Morris College
Morris College is a private historically Black liberal arts college in Sumter, South Carolina, founded 1908 and operated by the Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina. It serves primarily first-generation and underserved undergraduate students with four-year degrees, IBM-issued AI certification, and employer partnerships across the Southeast.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1908
- HeadquartersSumter, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Morris College does
Morris College is a private historically Black, coeducational liberal arts college founded in 1908 in Sumter, South Carolina, and operated by the Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina. It delivers four-year undergraduate degree programs across multiple academic divisions including education, business administration, natural sciences and mathematics, religion/humanities/social sciences, and cybersecurity, alongside ROTC, Cooperative Education, Call Me MiSTER, TRiO academic support, study abroad, and a Veterans Resource Center. The institution serves a predominantly first-generation and underserved student population drawn from South Carolina and the broader Southeast, and its customer base is the individual undergraduate consumer who pays tuition and fees packaged with Title IV financial aid and more than 60 named scholarships.
The college's core technology footprint centers on the MyHornetWeb learning management system, the ALEKS-powered AI-Based Math Emporium launched in 2025, and an IBM SkillsBuild Generative AI Certification program that issues every enrolled student an industry credential. Revenue is generated through tuition and mandatory fees, auxiliary services (residence halls and the Aladdin-operated Hornet's Nest dining), federal Title IV and grant funding, and philanthropic giving including named endowments and alumni fundraising. Recent capital formation includes a $1.68 million U.S. Department of Education five-year award, $410,000 from the National Nuclear Security Administration for a Plutonium Modernization Program pipeline, a $450,000 South Carolina Institutes of Innovation and Information grant for cybersecurity expansion, a $100,000 UNCF capacity-building grant, and a $1.2 million Leon Levine Foundation grant routed through Basta for an AI-enabled education-to-employment initiative spanning North and South Carolina. The institution is accredited by a recognized regional accreditor and holds ACBSP business and CAEP educator preparation recognitions, plus a Purple Heart College designation from 2018.
Morris College goes to market through a direct on-campus enrollment motion layered with high school recruitment, athletic signing ceremonies, HBCU college fairs, church and alumni chapter outreach, and partnerships with employers such as Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, Wells Fargo, and the Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program. Customer segments are diversified across traditional undergraduates, first-generation students, non-traditional adult learners, veterans, and student-athletes. Leadership under President Dr. Said Sewell has invested in enrollment management capacity (new VP appointment), innovation (inaugural Director of Innovation and Technology), and student success infrastructure, while executing a $759,985 student debt discharge for 269 previously enrolled students to clear transcript and re-enrollment barriers.
Morris College firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Morris College
- Legal name
- Morris College
- Website
- https://morris.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1908
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Morris College is a private historically Black liberal arts college in Sumter, South Carolina, founded 1908 and operated by the Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina. It serves primarily first-generation and underserved undergraduate students with four-year degrees, IBM-issued AI certification, and employer partnerships across the Southeast.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Morris College industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Liberal Arts Colleges (EDAHACAA)
Keywords
Where Morris College is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sumter
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Morris College business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Morris College generates primary revenue through tuition and mandatory fees charged to enrolled students. The college offers full-time enrollment for scholarship recipients. Tuition & fees information is available on the admissions portal.
- Grants and Foundation Funding: Morris College receives grant funding from foundations (Leon Levine Foundation), federal agencies (Department of Education, Department of Homeland Security NSGP, National Nuclear Security Administration), and UNCF for capacity building, enrollment management, and student success initiatives.
- Auxiliary Services: Revenue from on-campus housing (residence halls), dining services (Hornet's Nest operated by Aladdin), and student activity fees.
- Alumni Giving and Donations: The college receives philanthropic contributions through annual giving campaigns (Fall Harvest Rally), named endowments, and major gifts from alumni such as Dr. James V. Wilson Sr. ($700,000 pledge) and the National Alumni Association.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Luns C. Richardson Endowed Scholarship: 3.5+ GPA high school graduates, renewable up to 4 years |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Morris College product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Morris College is a private, historically Black, coeducational liberal arts college that provides four-year undergraduate degree programs, on-campus housing and dining, and student support services. Its academic offerings include business administration, education, natural sciences and mathematics, religion/humanities/social sciences, and general studies, complemented by ROTC, Cooperative Education, Call Me MiSTER teacher preparation, TRiO academic support, a Veterans Resource Center, and a Cybersecurity program. Technology-enabled learning is delivered through the ALEKS-based AI Math Emporium, IBM SkillsBuild Generative AI certification, and the MyHornetWeb LMS.
Product overview
Morris College is a historically black, coeducational, liberal arts college offering undergraduate degree programs across multiple academic divisions. The institution provides educational technology services through its AI-Based Math Emporium (powered by ALEKS) and an IBM Generative AI Certification partnership. Additional services include a Learning Management System (MyHornetWeb), ROTC, Cooperative Education, Call Me Mister mentorship program, TRiO student support services, E-Sports, Veterans Resource Center, and library/academic computing resources. The college operates specialized programs in cybersecurity, teacher education, business administration, natural sciences, and religion/humanities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Undergraduate Liberal Arts Degree Programs
- AI-Based Math Emporium (ALEKS)
- IBM Generative AI Certification Program
- MyHornetWeb Learning Management System
- Cybersecurity Program
- ROTC Program
- Call Me MiSTER Program
- Cooperative Education Program
- Veterans Resource Center
- Academic TRiO Program
- On-Campus Housing and Dining
- Morris College Library Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Morris College has produced thousands of graduates making significant contributions across the nation.
