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Pearl River Community College

March 17, 2023

Pearl River Community College is a public community college in Poplarville, Mississippi. It was founded as Pearl River County Agricultural High School in 1909 and became the first junior college in Mississippi in 1921.

Pearl River Community College
TypePublic community college
Academic affiliations
Space-grant
PresidentDr. Adam Breerwood
Location
Poplarville
,
Mississippi
,
United States
ColorsMaroon & Gold
MascotWildcats
Websitehttp://www.prcc.edu
Huff Hall at Pearl River Community College

Residents of Hancock, Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Lamar, Marion, and Pearl River counties are in the college's service area.[1]

History

Pearl River County Agricultural High School (PRCAHS) was the result of the Mississippi Agricultural High School Law of 1908, making it the nation's first state-funded system of agricultural high schools. The law was found to be in violation of the separate but equal clause in the state's constitution by the state's Supreme Court late in 1909 when no equal opportunity was offered for the state's African-American children. The overturned law caused all but three of the twenty original agricultural high schools in the state to close, since state funding was no longer available. Pearl River County citizens came to the school's rescue, however, when private citizens secured a loan from a local bank to fund the school until the Mississippi Legislature could pass a new law which made opportunity for both races.

Classes began on September 8, 1909 under the direction of Professor T.M. Kelly. The entire boarding high school was located in one three-story building erected on 20 acres (81,000 m2) of land on the edge of the county's seat, Poplarville. Classrooms and the cafeteria was located on the building's first floor, while the girls' dormitory occupied the second floor and the boys' dormitory occupied the third floor.

PRCAHS, under the supervision of James Andrew Huff, added freshman college classes to the curriculum to the school in 1921-22, making Pearl River College the first 2-year public institution in Mississippi. Pearl River College continued to lead the way by the addition of sophomore classes in 1925-26.

Pearl River College has since expanded to include four locations, the main campus in Poplarville, the Forrest County Center and Lowery Woodall Advanced Technology Center in Hattiesburg, MS, and the Hancock Center in Waveland, MS.

In August 2005, PRCC's Poplarville campus suffered an estimated $40–50 million in damage at the hand of Hurricane Katrina. This included severe structural damage to the auditorium wing of Moody Hall, the state's oldest instructional building on a junior college campus, and M. R. White Coliseum, the college's sports arena. Both the auditorium wing of Moody Hall and the entire sports arena were razed for student safety. A new M. R. White Coliseum was built on the same site, and the Ethel Holden Brownstone Center for the Arts was built to replace Moody Hall Auditorium. Most of the roofs on campus had to be replaced due to the storm, and many buildings had to undergo extensive mold remediation. The Hancock Center, on the Gulf Coast, was completely gutted by the massive tidal surge. The main campus was shut down for three weeks due to damages and the Hancock Center was shut down for four weeks.

Residential facilities

The school has the following residential facilities:

For men: Hancock Hall, Huff Hall, Lamar Hall, Marion Hall, and Pearl River Hall.[2]

For women: Forrest Hall, Holden Hall, and Moody Hall.[3]

Athletics

Pearl River's athletic teams are called the Wildcats, and the football team won four straight Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges (MACJC) championships (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006) since head coach Tim Hatten took over the program in 2002. Pearl River also won the 2004 National Championship of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) with the help of three NJCAA All-Americans, including wide receiver Larry Brackins, who was selected 155th overall by the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2005 NFL Draft; quarterback Jimmy Oliver, and offensive lineman Matt Lott. PRCC played for the 2006 NJCAA title in the Pilgrim's Pride Bowl Classic in Mt. Pleasant, Tex., but lost to Blinn College (Tex.) 19-6.

Brackins was a member of the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League, and the practice squad for the NFL New York Jets. While former Wildcat receiver Donavan Morgan plays with the AFL's Chicago Rush franchise after brief NFL stints with the New York Jets, Houston Texans, and Buffalo Bills. Larry Kendrick, Brackins' 2003 Wildcat teammate, signed on with the Ole Miss Rebels following the one-year stint at Pearl River and was an NJCAA All-American as a wide receiver and a defensive back, as well as being named the NJCAA's Male Athlete of the Year in 2003. Kendrick currently plays in the Arena 2 league.

PRCC's 2006 state title marked its 19th in school history, which is a record for Mississippi community colleges. Oliver guided the Wildcats to their 2004 and 2005 titles and earned NJCAA "Offensive Player of the Year" honors both seasons, including All-American accolades. Oliver played two seasons with Jackson State University, guiding the Tigers to the 2007 SWAC championship.

Pearl River won four MACJC state championships during the 2003-2004 school year in football, men's basketball, women's soccer, and baseball. PRCC also won the 2005 MACJC women's soccer championship.

Three former Wildcat players are currently in the NFL, including San Diego Charger wide receiver Demetrius Byrd (who also won the 2008 BCS National Championship with the LSU Tigers after playing for PRCC), Washington Redskin defensive linemen Cornelius Griffin, and Oakland Raider defensive back Hiram Eugene. Former PRCC basketball standout James Singleton played two seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and currently plays for the Washington Wizards.

Student organizations

There are several student organizations available at the different campus locations.

The Poplarville Campus offers: Baptist Student Union, College Republicans, DECA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Honors Institute, Phi Theta Kappa, PRCC Gaming and Strategy Club, River Navigators, Skills USA, STEM Club (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Student Government Association, Student Nurses Association, Wesley Foundation, Wildcat Watch, and Young Americans for Liberty.

The Forrest County Center offers: American Dental Hygienists’ Association, Baptist Student Union, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Forrest County Center Science Club, History and Humanities Club, Mu Alpha Theta, Phi Theta Kappa-Beta Tau Gamma Chapter, Sigma Kappa Delta, National English Honor Society, and Student Government Association.

The Hancock Center offers: Baptist Student Union and Phi Theta Kappa.[4]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ "2014-2016 Catalog" (PDF). Pearl River Community College. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
  2. ^ "Men's Residence Halls." Pearl River Community College. Retrieved on June 5, 2015.
  3. ^ "Women's Residence Halls." Pearl River Community College. Retrieved on June 5, 2015.
  4. ^ Student Organizations. (2016). Prcc.edu. Retrieved 4 December 2016, from http://www.prcc.edu/student-life/student-organizations 2016-12-03 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ . Archived from the original on 2010-11-13. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

  • Official website

Coordinates: 30°50′39″N 89°32′35″W / 30.844289°N 89.543112°W / 30.844289; -89.543112

March 17, 2023
pearl, river, community, college, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, 2018, learn, when, remove, this, template, m. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations May 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message Pearl River Community College is a public community college in Poplarville Mississippi It was founded as Pearl River County Agricultural High School in 1909 and became the first junior college in Mississippi in 1921 Pearl River Community CollegeTypePublic community collegeAcademic affiliationsSpace grantPresidentDr Adam BreerwoodLocationPoplarville Mississippi United StatesColorsMaroon amp GoldMascotWildcatsWebsitehttp www prcc eduHuff Hall at Pearl River Community College Residents of Hancock Forrest Jefferson Davis Lamar Marion and Pearl River counties are in the college s service area 1 Contents 1 History 2 Residential facilities 3 Athletics 4 Student organizations 5 Notable alumni 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditPearl River County Agricultural High School PRCAHS was the result of the Mississippi Agricultural High School Law of 1908 making it the nation s first state funded system of agricultural high schools The law was found to be in violation of the separate but equal clause in the state s constitution by the state s Supreme Court late in 1909 when no equal opportunity was offered for the state s African American children The overturned law caused all but three of the twenty original agricultural high schools in the state to close since state funding was no longer available Pearl River County citizens came to the school s rescue however when private citizens secured a loan from a local bank to fund the school until the Mississippi Legislature could pass a new law which made opportunity for both races Classes began on September 8 1909 under the direction of Professor T M Kelly The entire boarding high school was located in one three story building erected on 20 acres 81 000 m2 of land on the edge of the county s seat Poplarville Classrooms and the cafeteria was located on the building s first floor while the girls dormitory occupied the second floor and the boys dormitory occupied the third floor PRCAHS under the supervision of James Andrew Huff added freshman college classes to the curriculum to the school in 1921 22 making Pearl River College the first 2 year public institution in Mississippi Pearl River College continued to lead the way by the addition of sophomore classes in 1925 26 Pearl River College has since expanded to include four locations the main campus in Poplarville the Forrest County Center and Lowery Woodall Advanced Technology Center in Hattiesburg MS and the Hancock Center in Waveland MS In August 2005 PRCC s Poplarville campus suffered an estimated 40 50 million in damage at the hand of Hurricane Katrina This included severe structural damage to the auditorium wing of Moody Hall the state s oldest instructional building on a junior college campus and M R White Coliseum the college s sports arena Both the auditorium wing of Moody Hall and the entire sports arena were razed for student safety A new M R White Coliseum was built on the same site and the Ethel Holden Brownstone Center for the Arts was built to replace Moody Hall Auditorium Most of the roofs on campus had to be replaced due to the storm and many buildings had to undergo extensive mold remediation The Hancock Center on the Gulf Coast was completely gutted by the massive tidal surge The main campus was shut down for three weeks due to damages and the Hancock Center was shut down for four weeks Residential facilities EditThe school has the following residential facilities For men Hancock Hall Huff Hall Lamar Hall Marion Hall and Pearl River Hall 2 For women Forrest Hall Holden Hall and Moody Hall 3 Athletics EditPearl River s athletic teams are called the Wildcats and the football team won four straight Mississippi Association of Community amp Junior Colleges MACJC championships 2003 2004 2005 2006 since head coach Tim Hatten took over the program in 2002 Pearl River also won the 2004 National Championship of the National Junior College Athletic Association NJCAA with the help of three NJCAA All Americans including wide receiver Larry Brackins who was selected 155th overall by the NFL s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2005 NFL Draft quarterback Jimmy Oliver and offensive lineman Matt Lott PRCC played for the 2006 NJCAA title in the Pilgrim s Pride Bowl Classic in Mt Pleasant Tex but lost to Blinn College Tex 19 6 Brackins was a member of the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League and the practice squad for the NFL New York Jets While former Wildcat receiver Donavan Morgan plays with the AFL s Chicago Rush franchise after brief NFL stints with the New York Jets Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills Larry Kendrick Brackins 2003 Wildcat teammate signed on with the Ole Miss Rebels following the one year stint at Pearl River and was an NJCAA All American as a wide receiver and a defensive back as well as being named the NJCAA s Male Athlete of the Year in 2003 Kendrick currently plays in the Arena 2 league PRCC s 2006 state title marked its 19th in school history which is a record for Mississippi community colleges Oliver guided the Wildcats to their 2004 and 2005 titles and earned NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year honors both seasons including All American accolades Oliver played two seasons with Jackson State University guiding the Tigers to the 2007 SWAC championship Pearl River won four MACJC state championships during the 2003 2004 school year in football men s basketball women s soccer and baseball PRCC also won the 2005 MACJC women s soccer championship Three former Wildcat players are currently in the NFL including San Diego Charger wide receiver Demetrius Byrd who also won the 2008 BCS National Championship with the LSU Tigers after playing for PRCC Washington Redskin defensive linemen Cornelius Griffin and Oakland Raider defensive back Hiram Eugene Former PRCC basketball standout James Singleton played two seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association NBA and currently plays for the Washington Wizards Student organizations EditThere are several student organizations available at the different campus locations The Poplarville Campus offers Baptist Student Union College Republicans DECA Fellowship of Christian Athletes Honors Institute Phi Theta Kappa PRCC Gaming and Strategy Club River Navigators Skills USA STEM Club Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Student Government Association Student Nurses Association Wesley Foundation Wildcat Watch and Young Americans for Liberty The Forrest County Center offers American Dental Hygienists Association Baptist Student Union Fellowship of Christian Athletes Forrest County Center Science Club History and Humanities Club Mu Alpha Theta Phi Theta Kappa Beta Tau Gamma Chapter Sigma Kappa Delta National English Honor Society and Student Government Association The Hancock Center offers Baptist Student Union and Phi Theta Kappa 4 Notable alumni EditJeramey Anderson member of the Mississippi House of Representatives for the 110th District Larry Brackins Jimmy Buffett American singer songwriter Demetrius Byrd Wide Receiver for the Los Angeles Chargers William Leon Clark was Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force J P Compretta lawyer and former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives Cornelius Griffin professional basketball player 5 Rhyne Hughes professional baseball player for the Winnipeg Goldeyes Donovan Morgan professional football player James Singleton professional basketball playerReferences Edit 2014 2016 Catalog PDF Pearl River Community College Retrieved 2022 04 13 Men s Residence Halls Pearl River Community College Retrieved on June 5 2015 Women s Residence Halls Pearl River Community College Retrieved on June 5 2015 Student Organizations 2016 Prcc edu Retrieved 4 December 2016 from http www prcc edu student life student organizations Archived 2016 12 03 at the Wayback Machine https web archive org web 20101113042612 http www redskins com gen players Cornelius Griffin jsp Archived from the original on 2010 11 13 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Missing or empty title help External links EditOfficial website Coordinates 30 50 39 N 89 32 35 W 30 844289 N 89 543112 W 30 844289 89 543112 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pearl River Community College amp oldid 1093794214, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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