As politicians focus on, complain about and try to dictate college curriculum, more should tune into the depth and breadth that college instruction provides.

 

Pradnya Jagdale (she encourages people to call her Sunny which matches her disposition) invited me to the recent 2025 Honors Conference at Millsaps College. Pradnya, from India, had been a summer intern at the non-profit I founded in Meridian.

 

The conference proved to be an extraordinary collection of students and topics. Thirteen students received honors and made presentations from nine disciplines: biology (3), history (2), psychology, neuroscience, music, creative writing, government and politics, anthropology and communication studies.

 

A brilliant student, Pradnya received honors in neuroscience. Her topic was Role of Spatial Frequency in Complexity Perception. At least it had a title I could grasp and her presentation left me with some understanding.

 

Others, however, left me behind at the title:

 

Effects of OmpA and Hha on Biofilm Formation in Xenorhabdus Nematophila – Alison Rider, biology.

 

The Effects of Metacognitive Reading Strategies for College Students – Abby Henry, psychology.

 

Of course, what matters here are not titles or even subject matter. What matters is the freedom for bright students to learn, explore areas of interest, and express their learnings through presentations with encouragement from faculty. Too many today would restrict their learning and channel their exploration.

 

“Elected officials threaten the very purpose of colleges and universities when they place ideological constraints on what can be taught and studied on campus,” said a 2024 statement published by the American Association of University Professors.

 

On social media, State Auditor Shad White has said there should be no taxpayer funding for “useless degrees” in “garbage fields,” reported the Clarion-Ledger. “Instead of producing an anthropology major who is almost certainly going to have to leave the state to get a job, let’s let the taxpayer dollars go to a major like electrical engineering, nursing, or education,” he wrote.

 

Hmmm.

 

One of the better presentations at Millsaps in terms or elocution and content came from anthropology honors student Clair Azordegan who discussed Efforts and Insights from Indigenous Communities in the Field of Conservation.

 

So, is our goal in Mississippi public universities, unlike Millsaps, to enable and encourage students like Claire Azordegan to maximize their learning or to channel them into disciplines dictated by politicians?

 

What fascinated me at the Millsaps forum was not only the scholarship exhibited but also the camaraderie and sense of community among the many students and faculty who attended. Such communities of excellent learning should be encouraged.

 

Crawford is the author of “A Republican’s Lament: Mississippi Needs Good Government Conservatives.”