Vision

The vision of Mississippi State University is to be the most respected land-grant institution in the region.

Mission

The mission of Mississippi State University is to educate the workforce and leaders of the future, produce robust research for our state and nation, and provide expert services to our citizens, communities and businesses.

Enhancing its historic strengths in agriculture, natural resources, science, and engineering, Mississippi State entered the twenty-first century with additional strengths in a comprehensive range of graduate and undergraduate programs. These include architecture, the arts, business, education, the humanities, the social and behavioral sciences, and veterinary medicine. The Meridian Campus focuses on meeting the needs of place-bound students and working adults through upper division and graduate programs in education, business, liberal arts, and social work.

The university's educational programs emphasize the exploration of ideas and the discovery, application, and dissemination of knowledge. The university embraces its role as a major contributor to the economic development of the state through targeted research and the transfer of ideas to the marketplace, aided by faculty-industry relationships and by interdisciplinary initiatives. Building on its land-grant tradition, MSU extends its resources and expertise throughout the entire state for the benefit of Mississippi's citizens. Through integration of its programs in learning, research, and service, through traditional scholarship, through statewide extension and outreach, and through engagement with business, industry, government, communities and organizations, the university is committed to maintaining its tradition as the People's University.

Access and Excellence

Mississippi State University will provide access and opportunity to students from all sectors of the state's diverse population. The university promotes citizenship and leadership in its students and fosters in them an understanding of their history and culture, an appreciation of the arts, a tolerance for opposing points of view, a facility with written and spoken language, an understanding of scientific principles and methods, a command of modern technologies, a competence in critical thinking and problem solving, a commitment to life-long learning, and a spirit of inquiry. MSU will provide mentoring and support to the students admitted to maximize their chances of success and to help Mississippi reach and surpass the national average in the percentage of our population that holds a college degree, and will provide access for working and place-bound adult learners, particularly through its Meridian Campus and distance learning programs. The university will develop competent and informed citizens and professionals who are equipped to lead in the world of work and in their communities through traditional academic programs, experiential learning, and opportunities for leadership development and community service.

Statewide Mission

Mississippi State University will serve the State of Mississippi and beyond through its broad range of instruction, research, and outreach functions. The university maintains four strategically located research and extension centers around the state and has staff in every county of Mississippi. The institution regularly enrolls students from each of the state's eighty-two counties and is actively engaged with business and industry, agriculture and natural resources, schools, communities and organizations in every part of the state.

Research and Economic Development

As a principal research university in the Southeast, MSU will continue to build on existing strengths in engineering and agricultural sciences and pursue emerging opportunities in other fields that match the university's areas of expertise and the needs of the state, including automotive research and development, computational sciences, biotechnology, early childhood learning, biological engineering, remote sensing, and alternative energy sources, among others. The university will contribute to the development and revitalization of communities throughout the state through programs such as those of the Carl Small Town Center and the Stennis Institute of Government and through projects such as the creation in downtown Meridian of the Riley Education and Performing Arts Center.

Outreach and Service

MSU will continue to build on its land-grant tradition and statewide presence through partnerships with business and industry and the agricultural sector, with communities and organizations, and with others. The university will strengthen its numerous partnerships with K 12 schools and community colleges, continue to play a major role in preparing the state's school teachers and other education professionals, reach out to the youth of the state through 4-H and other programs targeted toward youth development, and serve non-traditional students through non-traditional means.