The Mississippi University for Women will propose Wynbridge State University of Mississippi to the legislature as its new name.
MUW President Nora Miller announced the proposed name during an unveiling ceremony Tuesday on the steps of Poindexter Hall.
The university will continue to be known as “The W,” and the current logo and trademark will continue to be a staple in the school’s marketing and identity. Miller said the proposed legislation states the university will continue to be known as The W.
“We have been challenged by a name that does not represent our diverse student body. The ‘for women’ in our name creates an unnecessary barrier for men and women seeking a co-educational experience,” Miller said during Tuesday’s announcement. “By enshrining our commitment to The W in the law, we promise our community — the graduates past, present, and future — will remain united as W grads.”
The new name was chosen after a lengthy process that began nearly two years ago. In surveys sent late last month to faculty, staff, students and alumni, respondents preferred Wynbridge over two other concept names — Wynbright and Welbright.
Wynbridge, the survey said, combines the Old English word for the letter “w” with a “bridge” that symbolizes the connection from the university’s past to its present, students to alumni and the campus to the community.
The new name will be proposed to the state legislature during the current session with hopes of it going into effect by July 1.
Miller’s announcement Tuesday came after a welcome from Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin, who spoke about the university’s economic impact and relationship with Columbus. Bridget Pieschel, alumna and professor emeritus of English at MUW, spoke on The W’s tie to the university’s history and legacy and the importance of retaining the trademark.
Pieschel said the university will continue to have women’s leadership as an important focus regardless of the name change. She mentioned several examples, including The Center for Women’s Leadership and Public Policy and the upcoming establishment of the Women’s College.
“I’m looking forward to the establishment of the new women’s college because it will strengthen our historic mission —our commitment to academic and professional equity for all women,” she said.
MUW Student Government Association President Sam Garrie spoke about The W means to current students at the university.
After the program, Garrie told The Dispatch most of the student body seems supportive of the name change.
“I think this day for students means something to look forward to, a positive outcome,” he said. “Hopefully this will pass through legislators and we’ll get something to better represent our university and the complexity we have here in our student body.”
The program concluded with Laverne Leech, one of the first Black women to racially integrate MUW, speaking about what The W means to her in the context of providing access to educational opportunities to everyone. Leech said through all of the name changes The W has had, students always came to the school seeking a quality education.
“The mission did not change,” she said. “The buildings did not change, just the name. Change brings about progress. Progress brings about change. So now as we look at our new name for our university … we’re looking for progress.”
Leech encouraged the crowd to contact state legislators and ask them to support the name change.
The addition of “Mississippi” to the Wynbridge concept name was a part of legislative requirements for the name dictated by the lieutenant governor. Laura Tubb Prestwich, a naming strategist and creative consultant recently hired by the university to help with marketing efforts, said in a Facebook comment that the legal name and the name referenced in marketing do not have to match.
“We will be The W and Wynbridge State University for formal applications,” she said.
Naming process history
Tuesday’s announcement ends an effort that began in May 2022 when Miller received a letter from MUW’s academic deans recommending the university take action to identify a new name to address challenges with declining enrollment.
Founded in 1884 as the Mississippi Industrial Institute and College for the Education of White Girls, the university was later named Industrial Institute and College, Mississippi State College for Women (1920) and MUW (1974). It was the nation’s first public dedicated women’s college.
Men were allowed to attend starting in 1982.
The university established a naming task force in August 2022 to select a name more representative of the integrated student body. The next month, surveys were sent to constituencies of the university with several name options that focused on the history and geographic location of the university.
The task force partnered with Chernoff Newman, a communications agency with a higher education background, in April 2023 to assist with the process. Along with higher education experience, the agency’s vice-chairman had ties to Columbus and the university.
With none of the names gaining traction, the committee departed from using a historical or geographical name and moved forward with a concept name instead, announcing Mississippi Brightwell University as the proposed name on Jan. 8.
The announcement was immediately skewered by alumni and community members online who claimed it was not representative of the school’s historical legacy. Following the backlash, the university ditched the name, formed a new timeline and restarted the process, which prompted the newest survey with the three final name suggestions.
Legislative reaction
District 41 Rep. Kabir Karriem, D-Columbus, told The Dispatch he will sponsor the bill to change the name. He said he is “excited” to see a more inclusive name that also retains the W logo and marketing.
“I like it a hell of a lot better than Brightwell,” Karriem said.
Likewise, District 17 Sen. Chuck Younger, R-Lowndes County, who did not express support for Brightwell, said he “very much” supports the new proposal.
“I think a lot more people are on board with it,” Younger said. “A lot of the (previous) naysayers are texting and emailing me in favor of it. … We hope we can get everybody in the legislature to agree to go with it so we can get it on the floor and pass it.”
District 37 Rep. Andy Boyd, R-Columbus, who did support Brightwell in January, said Tuesday he thinks codifying The W in the new proposal “makes sense” and appropriately honors the university’s past.
“I think it’s time,” Boyd said of a name change. “… I think it’s for the best.”
District 39 Rep. Dana McLean, R-Columbus, told The Dispatch she has not committed to voting for the Wynbridge.
“Most of my constituents that I’ve heard from do support a name change but are not in favor of Wynbridge,” McLean wrote in a text message received after the print deadline for Wednesday’s edition. “Many like The W: A Mississippi University.”
Crowd reaction
Well more than a hundred people attended the program including faculty, administration, staff and students. Several faculty and staff members told The Dispatch they were not ready to comment on the new name.
Many students, like junior Amonie Silas, came to the program out of curiosity about what the new name would be. Silas was impartial to the chosen name but supportive of the change itself.
“I see this as them taking a step forward for (the university’s) future,” she said. “In a day and age when people aren’t choosing college for alternate pathways, it will help make us more accepting and open to a new group of students.”
Managing Editor Zack Plair contributed to this report.
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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