150 Rust Avenue
Holly Springs, MS 38635

Rust College is a four-year liberal arts college located 35 miles southeast of Memphis in Holly Springs, Miss. Rust College is the second oldest private college in Mississippi and the oldest historically black college in the state. Rust College was established as Shaw University in 1866 by the Freedman's Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church and was founded based on the principles of providing an education to all no matter their sex, race, religion or ethnic background.

In the beginning, Rust accepted students of all ages, many of whom had no education, to learn elementary subjects. The first building on the current campus was built in 1867. When students' studies began to take them beyond high school, the first college courses were introduced and in 1878, two students graduated from the college department. In over 140 years, over 5,500 students have graduated from the school. The name was changed to Rust University in 1882, in honor of Richard S. Rust, secretary of the Freedman's Aid Society. The name was changed to Rust College in 1915. Rust College is related to the United Methodist Church and is the oldest of eleven historically black colleges related to that church.

Today, Rust College offers degrees in more than 15 areas of study, including business administration, biology, computer science, chemistry, political science and sociology.

Students may live on campus in one of five residence halls and one apartment building, which can accommodate more than 850 students.

The Leontyne Price Library on campus offers the most recent print materials, as well as access to online databases.

Quick Facts:

Rust College is accredited by The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Rust College claims over 20,000 alumni, but over 15,000 of those attended the school when it was an elementary through high school.

The Student Activities Center houses an indoor swimming facility, student recreation center where students can participate in ping pong, board games or billiards; a dance room; Club 1866; a health and fitness center for basketball, aerobics and other physical activities and a movie theater.

An intramural sports program provides students organized sports in flag football, basketball and many other activities.

The Religious Education Department is responsible for seeing to students' spiritual well being while attending Rust College. They provide Sunday school, Bible study, worship and prayer services, a bi-monthly chapel service, a religious emphasis week the first week in March and organize the Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration.

This school profile has been compiled and updated by The CollegeBound Network. The school is not affiliated with The CollegeBound Network and shall not be considered a sponsor of this program.