For the fourth consecutive year, more education students graduated from William Carey University than any other college or university in the state.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, William Carey presented diplomas to an annual average of 546 graduate and undergraduate education majors between 2018 and 2021, the last year statistics are available from IPEDS, the Integrated Post-secondary Education Data System.
The WCU School of Education awarded:
- 521 degrees in 2018
- 530 degrees in 2019
- 526 degrees in 2020
- 608 degrees in 2021
“This is the highest average, and largest number of graduates in each year, of any public or private university or college in the State of Mississippi,” said WCU President Dr. Ben Burnett.
“To have achieved this in the midst of a teacher shortage crisis is amazing. I’m proud of the work of our faculty and staff but, as a life-long Mississippian, I’m even more proud that we are equipping our local schools with more graduates to serve the children of Mississippi.”
A former dean of the WCU School of Education, Burnett credits much of this success to having faculty members who have all served in K-12 schools for an average of 27 years.
Dr. Teresa Poole is current dean of the WCU School of Education.
“As we prepare quality teachers and leaders, we are grateful for our university administration and our partnerships with school districts across our state. Both provide mentors and resources to not only recruit, but retain, quality teachers in our state,” Poole said.
“It’s encouraging to see the number of teachers who will enter the classroom for the first time because of our traditional or alternate route programs – or who will return to their districts with advanced education degrees.”
For more about the WCU School of Education, visit
www.wmcarey.edu/education.
In the photo:William Carey University and the Gulfport School District co-hosted the 1st Annual Statewide Teacher Shortage Conference last winter at WCU’s Tradition campus. The next Statewide Teacher Shortage Conference is set for Feb. 8 at WCU’s Hattiesburg campus.
