Jackson State University

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For the events of May 14-15, 1970, see Jackson State killings.
Jackson State University
Motto: ”Challenging Minds. Changing Lives.”
Established: 1877
Type: Public university
President: Dr. Ronald Mason, Jr.
Faculty: 450
Students: 8,351
Location: Jackson, Mississippi, United States
Colors: Royal Blue & White         
Nickname: Tigers
Website: http://www.jsums.edu

Jackson State University, often abridged as Jackson State or by its initials JSU is a historically black university located in Jackson, Mississippi founded in 1877. Jackson State University has been especially noted for its successful business and computer science departments, being among the highest ranked in the United States. Its current president is Dr. Ronald Mason, Jr. Jackson State is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund.


Contents

[edit] History

The distinguished history of Jackson State University began on October 23, 1877. The University started as Natchez Seminary, a private school, under the auspices of the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York, for the purpose of educating Mississippi’s newly freed and underprivileged blacks. Beginning with only twenty students, the school operated for sixty-three years as a private church school. In November of 1882, the Society moved the school to Jackson, to the site where Millsaps College now stands. A part of this transition was the renaming of the school to Jackson College in recognition of the institution’s new, central location in the City of Jackson. Natchez Seminary soon relocated from its site in north Jackson to a tract of land in the southwest section of the city. Construction on the new site began in 1902 and the University remains on this site today.

In 1924, the first bachelor’s degree was awarded. During this period, the major educational activities were directed toward teacher education for in-service teachers. When the American Baptist Home Mission Society withdrew its support from the institution in 1934, it became apparent that state support was needed to sustain the school. The school was transferred from the private control of the church to the state education system and renamed Jackson State College.

Initially, the school had been specifically designated by the state to train rural and elementary teachers. In 1942, the Board of Trustees expanded the curriculum to a full four-year teacher education program, culminating in the Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. The first four-year graduating class under state support received their degrees in May 1944. A Division of Graduate Studies was organized during the Summer of 1953 and the program of Liberal Arts started in the fall of that year.

During the late sixties, the entire curriculum was reorganized and the following schools were established: the Schools of Liberal Studies, Education, Science and Technology, Business and Economics and the Graduate School. Through a legislative act, Jackson State College was designated Jackson State University on March 15, 1974. Jackson State College gained university status in accordance with the expanded breadth and quality of its faculty and academic programs. From 1967-1977, the faculty tripled in size and the number of faculty members with graduate degrees increased eightfold. In 1979, the University was officially designated the state’s Urban University by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning.

In the late 1980s, the University and its surrounding community was enriched through the expansion of the Universities Center; the establishment of the West Jackson Community Development Corporation to improve blighted housing around the campus; the organization of a Staff Senate; and the creation of a Center for Professional Development and the Center for Technology Transfer.

In the 1990s, a Campus Master Plan that projected the growth of the University into the 21st Century was developed. Fifteen new graduate and undergraduate programs evolved. These academic achievements were bolstered by the establishment of the School of Social Work, the formation of the School of Engineering, and the fall 1998 opening of the School of Allied Health Sciences, the School of Business received accreditation of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), a $13.5 million expansion of the H. T. Sampson Library, which doubled the capacity of the original structure, was completed, and the $17.2 million School of Liberal Arts building was occupied in 2001.

In Fall 2000, the University received doctoral research intensive status with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. This prestigious designation was based on the awarding of more than 20 doctoral degrees from the Division of Graduate Studies and the $40 million in federally funded research contracts secured through the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.

As the University entered the new millennium, and celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2002, it developed and implemented its strategic plan–Beyond Survival: The Millennium Agenda for Jackson State University. The five-point strategic plan is moving Jackson State University to a new academic excellence. Thus, Vision 2020 was created to fulfill the first strategy–Remodel the Learning System at JSU. In 2002, the University was reorganized into six colleges: College of Business; College of Public Service; College of Liberal Arts; College of Science, Engineering and Technology; College of Lifelong Learning; and College of Education and Human Development.


