2016-commencementThe Class of 2016 has set a remarkable milestone as the recipients of over $8.5 million dollars worth of scholarships and financial aid from universities stretching from Hawaii to the west, to New York in the east. It wasn’t done without the hard work and dedication of these Mississippi students who are determined to succeed.

RELATED: “2015 Class Makes Record With Over $6 Million In Scholarships”

Not only did the Class of 2016 set a record for the amount of scholarship dollars received, they also set a record for ACT composite scores. The rise in ACT scores has had a direct impact on the amount of scholarship money received, along with the art portfolios and auditions of MSA seniors applying for admission to four-year universities around the nation. The increase of scholarships is largely in part due to the senior seminar class. Started in the spring of 2015, Mississippi School of the Arts reported a sharp increase of opportunities for students. The class is designed to instruct and assist students in applying for college and seeking as many scholarship opportunities as possible, and well, it just works.

msa-brookhaven-sceneDuring the 2016 commencement exercise, executive director Suzanne Hirsch announced the total amount of scholarships received. That’s when the students and 500+ audience members cheered with excitement. “These are only the scholarships that were reported to us by students at the time of graduation”, said Avery Peagler, the school’s former academic counselor who is currently a participant in the University of Mississippi Principal Corps. “There were many more scholarships received after graduation”, Peagler said. In addition to $8.5 million, MSA seniors received over $21,000 worth of scholarships from the Mississippi Scholars Initiative. According to Hirsch, ninety-two percent of the 2016 seniors maintained a 3.0 or better GPA with 100% graduating. MSA’s current legislative budget is $2.5 million dollars.

Mississippi School of the Arts is a residential fine arts high school for juniors and seniors of Mississippi. Our students and alumni represent all regions of the Magnolia state. For information on how to apply, click here. We’ll be more than glad to show you around! Contact us at 601-823-1300 for more information and to schedule a tour.