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S. R. No. 10 *SS08/R1182* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2
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To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Frazier, McCaughn, Suber,
Wiggins, Fillingane, Barrett, DeBar, Mumford,
Williams, Boyd, Kirby, Blount, Gillespie
Isom, Hartness, Hopson
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 10
A RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING THE BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF 1
THE FOUNDING OF MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE. 2
WHEREAS, we join the students, alumni, faculty and 3
administration of Mississippi College on the occasion of its 4
Bicentennial Celebration, memorializing two centuries of academic 5
excellence, a landmark event in Mississippi higher education; and 6
WHEREAS, founded on January 24, 1826, Mississippi College 7
marks its bicentennial in 2026, commemorating 200 years of service 8
in higher education. This milestone reflects a distinguished 9
legacy of institutional longevity, faithfulness to mission, and 10
sustained contributions to the educational, cultural, and 11
spiritual life of the State of Mississippi and beyond; and 12
WHEREAS, as the oldest institution of higher learning in 13
Mississippi and the second oldest Baptist college in the United 14
States, Mississippi College has played a foundational role in 15
higher education in Mississippi and the nation, including its 16
distinction as the first coeducational institution in the nation 17
to grant degrees to women. Throughout its history, the university 18
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has remained committed to the integration of faith and learning, 19
academic excellence, and service to God and others; and 20
WHEREAS, for two centuries, Mississippi College has educated 21
generations of students who have gone on to serve as leaders in 22
education, law, healthcare, ministry, business, public service, 23
and countless other professions, strengthening communities across 24
Mississippi, the region, and the nation. 25
• Four Mississippi Governors graduated from MC. 26
• 26 current Mississippi representatives and senators 27
have at least one degree from MC. 28
• Two current Mississippi statewide elected officials, 29
State Treasurer David McRae and State Commissioner of Agriculture 30
Andy Gipson, have degrees from MC; and 31
WHEREAS, across periods of profound social, cultural, and 32
educational change, Mississippi College has demonstrated 33
resilience and adaptability while remaining steadfast in its 34
Christian mission, Baptist heritage, and commitment to preparing 35
students for meaningful lives of leadership and service; and 36
WHEREAS, the bicentennial of Mississippi College honors the 37
institution's history and recognizes the enduring contributions of 38
its faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters whose 39
collective efforts have sustained and strengthened the university 40
across generations; and 41
WHEREAS, consistent with its Baptist heritage and 42
relationship to the Convention, Mississippi College provides a 43
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quality Christian education for its student population. Students 44
select the university because of the quality of its academic 45
programs, Christian environment, and location. The university 46
strives to recruit students who demonstrate excellence in 47
scholarship, leadership, and church/community involvement. The 48
majority of students come from Mississippi and other southeastern 49
states; and 50
WHEREAS, Mississippi College stimulates the intellectual 51
development of its students through the liberal arts and sciences 52
and concentrated study in specialized fields, including 53
preprofessional and professional programs. Furthermore, the 54
university environment promotes the spiritual, social, emotional, 55
and physical development of its students and encourages them to 56
utilize their skills, talents, and abilities as they pursue 57
meaningful careers, life-long learning, and service to God and 58
others. The university emphasizes those undergraduate, graduate, 59
and professional programs that offer service opportunities. 60
Additionally, the university reflects its responsibility of 61
service to the community through a variety of learning 62
opportunities and numerous cultural enrichment experiences; and 63
WHEREAS, the 2025 fall freshman class at MC has the highest 64
cumulative GPA and the highest ACT scores the institution has 65
recorded in a decade. The average ACT score for incoming students 66
is 26. The average cumulative GPA for incoming students is 3.71. 67
MC Law is the No. 1 Army JAG feeder school in the United States, 68
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was named the No. 8 Most Devout Law School in America by preLaw 69
Magazine, and is ranked No. 26 nationwide for its placement of 70
graduates in federal clerkships by U.S. News & World Report; and 71
WHEREAS, Mississippi College continues a special connection 72
to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. In 2023, MC President 73
Blake Thompson signed an agreement with MBCI Chief Cyrus Ben, an 74
MC alum, solidifying the Christian University's relationship with 75
the only federally recognized American Indian tribe living in 76
Mississippi. The agreement established an important cultural 77
exchange between MC and the MBCI; and 78
WHEREAS, MC student-athletes representing 17 men's and 79
women's sports compete in the NCAA Division II Gulf South 80
Conference (GSC). MC competes in the following sports: men's and 81
women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's 82
tennis, men's and women's golf, men's and women's indoor track and 83
field, men's and women's outdoor track and field, men's and 84
women's cross country, women's volleyball, baseball, and softball; 85
and 86
WHEREAS, Mississippi College is committed to excellence and 87
innovation in teaching and learning. The university seeks to 88
employ and retain faculty who are dedicated to teaching/learning 89
and advising students, who support and engage in scholarship and 90
creative activities that advance knowledge, and who seek to 91
continue their own professional development, and it is with great 92
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ST: Bicentennial Celebration of the founding of
MS College; commemorate.
pride that we recognize the legacy and contributions of a great 93
university which has brought honor to the State of Mississippi: 94
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 95
MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commemorate the Bicentennial 96
Celebration of the founding of Mississippi College in Clinton, 97
Mississippi, and extend to the students, alumni, faculty, and 98
administration our best wishes on this auspicious occasion. 99
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 100
Dr. Blake Thompson, 20th President of Mississippi College, 101
forwarded to the Board of Trustees of Mississippi College and made 102
available to the Capitol Press Corps. 103