The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
Marion Military Institute
MARION, AL - The nation's oldest military junior college, Marion Military Institute, is inviting people to "Come see where American Ideals still matter" this Saturday, February 22nd, 2025, from 8AM until 1:30PM for its college preview day. Located in Marion, Alabama in Perry County, "MMI", as Marion Military Institute is commonly known as, is one of four junior military colleges in the United States that is authorized to commission qualified cadets as officers in the U.S. Army after only two years of college through their Early Commissioning Program. In fact, their Early Commissioning Program is one of the nation's leading commissioning programs for the United States Army.
Combining a rigorous physical training program alongside a rigorous academic course of study, Marion Military Institute also serves as preparation for the major Service Academies. As through its service academy program, students can attend MMI for their Freshman year of college in preparation for being selected to attend one of the major Service Academies in the United States. MMI is endorsed by all five of the nation's leading Service Academies which include the United States Military Academy, often referred to as West Point, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, the United States Coast Guard Academy, and the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
Originally Howard College, which was founded by the Alabama Baptist Convention in 1842, Marion Military Institute became a military junior college in 1887 when Howard College moved to Birmingham, Alabama and became Samford University. The President of Howard College at the time, Colonel J. T. Murfee, LL.D., decided that rather than joining the ranks of Samford University, he would stay in Marion with some of the faculty and students who chose to remain as well, and form Marion Military Institute; a military college modeled after his alma mater, the Virginia Military Institute.
While at one time, Marion, was known as "college city" with Judson College being located there as well as the Lincoln Normal School, the Marion Female Seminary, and Howard College; now MMI holds the distinction of being the only higher educational institution located in Marion, Alabama. As Judson College, a private, Baptist college for women, closed down on July 31st, 2021. The Marion Female Seminary closed in 1908. The Lincoln Normal School moved to Montgomery and became Alabama State University. And, as previously stated, Howard College moved to Birmingham and became Samford University.
The current president of Marion Military institute is Colonel David J. Mollahan, who became president of MMI after retiring from the United States Marine Corps with thirty years of service. Colonel Mollahan is an advocate of MMI's whole-person approach that educates cadets in critical thought, judgement, decision-making, and character development as well as an emphasis on the institute's motto of "Truth, Honor, Service".
Over the years, MMI has produced more than 200 generals and admirals in the United States Armed Forces as well as some members of the United States House of Representatives. About 320 students attend Marion Military Institute on a yearly basis. And for those interested in attending the college preview day, the registration is free. The registration form for the college preview day can be found here: Events
Luisa Reyes is an attorney in Tuscaloosa with a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Judson, a master's degree in library science, and a law degree from Samford's Cumberland School of Law. She is also a piano instructor and vocalist.
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