Brain Drain in Mississippi

Author

Clifford Adam Conner, University of MississippiFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2021

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Public Policy Leadership

First Advisor

Melissa Bass

Second Advisor

Zachary Vereb

Third Advisor

David Rutherford

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

Brain drain is the out-migration of educated individuals from an area. It is a problem with which Mississippi is overly familiar. This thesis uses data gathered from a survey of 965 respondents to identify who is leaving the state and for what reasons. The data gathered suggest confirmation that brain drain is an issue for the state, with roughly two-thirds of respondents having left the state or seriously considering doing so. The impetus for this varies with each individual, but respondents underscore economic and societal factors within Mississippi as pushing them away from the state. Quality of life factors are discussed by fewer respondents as a reason for staying in Mississippi, particularly among the one-third of respondents who stayed in, never seriously considered leaving, or returned to the state. The three factors are further emphasized through solution-seeking interviews with knowledgeable Mississippi residents.

Recommended Citation

Conner, Clifford Adam, "Brain Drain in Mississippi" (2021). Honors Theses. 1866.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1866

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.