Alcorn State University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Alcorn State University

Former name	Alcorn University (1871–1878) Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College (1878–1974)
Motto	"Service, Scholarship, Dignity" "Where Knowledge and Character Matter"
Type	Public historically black land-grant university
Established	May 13, 1871; 154 years ago (1871-05-13)
Parent institution	Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning
Accreditation	SACS
Academic affiliations	TMCF Space-grant
Endowment	$21.3 million (2021)
President	Tracy Cook (interim)
Students	2,933 (Fall 2022)
Undergraduates	2431 (Fall 2022)
Postgraduates	502 (Fall 2019)
Location	Alcorn State , Mississippi , United States 31°52′37″N 91°08′28″W / 31.8769°N 91.1411°W / 31.8769; -91.1411
Campus	Remote rural, 1,756 acres (7.11 km2)
Other campuses	Natchez Vicksburg
Newspaper	The Campus Chronicle
Colors	Purple and gold
Nickname	Braves and Lady Braves
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FCS – SWAC
Mascot	Bravehawk

Oakland Chapel on the campus of Alcorn State University

The Literary Society Building on the campus of Alcorn State University

Alcorn State University, also known as Alcorn State or ASU, is a public university in Mississippi. It's a historically black college or university (HBCU). This means it was founded to educate African American students.

Alcorn State was started in 1871. It was the first land-grant university for African Americans in the United States. A land-grant university focuses on teaching practical subjects like agriculture and engineering. The university is part of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. This fund supports public HBCUs.

Alcorn State's sports teams are called the Braves. They compete in NCAA Division I, which is the highest level of college sports. All their teams are part of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).

Discovering Alcorn State's History

Alcorn State University has a special place in history. It was the first land-grant college for black students in the country. It was built on the site of an older college called Oakland College. This college had closed because of the Civil War.

When Alcorn University first opened, it had three main buildings. Hiram Rhodes Revels, who was a United States Senator, became its first president. The state government gave money to help the college get started and operate.

In 1878, the university's name changed to Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College. The campus grew from its original size to about 1,700 acres (6.9 km²). At first, the school was only for black males. But in 1895, women were allowed to attend.

Today, Alcorn State has over 500 faculty and staff members. The number of students has grown from 179 to more than 2,933. Students now come from all over the world.

In 1974, the college's name changed again to Alcorn State University. This new name showed that the school had grown and offered many more programs. It now offers graduate degrees and prepares students for many different careers.

In 2020, a large donation of $25 million was given to Alcorn State by MacKenzie Scott. This was the biggest gift the university had ever received.

Alcorn State is officially recognized, or "accredited," for its quality education. It has seven schools and offers more than 50 different study areas. These include programs in nursing and business. The campus has about 80 modern buildings.

Leaders of the University

Levi J. Rowan

Many important people have served as president of Alcorn State University. Here is a list of some of them:

What You Can Study at Alcorn State

Alcorn State University is one of the largest historically black colleges or universities (HBCUs) in Mississippi. It has about 3,700 undergraduate students and 600 graduate students.

The university has seven different schools. These schools offer more than 50 different subjects you can study. Some of them include:

• College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
• College of Arts and Sciences
• School of Business
• School of Education and Psychology
• School of Nursing

Alcorn State University is often ranked among the top HBCUs in the country. These rankings come from U.S. News & World Report.

Alcorn State is the only HBCU in Mississippi with a full nursing program. It was also the first school in Mississippi and the first HBCU to offer a special business degree called a STEM MBA. This degree combines business with science, technology, engineering, and math.

The Myrlie Evers-Williams Honors Program is for students who want to challenge themselves. It helps them improve their studies and leadership skills.

Master of Business Administration Programs

Alcorn State University's School of Business offers two types of Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs.

• A Traditional MBA program focuses on general business management. It also has a focus on tourism and hospitality.
• A STEM MBA program has special areas like accounting, healthcare management, data analytics, and artificial intelligence.

Both programs are 30 hours long and can be finished in about one year. All classes are online. The MBA program is approved by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Programs for Future Careers

Alcorn offers special programs to help students get ready for specific careers. These are called pre-professional programs. They prepare students for studies in fields like:

• Law
• Engineering
• Nursing
• Physical Therapy
• Medicine
• Pharmacy
• Dentistry

Official Recognition (Accreditation)

Alcorn State University is officially recognized by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This means the university meets high standards for education. It can award different types of degrees, from Associate to Doctorate.

Many of Alcorn's specific programs are also accredited by their own national organizations. For example, the teacher education program is approved by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Where is Alcorn State University?

Alcorn State University entrance sign

The main campus is in a place called Alcorn State University census-designated place. This is an unincorporated area in Claiborne County, Mississippi. It's about 45 miles (72 km) south of Vicksburg and 80 miles (130 km) southwest of Jackson. It is close to Lorman.

The Nursing School is located in Natchez, Mississippi. The university also has technology centers in Vicksburg.

Living on Campus

Alcorn State has several places for students to live.

• Boys' dorms include Medgar Wiley Evers Heritage Village Complex A and B, Hiram Revels Hall, and Albert Lott Hall.
• Girls' dorms include Medgar Wiley Evers Heritage Village Complex buildings C and D, John Burrus Hall, Beulah Robinson Hall, and the Female Honors Residence Hall.

Teachers who work full-time at the university can also live in special housing on campus.

Alcorn State Athletics

Alcorn athletics logo

Alcorn State is part of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). Its teams compete in NCAA Division I FCS. Alcorn supports 15 different sports programs.

Sounds of Dyn-O-mite

Alcorn State University has a famous marching band called the "Sounds of Dyn-O-mite" (SOD). It started in the 1960s. The band has over 190 members and is led by several drum majors.

The "World Renowned Golden Girls" (GGs) are the dance team that performs with the band. They started in 1968. They are known as "The Mother of HBCU dancelines" because they were the first dance team to perform with an HBCU marching band without using batons.

Notable People from Alcorn State

Sports Stars

Other Famous Alumni

Notable Faculty

• Melerson Guy Dunham – An educator and civil rights activist who taught history at Alcorn. She wrote a book about the college's history.

Images for kids

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  Alcorn State University Seal

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  Alcorn State University logo

See also

In Spanish: Alcorn State University (Misisipi) para niños