The nation’s first historically Black land-grant university becomes the first four-year institution in Mississippi to host the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s national SOAR program, drawing the second-largest student cohort in the program’s history.
They came from as far away as Michigan and Maryland. From the flatlands of Arkansas and the Gulf Coast of Florida. From New Jersey and North Carolina and the cities of Chicago and Houston. On Sunday, July 12, 110 high school students from 11 states arrived on the campus of Alcorn State University for the 2026 Thurgood Marshall College Fund SOAR Program.
And, for many of them, it was the first time they had ever set foot on a historically Black college campus.
It will not be the last.
Alcorn State, founded in 1871 as the nation’s first publicly supported historically Black land-grant institution, is one of 16 HBCU campuses nationwide selected to host the SOAR — Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results — residential program this summer. The weeklong bootcamp, which runs through Friday, July 17, is free to every participant. Housing, meals and all programming are covered.
The program’s reach from Lorman is already making history.
More than 110 scholars and staff gathered inside the Student Union Ballroom at Alcorn State University on Sunday, July 12, 2026, to mark the official launch of the 2026 Thurgood Marshall College Fund SOAR Program. Alcorn State is the first four-year institution in Mississippi to host TMCF SOAR and welcomed the second-largest scholar cohort in the program’s history. Students wearing purple “Born to Rise” t-shirts represent 11 states; staff in red “Born to Rise” shirts represent Alcorn’s commitment to their success. | Photo: Tommie Green, Alcorn State University Division of Marketing & Communications
Alcorn is the first four-year institution in Mississippi to host TMCF SOAR. The 110 scholars who arrived Sunday represent the second largest cohort in the program’s history. This is a distinction that highlights the strength of the institutional partnership Alcorn’s team helped build.
Ashley Odom, senior director of programs at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, said the scale of Alcorn’s cohort is no accident.
“Alcorn State University has made history as the first four-year institution in Mississippi to host TMCF SOAR,” Odom said. “Their dedication has resulted in welcoming 110 scholars, making this the second-largest cohort in SOAR history and showcasing what’s possible through strong institutional partnership.”
More than 2,500 students applied to SOAR programs across the country this summer. That number is not a footnote. It is a signal.
“The growing demand for TMCF SOAR tells us we’re meeting a real need for students and families across the country,” Odom said. “Every year, we hear from parents and scholars eager to know when applications will open because they recognize the value of gaining early exposure to the college experience, particularly at our nation’s HBCUs. Our vision is simple, every student who wants the opportunity to SOAR should have one.”
For Alcorn, accepting that charge was not a difficult decision.
“Being selected as a host institution for the TMCF SOAR Program is both an honor and a reflection of Alcorn State University’s longstanding commitment to educational access, student success and leadership development,” said Dr. Tracee Smith, dean of University College and team lead for the TMCF SOAR Program at Alcorn State University. “This partnership comes at a critical time when many students are seeking meaningful guidance as they navigate the transition from high school to higher education.”
The scholars who filled Complex B and Complex C on Alcorn’s campus Sunday afternoon represent a cross-section of ambition rarely gathered in one place.
They are from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina and Texas.
Most are rising high school seniors — members of the graduating Class of 2027 — who carry at least a 2.5 grade-point average.
A significant number are the first in their families to seriously consider a four-year university.
That is precisely what this week is designed to address.
“During this residential bootcamp, scholars will engage in an immersive college-readiness experience designed to prepare them academically, socially and personally for success after high school,” Smith said. “They will attend workshops focused on college admissions, leadership development, etiquette, career exploration, study skills and personal growth. The Alcorn experience is unique because of our family-centered culture and unwavering commitment to student support.”
A TMCF SOAR scholar reviews an Alcorn State University School of Education and Psychology program brochure during the Meet the Deans and Major Exploration session, July 2026. During the session, scholars met with deans and department chairs from across Alcorn’s five colleges to explore academic majors and career pathways. The Major Exploration session is one of the signature academic components of the TMCF SOAR bootcamp, designed to help students begin connecting their interests and strengths to real college programs. | Photo: Tommie Green, Alcorn State University Division of Marketing & Communications
The six-day schedule moves deliberately.
Students will sit with deans and department chairs, exploring academic majors and what it actually takes to get through them. They will complete the Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment,a research-backed tool designed to help young people identify their natural talents, then work through coaching sessions to learn how to put those strengths to use. ACT preparation. Financial aid sessions. Résumé building. A Dress for Success workshop. A panel of Alcorn alumni who have already made it somewhere they once only dreamed of going.
Odom said the Gallup component is one of the most important investments TMCF makes in the SOAR experience.
“We intentionally integrate Gallup CliftonStrengths throughout our programming because we believe students are most successful when they understand and leverage their natural talents,” she said. “By introducing scholars to their CliftonStrengths during the summer, we’re giving them a framework they can apply throughout their senior year — whether they’re navigating the college application process, collaborating with peers or preparing for life beyond high school.”
This year’s program carries the theme Born to Rise, a phrase that lands with particular weight on a campus celebrating its 155th founding year. Smith said students will not simply hear the theme repeated at them during the week. They will live it.
“Throughout the week, scholars will see this theme reflected in every aspect of the experience,” she said. “They will be encouraged to recognize their own strengths, embrace new opportunities and believe in their ability to succeed.”
For first-generation college-goers, and there are many in this cohort, the program is built with their specific anxiety in mind.
“SOAR is designed to meet scholars where they are by removing barriers and demystifying the college process for those who may be navigating this journey for the first time,” Smith said. “At Alcorn, we understand the unique challenges first-generation students often face because many of our students have traveled similar paths. This program helps scholars build confidence, ask questions and see themselves as future college graduates.”
And then there are the evenings.
A headphone party. A hayride. A bonfire under the open Mississippi sky. A water game night. Country Life Night on the Lorman grounds. The SOAR experience, by design, is not only academic. It is communal.
These students are building something with one another — a cohort of peers who understand, in the way only this generation can, what it means to stand at the edge of something big without quite knowing how to take the first step.
SOAR does not mandate that students choose an HBCU when they graduate. But it does not shy away from making the case for one.
“We want students to see the incredible value and opportunities that exist at our nation’s HBCUs and through organizations like TMCF,” Odom said. “We believe HBCUs should be a first-choice option for our scholars because of the transformative educational experiences and lifelong networks they provide. At the same time, wherever they choose to enroll, SOAR equips them with the information, confidence and tools they need to thrive.”
The week ends Friday. The program does not.
Beginning in August and continuing through May of the scholars’ senior year, SOAR participants will join monthly virtual programming led by the TMCF team, one hour per month, covering the college application and essay process, scholarships, financial aid and career readiness. Parents and guardians are invited to participate in select sessions.
“The conclusion of this bootcamp experience is just the beginning of the relationship,” Smith said. “The TMCF SOAR Program represents more than a summer experience. It is an investment in the future of young scholars. At Alcorn State University, we are committed to helping students recognize their potential, embrace new opportunities and understand that they were truly born to rise.”
For a student from a rural Mississippi county who has never visited a college campus. For a first-generation college-goer from suburban Texas trying to figure out whether any of this is really meant for them.
One week at Alcorn State University this July might be exactly enough to change the answer.
That is the bet. And if Sunday’s arrival was any indication, it is a good one.
