Barksdale, Stewart join MC Christian Studies, Counseling faculty

Delarious Stewart, left, associate professor of counseling and school counseling program coordinator, and Micah Barksdale, instructor of Christian studies, have joined the Mississippi Christian University faculty.

Micah Barksdale has joined the Department of Christian Studies faculty at Mississippi Christian University (MC) as an instructor, and Delarious Stewart has joined the MC Department of Counseling faculty as an associate professor of counseling and school counseling program coordinator.

David Champagne, professor and chair of Christian Studies at MC, said Barksdale will be a strong addition to the department.

“He is young and energetic, loves teaching the Bible and has a heart to see students grow in their faith,” Champagne said. “Micah will be a great asset to MC.”

Barksdale earned his B.A. in Christian Studies magna cum laude at North Greenville University and his Master of Divinity and Master of Theology from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he is currently a Ph.D. student studying Old Testament and Hebrew. A student member of the Society of Biblical Literature and the Evangelical Theological Society, he has served as an interim youth minister for Clearmont Baptist Church in Westminster, South Carolina.

Barksdale will teach Introduction to the Old Testament, Introductory and Intermediate Hebrew, Distinctive Theological Ideas in the Bible, Exegesis in the Pentateuch, and Exegesis in Poetic and Wisdom Literature at MC.

Kayla Acklin, MC assistant professor and chair of counseling, said Stewart brings a wealth of experience to his new role.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Delarious Stewart to the Department of Counseling,” Acklin said. “His extensive background in counselor education, CACREP accreditation, program development and school counseling makes him an exceptional addition to our department.

“We are confident that his creativity, innovation, and collaborative leadership will strengthen our programs and contribute meaningfully to the continued growth of the Department of Counseling and Mississippi Christian University.”

Stewart earned degrees in mass communications, counselor education and educational leadership from Southern University and A&M College and a Doctor of Education in child development from Jackson State University. He most recently served as an assistant professor at East Texas A&M University and has held faculty positions at several other universities.

Stewart has authored or coauthored more than 20 peer-reviewed articles in academic journals, five academic books, seven children’s books, and numerous book chapters, and he serves as editor of the Journal of Mental Health in Rural Schools and on other editorial boards. Recipient of the 2025 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Award from Hunt County, Texas, he is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi, Alpha Epsilon Lambda and Chi Sigma Iota honor societies. He is an active member of the American Counseling Association, the American School Counselor Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and other professional societies.

Stewart will work closely with MC Counseling faculty as the department transitions the M.Ed. in School Counseling to a fully online format to prepare highly qualified school counselors to help meet the growing workforce needs across Mississippi.