Blue Mountain College
Encyclopedia
Blue Mountain College is a private liberal arts
college
, supported by the Mississippi Baptist Convention
, located in the northeastern Mississippi
town of Blue Mountain
not far from Tupelo, Miss
. In 2005, the College's Board of Trustees voted unanimously for the college to go fully co-educational.
General Mark P. Lowrey, a pastor
, as a women's college. Blue Mountain Female Institute, as it was called at first, started with 50 students with Mr. Lowrey and his two daughters serving as the faculty. In 1877, the college was officially chartered by the State of Mississippi. Lowrey, his sons W. T. and B. G., and grandson Lawrence Lowrey all served as the first four president
s. A longtime professor
of the school, Dr. Wilfred Tyler, became the first non-Lowrey family president in 1960, followed by Dr. E. Harold Fisher in 1965. Since 2001, Dr. Bettye Rogers Coward has headed the college.
Originally an independently-owned institution, the college was turned over to the Mississippi Baptist Convention in 1920 by the Lowrey Family. It remained focused on women's education until 1956 when a program to train men for church-related vocations was started. In October 2005, the college's Board of Trustees voted to make the school co-educational.
Women's Basketball: Coach Lavon Driskell took over as the head coach of the Lady Topper basketball team in 2006.
Men's/Women's Cross Country: In the spring of 2007 College added a co-educational cross-country team under the direction of Coach Fred Smith.
Men's Basketball: BMC named J.D. Parker head coach for the 2010-2011 season.
Softball: Fall 2010 marks the opening season of fast-pitch softball under head coach Kevin Barefield.
Baseball: Coach Curt Fowler brings his team to the field for the first time in Fall of 2010.
Golf: Men's golf was introduced in Fall 2010 under the direction of Coach Danny McKenzie
Conference Information: Intercollegiate sports teams for men and women participate in the TranSouth Athletic Conference
of the NAIA
.
Honors: The women's basketball team has been the recipient of the NAIA's Champions of Character award for six consecutive years. The award recognizes intercollegiate athletics that are committed to the true spirit of competition through respect, integrity, responsibility, servant leadership and sportsmanship. In addition, the women's basketball team has earned the Halbrook Award for academic achievement among athletes in the independent college division. Administered by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, and the Mississippi Association of Independent Colleges, the Halbrook Award was awarded to Blue Mountain College for maintaining and achieving a high academic standard for student athletes which promotes high graduation rates.
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
, supported by the Mississippi Baptist Convention
Mississippi Baptist Convention
The Mississippi Baptist Convention is an autonomous association of Baptist churches in the state of Mississippi. It is one of the state conventions associated with the Southern Baptist Convention...
, located in the northeastern Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
town of Blue Mountain
Blue Mountain, Mississippi
Blue Mountain is a town in Tippah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 670 at the 2000 census. It is the location of Blue Mountain College, a private Christian liberal arts college.-Geography:...
not far from Tupelo, Miss
Tupelo, Mississippi
Tupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
. In 2005, the College's Board of Trustees voted unanimously for the college to go fully co-educational.
History
The college was founded in 1873 by ConfederateConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
General Mark P. Lowrey, a pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, as a women's college. Blue Mountain Female Institute, as it was called at first, started with 50 students with Mr. Lowrey and his two daughters serving as the faculty. In 1877, the college was officially chartered by the State of Mississippi. Lowrey, his sons W. T. and B. G., and grandson Lawrence Lowrey all served as the first four president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
s. A longtime professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of the school, Dr. Wilfred Tyler, became the first non-Lowrey family president in 1960, followed by Dr. E. Harold Fisher in 1965. Since 2001, Dr. Bettye Rogers Coward has headed the college.
Originally an independently-owned institution, the college was turned over to the Mississippi Baptist Convention in 1920 by the Lowrey Family. It remained focused on women's education until 1956 when a program to train men for church-related vocations was started. In October 2005, the college's Board of Trustees voted to make the school co-educational.
Enrollment
Enrollment for the 2005-2006 year was 424. Twenty-five percent of the students were male and 75 percent of the students commute to campus each day.Departments
- Dept. of Biblical and Associated Studies
- Dept. of Business
- Dept. of Education
- Dept. of Fine Arts and Speech
- Dept. of Language and Literature
- Dept. of Mathematics and Natural Science
- Dept. of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Online certification programs
- Library Media
- Special Education for Mild/Moderate Disabled in Elementary and/or Secondary Education
Athletics
- Team Name: The Toppers
- Colors: Blue and Gold
- Mascot: Topper
- Gym: Wilfred C. Tyler Gymnasium
Women's Basketball: Coach Lavon Driskell took over as the head coach of the Lady Topper basketball team in 2006.
Men's/Women's Cross Country: In the spring of 2007 College added a co-educational cross-country team under the direction of Coach Fred Smith.
Men's Basketball: BMC named J.D. Parker head coach for the 2010-2011 season.
Softball: Fall 2010 marks the opening season of fast-pitch softball under head coach Kevin Barefield.
Baseball: Coach Curt Fowler brings his team to the field for the first time in Fall of 2010.
Golf: Men's golf was introduced in Fall 2010 under the direction of Coach Danny McKenzie
Conference Information: Intercollegiate sports teams for men and women participate in the TranSouth Athletic Conference
TranSouth Athletic Conference
The TranSouth Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference for smaller colleges and universities located in the Southern United States...
of the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
.
Honors: The women's basketball team has been the recipient of the NAIA's Champions of Character award for six consecutive years. The award recognizes intercollegiate athletics that are committed to the true spirit of competition through respect, integrity, responsibility, servant leadership and sportsmanship. In addition, the women's basketball team has earned the Halbrook Award for academic achievement among athletes in the independent college division. Administered by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, and the Mississippi Association of Independent Colleges, the Halbrook Award was awarded to Blue Mountain College for maintaining and achieving a high academic standard for student athletes which promotes high graduation rates.