Skip to main content
621007 N12 medium

Alcorn State University Space Use and Campus Plan

Client
Alcorn State University
Location
Lorman, Mississippi and Natchez, Mississipi
What we did
Urban Design & Planning, Campus Planning, Urban Design, Programming, Stakeholder & Community Engagement..., Signage & Wayfinding, Space Planning
Size
1,700 Acres
Collaboration
Canizaro Cawthorn Davis

What happens if a college doesn’t have a town? That’s the question facing Alcorn State University, the nation’s oldest public historically Black land-grant institution. Located in an isolated yet beautiful rural landscape in one of the most economically disadvantaged regions of the United States, Alcorn serves as a beacon of culture and opportunity for the thousands of families in southwest Mississippi. 

Recognizing the opportunity to enhance recruitment and retention, university leadership commissioned Page, in collaboration with Canizaro Cawthorn Davis, to craft a long-term vision for its campus. The goal: infuse Alcorn’s facilities and grounds with the energy, public spaces, and amenities of a college town. With stakeholder enthusiasm driving the plan’s success, Page created unique engagement processes and strategic deliverables aligned with the university’s needs and aspirations.

Stakeholder involvement

  • 621007 N14 medium
  • 621007 N15 medium
  • 621007 N2 medium
  • 621007 N24 medium
  • 621007 N16 medium

The Page team engaged a broad spectrum of campus users to align the plan with the overall goals of the Alcorn community. 

/

Plan drivers

Translating mission into planning
621007 N20 medium

The goals driving the campus plan build on Alcorn’s 2021-2026 strategic plan, “The Path Forward: Forging Ahead,” and reflect extensive analysis and collaboration with university stakeholders. These priorities shape three plan drivers, guiding the vision for Alcorn’s future.

Campus vision

  • Campus Vision 1
  • Campus Vision 2
  • Campus Vision 3
  • Campus Vision 4
  • Campus Vision 5
  • Campus Vision 6

The overall campus vision provides a holistic approach to improving campus facilities, open space, and circulation networks while unifying the institutional identity. 

/

Implementation

621007 N19 medium

Keeping the plan realistic and relevant

Page holistically evaluated feasibility, considering swing space needs, dependent phasing sequences, and parking impacts to ensure a practical, actionable framework. With this foundation in place, the university uses the plan’s project tables as a flexible roadmap, allowing initiatives to evolve alongside shifting priorities and opportunities. 

Before and after

  • 621007 N30 medium
  • 621007 N31 medium
  • 621007 N32 medium
  • 621007 N33 medium
  • 621007 N34 medium
  • 621007 N25 medium
  • 621007 N26 medium
  • 621007 N27 medium
  • 621007 N28 medium
  • 621007 N29 medium

The campus plan envisions transforming existing spaces to enhance functionality and vibrancy. Early improvement projects activate underutilized areas, test ideas in key locations, and create immediate impact. Each intervention is a steppingstone for larger changes, ensuring Alcorn’s future remains adaptable and dynamic.

/

Similar projects

  • 622005 N32 jpg 1
    case study
  • 319033 N50 medium
    case study
  • 118029 N2 jpg
    case study
  • 620001 medium
    case study

/

1014063 01 N191 Retouched

Talk with us

Complex challenges need fresh perspectives and deep expertise. Connect with our team to explore how we can help you create spaces that make a real difference.