The purposes of SMI as stated in its Articles of Incorporation are:

• to establish and operate a Christian institution of higher education having no denominational ties;
• to provide young men with a firm foundation in the fundamentals of the Christian faith;
• to provide a unique all-male educational environment to male citizens of the United States;
• to preserve a traditional gentleman-officer training program within the United States in a private institution having no commissioning authority for officers of any State or the United States;
• to increase public awareness of the value of traditional single-sex training programs and methods of higher education;
• to provide and sponsor programs that advance the knowledge and awareness of Southern history and culture;
• to develop and provide innovative programs to enable qualified male students to complete academic degrees in selected areas of engineering and science.