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Mississippi University for Women

Other name	The W
Former names	Mississippi State College for Women Industrial Institute and College Columbus Female Institute
Motto	A Tradition of Excellence for Women and Men
Type	Public state university Space-Grant university
Established	1884
Academic affiliation	SACS AASCU
Endowment	$43.8 million (July 2017)
President	Nora Miller
Provost	Dr. Scott Tollison
Academic staff	208 (Fall 2017)[1]
Administrative staff	201 (Fall 2017)[2]
Students	2,789 (Fall 2017)[3]
Location	Columbus, Mississippi, United States 33°29′35″N 88°25′7″W / 33.49306°N 88.41861°W / 33.49306; -88.41861Coordinates: 33°29′35″N 88°25′7″W / 33.49306°N 88.41861°W / 33.49306; -88.41861
Campus	Rural
Colors	W (dark) blue and Welty (light) blue
Nickname	Owls
Sporting affiliations	USCAA
Mascot	Ody the Owl
Website	http://www.muw.edu

Mississippi University for Women, also known as MUW or "The W", is a four-year coeducational public university located in Columbus, Mississippi, United States. It was formerly known as Industrial Institute and College (II&C) and later Mississippi State College for Women (MSCW). Men have been admitted to MUW since 1982 and currently make up 19% of the student body today.

History and mission

Upon its establishment in 1884, Mississippi University for Women became the first public women's college in the United States. Then formally titled the Industrial Institute and College for the Education of White Girls, the institution was created by an act of the Mississippi Legislature on March 12, 1884, for the dual purposes of providing a liberal arts education for women and preparing them for employment.^[4] The first session began October 22, 1885, with an enrollment of approximately 250 students on a campus formerly occupied by the Columbus Female Institute, a private college founded in 1847.

The name of the institution changed to Mississippi State College for Women in 1920 to reflect an emphasis on collegiate, rather than vocational, education. In 1971 Mississippi State College for Women won the intercollegiate women's basketball national championship (the third ever held).^[5]

In 1974 the name was changed to the Mississippi University for Women to reflect the expanded academic programs, including graduate studies. All other Mississippi state colleges were also designated universities at this time.

In 1982, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan that the nursing school's single-sex admissions policies were in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Following this decision, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning ordered the university to change its policies to allow the admission of qualified males into all university programs. In 1988, the Board of Trustees reaffirmed the mission of MUW as an institution providing quality academic programs for all qualified students, with emphasis on distinctive opportunities for women.

In a 1997 article in Innovative Higher Education, the journalist Dale Thorn describes MUW's successful attempt to avoid a merger with another institution and to remain a separate entity.^[6]

In 2009, President Dr. Claudia Limbert announced the possibility of changing the university's name to "Reneau University". The Mississippi State legislature did not approve the change.^[7]

As of 2018, U.S. News & World Report ranked The W 11th as a best value among public Southern regional universities and tied at 20th among best public regional universities in the South. The W also appeared in U.S. News’ Best Colleges for Veterans in Southern regional universities at No. 40.

Academics

The university offers academic programs in more than 50 areas of study.^[8]

In 2006 MUW awarded 481 undergraduate degrees. The following were the top ten degrees awarded and the percentage of the graduates who came from that program:^[9]

• 
  Nursing 16%


• 
  Elementary Education 10%


• 
  Psychology 6%


• 
  Business Administration and Management 5%


• 
  Visual and Performing Arts 5%


• 
  Family Systems 4%


• 
  Accounting 4%


• 
  Paralegal 3%


• 
  Social Sciences 3%


• 
  English 3%

The remaining degrees awarded were in the following subjects: Art Education, Biology, Chemistry, Communication, Culinary Arts, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Studio Arts, Theatre, History, Health & Kinesiology, Exercise Science, Sport Management, Mathematics, Microbiology, Music, Physical Science, Political Science, Spanish, Speech-Language Pathology /Audiology and Pre-professional degrees. MUW offers Pre-Professional degrees in Pre-Dentistry, Pre-Engineering, Pre-Law, Pre-Medical Technology, Pre-Medicine, Pre-Occupational Therapy, Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Physical Therapy, and Pre-Veterinary.

