Mississippi University for Women’s Counseling Center will host its fifth annual Mental Health Fair Tuesday, Oct. 14 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the W Room at Hogarth Student Center with lunch at noon.
The goal of the event is to inform individuals of the many wellness resources that are available to them. This year the event is booked full with 33 vendors and organizations who want to help.
“The event is aimed at showcasing all the mental health resources that are available to students, staff and faculty both on campus and off campus,” said Kimberly Davis, a licensed mental health therapist at The W’s counseling center.
The fair is aimed at improving people’s wellbeing and providing the resources they need to do so no matter what area they need help with.
“Our mental health and wellness fair concentrates on many areas of wellness.” said Davis. “For example, emotional, social, physical, financial, academic, career building and spiritual (wellness) are a few areas that will be represented at our event.”
Active minds, a student organization sponsored by the counseling center that promotes mental health awareness, will be at the event. They have helped plan the fair and will assist other organizations with setup.
Another goal of the fair is to “stomp out the stigma,” as in make people see the importance of mental health and taking care of themselves in a different light.
“We don’t want people to feel bad for coming to see us,” said Davis. “They should see it as more of self-care. You’re doing yourself a favor, you’re taking care of yourself, and that, hopefully, will kind of break that stigma.”
The W recognized nationally for value, social mobility and student success
From best value to social mobility, Mississippi University for Women has earned recognition in several categories of the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.
The annual Best Colleges ranking placed the University at No. 15 in Top Public Schools –Regional Universities (South). Additionally, U.S. News placed The W at No. 9 in Best Value Schools – Regional Universities (South) and No. 21 (tied) in Social Mobility – Regional Universities
“This recognition reaffirms that The W delivers an exceptional education that is both affordable and transformative,” said W President Nora Miller. “This honor reflects the dedication of our faculty and staff, who work every day to ensure student success.”
Additional rankings by U.S. News & World Report include:
Regional Universities (South) – No.33 (tied)
Best Colleges for Veterans – Regional Universities (South) – No. 16 (tied)
Undergraduate Nursing –No. 249 (tied)
Top Performers on Social Mobility – Public Regional Universities (South)— No. 8 (tied)
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs at Public Institutions— No. 181 (tied)
The 2026 edition of the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings evaluates more than 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities, using up to 17 factors to measure academic quality and graduate success.
U.S. News publishes the Best Colleges rankings each year to provide prospective students and their families with the comparative merits of the undergraduate programs at America’s colleges and universities. The rankings offer detailed information of the institutions and data on factors such as graduation rates, graduate indebtedness and post-graduate earnings.
“U.S. News’ Best Colleges remains a reliable resource for prospective students and their families as they navigate the college selection process,” said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for Education at U.S. News. “With over half of the ranking factors dedicated to student outcomes, the rankings and editorial content provide vital data, college advice and informed reporting to every student pursuing higher education.”
To view the entire 2026 rankings, please visit: www.usnews.com/colleges.
About U.S. News & World Report U.S. News & World Report is the global leader for journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders and policy officials to make confident decisions in all aspects of their lives and communities. A multifaceted media company, U.S. News provides unbiased rankings, independent reporting and analysis and consumer advice to millions of people on USNews.com each month. A pillar in Washington for more than 90 years, U.S. News is the trusted home for in-depth and exclusive insights on education, health, politics, the economy, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers and consumer products and services.
ICC, The W sign MOU to provide educational opportunities for students
Itawamba Community College and Mississippi University for Women signed a memorandum of understanding today [Sept. 19] to provide educational opportunities for students pursuing careers in specific career education programs with a desire to eventually earn a bachelor’s degree. The agreement establishes a pathway by which students earning an appropriate Associate of Applied Science degree from ICC may complete a baccalaureate degree at The W.
Participants in today’s MOU signing include The W’s Dr. Scott Tollison and ICC’s Dr. Jay Allen as well as Dylan Baldwin, Barry Emison, Jodi McCrimon, Scott Emison, Kelly Woodford and Dr. Dee Dee Larson. Photo credit, C.J. Adams, ICC Community Relations
According to the agreement, both institutions will work together to enroll students in degree completion programs for ICC’s career education graduates. Both colleges will advise and encourage ICC students, alumni and constituents to promote these programs to each institution’s stakeholders and throughout the local community college district.
The pathways will provide for students in certain degree areas to transfer up to 90 credit hours to The W after graduating from ICC. Included are computer networking and cybersecurity, computer programming, business and marketing management, hospitality management, paralegal and construction management.
