FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 12, 2009
Contact: Anika Mitchell Perkins
(662) 329-7124
aperkins@pa.muw.edu

MUW celebrates 125th anniversary

COLUMBUS, Miss. - Mississippi University for Women will kick off its
125th anniversary celebration on Jan. 21 and continue festivities
through the end of the semester.

A reception for the Eugenia Summer Art Exhibit is one of many special events planned to commemorate the observance themed “A Legacy of Light: MUW’s Golden Past and Brilliant Future.” The reception begins at 5 p.m. in the recently renovated gallery of the Art and Design Building on campus.

On Friday, Jan. 30, there will be a reception and book-signing for
“Golden Days: Reminiscences of Alumnae, Mississippi State College
for Women,” a collection of oral histories honoring alumnae. The event
starts at 5 p.m. in Puckett House.

Mary Margaret Roberts, MUW alumni relations executive director, said, “Throughout the 125th anniversary year, we will have many
opportunities to celebrate the university's distinguished history and
its longstanding commitment to teaching and learning while we also look forward to an even brighter future.”

The public is invited to share in the many activities planned including
the 125th birthday bash sponsored by the MUW Alumni Association on Thursday, March 12 at 1 p.m. at the Bryan Green Gazebo.

March 12, 1884, is the day a charter was granted for the establishment of the Mississippi Industrial Institute and College at Columbus. The bill leading to the charter providing higher education for women was authored by Rep. John McCaleb Martin.

Passage of the Martin bill was the result of a total of 30 years of
work by three Mississippi women-Sallie Eola Reneau, Olivia Hastings and Annie Coleman Peyton. The date of the charter gave II&C the distinction of being the oldest state-supported college for women in the nation, as well as the first to combine liberal arts education with vocational training.

Columbus was chosen as the site for the landmark campus because no other town could match Columbus’ generous donation of land and
buildings valued at $50,000 and an equal amount of money. Today, that town and tower relationship is still closely linked.

Located in the heart of the Columbus historic district, MUW attracts
tourists, prospective residents, as well as business and industry. In
fiscal year 2004, an economic impact study found that MUW was one of the 10 largest employers in the community, and total employment labor income associated with MUW was 1,563 jobs and $38,925,702 in total labor income.

One of the nation’s top universities, U.S.News & World Report has
consistently ranked MUW among the top Southern public master’s
universities. MUW also has been prominently ranked in other leading
publications such as Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and Consumer’s
Digest magazines.

MUW President Claudia A. Limbert said, “We take great pride in the
university’s heritage and look forward to a bright future with so many
opportunities ahead of us.”

For more information about the celebration, please call 241-7483. A
schedule of events is available at http://muw.edu/125th