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An act of the Thirteenth Legislative Assembly of Arizona Territory establishes the Territorial Normal School in Tempe.
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The Territorial Normal School opens as a teachers' college as well as the first public institution in Arizona Territory to offer education beyond the eighth grade. Citizens of Tempe donate a 20-acre cow pasture with a four-classroom building to house 33 students. Hiram Bradford Farmer is the principal and primary instructor. Students 16 and older are admitted after passing an entrance exam.
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The school accords the title "president" to Arthur John Matthews, who serves for 30 years.
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The academic offerings expand beyond teacher training to include agriculture and mechanical arts.
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Theodore Roosevelt, two years after leaving the presidency, delivers a speech on the steps of Old Main in which he lauds the Arizona Territory for its "far-sighted wisdom and generosity" in erecting the school.
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The school boasts 41 faculty members and 672 students and by 1929 it will offer a four-year curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Education.
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Grady Gammage begins 26-year tenure as president of the campus, now called Arizona State Teachers College. The institution is granted permanent accreditation.
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The name changes to Arizona State College and an Arizona Board of Regents is established.
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A report to the Board of Regents acknowledges the institution's growth in the years following World War II and recommends establishing four colleges: Liberal Arts, Education, Applied Arts and Sciences, and Business and Public Administration.
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Overcoming objections in some corners of the state that a name change was unnecessary, the institution officially becomes Arizona State University by vote of Arizona residents. Students and others celebrate at the newly built Sun Devil Stadium, where Frank Kush is beginning his long tenure as football coach. The new university begins offering expanded programs, such as law, nursing, engineering, social work and the arts.
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Not long after Arizona State changed from the bulldogs to the Sun Devils, Sparky the Sun Devil was born. Over the years, Sparky has become a much recognized and beloved athletic mascot that embodies the ASU spirit. Here, Sparky entertains football fans during a game in 1965.
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By 1970, Sparky's look had changed a bit.
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The Sparky costume in 1977.
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Sparky takes to the basketball court in 1983.
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Sparky, the Sun Devil, in 1985.
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Sparky shows off his basketball skills. Photo from 1988.
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Lattie F. Coor begins a 12-year tenure as president, during which he leads a fundraising campaign that brings in more than $300 million.
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ASU is recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university.
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<a href='http://newamericanuniversity.asu.edu/' TARGET="_blank" >New American University</a>
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Michael M. Crow is named president, heading an institution that offers more than 250 academic undergraduate programs, an array of master's and doctoral programs, and first-class research facilities.
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A more modern looking Sparky emerged in 2002.
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Sparky poses on A Mountain in 2003.
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A City of Phoenix bond is approved for the construction of the Downtown campus. It becomes ASU's fourth campus, joining ASU West (1984) and ASU Polytechnic (1996). Among the university's most well-regarded schools and departments are: the W.P. Carey School of Business, the Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, the nation's first School of Sustainability, the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education, th
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Sparky in 2009.
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ASU goes with vote to decide new Sparky <A HREF="http://www.azcentral.com/community/tempe/articles/20130412asu-new-sparky-voting.html" TARGET="_new">News Story</A>
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Sparky, the Sun Devil, in 1985.
