THE CAPITAL AREA 203 CAPITAL AREA COLLEGES THE JACKSON METROPOLITAN AREA IS HOME TO FOUR PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION: Millsaps College and Belhaven University, both located in the heart of the city, Tougaloo College at the northern edge, and Mississippi College, located in Clinton. With easy access to the capital city, these universities have provided thousands of students with an exceptional educational experience since the 1800s. MILLSAPS COLLEGE Established by Major Reuben Webster Millsaps and members of the Methodist Church in 1890, Millsaps College is a private liberal arts college which offers a multitude of campus programs and course disciplines, including thirty-three majors and forty-seven minors. The institution has a long history of academic excellence, as well as community involvement. Because of its leadership within the state and its collaboration with Tougaloo College during the days of the Civil Rights Movement, Millsaps has been called a small beacon of light in Mississippi. Today, with a student population of just under 1,000, Millsaps is, as its mission states, “… dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression…and the innovative shaping of the social, economic, and cultural progress of our region.” Since 2010, Millsaps has thrived under the leadership of Dr. Robert Pearigen, the institution’s eleventh president. The faculty, staff, and administration are committed to helping students reach their full potential under the motto “Ad Excellentium.” Millsaps is one of forty colleges included in Colleges that Change Lives. PHOTO COURTESY OF MILLSAPS COLLEGE