Mississippi College Sets Fall Enrollment Records

Students living in the new residence halls at Mississippi College include Andrew Wilson of Brandon, Cason Robbins of New Albany and Bretton Crosby of Brookhaven. The new facilities for 189 students boosted MC enrollment this fall.

Mississippi College’s new residence halls, and the Christian university’s largest freshmen class helped MC attract 5,152 students this fall.

Shattering previous marks, there are 618 freshmen, 483 international students and 1,547 enrolled in graduate studies, according to MC reports released Wednesday. There was an overall head count of 5,045 students attending MC classes last fall.

Officials also cite MC’s transition to NCAA Division II athletics and rejoining the Gulf South Conference as another big factor contributing to the enrollment boost. The addition of innovative academic programs like electrical engineering is seen as another plus in enrollment gains.

As MC prepares to mark its 190^th anniversary in January, the news in early September about record enrollment at the Baptist-affiliated university is delighting school officials.

“We are experiencing tremendous momentum with our enrollment growth because the word is out in the student market that we are an affordable option,” says Mark Hughes, associate vice president and dean of enrollment services. “We offer premier as well as comprehensive academic programs in an intentionally Christ-centered environment.”

Jim Turcotte, vice president for enrollment management and dean of students, applauds the hard work once again by the university’s admissions team.

“Enrollment has increased due to a variety of factors including enhanced recruitment, new facilities, retention, new programs and our strong academic reputation,” Turcotte said.

Featuring spacious living quarters, French balconies, modern kitchens, new sidewalks and other amenities, the University Place residence halls are an instant hit for all 189 residents. Upper class students moved into the East Campus facilities in August. The eight units serve as an attractive recruiting tool as prospective students and parents visit the university.

With the addition of University Place, the Clinton campus now houses a record of more than 1,900 students, Turcotte noted.

The positive enrollment trends didn’t happen overnight. When President Lee Royce arrived in 2002, MC enrolled 3,300 students, including just nine international students.

“We have been blessed to see our university grow and thrive for many years,” Turcotte said.

Freshmen like Allie Wilson, 18, of Winona selected Mississippi College for a number of reasons. “I like the Christian campus and small classes,” Allie said, while eating lunch with friends in the school cafeteria.

MC’s excellent nursing program was another reason she decided to come to Mississippi College after considering Liberty University in Virginia. There are family ties, too. Her brother Evan Wilson, 21, is an MC senior, and their mom, Cindy Wilson, is a 1988 Mississippi College graduate.

Freshman Lauren Madison, 18, says MC just felt like home. “The sense of community is outstanding,” says the nursing major from Birmingham, Alabama.

MC junior Bretton Crosby of Brookhaven loves life in University Place. “UP allows students to strengthen the bonds they’ve built over the years at MC by living with other people in such a close-knit environment.”

The fall enrollment jump comes as MC offers several attractive new academic programs, including graduate degrees in health informatics and graphic design as well as bachelor’s degrees in worship leadership, and early childhood education.

Other relatively new programs in the Graduate School are proving to be successful. MC’s doctorate in professional counseling enrolls 120 students. Unique in Mississippi, MC’s physician assistant program enrolls more than 90 graduate students. The 30-month PA program at the Baptist Healthplex trains medical professionals to work under the supervision of physicians. The list of strong academic programs goes on.

Freshman Liz Skirkey is happy to leave behind the cold winters in her native New Hampshire to study interior design at MC. “What I really wanted in a college was a place where I could grow my faith and be challenged academically.”

There’s more good news for Mississippi College. A report released September 2 shows MC is ranked 21^st among the 50 most affordable Christian colleges in 2015-16.