Rust College is the oldest, most prestigious historically black college in the state of Mississippi. Founded in 1866 by the Freedmen's Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Rust College offers degree programs in business, education, humanities, science and mathematics, and social science. Rust College equips and inspires students for excellence and service in their communities and throughout the world. Located in Holly Springs, MS, just 35 miles southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, Rust College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate and baccalaureate degrees.