According to Dylan Baldwin, dean of Career Education at ICC, “This partnership with Mississippi University for Women creates a remarkable pathway for our students. By completing three years of coursework at ICC before transferring, they can save significantly on the cost of a bachelor’s degree while still receiving a high-quality education. It’s an incredible opportunity that makes higher education more accessible, affordable and achievable for our career education students.”
“For decades, ICC and The W have shared a strong partnership, and today’s agreement is a natural extension of that longstanding relationship. Through this pathway, students in career and technical education programs can earn both an AAS and an AA from ICC in just three years, then complete a BAS at The W in only one additional year without sacrificing their technical credits,” said Dr. Scott Tollison, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at The W. “Beyond that, they can finish an MBA with us in just one more year. It’s a 3+1+1 model that accelerates opportunity while emphasizing quality.”
“This agreement will allow our students to now have an opportunity to transfer their credits and work toward a bachelor’s degree at MUW in a discipline in which they are truly passionate,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “This degree opportunity recognizes the value of career education degrees offered at Mississippi’s community colleges and the impact they are making on Mississippi’s workforce. This allows our previous, current and future career education majors a natural progression for post-ICC educational endeavors while transferring academic credits.”
Both ICC and The W advisers will collaborate to ensure seamless transition between programs.
Participants in the signing included in addition to The W’s Dr. Scott Tollison and ICC’s Baldwin and Allen were Barry Emison, ICC vice president of Career and Workforce Education; Jodi McCrimon, ICC Business and Marketing Management Technology program director and instructor; Scott Emison, ICC Construction Management program director and instructor; Kelly Woodford, dean, business and professional studies/professor; and Dr. Dee Dee Larson, department chair/professor and Master of Business Administration coordinator.
The W named a ‘2025 Great College to Work For,’ makes Honor Roll
Mississippi University for Women is one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to the Great Colleges to Work For® program. The university has been recognized for 13 consecutive years and placed on Honor Roll nine times.
“Being named a Great College to Work For reflects the strength of our university community and our mission to empower students, faculty and staff to make a difference,” said W President Nora Miller. “The W is a special place and I am proud of this recognition.”
The latest results released today [Sept. 18] in a special insert of The Chronicle of Higher Education, are based on a survey of 199 colleges and universities. In all, 76 of those institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies. Results are reported for small, medium and large institutions, with The W included among the small universities with 500 to 2,999 students.
The W was also named to the Great Colleges Honor Roll, a status granted to only 42 colleges each year who are highlighted most across the recognition categories.
The W received honors in six categories this year: • Professional Development • Mission & Pride • Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness • Faculty & Staff Well-being • Shared Governance • Faculty Experience
The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captures employment data and workplace policies from each institution and a survey administered to faculty, administrators and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback.
The Great Colleges to Work For® program is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. For more information and to view all current and previously recognized institutions, visit the Great Colleges program website at GreatCollegesProgram.com and GreatCollegesList.com. ModernThink, a strategic human capital consulting firm, administered the survey and analyzed the results.
The public health programs in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at Mississippi University for Women will host the inaugural Healthy Beginnings Fair, Friday, Sept. 19, from 10 a.m.-noon in the Pohl Gymnasium lobby. The event is dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of mothers, children and expecting families in the Columbus community.
“The idea for the Healthy Beginnings Fair really came from two places,” said Dr. Irene Pintado, chair of the Department of Health and Kinesiology at The W. “Maternal and child health has been a long-standing challenge in Mississippi, and we know it continues to be a pressing public health issue for our communities. Additionally, our department wanted to find meaningful ways for our public health programs—both faculty and students—to be more active and visible in the community.”
The event will feature 10-12 providers from the Columbus area, which offer services that fit the criteria of the event.
There is no registration required for the event, and it is open to anyone in the community.
There will be resources for prenatal and postpartum care, activities for children, tips on staying active and healthy during and after pregnancy, giveaways, free health information and more.
“We don’t expect this one fair to solve the problem, but it’s a starting point—a way to open doors, build relationships and show that our students and faculty are here to support healthier beginnings for moms, babies and families,” said Pintado.
About the Department of Health and Kinesiology
The Department of Health and Kinesiology at The W seeks to inspire a movement toward a healthier world. With a keen focus on physical vitality, sport and dynamic exercise, graduates emerge as dedicated champions for well-being. They’re set to make waves as influential practitioners across diverse arenas – be it schools, vibrant communities, bustling worksites, frontline healthcare settings or pivotal government agencies.
