During its quarterly meeting, the MSU Texas Board of Regents approved a corporate sponsorship agreement with Shimadzu Medical Systems USA, a division of Shimadzu Precision Instruments, Inc. The sponsorship will provide medical equipment and a 10-year service plan for the University's radiologic sciences program. In recognition of the $2.4 million value of the sponsorship, the Board also approved the naming of The Shimadzu School of Radiologic Sciences in honor of the company.

“We are honored to enter into this agreement with Shimadzu Medical Systems,” said MSU President Suzanne Shipley. “Our students and faculty will have access to state-of-the-art technology that is rarely afforded (or accessible) in an educational setting.”

Through the agreement, Shimadzu Medical Systems USA will provide multiple X-ray room as well as turnkey installation of the equipment, on-demand training on its use, and complete parts replacement for 10 years on the equipment. The new equipment will be installed in the new health sciences building, scheduled to open for instruction in fall 2019.

The partnership presents a unique opportunity for both institutions, as this is the first corporate and public educational partnership of its type in the radiological sciences.

“This is a giant step forward for MSU Texas and for the radiologic sciences,” said James Johnston, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “I know the national leaders of the organizations that accredit, certify, and establish how we practice radiography in the United States and to the extent they were able to research, this is the first corporate naming of a radiologic science program in the United States.”

Johnston said he is already fielding questions from other institutions as to how this partnership might be duplicated. He credits the reputation and leadership of MSU Texas's radiologic sciences over the decades in attracting such a valuable partnership.

“Shimadzu Medical has a well-respected history and reputation for innovation and leadership,” he said. "When we researched the company we found a kindred spirit in that respect. After several meetings and discussions we agreed that it made sense for us to be leaders together.”

The Shimadzu Corporation was founded in 1875, and has been supplying cutting-edge products to customers throughout the world for more than 140 years. The company built Japan's first medical X-ray device in 1909 and opened the first institution to train radiographers in Japan in 1927, which became Kyoto College of Medical Science. Shimadzu Precision Instruments, Inc. in the United States was established in 1979. Shimadzu's commitment and corporate philosophy is “contributing to society through science and technology.”

The radiology program at MSU Texas began in 1972 and today is a forerunner in medical imaging education through quality classroom instruction and detailed clinical practice. Points of distinction include:

Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology (BSRT) is the only entry-level bachelor's degree in radiography in the state of Texas that is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JCERT).

MSU is credited for starting what is believed to be the first radiologic sciences distance education program in the United States (1974). Today, there are more than 350 imaging sciences professionals enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences (BSRS) program.

As the first educational institution in the United States to offer a discipline-specific graduate degree (1995), today's Master of Science in Radiologic Sciences (MSRS) program leads in providing quality education for medical imaging professionals.

The Radiologist Assistant (RA) program was one of the original four advanced clinical practice programs in the United States started with grant money from the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT).