INTRODUCTION AND PLAN DRIVERS

Alcorn State University was founded 150 years ago as a result of the people of Mississippi’s efforts to educate formerly enslaved individuals and their descendants. Since its founding, Alcorn has grown into a distinguished institution, supporting and elevating underserved and underrepresented communities and boosting the regional economy. The vision for the University’s campuses is ambitious and mission-driven. Alcorn will remain a beacon of opportunity, a place of learning, research, and community service, changing the lives of students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community.

The Alcorn State University Campus Plan is a roadmap for guiding the development of the Lorman and Natchez campuses and is intended to embody the University’s mission, vision, and core values. It identifies spaces, facilities, and projects needed to support the University’s goals and provides an implementation strategy for capital investments. Spaces and systems are approached holistically and projects are proposed across multiple categories, including new construction, renovations, landscape and open space, circulation and parking, and infrastructure.

The goals driving the campus plan are based on the University’s 2021-2026 strategic plan, “The Path Forward: Forging Ahead” as well as extensive analyses and collaborative engagements conducted with Alcorn stakeholders. These goals have been translated into three plan drivers:

Strategic Goals

1. Serve the region as an innovative historically Black land-grant institution

» Provide state-of-the-art facilities and systems that support innovative education

» Provide state-of-the-art facilities and systems that support research

» Enhance the visitor experience by creating dedicated indoor and outdoor spaces that are unique, easy to access, and functional

» Create spaces for community amenities where visitors feels welcomed and included

2. Revitalize the campus grounds and student spaces

» Enhance existing and provide new gathering spaces where students can study, relax, and socialize

» Improve walkability across campus

» Intentionally design and enhance the spaces in between buildings

» Enhance the beauty and accessibility of the campus grounds and open spaces

3. Leverage existing resources efficiently

» Address deferred maintenance

» Generally prioritize building renovations over construction of new facilities

» Plan space moves and redistribute uses across buildings to better utilize existing spaces

» Improve parking utilization and distribution

Plan Drivers

Student Success

Serve the Region as an Innovative Historically Black Land-Grant Institution

• Innovative Education

• Research

• Visitor Experience

Stakeholder And Analysis Themes

Strengthening and growing academic and research programs

Alcorn as a resource for community needs

Strategic Enrollment Growth

• Community Amenities

Revitalize the Campus Grounds and Student Spaces

Strong sense of community and deep connections to Alcorn

Transformation through Innovation

• Gathering Spaces

• Walkability

• Space between Buildings

• Grounds and Open Space

Beauty and challenges of Alcorn’s rural setting

Maintenance is a priority

Economic Development and Community Engagement

Leverage Existing Resources Efficiently

• Deferred Maintenance

• Renovations

Sustainable and Resilient Enterprise

• Space Adjustments

• Parking Utilization

Need facilities and amenities that support campus life

Parking challenges