Grammy award-winning comedian Nate Bargatze is headlining Mississippi Christian University’s bicentennial gala, school officials announced.
Bargatze, a New York Times bestselling author, podcaster, director and producer, will speak at the A.E. Wood Coliseum on MC’s Clinton campus on Sept. 29. The event will serve as the school’s largest annual fundraiser, with proceeds set to benefit academic and athletic programs.
A Tennessee native, Bargatze is known for his quick wits, dry humor, and ability to make audiences laugh without using profanity in his bits. He has been selling out shows and breaking venue attendance records with more than 2 million tickets sold on his current tour.
“This has been an incredible year celebrating our Bicentennial, and I cannot imagine a better ‘exclamation point’ than Nate Bargatze. We are thankful he has chosen to be with us for our Bicentennial Gala in September,” MC President Blake Thompson said.
The bicentennial gala will feature a seated dinner for table sponsors, a stand-up performance by Bargatze, a Q&A segment with the comedian.
In addition, gala attendees will experience demonstrations from MC students and faculty and hear transformative stories about the university. A silent auction, which will open the week before the event and conclude during the evening, will also take place.
The 2025 event, which featured actress, comedian and best-selling author Leanne Morgan, raised more than $1 million for student scholarships and MC Athletics. Officials are hopeful this year’s gala yields an even greater total, especially since the school is celebrating 200 years of existence.
Individual tickets to the gala are $150, with table sponsorships starting at $2,500. Sponsorships and tickets may be purchased online.