ITTA BENA, Miss — Finding ways to improve student life at Mississippi Valley State University is at the center of the institution’s mission.
Mississippi Power, in partnership with the Southern Company Charitable Foundation, awarded a technology grant to MVSU and three other historically black colleges and universities in Mississippi.
The company announced $825,000 in Technology Grants to MVSU, Rust College, Tougaloo College, and Jackson State University. The grants will provide students with scholarships, internships, leadership development, and access to technology and innovation to support career readiness.
MVSU will receive $100,000 to improve network connectivity to provide students with more remote access across campus.
MVSU President Dr. Jerry Briggs, Sr. is thankful for the grant and said the funds would go a long way in meeting its students' needs.
“We are thankful to Mississippi Power and the Southern Company Charitable Foundation for awarding the university these funds that will be used to enhance learning on our campus,” said Briggs. Here at MVSU, students are first, and we are always excited about the opportunity to elevate the learning environment for our student body,” he added.
“Investing in Mississippi’s HBCU students is an investment in the future workforce of our state,” Mississippi Power President and CEO Anthony Wilson said. “We believe engaging these graduates will help ensure a thriving economy for Mississippi for years to come.”
For more than 150 years, Mississippi's HBCUs had provided African American students with high-quality education and skills development when laws prohibited them from being admitted at predominately white colleges and universities.
"Ensuring students have the resources and support to learn, excel and graduate is a critical role of all higher learning institutions," said Moses Feagin, Mississippi Power's Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Diversity Officer. "Mississippi’s HBCUs produce leaders and innovators. We want to support the mission of these schools and connect with the talent pipeline they’ve created.”
In January, Southern Company announced a $50 million multi-year initiative to support students attending HBCUs within the company's service footprint in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.