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Mississippi Senate Resolution Commends Mississippi College President Lee Royce


The recipient of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education District III Executive Leadership Award at the 9-state CASE region's annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. in February, Mississippi College President Lee Royce was commended by the state Senate in a new resolution. Joining Dr. Royce for the occasion March 27 and a luncheon on the Clinton campus are Sens. Sollie Norwood of Jackson, Dean Kirby of Pearl, and Hillman Frazier of Jackson. Frazier, whose Senate district includes Mississippi College, authored the Senate resolution. Photo by Andy Kanengiser, MC University News Coordinator

Mississippi lawmakers saluted President Lee Royce in a new resolution they recently passed at the state Capitol.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 579 recognized the accomplishments and civic leadership of Mississippi College’s leader over the past twelve years. Royce began serving as MC’s 19th president in July 2002.

Passed by the Senate and House, the resolution noted the Vanderbilt University graduate received the Executive Leadership Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education’s District III region that spans nine states. Previous winners have included presidents of such schools as the University of Georgia and Virginia Tech.

Presented to Dr. Royce on February 18 at its annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, the CASE award goes to university leaders encouraging innovation among employees, presenting a positive image of the institution, advancing fund-raising and showing a strong success rate for major initiatives. At the event, Royce thanked MC faculty, staff and other university supporters for making the award possible.

Sen. Hillman Frazier of Jackson authored the Senate resolution. He joined state Sens. Sollie Norwood of Jackson, and Dean Kirby of Pearl, who’s an MC alumnus, to present Dr. Royce with the honor. They joined MC’s president for a luncheon on the Clinton campus on March 27.

“It is important to recognize individuals who are doing an outstanding job,” says Frazier, whose Senate district includes Mississippi College in Clinton. “President Royce came to Mississippi College with a vision of excellence and put together a strong team to make things happen.”

Mississippi College has enjoyed “a record growth in enrollment and endowment during challenging times,” Frazier said. “That is something we took note of. All of this happened because of the strong leadership of President Royce.”

Today, there are more than 5,000 MC students, compared to 3,200 when he arrived in 2002. The institution is Mississippi’s largest private university and the nation’s second oldest Baptist college. There were just nine international students attending the Christian university during Royce’s first year. Today, MC enrolls 252 students from 26 nations around the globe, led by China.

“The State of Mississippi is fortunate to have President Royce leading Mississippi during this crucial time in our history,” Frazier said. “We recognized President Royce because he is a game changer and a difference maker.”

The resolution commends “this Christian academic leader whose record of achievement, and legacy of leadership and dedication to the citizens of Mississippi brings honor to his college, his community and to our state.”

Mississippi College trustees and members of the Capitol Press Corps received copies of the four-page document.