Points of Pride

As a global research institution, Mississippi State University is providing limitless possibilities for students to put new technologies to work, find new ways to feed the world, plan better ways to boost the nation’s economy and prepare for the energy needs of tomorrow. 

Since our beginning in 1878, every accomplishment, every breakthrough, every idea – great or small – has been fueled by an unwavering determination to make a difference. From a comprehensive set of educational options and groundbreaking research to award-winning service initiatives and an environment that embraces intellectual and creative freedom, we’re taking care of what matters by transforming and empowering communities throughout the world.
 

Top 50 Points of Pride

1. The National Science Foundation ranks Mississippi State among the nation’s Top 100 research institutions and the Magnolia State’s leading research university.

2. MSU is on the cutting edge of research and integration into the nation’s airspace, serving as the national lead university for the FAA’s Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems and as the FAA’s UAS Safety Research Facility.

3. MSU is among only 2.7% of universities in the U.S. that hold the Carnegie Foundation R1-Very High Research Activity designation.

4. Solutions to world hunger and poverty are within reach at Mississippi State, where globally diversified teams are combining forces with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to eliminate starvation in developing countries.

5. With five quadrillion computations per second, MSU’s Orion system is the nation’s fifth fastest academic supercomputer site.

6. The National Science Foundation ranks MSU in the nation’s top 5% for agriculture and natural resources – a position it has held for over two decades.

7. One in three of today’s on-air broadcast meteorologists in the U.S. is a graduate of MSU’s nationally recognized meteorology program.

8. Mississippi State is recognized as a top 10 Military Friendly School by VIQTORY armed forces media, a reflection of MSU’s commitment to supporting America’s service members and their families.

9. Among a select group of universities in the nation housing a presidential library, MSU is proud to be the home of the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library.

10. MSU archaeologists are hailed around the world for their discovery of six official clay seals in Israel, offering supporting evidence of the existence of biblical kings David and Solomon.

11. Mississippi State stands as a Carnegie Foundation National Community Engagement Designee. 

12. MSU annually produces 369,000 gallons of milk, 9,000 gallons of ice cream, and 300,000 pounds of cheese – all sold exclusively on the MSU campus.

13. Mississippi State is among a select group of universities designated as Land-, Sea- and Space-Grant institutions.

14. Housed in the College of Business, MSU’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Outreach provides access to unrivaled expertise, funding, mentorships and resources to help young entrepreneurs pursue their dreams. A study commissioned by the university found that MSU’s start-up and spin-off companies annually generate $20.8 million in income for Mississippi.

15. Recognized nationally for its leadership in cybersecurity, MSU is one of only a few schools in the U.S. to hold all three of the National Security Agency’s centers of academic excellence credentials: CAE Cyber Defense, CAE Cyber Research, and CAE Cyber Operations. 

16. As the state’s only public institution offering a Master of Physician Assistant Studies program, MSU-Meridian positions students for what U.S. News & World Report ranks as a top-five career.

17. As the largest among North American universities, MSU’s high voltage laboratory supports industry and utility needs while providing a state-of-the-art learning facility for students.

18. Mississippi State is recognized as the state’s “Best Value College” for giving students the best return on their educational investment while producing graduates who earn higher average starting salaries than their peers from other state colleges and universities.

19. MSU’s National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision is the nation’s only federally funded center focused on employment outcomes for people with blindness or low vision.

20. As home of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish funded by USAID, Mississippi State is leveraging its proven expertise to improve nutrition, food security and livelihoods in developing countries by supporting the sustainable development of aquaculture and fisheries.  

21. Boasting a near-perfect licensing examination pass rate, MSU College of Veterinary Medicine students also gain markedly more surgical experience than the national average.

22. Recognized for its commitment to outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts, Mississippi State is a recipient of the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award.

23. Mississippi State is one of only six U.S. higher-learning institutions currently offering poultry science degrees, boasting 100 percent placement of graduates since the first poultry science degree was awarded in 1948.

24. A unique collaboration between MSU and the Starkville Oktibbeha School District, the Partnership Middle School at MSU improves education across the state and country by serving as a center for research in curriculum, teaching and learning to address real-world education problems with a focus on the specific challenges of rural schools.

25. As a leader in cutting-edge research aimed at advancing the nation’s military, MSU is supporting the Department of Defense’s mission by developing a high-performance computing-based environment for next-generation ground vehicles.

