Mississippi school welcomes closing college’s last students

COLUMBUS, Miss. — After hearing the news of the impending closure of Alabama’s Birmingham-Southern College, Mississippi University for Women said it welcomes affected students and will provide scholarship offers to those who qualify.

“I am saddened by the closure of Birmingham-Southern College, a liberal arts college with 168 years of history. It’s a sad day for their students, faculty, staff, alumni and the city of Birmingham,” Mississippi University for Women President Nora Miller said Thursday in a news release.

Mississippi College said Friday it was offering a scholarship to those who transfer to the school, based in Clinton, at the end of the spring term.

In an open letter to students at the private Alabama university that will close its doors May 31, President Blake Thompson extended an invitation for qualified students to apply for a $13,500 transfer scholarship for each eligible year of study to attend Mississippi College.

“Similar institutions whose primary purpose is to serve students feel the weight of your circumstances, and we want to help,” Thompson wrote.

Tuition at Mississippi College, the second-oldest Baptist-affiliated college or university in the United States and the oldest college or university in Mississippi, is about $18,000 a year.

Full-time undergraduate student tuition at Mississippi University for Women, which is known as “The W,” is $4,046 per semester. Applications are free.

“The Office of Admissions at The W is ready to assist and meet the needs of all Birmingham-Southern College students. We understand that this is a difficult time, and we are committed to making the transition as easy as possible so that the students can continue to pursue their dreams in higher education,” said David Brooking, executive director of enrollment management.

Miller’s office said four scholarships through The W are available to eligible students based on the transfer’s GPA.