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Morris College
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Morris College technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature2 records
Morris College partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BastacoreBasta is a career navigation organization serving first-generation students. Morris College operates as a regional pilot partner in Basta's AI-enabled navigation, coaching, and employer connection services funded by a $1.2M grant from The Leon Levine Foundation. The initiative aims to address underemployment of bachelor's degree graduates across North and South Carolina.
- KIPP Pride High SchoolminorKIPP Pride High School operates as a pilot program in Basta's regional education-to-employment model alongside Morris College, funded by The Leon Levine Foundation grant.
- IBMcoreMorris College and IBM partnered to equip every student with Generative AI certification. IBM provides state-of-the-art training in generative artificial intelligence culminating in an IBM-issued industry credential. Students also participated in NCCU AI Hackathon powered by IBM SkillsBuild.
- South Carolina Institutes of Innovation and Information (SCIII)coreMorris College, in collaboration with SCIII, was awarded $450,000 to support the expansion of the college's cybersecurity program and related initiatives.
- Webster UniversityminorMorris College partnered with Webster University to offer employees a preferred corporate tuition discount for continued education.
- Aladdin Campus DiningminorAladdin Campus Dining is the official dining partner of Morris College, managing the Hornet's Nest student dining facility. Aladdin completed renovations in November 2018, adding new stations including Grill Works, Show Time exhibition cooking, deli, and more. The partnership celebrated its one-year anniversary in 2019.
- Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS)minorSRNS provides internship opportunities for Morris College students. Graduate Sierra White interned with SRNS in Project Controls, and the NNSA grant supports PuMP training at Savannah River Site.
- Wells FargominorWells Fargo's Junior Leaders Conference is a three-day program for female students to learn about financial services and career paths at Wells Fargo. Students may receive early consideration for 2020 junior summer internships.
- Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program (EICOP)minorEICOP's HBCU in LA Industry Internship Program provides 8-10 week immersive internships with major Hollywood studios, networks, talent agencies, and production companies. Open to Morris College students of all majors with genuine interest in entertainment careers.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Morris College competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Benedict College: Private HBCU liberal arts college in Columbia, South Carolina operated by the Baptist denomination, directly comparable in mission, size, and South Carolina HBCU competitive set.
- Claflin University: Private HBCU comprehensive university in Orangeburg, South Carolina—same state and competitor, but slightly larger and more STEM-oriented; competes head-to-head for SC HBCU-bound students.
- Philander Smith University: Private HBCU liberal arts college in Little Rock, Arkansas affiliated with the United Methodist Church, similar scale, denomination-affiliated structure, and HBCU mission comparable to Morris.
- Lane College: Private HBCU liberal arts college in Jackson, Tennessee affiliated with the CME Church, similar denomination-affiliated structure and small-college scale competing for similar student demographics.
- LeMoyne-Owen College: Private HBCU liberal arts college in Memphis, Tennessee, similar scale and faith-based HBCU structure; comparable competitor for first-generation and underserved student recruiting.
- Paine College: Private HBCU liberal arts college in Augusta, Georgia affiliated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church, highly comparable in faith-based HBCU mission and small-college scale.
- Voorhees University: Private HBCU liberal arts college in Denmark, South Carolina affiliated with the Episcopal Church, comparable in size, denomination-affiliated structure, and rural-SC HBCU profile.
- Allen University: Private HBCU liberal arts college in Columbia, South Carolina affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, operating at a similar scale and competing for the same SC HBCU student pool.
- Talladega College: Private HBCU liberal arts college in Talladega, Alabama, comparable in size, faith-affiliated history, and HBCU liberal arts profile competing for similar students in the Southeast.
- Edward Waters University: Private HBCU in Jacksonville, Florida, comparable in size, faith-based affiliation, and HBCU liberal arts mission serving similar student segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Morris College social profiles
Digital presenceMorris College financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Morris College leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles21 records
Morris College funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Morris College M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Morris College
What does Morris College do?
Morris College is a private, historically Black, coeducational liberal arts college that provides four-year undergraduate degree programs, on-campus housing and dining, and student support services. Its academic offerings include business administration, education, natural sciences and mathematics, religion/humanities/social sciences, and general studies, complemented by ROTC, Cooperative Education, Call Me MiSTER teacher preparation, TRiO academic support, a Veterans Resource Center, and a Cybersecurity program. Technology-enabled learning is delivered through the ALEKS-based AI Math Emporium, IBM SkillsBuild Generative AI certification, and the MyHornetWeb LMS.
Is Morris College a public or private company?
Morris College is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Morris College founded?
Morris College was founded in 1908. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Morris College based?
Morris College is headquartered in Sumter, United States, in the North America region.
How does Morris College make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are grants and Foundation Funding, auxiliary Services and alumni Giving and Donations.
Who are Morris College's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Benedict College, Claflin University, Philander Smith University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Paine College, Voorhees University, Allen University, Talladega College and Edward Waters University.
Does Morris College have an API?
No public API is recorded for Morris College.
What industry is Morris College in?
Morris College's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHACAA, General Liberal Arts Colleges. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.