Accommodations & Travel

About the Venue

University of Missouri
230 Jesse Hall
Columbia, MO 65211

The University of Missouri was founded in 1839 as the first public university west of the Mississippi River and the first state university in the Louisiana Purchase territory. MU offers 280 degree programs through 18 colleges and schools.  It is one out of six institutions in the country that has Law, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine on a single campus. Its 32,000 students represent every county in Missouri, every state in the nation, and over 100 countries. There are also 372 buildings, 1,250 acres on its main campus and more than 170 years of history. There is a focus on 4 ideals:  respect, responsibility, discovery, and excellence. 

The University of Missouri campus is the state’s flagship university. By combining the resources of a comprehensive research institution and a state land-grant university coupled with a statewide mission to improve public welfare equals a strong University Extension program. Every year, more than one million Missourians turn to MU and its extension programs to help them continue their education, solve problems, and make informed decisions. 

Designated as a botanic garden, MU’s 1,250 acre main campus features more than 5,000 trees and 650 varieties of plants. One “must see” campus landmark is the Quadrangle or “Quad” where several of the 18 campus buildings that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places are located. Also found on the Quad are 600 year old Chinese stone lions and Thomas Jefferson’s original tombstone.