Morris College
{{Short description|Historiclly black private college in Sumter, South Carolina, US}}
{{For|the former Morris College in India|Vasantrao Naik Government Institute of Arts and Social Sciences}}
{{Infobox university
|name = Morris College
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|motto = "Intrare Libris, Dispartire Servire"
|mottoeng = "Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve"
|established = 1908
|closed =
|religious_affiliation = Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina
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|students = 421
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|city = Sumter, South Carolina
|country = U.S.
|coor = {{Coord|33.9383|-80.3457|display=inline,title}}
|campus = {{convert|33|acre|ha|1}}, 24 buildings
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|sports =
|colors = Blue & Gold
{{color box|#012c9b}} {{color box|#f5be40}}
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|sports_nickname = MoCo
|mascot = Hornets
|athletics_affiliations = NAIA – Continental
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|website = {{url|www.morris.edu}}
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Morris College (MC) is a private, Baptist historically black college in Sumter, South Carolina. It was founded and is operated by the Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina.[http://www.bemsc.org/ Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina]
History
Morris College was founded in 1908 by Jacob J. Durham, initially as a grade school, high school, and college. The college is named after the Reverend Frank Morris because of his outstanding leadership throughout the African American community of South Carolina. The college's first president was Edward M. Brawley (1908–1912). Morris College awarded its first bachelor's degree in 1915 under the administration of the college's second president John Jacob Starks. The college's third president was Ira David Pinson, who steered the college to expansion during the Great Depression.{{cite book|last1=Vereen-Gordon|first1=Mary|last2=Clayton|first2=Janet S.|title=Morris College : a noble journey|date=1999|publisher=Hallmark Pub.|location=Virginia Beach, VA|isbn=0965375986|url=https://archive.org/stream/morrisnoblejourn1999drma/morrisnoblejourn1999drma_djvu.txt|access-date=21 October 2017}}
The college's longest-serving president was Luns C. Richardson, who served from 1974 to July 2017. The current president is Leroy Staggers, who formerly served as the college's academic dean.{{cite news |last1=Lanahan |first1=Thomas |title=Morris College names Staggers interim president |url=https://wach.com/news/local/morris-college-names-staggers-interim-president |access-date=24 April 2024 |work=WACH |date=9 March 2017 |location=Sumter County, SC}}{{cite news |title=Staggers officially named president of Morris College |url=https://apnews.com/general-news-32d5cb690ea14d8094270972b701ad29 |access-date=24 April 2024 |work=Associated Press |date=17 April 2019 |location=Sumter, SC}}
In 2023, Morris College received funding from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to create plans for preserving the school's historic buildings, some of which date back to 1924.{{cite news |title=$3.8M in Action Fund Grants Help Protect 40 African American Historic Sites |url=https://savingplaces.org/stories/2023-action-fund-grant-recipients |publisher=National Trust for Historic Preservation |date=13 June 2023}}
Academics
Morris College offers bachelor's degrees in 20 areas of study. The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award four different types of bachelor's degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Science in Education.
To effectively accomplish the purpose and philosophy of Morris College, its academic programs are organized into five academic divisions which oversee their respective departments.{{cn|date=April 2024}}
Student life
=Greek letter organizations=
Morris College currently has chapters for eight of the nine National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations.
Athletics
The Morris athletics teams are called the Hornets. The college is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing as an independent within the Continental Athletic Conference since the 2005–06 academic year. The Hornets previously competed in the defunct Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (EIAC) from 1983–84 to 2004–05 (when the conference dissolved).
Morris competes in six intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, softball and volleyball.
Notable alumni
{{AlumniStart}}
{{Alum|name=Laura Hall|year=1965|nota=Politician; member of the Alabama House of Representatives from the 19th district |ref={{cite web|url=http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/housebios/hd019.html|title=Laura Hall, Alabama House of Representatives|publisher=state.al.us|access-date=2011-01-30|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110213222350/http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/housebios/hd019.html|archive-date=2011-02-13}}}}
{{Alum|name=Arthenia J. Bates Millican|year=1941|nota=Educator and author, protégée of Langston Hughes|ref={{cite web |title=Literary Landmark: Arthenia J. Bates Millican Home |url=http://www.ala.org/united/products_services/literarylandmarks/landmarksbyyear/2019/millican |website=United For Libraries |publisher=American Library Association |access-date=January 22, 2021}}}}
{{Alum|name=J. David Weeks|year=1975|nota=Politician; member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 51st district; serves on the Judiciary Committee and was chair of the Legislative Black Caucus|ref={{cite web |title=Representative J. David Weeks |url=https://www.scstatehouse.gov/member.php?code=1898863409 |website=South Carolina House of Representatives |access-date=January 22, 2021}}}}
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See also
References
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External links
- {{Official website|http://www.morris.edu}}
- [https://www.mchornetsathletics.com Official athletics website]
{{Colleges and universities in South Carolina}}
{{HBCU}}
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{{College sports in South Carolina|state=collapsed}}
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Category:Education in Sumter County, South Carolina
Category:Universities and colleges established in 1908
Category:Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Category:Buildings and structures in Sumter County, South Carolina