Southern Michigan University: Why It's Missing

There's a bit of a long-standing joke about so-called "Directional Schools" that they're somehow lesser than a university named to serve an entire state.

Michigan is the home to four directional schools: Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti.

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There is one key direction missing and the current directional schools are perhaps not the most directional they should be.

The Enigma of the Missing Southern Michigan University

So what about Southern Michigan University? Since Michigan is largely populated across its southern tiers of counties, both Western and Eastern Michigan (University of Michigan, too) are southerly located.

Perhaps that's why there isn't a need for a Southern Michigan University. But if there was, several southern Michigan cities could host one - Niles, Sturgis, Coldwater, Hillsdale, Adrian or Monroe all could claim this fictitious campus.

Central and Northern Michigan: Already on Target?

Now consider the directional schools. Central Michigan is well placed in the middle of the Lower Peninsula. Mount Pleasant isn't losing its campus.

Similarly with Northern Michigan in Marquette, other than the Keweenaw Peninsula, already home to Michigan Tech, there's not much else northerly territory to move NMU.

Western and Eastern both could be better placed. There's a great deal of western territory in Michigan to the west of Kalamazoo. Not just along the Lake Michigan shoreline, but particularly in the Upper Peninsula. Ironwood may be a much more fitting home for a real Western Michigan University.

👇🏼BELOW: Ranking Every Mid-American Conference College Town - Where Does Michigan Land? + Check Out These Official Out-of-State Official License Plates Honoring Michigan State and the University of Michigan👇🏼

While Ypsilanti is somewhat east, it's not as east as, say, Port Huron (the easternmost point in Michigan). Alpena or anywhere along the Lake Huron coast could host an Eastern Michigan. Or for the truly adventurous Eagles, consider Drummond Island.

Beyond the Big Four: Michigan's Double Directional Community Colleges

Finally a note on Michigan's double directional schools. They exist but are community colleges. Southwest Michigan College is in Dowagiac. North Central Michigan College is found in Petoskey while Northwestern Michigan College is in Traverse City.

Ranking Every Mid-American Conference College Town - Where Does Michigan Land?

The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is without dispute the confrere of the Great Lakes. With core and historic membership of schools from Michigan and Ohio, the rivalries are classic and many of the towns hold a similar feel. So how would they rank.

*Note this survey leaves off DeKalb as Northern Illinois is departing the MAC and includes Amherst as UMass is set to join the conference.