The university was founded in 1963 as Southwest Minnesota State College (SMSC). It admitted its first class of students on September 19, 1967. The college became Southwest State University (SSU) on August 1, 1975, and kept that name for nearly thirty years until adopting the current name of Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) on July 1, 2003. The student newspaper was originally called The Impact was first published May 10, 1968. The name was changed to The Reader in 1974, and then back to The Impact in 1980. In 2003 the name was changed again to The Spur to be more consistent with the Mustang theme and to spur students into action. The R/A (Recreation/Athletic) Facility was built in 1996 and serves as a 4,000 seat multi-purpose venue. New SMSU Student Center, completed in 2005 On January 2, 2002, a fire destroyed the Student Center, which originally featured an underground living area and a glass dome. The concrete framework for the dome was incorporated into the new student and conference center, and is still visible in the food court area. The new student center was completed in 2005. When completed, it featured a replica of the original dome with the words "Student Center Dome: 1972-2002" written on it at the Alumni Heritage Center, located near the Mustang Zone in the upper level. In 2005, SMSU developed the first bachelors degree culinology program in the nation to be approved by the Research Chefs Association. On September 6, 2008, the new Regional Event Center officially opened on the western edge of campus. The athletic field was named Mattke Field after the old field, and in honor of a past football coach. The center is used by the Mustang football and soccer teams, as well as teams from Marshall High School, and for other regional activities (such as concerts). It took two years and $16 million to complete

The mission of Southwest Minnesota State University is to provide high quality liberal arts, professional, and technical programs at the undergraduate and graduate level. Southwest Minnesota State University is dedicated to excellence in teaching and to preparing students to be life-long learners in a changing global, social, and natural environment. The University has a special commitment to the educational needs of people in its service region. This commitment is reflected in the curricula, cultural enrichment programs, cooperative relationships with other regional institutions, and in service and research contributions to both the public and private sectors of the region.

Isiah Whitlock, Jr., actor Alvin Ashley, former Arena Football League player Chuck Brown, former State Representative Kory Kath, State Representative Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Marty Seifert, former State House Minority Leader

Small City, 216 Acres (87 Ha)