Contact: Robbie Ward
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State ranks 61st in the United States for bachelor's degrees awarded to African-Americans, according to a publication's new survey.
By awarding 448 degrees to black students during the 2005-06 academic year, the university increased black college graduates by 11 percent, the Diverse: Issues in Higher Education survey reported. The Virginia-based magazine's annual listing of the top 100 colleges and universities awarding degrees to black students includes both historically black and white institutions of higher learning.
MSU also was ranked according to degree programs, including ninth in education, 15th in agriculture and related fields, 27th in engineering, and 48th in physical science.
President Robert H. "Doc" Foglesong said the 129-year-old university values diversity. Alluding to the FutureState 2015 long-range plan he initiated, the chief executive said MSU continues to enhance its diversity through high-quality academic programs and continuing to support an environment supportive of all students.
As part of the university's commitment, Foglesong said the new Center for African-American Studies program will begin in the fall with both teaching and research components.
During the 2006 fall semester, some 2,280 African American students attended classes on the Starkville campus. They represented nearly 20 percent of the main-campus enrollment.
Diverse is a Cox, Matthews & Associates Inc. publication formerly known as Black Issues in Higher Education. Founded in 1984, CMA's inaugural newsletter has developed into the leading U.S. news magazine dedicated exclusively to collegiate minority matters.
The entire survey may be viewed at www.diverseeducation.com/Top100DegreeProducers2007Undergraduate.asp.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.