The University has always played a major role in the Jackson community. In keeping with that tradition, the University reorganized the unique opportunity to make substantial contribution to the region, not only in producing effective, competent graduates, but also in furthering the overall economic prosperity of the region. A five-square mile urban laboratory called e-City has been developed, where University resources, intellectual and otherwise, are used in a technology-based economic, housing and community development initiative. To further the University’s contribution to the City of Jackson, a joint venture with Jackson Public Schools was formed to establish the Mississippi Learning Institute, a pre-K through 16 reading-based, and math-oriented professional development system. Also, a private/public JSU hi-tech partnership, the Mississippi e-Center, facilitates access to experiential enhanced hi-tech learning opportunities.

In 2004, a $20 million College of Business building was completed. In 2006, a new 91,000 square foot student health wellness center will open. For the first time in the University’s history, private bond financing was secured to renovate some facilities on campus and to build new facilities, including a new Campus Union, a new president’s house, new student apartments, and dormitories which are scheduled to open in 2006. The campus transformation and wide array of academic programs will enhance Jackson State’s presence.

For the more than 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at Jackson State, JSU provides traditional and non-traditional students of diverse backgrounds academic opportunities to develop knowledge and skills that will empower them to succeed in an increasingly complex and technologically advanced world. JSU has expanded online course offerings, and students are also afforded the opportunity to excel in areas beyond academic disciplines including art, culture, music and numerous intercollegiate sports and championship competitions. Jackson State’s long-term cooperative projects, corporate partnerships, its increasing presence among top universities for the amount of research dollars awarded to the University, and community initiatives strengthen the University’s commitment to its students, faculty, staff and alumni as well as to the West Jackson Community, the city, the state, the nation and several international countries.

[edit] Academic Departments

  • College of Business (degree programs in the following areas)
    • Management and Marketing
    • Accounting
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Economics, Finance & General Business
    • Entrepreneurship
  • College of Education and Human Development
    • School of Instructional Leadership:
      • Special Education
      • Elementary Education & Early Childhood
      • Health, Physical Education & Recreation
      • Social and Cultural Studies
    • School of Administrative Leadership:
      • Educational Leadership
      • Executive PhD in Urban Higher Education
      • Educational Technology & Support Services
      • School, Community, & Rehabilitative Counseling
  • College of Liberal Arts
    • School of Fine and Performing Arts:
      • Art
      • Music
    • School of Social & Behavioral Science:
      • History & Philosophy
      • Military Science
      • Political Science
      • Psychology
      • Criminal Justice & Sociology
      • Criminal Justice (Coordinator)
    • School of Communications:
      • English & Modern Foreign Language
      • Mass Communications
      • Speech Communications
  • College of Lifelong Learning
    • Professional Interdisciplinary Studies
  • College of Public Service
    • School of Public Health:
      • Behavioral & Environmental Health
      • Epidemiology & Bio-Statistics
      • Communicative Disorders
      • Health Policy & Management
    • School of Social Work:
      • BSW Program
      • MSW Program
      • PhD Program
    • School of Policy & Planning:
      • Public Policy & Administration
      • Urban & Regional Planning
  • College of Science, Engineering and Technology
    • School of Science & Technology:
      • Biology
      • Chemistry
      • Physics, Atmospheric Science &
      • General Sciences
      • Mathematics
      • Technology
    • School of Engineering:
      • Civil Engineering/Telecommunications
      • Computer Engineering
      • Computer Science
      • Graduate Engineering Programs
      • Air ROTC

In addition, Jackson State also home to radio station WJSU-FM 88.5, playing jazz, gospel, news and public affairs programming. It also houses a low-powered television station, W23BC.

[edit] Athletics

See also: Jackson State Tigers men's basketball
Jackson State Tigers athletic logo
Jackson State Tigers athletic logo

Jackson State's athletic teams are a member of the NCAA Division 1-AA's Southwestern Athletic Conference, commonly known as the SWAC. Currently, the university fields men's and women's basketball, football, baseball, softball, men's and women's golf, women's volleyball, men's and women's tennis, soccer, and men and women's bowling teams. The university's mascot is the Tiger, sometimes referred to as the "Blue Bengals."