In 2006 MUW awarded 81 master's degrees from its eight different graduate programs. The following are the percentages of graduates who came from each program:^[9]

• 
  Master of Science in Nursing 43%


• 
  Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology 17%


• 
  Master of Education in Reading/Literacy 17%


• 
  Master of Science in Health education 12%


• 
  Master of Education in Differentiated Instruction 4%


• 
  Master of Education in Gifted Studies 4%


• 
  Master of Arts in Teaching 2%

Campus demographics

^[10][11]

Students

Total enrollment: 2428

• Total undergraduate enrollment: 2280


• Total graduate enrollment: 148


• Freshmen: 587


• Sophomores: 353


• Juniors: 487


• Seniors: 834


• Graduate students: 148^[when?]
  

Faculty

• Average faculty salary: $46,184


• Student to faculty ratio: 12 to 1

Total faculty: 207

• Administrative: 9


• Full-time faculty: 132
  
  
  
  • Male full-time faculty: 49
  
  
  • Female full-time faculty: 83
  
  
  
  


• Part-time faculty: 66

Faculty rank

• Professor: 30


• Associate professor: 16


• Assistant professor: 35


• Instructor: 51

Student demographics 2006–2007

• Average student's age: 25


• Female: 79%


• Male: 21%


• Full-time: 83%


• Part-time 17%


• White: 64%


• Black: 32%


• Other: 4%


• Mississippi resident: 91.56%


• Resident of other state: 7.66%


• International: 0.78%

Freshman admissions

• Number of freshman applicants: 1381


• Number of freshmen admitted: 683


• ACT minimum score: 16


• ACT mean score: 21.5

Colleges and Schools

Arts, Sciences, & Education

From art to women's studies, you can choose from more than 30 majors and emphasis areas in nine departments. For many Arts, Sciences, or Education programs, you can also earn a minor. In addition to all of the major programs, the College offers additional minors in American Studies, Art History, Film Studies, French, International Studies, Philosophy, Medieval Studies, and Religious Studies.

Our students study with teaching faculty known internationally for their scholarship and creative achievement. Their graduate degrees are from a wide range of universities, such as Alabama, Chicago, Cincinnati, Duke, Emory, Edinburgh, Penn State, Purdue, Saskatchewan, State University of New York, Tennessee, Texas, UNC Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt, Washington State, and Wisconsin, as well as the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.

They have written numerous books and journal articles in their fields; they exhibit their art in such highly-competitive shows as the Boston Printmakers North American Print Biennial; they conduct scientific research on topics ranging from genomics to herpetology. Two faculty members recently have been awarded prestigious Fulbright Scholarships for research and teaching abroad. Faculty research often involves students directly in the process and always benefits students in the classroom.

Business & Professional Studies

The College of Business and Professional Studies offers students the opportunity to pursue an exciting and financially rewarding career, with degree programs in accounting, business administration, culinary arts, legal studies, and professional studies.

The W's College of Business and Professional Studies offers many exciting degree opportunities. Choose from a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (with concentrations in Entrepreneurship, General Business, Management, Management Information Systems, or Marketing), a Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts, or a Bachelor of Science (or Arts) in Legal Studies. In addition, students meeting admissions guidelines and holding an A.A.S. degree may transfer up to 43 hours of career / technical credit into a Bachelor Applied Science in Business Administration degree (with concentrations in Entrepreneurship, General Business, Human Resource Management, Legal Administration, and Management Information Systems).

Nursing & Health Sciences

The purposes of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences are reflected in the philosophies and outcomes of each program. The college provides high quality undergraduate and graduate professional programs in nursing and speech-language pathology.

The College offers the following degree programs: Associate of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Health Education, Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, Nursing, Public Health Education, or Speech-Language Pathology, Master of Public Health, Master of Science in Nursing or Speech Language Pathology, and Doctor of Nursing Practice. The Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology offers options in Exercise Science, Physical Education and Pre-Physical Therapy. Minors are available in Exercise Science and Public Health Education. The Department of Health and Kinesiology also houses the Pre-Occupational Therapy program.

