Mississippi College awarded degrees to two women, marking a historic first.
On December 1, 1831, Mississippi College held its first commencement where Alice M. Robinson and Catherine Hall were awarded diplomas and gold medallions. This event made Mississippi College the first coeducational college in the United States to award degrees to female students. During an era when societal norms resisted women's education, this achievement challenged gender biases and set a powerful precedent for coeducational institutions nationwide, promoting greater acceptance of women in academia.