Introduction
MCID Executive Director   Mission Statement    Board of Directors

The Mississippi Consortium for International Development (MCID), established in 1989, represents a collaborative endeavor of four historically black institutions of higher learning: Alcorn State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, and Tougaloo College. Jackson State University is the lead institution of the Consortium. A premier institution in developing and implementing international development projects and exchange programs, MCIDs headquarters is in Jackson, Mississippi, with offices in Washington, D.C.; Luanda, Angola; Dohuk, Iraq; and Abuja, Nigeria. Additionally, MCID has representatives in South Africa, Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and Romania.

Since its establishment, the Consortium has rapidly gained an outstanding reputation in the management and implementation of international development and training projects. MCID staff has the expertise and the capacity to implement international training programs. The Consortium has been awarded more than 700 international human resource development training and technical assistance contracts funded by such entities as the U. S. Agency for International Development (USAID), U. S. Department of State, and U. S. Department of Education. MCID has engaged in the implementation of international development, training and technical assistance projects in the following areas: Agribusiness Development and Farm Management; Cooperatives and Associations Management; Natural Resource Management; Community and Economic Development; Local Government Administration and Management; Privatization and Economic Restructuring; Small Business Development and Administration; Democratization and Leadership Development; Legislative, Judicial and Legal Reform; Journalism and Media Management in a Democratic Society; Women and Leadership; Civic Education and Citizenship; Development and Management of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs); Higher Education Administration; and English Language Training for Teachers of English.

The combined strengths of the member institutions have enabled MCID to successfully implement a diverse range of development projects. Additionally, faculty and student composition - as well as various ethnic populations of surrounding communities B enable the Consortium and its member institutions to specifically implement projects that serve the needs of participants from Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, Russia, and the Newly Independent States (NIS).

MCID Member Institutions
MCID institutions have attracted qualified faculty and staff, many of whom have had extensive international experience and distinguished careers. They have come or returned to Mississippi to effect meaningful change within the state. It is their empathy and dedication to making a difference that gives MCID its competitive advantage. The fact that MCID institutions goals and commitment so integrally match the needs and desires of developing countries makes MCID ideally suited to provide the educational training and technical assistance they so richly deserve. Moreover, MCID's philosophy, in regard to the development of institutional and human potential, is to ensure long term sustainable development through its programs.

Alcorn State University (1871), the oldest historically black land-grant university in the U.S., has developed a rich tradition and capacity for providing teaching, research, and public service programs relevant to a global society. One of the leading universities in the nation, Alcorn State is the only historically black university (HBCU) in the state of Mississippi that offers bachelor's and master's degrees in agriculture and family and consumer sciences. In addition to offering a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees in agriculture, Alcorn provides a full range of extension services to small farmers throughout southwest Mississippi. It has also developed a number of products that are now being sold nationally. Its family and consumer sciences program has a full range of programs that address current needs, including fashion merchandising, child development and family studies. Fully accredited with seven schools and degree programs in more than fifty areas, ASU was selected by the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Soil Conservation Service to conduct soil loss research. Graduates of this institution have contributed significantly to the state, nation and world.

Jackson State University (1877), Mississippi's comprehensive urban university, offers degree programs from the baccalaureate to the doctoral level in seven academic schools and the Graduate School which encompasses all disciplines. Jackson State had the first undergraduate program in meteorology among the nation's HBCUs and it remains the only undergraduate program in professional meteorology in Mississippi. Jackson State University has a particular sensitivity to social, economic and environmental dimensions of societal development and through its programs, plays a vital role in facilitating the well-being of its broader community. Its academic programs are unsurpassed. Jackson State University graduates more minorities in computer science than any other institution the United States; it is the only HBCU to offer an accredited master's program in Public Policy and Administration; is one of two HBCUs offering a program in Marine Science; and it is the only HBCU offering doctoral programs in Environmental Science, Public Policy and Administration and Business Administration.

