fairmont Avenue. In early 1917, the Fairmont State Normal School moved to the building now called Hardway Hall, which sits on a hill overlooking Locust Avenue. From that single columned building on a hill that was once part of a dairy farm, the University’s 120-acre campus has expanded to include more than 23 buildings. Over the past decade, new construction, including a new student center, parking garage, residence hall, and academic building, as well as major improvements in infrastructure, have greatly impacted the accessibility and beauty of the campus. FSU features two satellite locations in Harrison County, the Gaston Caperton Center in Clarksburg and the Robert C. Byrd National Aerospace Education Center in Bridgeport. FSU continues to look for ways to reach beyond the borders of West Virginia and the nation to build relationships. From its first officially recorded enrollment of 30 students in 1868, FSU has grown to be the third largest of the state’s universities with an enrollment of about 4,600 students. The first student, Hyre D. Clark of Buckhannon, graduated from the normal school in 1872. Today, FSU has an alumni network of more than 29,000 proud Falcons

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