INTRODUCTION

We Are Alcorn

Alcorn State University (Alcorn) is the first and oldest public historically Black land-grant institution in the United States. Founded to support the education of formerly enslaved individuals and their descendants, it is today a dynamic, resilient, and distinguished institution.

A leading university in the nation, Alcorn offers associate, baccalaureate, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees in over 40 disciplines, ranging from biology to agricultural science to business administration. Today, the institution enrolls almost 3,000 students of various ethnic backgrounds (representative of more than 65 counties, more than 30 states, and at least 18 countries) and employs over 700 faculty members.

As a land-grant institution, Alcorn focuses on education, research, and community outreach and development with an emphasis on agriculture, science, and engineering. Education and research programs focus on addressing the issues and concerns affecting small farm populations and rural residents of Mississippi. The programs are run by the School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences and include, among others, the Center for Conservation Research, the Center for Biotechnology and Genomics, and a Small Farm Incubator.

Extension programs, i.e. community education programs, are provided at several locations throughout the Southwest Mississippi region, and are aimed at supporting small farmers, ranchers, and limited-resource stakeholders through the dissemination and application of researchgenerated knowledge. Current programs include the Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center, the Global Food Security and Hunger education program, the Youth, Family, Nutrition and Health, Fitness and Wellness Planned program, and a Climate Change program.

History

Alcorn was founded in 1871as Alcorn University by the Mississippi state legislature and established on the site of the former Oakland College, in today’s Claiborne County. Hiram R. Revels, the first African American to be appointed to either house of the U.S. Congress, resigned his seat as a senator to serve as Alcorn’s first president. As a land-grant institution, Alcorn was established with a focus on agriculture and mechanics and initially offered a four-year college track, a two-year college track, and a three-year graded track. Over the decades, programs and research flourished, and in 1974 the institution was granted university status and renamed Alcorn State University.

Since its founding in the 19th century, the campus grew from the original purchase of 255 acres and three buildings, to a 1,700-acre campus with over 80 structures, including academic and administrative buildings, housing, athletic facilities, and agricultural fields and facilities. In addition to the main campus in Lorman, Alcorn operates a satellite campus in Natchez, Mississippi, which houses the School of Nursing, ASU Family Clinic, Natchez Library Learning Resource Center, and a residence hall.

Source: alcorn.edu

Mission Vision

Alcorn State University is a public historically Black, comprehensive land-grant institution of higher education that provides access and opportunity for diverse students to excel intellectually, build character, and overcome barriers so they can become productive leaders who make meaningful contributions to society. Enhancing its historic strengths in agriculture, education, and nursing, Alcorn State offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including fine arts, business, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and STEM.

Alcorn State University will achieve preeminence through transformative teaching and research excellence, collaborative partnerships, and innovative practices so our communities thrive and our diverse students have unlimited opportunities to engage and lead in a globally competitive world.

Core Values

Student-Centered

We acknowledge that our students and their success are our greatest source of inspiration and at the core of all that we do and value. We are committed to providing students with a nurturing environment that instills a lifetime passion for learning, character building, achievement and engaged service.

Excellence

Integrity

We believe that accountability and transparency serve as the foundational pillars of integrity. While taking responsibility for our actions and owning our decisions, we are dedicated to using honesty, objectivity, and fairness to guide our interactions with each other and our stakeholders.

Engaged

The University accomplishes its mission through high standards of academic excellence, by engaging in scholarly research and discovery, and providing public service and outreach that address real-world challenges and the economic needs of the Southwest Mississippi River region, State of Mississippi, the nation, and the world. Alcorn strategically extends its resources and expertise throughout the entire state through agriculture extension service, its Vicksburg and Natchez sites as well as its distance learning programs.

Alcorn State University is committed to its tradition of instilling among its students and alumni ideals of leadership, service, and institutional pride.

We believe a commitment to excellence should guide all efforts we undertake. We continually strive to achieve excellence by using our knowledge and holding ourselves and our students to the highest standards. We welcome new challenges, creatively solve problems, and continuously reevaluate what is best for our students and the communities we serve.

Inclusive

We affirm that all individuals have self-worth and an innate potential for learning. We embrace a diverse and globally inclusive campus that creates a nurturing environment for civil discourse, intellectual pursuits, creativity, and personal vitality.

We value relationships that thrive on effective communication and collaboration within our organization and beyond. We encourage students, faculty, staff, alumni and stakeholders to engage with others towards building stronger, healthier, economically viable programs and communities.