The Tiger football team has a heralded history, winning and sharing 16 SWAC titles, its last one in 2007.[1] Its most famous alumni includes NFL Hall of Famers Lem Barney, Jackie Slater and Walter Payton, and former Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jimmy Smith. The Tigers ended their 2006 campaign with a 32-31 loss to rival Alcorn State November 18 at the Capital City Classic, finishing 6-5 under first-year coach Rick Comegy. Recently the tigers have a record of 7-4 and are the SWAC East Champions. They played Grambling, the SWAC west champions for the SWAC title and beat Grambling 42 - 31 in 2007 to finish the season as the SWAC champions.

The men's golf team has gained notoriety as it has become a SWAC powerhouse and perennial NCAA tournament participant under head coach Eddie Payton, older brother of the late Walter Payton.

[edit] The J-Settes

A group photo of alumni & the 2007 Jsette line
A group photo of alumni & the 2007 Jsette line

The Prancing J-Settes is the official name of the Jackson State University dance line, an auxiliary group of the Jackson State University Marching Band. The J-Settes have become nationally known for their rapid-fire, highly technical dance routines to selections such as I Go to Work and Swoop. They also have a traditional routine to B Angie B's remake of the The Emotions hit "I Don't Want to Lose Your Love". Its current captain is Shavonda "Socky" LaKay Pannell of Tulsa, OK where she was captain for 3 years of the Perfection of The T-Connection of Booker T. Washington High School.

[edit] Famous alumni

[edit] Famous athletes

[edit] Points of interest

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ The ClarionLedger: Oliver leads Jackson State to SWAC title

[edit] See also

v • d • e
Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)
v • d • e
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Alabama A&M  • Alabama State  • Albany State  • Alcorn State  • Allen  • Arkansas Baptist  • Arkansas, Pine Bluff  • Benedict  • Bennett  • Bethune-Cookman  • Bishop  • Bluefield State  • Bowie State  • Central State  • Cheyney  • Claflin  • Clark Atlanta  • Coahoma  • Concordia, Selma  • Coppin State  • Delaware State  • Denmark Technical  • Dillard  • Edward Waters  • Elizabeth City State  • Fayetteville State  • Fisk  • Florida A&M  • Florida Memorial  • Fort Valley State  • Gadsen State  • Grambling State  • Hampton  • Harris-Stowe  • Hinds  • Howard  • Huston-Tillotson  • Interdenominational Theological Center  • Jackson State  • Jarvis Christian  • Johnson C. Smith  • Kentucky State  • Knoxville  • Lane  • Langston  • LeMoyne-Owen  • Lewis College of Business  • Lincoln, Missouri  • Lincoln, Pennsylvania  • Livingstone  • Maryland, Eastern Shore  • Meharry  • Miles  • Mississippi Valley State  • Morehouse  • Morehouse School of Medicine  • Morgan State  • Morris Brown  • Morris  • Mount Hermon Female Seminary  • Norfolk State  • North Carolina A&T State  • North Carolina Central  • Oakwood  • Paine  • Paul Quinn  • Philander Smith  • Prairie View A&M  • Rust  • Saint Paul's  • Savannah State  • Selma  • Shaw  • Shelton State CC  • South Carolina State  • Southern  • Southern (New Orleans)  • Southern (Shreveport)  • Southwestern Christian  • Spelman  • St. Augustine's  • Stillman  • Storer  • Straight  • Talladega  • Tennessee State  • Texas College  • Texas Southern  • Tougaloo  • Tuskegee  • UDC  • UVI  • Virginia State  • Virginia Union  • Virginia, Lynchburg  • Voorhees  • West Virginia State  • Wilberforce  • Wiley  • Winston-Salem State  • Xavier (Louisiana)
v • d • e
Public Colleges and Universities in Mississippi