Students and graduates have received numerous local, state and national awards and recognition including the National Spirit of Nursing Award, the National Pfizer Advanced Nurse Practitioner Award for exceptional contributions to health care, and the National Organization for Associate Degree Nursing Educator Award.

Ina E. Gordy Honors College

MUW was very fortunate to advance its longstanding commitment to honors education through a generous endowment from Ina E. Gordy, a Scott County native who graduated from the university in 1929.  A recipient of the MUW Medal of Excellence, Gordy bestowed the gift on MUW in 2005 at the age of 100.  Because of her dedication to student learning and achievement at MUW, the Gordy Honors College is able to provide an enhanced learning experience that will continue to benefit students throughout their lives.

Offers high-achieving, motivated students a more intensive, innovative learning experience and a strong sense of academic community.  By fostering intellectual curiosity, extensive faculty-student interaction, and undergraduate research, the Honors College equips students to get more out of their university education and excel beyond graduation.

Notable alumni

Notable MUW alumni include:

• 
  Tina Renee Johns Benkiser, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, 2003–2009


• 
  Dorothy Vredenburgh Bush, secretary of the Democratic National Committee (1944–1989) and the youngest person and first woman to be elected as an officer of either the Democratic or Republican party^[12]
  


• 
  Helen Carloss, first woman to argue a case before all of the United States courts of appeals^[13]
  


• 
  Kay Beevers Cobb, Mississippi Supreme Court Justice, retired


• 
  Denise Dillard, award-winning playwright^[14]
  


• 
  Chris Fryar, musician, drummer of Zac Brown Band
  


• 
  Susan Golden, National Academy of Sciences member and Professor of Molecular Biology at University of California, San Diego
  


• 
  Laverne Greene-Leech, one of three African-American students to desegregate Mississippi State College for Women (now MUW) in 1966^[15]
  


• 
  Elizabeth Lee Hazen, co-discoverer of nystatin^[16]
  


• 
  Glynda Hull, Professor of Education at the University of California, Berkeley


• 
  David A. Ivey, elected first male student body president of MUW, 1991-1992^[17]
  


• 
  Valerie Jaudon, artist^[18]
  


• 
  L. Kim Kimbrough, New York Times Syndicate journalist; first female auto racing manager for Fortune 500 company Allied-Signal (now Honeywell)


• 
  Evelyn McPhail, co-chair of Republican National Committee (1994–1997)^[19]
  


• Nora Miller, 15th President of the Mississippi University for Women


• 
  Mary Libby Bickerstaff Payne, Mississippi Appeals Court Judge, retired


• 
  Dr. Bridget Smith Pieschel, Director of MUW’s Center for Women’s Research and Public Policy, and author of Golden Days: Reminiscences of Alumnae, Mississippi State College for Women and Loyal Daughters: One Hundred Years at Mississippi University for Women, 1884-1984.
  


• 
  Lenore Prather, first female Mississippi Supreme Court Justice^[20]
  


• 
  Toni Seawright, first African-American Miss Mississippi (1987) and 4th runner-up to Miss America that same year


• 
  Penelope J. Stokes, author


• 
  Doris Taylor, scientist known for achievements in stem cell research
  


• 
  Shannon A. Truesdell-Rader (nee Rickey), first female Navy ABH3 Aircraft Crash and Salvage Firefighting Crew Member (Crash and Smash) on board the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, CVN 69


• 
  Eudora Welty, Pulitzer Prize-winning author


• 
  Elizabeth H. West, librarian, first woman to head the Texas State Library, first librarian of Texas Tech University, co-founder and first President of the Southwestern Library Association


• 
  Blanche Colton Williams, author and first editor of the O. Henry Prize Stories

See also

• List of current and historical women's universities and colleges in the United States


• Timeline of women's colleges in the United States


• Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science


• Women's colleges in the United States


• AIAW Champions

References

External links

• Mississippi University for Women