What is The W's new name now? Whatever it is, it will still be 'The W'

For the second time in a month, the Mississippi University for Women is trying on a new name.

Wynbridge State University of Mississippi is now the name of choice for the university which has struggled with its identity in recent years.

"We have been challenged by a name that does not represent our diversity," said President Nora Miller during a ceremony to unveil the W's new name. "The 'for Women' creates confusion and is a barrier to education for men and women. Now our graduates, past, present and future will remain united."

It's still 'The W': Mississippi University for Women new name poll

Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin praised the new name even though he realizes not everyone will like it. He encouraged others to get behind the name to move the university forward.

"Regardless of the name, it will still be the W," he said.

Gaskin said the university is a big economic driver for the city and the state and deserves to have a name to be proud of.

As Gaskin predicted, not everyone was happy with the new name.

Zadaija Stasher, a senior public health education major, said she felt university officials already had their minds made up.

"I don't like it," she said. "I don't think they took our suggestions into consideration."

Jarius Ware, a junior nursing major, said it wasn't the best name, but it was one he could live with.

"I like it," he said. "It's an upgrade from 'for Women' but I would have liked something different," he said.

Others thought the new name was a better representation of the university.

Susan Sobley has worked at the university for more than 25 years. She is the director of accounting at The W. She said she liked the Brightwell name, but she is happy with Wynbridge, too.

"I do like the bridge — the path to the future," she said.

Clay Blanton, a senior kinesiology and exercise sciences major, said Wynbridge is a much better name for student-athletes since the male students get ribbed for going to school at a university "for women."

"I think it's a lot better than what we previously had," he said. "I didn't mind the previous name, but this is better from an athletic standpoint."

In January, the university changed its name to Mississippi Brightwell University, which was met with complaints and pushback, which forced university officials to quickly reconsider.

After the Brightwell name was announced Jan. 8, "it quickly became clear that it was a misstep to depart from The W identity," according to the naming-process timeline. "Overall, the feedback from our alumni stakeholders was negative, including from those who supported a name change."

Returning to the company it hired to help with the process and asking for input from alumni, students, faculty and other stakeholders, the university received over 300 suggested names.

The company, Chernoff Newman, was asked to suggest “W” names for the Naming Task Force to review.

After reviewing the suggestions, three names were presented for consideration:

• Wynbridge: The first part of Wynbridge comes from the Old English word for the letter W. Wyn was paired with bridge, which "connects the past to the future, our alums to our students, and our campus to our community."

• Welbright: The first part of Welbright comes from the idea of wellness, "which represents our supportive environment that promotes the well-roundedness of our students."

• Wynbright: The first part of Wynbright comes from the Old English word for the letter W. "Traditionally each graduation ceremony begins with a reminder of the historic purpose of the University, to 'study for light to bless with light.'"

In September 2023, Chernoff Newman submitted seven name proposals and determined the university should disassociate itself from "The W" since "The W would always stand for Women." The field was narrowed to three names, including Mississippi Brightwell University.

Mississippi University for Women was chartered in 1884, when it became the first state-supported college for women in the United States, according to the university's website. The charter process took more than 20 years before the university became a reality.

The university began admitting men in 1982, but for more than 40 years had kept the MUW name even though it was a coeducational institution.

In 2022, the university's academic deans wrote a letter to Miller asking for a name change to better reflect the student body as a whole.

"MUW faces serious challenges in declining enrollment, a decreasing pool of traditional-age students from which to recruit, and especially, a significant decline in interest in women’s colleges among all students," was one of the arguments the deans presented in the letter, according to the university's name-change summary report.

The team tasked with the renaming of MUW chose to partner with Chernoff Newman, a fully integrated communications agency with an extensive background in higher education, according to the summary report.

"Their relevant experience in this particular space includes research, branding, messaging, and public affairs," the report said. "Additionally, David Campbell, COO and Vice-Chairman of Chernoff Newman, is originally from Columbus, MS, and had connections to campus, including seven close relatives that were graduates of The W."

Chernoff Newman's contract with the university ended Jan. 30.

On Feb. 8, The W announced a partnership with alumna Laura Prestwich for the next phase of the renaming process, but did not go into detail of the next steps. According to a news release, "Prestwich brings more than a decade of experience in brand development and naming strategy development."

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This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: The W renamed again, MUW drops 'for women'