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Institutional Statement

Alcorn State University is a premier comprehensive land-grant university that develops diverse students into globally-competitive leaders and applies scientific research through collaborative partnerships which benefit the surrounding communities, states, nation and world.

History

Alcorn is the oldest public historically black land-grant institution in the United States and the second oldest state supported institution of higher learning in Mississippi. When it was founded in 1871, the institution’s three major study components were the four year college track, the two year track, and the three year graded track. The students spent the mornings from seven o’clock until noon in classes. In the afternoon, they worked in the various shops for eight cents per hour. Room and board, including laundry, equated to five dollars a month.

Alcorn State University was founded as the result of the people of Mississippi’s efforts to educate the descendants of formerly enslaved Africans. It was named in honor of the sitting governor of Mississippi, James L. Alcorn. The site was originally occupied by Oakland College, a school established by Presbyterians in 1828. The state of Mississippi purchased the Oakland College campus for $40,000 and named it Alcorn University with the first president being Hiram R. Revels. Revels resigned his seat as a United States senator to assume the post. The state legislature provided $50,000 in cash for ten successive years for establishment and overall operation of the college. Additionally, proceeds from the sale of 30 acres of land for $188,928 yielded three-fifths of the proceeds for Alcorn, totaling $113,400. These proceeds were used only for the agricultural and mechanical components of the college.

In 1878, Alcorn University became Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College. The original purchase of 225 acres of land had grown to over a 1700 acre campus. Alcorn is situated in Claiborne County, seven miles west of Lorman, Mississippi, 80 miles south of the capital city Jackson, Mississippi, 45 miles south of Vicksburg, Mississippi and 40 miles north of Natchez, Mississippi. The college was exclusively for males at first, but eventually women were admitted. A dormitory for women was built in 1902. Over time facilities increased from three historic buildings to more than 80 modern structures. 



In 1974, Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College became Alcorn State University. Governor William L. Waller signed House Bill 298, granting this status. Alcorn has thrived by continuously accomplishing dynamic goals and objectives despite limited resource allocations from the state. By the early 1990s, Alcorn’s physical plant and academic programs had grown from just a name change into a more diversified university. The student population is now representative of more than 65 counties, more than 30 states and at least 18 foreign countries. The university provides an undergraduate education that enables students to successfully pursue work in graduate and professional schools, engage in teaching, and enter other professions. As Mississippi recognized the importance of educating all citizens, Alcorn grew in status and importance.

Alcorn State University began with eight faculty members in 1871 and today there are more than 800 faculty and staff. The student body has grown from 179 students to more than 4,000 students from all over the world with varied ethnic backgrounds. Although early graduates of Alcorn had limited horizons, today’s graduates are successful in their chosen professions and many are outstanding entrepreneurs. Throughout Alcorn’s history, the leadership and faculty remained committed to restoring and enhancing the institution’s image and to attracting young people whose interest is the pursuit and receipt of a quality education. Over the decades, “the college that excelled against great odds”, has now become one of the leading universities in the nation. Alcorn State University operates seven divisions with degree programs in more than 50 areas including the bachelors, masters, and educational specialist degrees.

The collaborative strength and contributions of Alcorn’s past seventeen presidents during its 140 years of existence have enabled the institution to excel. On November 30, 2010, the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning voted unanimously to appoint Dr. M. Christopher Brown II as Alcorn State University’s 18th president. President Brown’s background and vision are strategically aligned with Alcorn’s history and tradition. He is poised to expeditiously move Alcorn State University to the next level of excellence. 



Dr. Josephine M. Posey 


Against Great Odds: The History of Alcorn State (1994)

Location

Alcorn is in Claiborne County, Mississippi, seven miles west of Lorman, seventeen miles southwest of Port Gibson, and about halfway between Vicksburg, to the north, and Natchez, to the south.

Organization

At Alcorn, seven schools offer a number of diverse programs for undergraduate and graduate studies leading to the associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and specialist degrees. 

Enriching program opportunities include:

The Honors Program is a rewarding option for students who wish to further enhance their academic experience. It brings together students and teachers who share exceptional intellectual commitment in an atmosphere that strengthens scholarship, leadership and creativity.

Global Programs helps students broaden their perspectives and become more competitive in today’s international marketplace. Besides coordinating exciting study-abroad opportunities, Global Programs brings worldwide perspectives to campus through exchange programs and special events.

Alcorn offers Pre-professional Programs to prepare students for a successful transition to specialized studies in the fields of law, engineering, nursing, physical therapy, pharmacy and dentistry.

Enrollment

Approximately 2,946 full-time undergraduates (1,037 men; 1,909 women), 350 part-time undergraduates (97 men; 253 women), 722 graduate students (154; 568), total enrollment 4,018.

Accreditations

Alcorn State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate, bachelor’s, master’s and education specialist degrees.

The University also holds accreditation with the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, the American Dietetics Association, the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, the National Association of Schools of Music, the National Association of Industrial Technology and the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Activities

At Alcorn, it’s easy to make friends — and make a difference. With such a wide range and more than 50 student groups and organizations, there’s one to suit every personality, interest, skill set and schedule.

Without ever leaving campus, students can volunteer — as Peer educators, Student Ambassadors and Orientation Guides, to name just a few possibilities. In addition, many student groups coordinate volunteer opportunities off-campus in surrounding communities and public schools.

Athletics

The Alcorn Braves have won numerous athletic championships. And many of our alumni have found success as professional athletes. Alcorn State is a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and provisional member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), Division I.