Meridian Community College: Narrative Description

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MERIDIAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE J-11

910 Hwy. 19 North
Meridian, MS 39307
Tel: (601)483-8241
Admissions: (601)484-8895
Web Site: http://www.meridiancc.edu

Description:

State and locally supported, 2-year, coed. Part of Mississippi State Board for Community and Junior Colleges. Awards certificates, transfer associate, and terminal associate degrees. Founded 1937. Setting: 62-acre small town campus. Endowment: $4.8 million. Total enrollment: 3,572. Students come from 16 states and territories, 3% from out-of-state, 2% Native American, 1% Hispanic, 39% black, 0.4% Asian American or Pacific Islander, 0.1% international, 30% 25 or older, 12% live on campus. Core. Calendar: semesters. Academic remediation for entering students, ESL program, services for LD students, advanced placement, independent study, distance learning, summer session for credit, part-time degree program, adult/continuing education programs, co-op programs.

Entrance Requirements:

Open admission. Option: early admission. Required: high school transcript, minimum 2.0 high school GPA. Required for some: essay. Placement: SAT or ACT required; ACCUPLACER recommended. Entrance: noncompetitive. Application deadline: Rolling.

Costs Per Year:

Application fee: $0. State resident tuition: $1300 full-time, $70 per credit hour part-time. Nonresident tuition: $2740 full-time, $137 per credit hour part-time. Mandatory fees: $156 full-time, $4 per credit hour part-time, $20 per term part-time. College room and board: $2550. Room and board charges vary according to board plan.

Collegiate Environment:

Orientation program. Drama-theater group, choral group, student-run newspaper, radio station. Social organizations: 22 open to all. Most popular organizations: Phi Theta Kappa, Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, Health Occupations Students of America, Organization of Student Nurses, Distributive Education Clubs of America. Major annual events: Spring Fest, Octoberfest, Fall Picnic. Student services: health clinic, personal-psychological counseling. Campus security: 24-hour patrols, student patrols. 360 college housing spaces available; all were occupied in 2003-04. No special consideration for freshman housing applicants. Options: coed, men-only, women-only housing available. L.O. Todd Library with 50,000 books and 600 serials. Operations spending 2003-04: $647,419. 123 computers available on campus for general student use. A campuswide network can be accessed from student residence rooms and from off campus. Staffed computer lab on campus.

Community Environment:

Neither destruction by fire during the Civil War, a riot in 1871, a yellow fever epidemic in 1878, nor a cyclone in 1906 could keep Meridian down. It survived these disasters to become the state's leading industrial city. In an area providing abundant raw agricultural and industrial materials, local industries produce wood products, clothing, clay pipes, metal windows, asphalt roofing, fabricated steel and dairy and meat products. The region also produces timber, corn, cotton and cattle. Passenger air, rail and bus service is available. The city has private hospitals. Cultural activities include Little Theatre, Symphony Orchestra, Meridian Chorale and Art Association. The economic base is evenly divided between agriculture, industry and military payrolls.

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