Founded in 1858, Winona State University is a comprehensive, regional public university with approximately 8,000 students on campuses in Winona and Rochester. Around half of WSU students are first-generation, meaning neither parent has a four-year bachelor’s degree. The oldest member of the Minnesota State system, WSU offers more than 80 undergraduate, pre-professional, licensure, graduate and doctorate programs in five colleges: Business, Education, Liberal Arts, Nursing & Health Sciences, and Science & Engineering. Winona State is ranked as the second public institution in Minnesota by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges” and has been featured as one of America’s 100 Best College Buys for quality and value for 23 consecutive years. The University generates $447.9 Million in economic impact for the region per year. The University’s mission is to enhance the intellectual, social, cultural and economic vitality of the people and communities we serve: a community of learners improving our world. For the 2019 “Best in the Midwest” ranking, the Princeton Review evaluated 661 colleges nationwide that were considered to be academically outstanding and worthy of consider...ation in a college search. WSU was among 159 institutions selected for the “Best Midwestern” category. In the “Guide to 399 Green Colleges,” the Princeton Review profiles colleges with the most exceptional commitments to sustainability based on academic offerings, career preparation for students, and campus policies, initiatives and activities.