Marshall University is one of the iconic institutions of West Virginia, with a rich history and a bright future. Today, prospective students and their parents (and anyone else who's interested!) can be introduced to the culture and opportunities at Marshall without even leaving their couch, thanks to a comprehensive virtual campus tour.

Located in Huntington, Marshall boasts a huge selection of undergraduate programs, an array of sports programs (including the defending NCAA national champion men’s soccer team), and a nationally recognized medical school.

The institution continues to grow, with the opening of the school of pharmacy in 2019, and a new flight school starting in the fall of 2021 at Yeager Airport in Charleston. A new building for the business school is in the works and has attracted support from business leaders around the state and beyond.

Though it is leaning into the future, Marshall’s roots reach deep into the past. Established as a school in 1837, it was centered on the Maple Grove site where the historic Old Main building now stands.

John Laidley, a founder and leading proponent of the school, named the school in honor of his friend Supreme Court chief justice John Marshall.

Old Main, a series of five buildings dating back to 1868, is the oldest and most recognizable building on the campus; it is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

Through the years, Marshall has proved its strength and resilience, growing into a public institution and rapidly expanding. In 1937 it survived a massive flood of the Ohio River that devastated both the college and the town of Huntington.

But certainly its greatest and most well-known tragedy was the plane crash of 1970, the worst sports-related air disaster in our nation’s history, which took the lives of 75 Marshall football players and staff.

This tragedy is commemorated by the Memorial Fountain, which is turned off each November 14 in honor of those who died. Marshall’s strength in rebounding from this tragedy is documented in multiple movies such as We Are Marshall.

Today, Marshall University continues to be on the forefront of learning, with many acclaimed programs and state-of-the-art facilities. Interested in learning more about Marshall? Here's where that virtual tour we mentioned comes in handy. Take that tour here to explore Marshall's educational and athletic opportunities, student facilities, and historic campus. And while you're at it, learn a little more about all the other amazing opportunities the Huntington area offers!