Mississippi Valley State University (1946) was created by the Mississippi Legislature as Mississippi Vocational College in 1946 with a mission of training teachers for rural and elementary schools and providing vocational training. Its first academic session in 1950 marked the provision of higher education opportunities to many first generation college students. Today, as a regional institution responding to the needs of the Mississippi Delta region, Mississippi Valley State University provides accessible, relevant and quality undergraduate and graduate programs as well as public service programs. The academic programs offer opportunities for study in the arts, humanities, sciences, technology, and professional fields of business, education, special services, and pre-professional health services. Added to this dimension is a commitment to recognizing the importance of globalization of the institution's curriculum through the establishment of an Office of International Programs. The institution's Delta Research and Cultural Institute, its Small

Business Development Center, and its Academy for Leadership Development augment the viability of its commitment to providing quality education and producing graduates who are competitive in the global marketplace.

Tougaloo College (1869) is a private liberal arts institution well recognized for providing outstanding educational opportunities for African Americans and others who have traditionally been denied access to higher education. This institution admits to its educational program students with diverse backgrounds and preparations in order to enable them to understand and appreciate the scientific, cultural, and spiritual achievements of men and women so as to be effective citizens in a democracy. It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. The institution has established relationships with a substantial number of prestigious universities facilitating entrance of its students into engineering, medicine, law, graduate studies and other post- baccalaureate educational experiences. Tougaloo has been cited in U. S. News and World Report as one of the top five liberal arts colleges in the U. S. It has been similarly cited in Money Magazine, the Chronicle of Higher Education, Western Journal of Black Studies and Essence Magazine. The College has produced 50 percent of African American attorneys, 40 percent of African American physicians, 23 percent of African American dentists, and an equally notable percentage of other professionals in the State of Mississippi.

International Project Management
The Consortium has had extensive experience in project management. In total, MCID has managed and implemented more than 700 international development and training projects. Annual audits indicate success in the management of resources associated with the various projects. MCID is proud of its record of successful implementation. Below is a select listing of entities with whom MCID has contracted:

U. S. Agency for International Development
U. S. Department of State
U. S. Department of Education
Government of South Africa
Nigerian State Governments
British Petroleum
City Government of Volzsky, Russia
Dniepropetrovsk (Ukraine) Regional Government
The College Fund/UNCF
UNICEF

Technical Training and Assistance at MCID
MCID's approach toward each project is to develop the most effective linkages between member institutions, community resources, and the objectives of a given project. This approach guarantees that each project is uniquely designed to ensure that participants' needs are fully met. In developing an implementation strategy, the Consortium examines its total environment (member institutions and community as well as the locale in which the project is to be undertaken) to determine ways to accomplish project objectives. In each case, one institution may assume a leading role; however, the human and nonhuman resources may come from diverse entities in the state and nation. This concept or strategy of linking program needs with institutional and community/state/national resources lies at the heart of MCID's mission.

Since its inception, the Mississippi Consortium for International Development has focused its activities in the area of human resource development training. This emanates from MCID's belief that human resource development and training constitutes one of the essential components of sustainable development. The approach has been designed to strengthen the capacity of developing countries to manage economic and social development. To this end, MCID has conducted training for owners and managers of private enterprises, leaders of community organizations, government policy makers, upper and mid-level government managers, teachers of English, heads of private and public training institutes, leaders of professional and technical associations, and managers of local non-governmental organizations.

It is MCID's policy and practice to utilize participatory approaches to training. Rather than lengthy lectures and classroom discussions based on abstract concepts, MCID trainers require that participants explore each program component through experiential activities. That is, as much as possible, every effort is made to place scholars in the "reality" of the training dilemma, thus causing them to "live" the situation. The training design draws upon field visit/internship opportunities to provide a wide range of learning experiences. Emphases are placed on teamwork and activities that approximate the actual work environment.

A critical element of the training program is the "training of trainers." Through the development of skills to impart the training received to others, the multiplier effect can be realized. Also involved in all human resource development training programs is leadership development. All trainees enhance skills in conflict resolution, decision-making, personal leadership qualities, group dynamics and building partnerships. During follow-on, it has been determined that MCID trainees have markedly increased contributions to the social and economic development of their respective countries. This is the goal of MCID in its human resource development training programs for developing countries.

Contact Information
Mississippi Consortium for International Development
1225 Robinson Street • Jackson, Mississippi 39203 USA
Tel.: (601) 979-8648 • Fax: (601) 979-8657
Website: www.mcid.us
Email: AMack35781@aol.com