26. With graduates working in art and design-related fields and matriculating into MFA programs from coast to coast, MSU’s Department of Art is home to the state’s largest undergraduate studio art program.

27. Home to the only lab in the world conducting groundbreaking research on a syndrome known as CHARGE, MSU offers hope by addressing educational, physical and social challenges faced by impacted families.

28. MSU’s Phi Kappa Phi chapter has—for five consecutive years and since the award program’s inception—received the Circle of Excellence Platinum Award from the nation’s oldest and most selective multidisciplinary collegiate honor society. The Platinum Award is the highest PKP honor given.

29. Recognized as a Tree Campus USA for twelve years, Mississippi State annually plants 80-100 new trees on the nearly 1,500 maintained acres of its Starkville campus.

30. MSU researchers are setting the pace in their pursuit of antidotes for nerve agents that pose risk to military and civilian populations.

31. Sanctioned by the Professional Golfers’ Association of America, MSU’s PGA Golf Management program is the second oldest in the nation and has partnered with 1,200 golf courses worldwide for student internships.

32. Mississippi State is home to the Teros, the largest, most sophisticated uncrewed aircraft at any U.S. academic research institution and is expected to be the first of its kind certified by the FAA for complete future integration into the national airspace system.

33. MSU’s student chapter of the Society of American Foresters is the top chapter in the nation and has placed in the top three consecutively for more than two decades.

34. Sporting more than 40 years of service, MSU’s Fred Carl Jr. Small Town Center is improving quality of life and economic development throughout Mississippi via an intense concentration on renewing and improving the physical environment of small towns.

35. Mississippi State’s award-winning Scott Field at Davis Wade Stadium has earned three College Football Field of the Year distinctions from Sports Field Management Association.

36. A top 5 national ranking for support of free speech positions MSU among the most supportive university climates in the U.S. for student expression. Ranked No. 4 by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, MSU is the only SEC and Magnolia State school in the list’s top 20.

37. MSU researchers are advancing off-road, self-driving technology through MSU’s Autonomous Vehicle Simulator, providing a virtual proving ground for autonomy developers.

38. Mississippi State’s athlete engineering team is powering advancements in wearable technologies to help athletes improve body mechanics and reduce injuries.

39. As concern grows over the declining health of the world’s oceans, veterinary students at Mississippi State are learning how to rescue and rehabilitate vulnerable marine animals as part of a unique partnership between the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, Mississippi.

40. Predicted to grow in occupational demand by 36 percent through 2031—much faster than the average for all occupations—MSU’s Bachelor of Science in Data Science degree is distinctive for its focus on the role data plays in every aspect of an organization, not just on analytical techniques. 

41. MSU’s T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability, which has received numerous grant awards for its work in ensuring that persons with disabilities benefit from technological solutions and advances in the field of assistive technology, is removing barriers for clients with mobility, hearing, visual, communication and cognitive impairments.

42. For the seventh year in a row, Mississippi State is designated as a “Great College to Work For” by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

43. As one of the few degrees of its kind in the U.S., MSU’s Historic Preservation MFA transforms students into skilled practitioners, combining classroom instruction with hands-on experiences.

44. Mississippi State’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic is using virtual reality to simulate real-world experiences aimed to improve communication skills in children with autism.

45. MSU was among the universities that NASA turned to when the space shuttle flight with former senator John Glenn faced serious challenges on re-entry. After a steel plate protecting the drag chute on the spacecraft dislodged during launch, MSU researchers condensed a three-month simulation of the event into two days to ensure a safe return.

46. MSU researchers are pursuing ways to stop and reverse vascular calcification, a buildup in blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

47. Training the next generation of educational psychologists through one of the only undergraduate programs of its kind in the nation, MSU’s Bachelor of Science in Educational Psychology opens doors for graduates to not only aid students in K-12 school settings, but also individuals in community mental health centers, hospitals, private industry and more.

48. As a member of the Asylum Hill Research Consortium, MSU is helping bring an important part of Mississippi’s history to light while creating unprecedented anthropological learning and research opportunities for students.

49. Mississippi State researchers are studying wetland restoration efforts along the Gulf of Mexico to evaluate effective marsh terrace designs that will maximize coastal restoration, sustainability and ecosystem productivity.

50. Results from a national First Destination Survey show MSU graduates experience a 94% success rate, which is nearly 10% higher than the national rate, for being employed or working on advanced degrees after graduation.