College History
HINDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE – A Brief History
Hinds Community College began in 1917 as a small agricultural high school in the center of Hinds County in the town of Raymond. These humble beginnings included an administration building, two dormitories, a dairy barn, eight faculty and 117 students. Fast forward 100 years and Hinds is one of the largest institutions of higher education in Mississippi and a clear leader in workforce training and innovation.
Under the tenures of seven distinctive presidents, each bringing improvements and expansions to the college, Hinds has continuously evolved to meet the ever-changing higher education and workforce needs of the communities it serves. Dr. Stephen Vacik, Hinds president since 2020, continues this legacy of constant innovation.
Today, Hinds serves Claiborne, Copiah, Hinds, Rankin and Warren counties with campuses in Jackson, Rankin, Raymond, Utica and Vicksburg.
The Utica Campus was founded as the Utica Normal and Industrial Institute by Dr. William Holtzclaw in 1903, later becoming Utica Junior college. Utica Junior College merged with Hinds Community College in 1982. The campus retains its Historically Black College & University (HBCU) designation and many of the college’s unique traditions.
During Hinds’ 100-plus years, much has changed, but our mission remains true: to provide a quality and affordable education. Dr. Vacik’s move to unite all Hinds campuses as “one college” has been instrumental in establishing a long-term vision for the college, furthering Hinds’ long-time mission to move people and communities forward and fueling purpose, passion and professional growth.
Hinds has played a pivotal role in Mississippi’s educational and economic landscape over more than a century and Dr. Vacik continues to grow the college’s legacy of marrying its associate degree and certification programs to the current and future workforce needs of the community, region and state.
Our progress
In addition to Dr. Vacik, who became president in July 2020, Hinds has enjoyed the tenure of six other distinctive presidents, each bringing improvements and expansion to the college. In the 1920s, President R.E.L. Sutherland transitioned Hinds into a junior college. In the 1930s, President Judson Cain led the college to growth by providing work opportunities for young people to pay for room and board while receiving a quality education.
President George McLendon, or “Mr. Mac” as he was affectionately known, began serving in 1938. Under his tenure, the 1940s brought on beautification and construction initiatives. In 1945, the GI Bill changed the face of the community college campus. After World War II, veterans took advantage of the opportunity to attend college and enrolled in vocational and technical programs that provided important skills and job training. The 1950s were the golden age of football, and the 1954 team reached unprecedented heights with the Eagles claiming a national championship after winning the Junior Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
During the 1960s, the leadership passed from Mr. Mac to President Dr. Robert Mayo. The baby boomers reached college age, and consequently Hinds’ enrollment topped 2,000 for the first time. Mayo extended the campus by adding new branches in Jackson and Vicksburg.
The 1970s brought on Hinds’ sixth president, Dr. Clyde Muse, who served as president for an unprecedented 42 years. Dr. Muse continued to lead Hinds down a path of growth and expansion, adding the Utica, Rankin and Nursing Allied Health Center campuses in the 1980s and changing the school’s name from Hinds Junior College to Hinds Community College.
The 1990s brought new programs, and the 2000s a virtual network for offering online classes. Traditional academic classes remain an integral part of the college experience; however, the demand for career and technical programs continues to flourish as business industry standards have evolved and require a higher level of education.
Now under Dr. Vacik’s leadership, the college continues its mission to make education accessible and affordable, providing career-focused programs that serve our students and benefit our communities and industry. His focus on partnering with industry to help meet the workforce needs of today and the future has spurred new programs focused on equipping students with the skills needed for in-demand jobs as Mississippi’s technology-focused industry expands.
Hinds looks forward to further generations of service to the community, state and the nation.