Rust College is abuzz with excitement and activity today as classes begin for the fall 2025 semester.
This year is particularly special as Rust embarks on a new era of innovation, growth, and transformation under the leadership of Dr. Johnny M. Moore, whose first official day as Rust's 13th president also falls today, August 11, 2025.
"There is a great energy on campus right now, as we embark upon an excellent semester," said Dr. Moore, who served as the Chancellor of Arkansas State University - Newport prior to joining Rust.
"HBCUs are special, and I look forward to immersing myself in Bearcat Nation, working with skilled faculty and staff, and especially getting to know the smart, talented young people who have chosen Rust for the next step in their educational journey."
Dr. Moore has been revered nationally as a leader in higher education for more than 30 years. He was selected out of nearly 200 candidates during a national president’s search. He and his wife, Sequoyah, are the proud parents of Johnathan and Jayna.
Rust is continuing to build on momentum from key milestones and accomplishments that took place last academic school year. Among them:
• Rust College’s World Renowned A’Cappella Choir won a Silver Performance Award—the top award granted in their category—at the 36th Annual International Verona Competition, held in Verona, Italy in March.
• Sa’Kinah Williams, Student Government Association President, was selected as a 2024 HBCU Scholar by the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
• The Mississippi Association of Educational Office Professionals named Dr. Doris J. Ward, Vice President for Academic Affairs at Rust College, as the 2024 Educational Administrator of the Year.
• Sonya Faulknor, Assistant Professor of Music and Assistant Choir Director, was honored as the 2025 Humanities Teacher of the Year by the Mississippi Humanities Council.
• Rust earned Gold Status as an NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) Champions of Character Five-Star Institution.
• The Athletics Department celebrated several key hires, including Athletic Director Jeremy Patterson and Men's Basketball Head Coach Barry Wellington.
About Rust College:
Rust College, established in 1866 by the Freedmen’s Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, is the oldest and most esteemed historically Black college in Mississippi. Located in Holly Springs, approximately 35 miles southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, Rust College offers a diverse range of degree programs across multiple disciplines, including Business, Education, Humanities, Science and Mathematics, and Social Science. The institution is dedicated to equipping and inspiring students for excellence and service within their communities and throughout the world. Rust College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, enabling it to confer both associate and baccalaureate degrees.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Monday, August 11th 2025 at 7:03PM
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