Mississippi College Launches Church Partnerships

First Baptist Church Clinton senior pastor Greg Pouncey signs papers March 12 promoting a new initiative with Mississippi College enhancing student scholarships for years to come. President Blake Thompson joins Shawn Parker, executive director-treasurer of the Mississippi Baptist Convention, to support the partnerships open to Baptist churches statewide.

Mississippi College launched a new initiative to give back to the Baptist churches that have supported the university for more than 170 years.

Pastors convened on the Clinton campus to endorse the new initiative on March 12. Residential MC students would be eligible for scholarships of at least $10,000 annually. To be considered for the aid package, students must be Mississippi Baptist church members at the time they apply for MC admission.

Shawn Parker, executive director-treasurer of the Mississippi Baptist Convention, joined church pastors and MC President Blake Thompson to announce the agreement.

“This is a time of renewal and recommitment to our relationship with Mississippi Baptist churches,” Dr. Thompson said. “Scripture often speaks of renewal, and we want to demonstrate the renewal of our commitment to our churches through this partnership.”

Mississippi Baptists have demonstrated a longstanding commitment to supporting higher education in the Magnolia State. Parker noted that churches had given more than $60 million over the past decade to the state’s three Baptist-affiliated institutions.

Attending the meeting were leaders from First Baptist Church Clinton, Colonial Heights Baptist Church of Ridgeland, along with pastors from Morrison Heights Baptist Church and Parkway Baptist Church of Clinton. These metro Jackson churches consistently send many students to MC each year. They are among the first churches to join the new partnership.

“We intend to make this partnership available to any Baptist church in the state of Mississippi,” says Evan Lenow, Mississippi College’s director of church and minister relations. “They have all contributed to the mission of MC through their gifts to the Cooperative Program.”

Founded in 1826, Mississippi College is the state’s oldest institution of higher learning. First affiliated with Mississippi Baptists in 1850, MC is America’s second oldest Baptist college.

Throughout the spring, Mississippi College leaders will be engaging Baptist church leaders throughout the state to participate in the new program.  Regional signing events are anticipated.

For more information, contact Evan Lenow at MC’s Church and Minister Relations office at 601-925-3208 or elenow@mc.edu.