University of Mississippi

They call her "Ole Miss," and she is old: The University of Mississippi, chartered as the first public university in the state, was founded in 1848. From its beginning with 80 students, the school has grown to an enrollment of more than 17,000, with most students attending the main Oxford, Mississippi, campus. Ole Miss has additional campuses in Southaven (Desoto County) and Tupelo, and it operates the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. The school is home to more than 30 research centers specializing in business, engineering, law, and other disciplines. Its academic institutes include the Croft Institute for International Studies and the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation.