Dear faculty and staff,
As we put a wrap on a great fall semester, I want to thank you for your dedicated work and passion for serving our students and the mission of higher education. Your tireless efforts are a major reason why the university has experienced such great success and continues to be a vibrant, thriving community.
What We’ve Accomplished
This fall, we welcomed our largest freshman class ever and experienced a 5.1% overall enrollment increase. More importantly, we worked together to meet the needs of our growing community. Your commitment to supporting our students contributed to our record-high retention rate, which far surpasses state and national averages.
Additionally, our supportive, collegial work environment was key to our university earning the “Great Colleges to Work For” designation for the 13th time. In addition to celebrating research and academic achievements, this fall has been a time to commemorate significant milestones including the 60th anniversary of James Meredith’s enrollment and the integration of the university, the 25th anniversary of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, and the 20th anniversary of the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts.
What’s Ahead
As a university on the rise, we’ll continue to embrace our role in building leaders, empowering student success, creating opportunities, and driving progress. We have an incredibly important responsibility in serving this generation and the next. We also have the great honor of serving the state of Mississippi, and I know that we share a sense of awe in understanding the importance of our role and the potential for our hard work to make a deep impact.
Enjoy the Holidays
I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, enjoying time with loved ones and engaging in activities that bring you joy. I’m inspired by all that you do as a valued member of this extraordinary campus community.
Sincerely,
Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor
Chancellor
