Ferris State University is recognized for its career-oriented educational programs that are designed to meet the technology and work force demands of business and industry, the healthcare professions, and society in general through applied research and practical education. Founded in 1884 on the concept of providing students with marketable skills, Ferris was established by Woodbridge N. Ferris (1853-1928), a distinguished Michigan educator and politician who served two terms as the state's governor and was elected a United States Senator. Ferris was a private institute until 1950, when it joined the state higher education system. The college obtained university status in 1987.