Miles College

Miles College is a historically black college founded in 1898. It is located in Fairfield, Alabama, six miles (10 km) west of Birmingham. It is a private liberal arts institution of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME Church). Miles College is also a member of the United Negro College Fund.

History
Miles College began organization efforts in 1893 and was founded in 1898 by the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. It was chartered as Miles Memorial College, in honor of Bishop William H. Miles. In 1941 the name was changed to Miles College.

Academics and demographics
Miles is also accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (for the awarding of baccalaureate degrees), the Alabama State Department of Education, and the Council of Social Work Education. Miles College offers 25 bachelor degrees in the following divisions: Business and Accounting, Communications, Education, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Social and Behavioral Sciences. Also Miles College is one of 16 schools in the Nation with a Center of Academic Excellence under the office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Administration
The current president of Miles College is George French, Jr., a graduate of University of Louisville and Miles Law School.

Campus
The college sits on 51 acre where there are over 16 facilities. Recently, Miles College purchased the Lloyd Noland Hospital site which will increase the size of the campus to 76 acre. Part of the campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sloan Field is named after the college's 13th president, Albert J. H. Sloan II.

Student activities
Organizations for students include the Student Government Association, Honors Curriculum, academic clubs, religious organizations, National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations, general interest clubs, a gospel choir, and a concert choir.

Radio Station
The school operates a radio station WMWI-FM 88.7. It was established in 2009 and is licensed to Demopolis, Alabama.

Marching band
The Miles College band is known as the Purple Marching Machine (PMM). The Purple Marching Machine was established in 1996, under the direction of Prof. Arthur Means Jr. There are more than 100 members in the band.

Athletics
The Miles College athletics program currently competes in the NCAA Division II's Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). The Miles football team won the 2011 SIAC championship under coach Reginald Ruffin. The program has men's and women's sports that include: basketball, football, volleyball, track, baseball, softball and cross country. Their mascot is the Golden Bears.