Mississippi University for Women

[7] The Industrial Institute and College (II&C) was cofounded through the efforts of three Mississippi women – Sallie Eola Reneau, Annie Coleman Peyton, and Olivia Valentine Hastings.

[7] The name of the institution changed to Mississippi State College for Women in 1920 to reflect an emphasis on collegiate, rather than vocational, education.

In 1982, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan that the nursing school's single-sex admissions policies were in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

In 1988, the Board of Trustees reaffirmed the mission of MUW as an institution providing quality academic programs for all qualified students, with emphasis on distinctive opportunities for women.

In a 1997 article in Innovative Higher Education, Dale Thorn described MUW's successful attempt to avoid a merger with another institution and to remain a separate entity.

According to the school's president, Nora Miller, this name is in reference to several aspects of MUW culture and tradition stating “The rebrand is intended to better mirror the University’s current vision, mission and the dynamic times we are living in, providing a more apt representation of our diverse and vibrant student body”.

[15] On February 13, 2024, Miller announced via livestream from the front steps of Poindexter Hall that the task force had selected a new name: Wynbridge State University of Mississippi.

The university is a member in the NCAA Division III ranks, primarily competing in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) since the 2022–23 academic year.

Previously, the teams participated in the NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in the Gulf South Conference (GSC), from 1993–94 to 2002–03.

[19] In March 2019, the women's basketball team won the USCAA National Championship after defeating the University of Maine at Fort Kent.