[1] Rochester legislators and community advocates started the campaign to increase higher education in the local area as early as the 1950s.

[citation needed] Courses were offered in engineering, education, and math starting in 1966 as a satellite site of the University of Minnesota in coordination with other institutions.

In 2000, the university heightened efforts to grow both the graduate satellite programs of the Rochester branch by adding a new provost to lead the campus and staff to accommodate this growth.

The governor formed the Rochester Higher Education Development Committee (RHEDC) and appointed local business owner Marilyn Stewart to lead the group.

[4] In the fall of 2007, UMR staff moved into the renovated facilities at the newly renamed University Square in downtown Rochester and welcomed its new Chancellor, Dr. Stephen Lehmkuhle.

Students in the BSHP program graduate with a degree from UMR and a certificate from the Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences in one of four health-related fields: Respiratory Care, Echocardiography, Sonography, and Radiography.

[16] UMR offers three on-campus housing options: 318 Commons, Residence at Discovery Square, and Student Life Center as of fall 2023.

[17] Because 318 Commons is designated as on-campus, UMR sets the rental rate, and the student pays the institution along with tuition, fees, and other expenses.