The Mississippi Community College Story: From Humble Beginnings to Extraordinary Outcomes |
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| Authors: | Mark Edward Fincher Selah Weems Miranda Harrision Zachary Harrison Chris Kelly Flora Sumrall |
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| Institution: | 1. Educational Leadership, Mississippi State University, Meridian, USAdrmarkfincher@hotmail.com;3. Languages and Literature, University of West Alabama, Livingston, USA;4. Mississippi State University, Meridian, Mississippi State, USA;5. Clarkdale High School, Meridian, Mississippi State, USA;6. Business Technology, Meridian Community College, Meridian, Mississippi State, USA |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACTMississippi has the oldest state-wide system of public 2-year colleges in the USA. The story of the creation of the community college system in Mississippi is both complex and powerful. Founded upon the combination of the needs of rural students, the challenge of poor transportation, and a serendipitous conference side-trip, the college system has faced and overcome many challenges. During the systems infancy, there was a struggle to define what role the colleges were to play in society, which is a struggle that continues today. Beginning as an outgrowth of a state K-12 system with agricultural roots, the system became an independent higher education entity that supported all the people of the state. The colleges of Mississippi experienced all of the transitional challenges common to the community college movement and navigated these challenges against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving view of segregation and race relations. The purpose of this paper is to present a concise picture of the history and development of the community college movement in Mississippi. |
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