Ole Miss Alumni Review - Spring 2019

OLE MISS ALUMNI REVIEW

SPRING 2019

ALUMNI REVIEW

SPRING 2019

From the World to the Front Porch

GROUND ZERO HELPS SPARK DELTA TOURISM, BECOMES BLUES MECCA VOL. 68 NO. 2

School of Journalism and New Media celebrates 10th anniversary Alumnus turns journalism background into NASA career

IT’S GETTING CROWDED IN HERE. Our pediatric teams provide outstanding care to more than 175,000 patients a year, but we’ve outgrown our facilities. As we expand and modernize the state’s only children’s hospital and our pediatric specialty clinics, your gift will make the difference. The time to give is now.

HELP US GROW

SO THEY CAN GROW. Give today at growchildrens.org

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3/22/19 1:09 PM

Features ALUMNI REVIEW

A Decade of Growth 20 and Evolution

School of Journalism and New Media celebrates 10th anniversary

BY ANGELA MOORE ATKINS

26 The Next Giant Leap

Alumnus turns journalism background into NASA career

BY ANNIE RHOADES

32 From the World to the Front Porch

Ground Zero helps spark Delta tourism, becomes blues mecca

BY TOM SPEED

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Contents VOL. 68 NO. 2

Departments

SPRING 2019

ON THE COVER

2 Chancellor’s Letter 4 President’s Letter 6 From the Circle

18 Calendar

38 Ole Miss Sports

Davis selected as SEC Coach of the Year Robinson wins Chucky Mullins Courage Award

46 Just Published

48 Rebel Traveler

52 Alumni News

32 Bill Luckett (JD 73) and actor Morgan Freeman helped catalyze a resurgence of live blues and Delta tourism when they opened the Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale in 2001.

Photo by nathanblackhdr.com

O le M iss A lumni R ev iew Publisher Kirk Purdom (93) Executive Editor Jim Urbanek II (97) jim@olemiss.edu Associate Editor and Advertising Director Annie Rhoades (07, 09) annie@olemiss.edu Editorial Assistant Bethany Fitts Contributing Editor Benita Whitehorn Art Director Amy Howell Contributors Angela Moore Atkins, Kevin Bain (98), Stella Connell, Joe Ellis, Jay Ferchaud, Thomas Graning (17), Robert Jordan (83, 90), Nathan Latil (17), Joshua McCoy, Kathleen Murphy, Michael Newsom (05), Sarah Sapp (04, 09), Jon Scott (92), Tom Speed (91), Pamela Starling (03), Christina Steube (11, 16), Shea Stewart (00) Officers of the University of Mississippi Alumni Association Augustus L. Collins (82) president Matt Lusco (79) president-elect Lampkin Butts (73) vice president Candie Simmons (02, 15) athletics committee member Andy Kilpatrick (74) athletics committee member Alumni Affairs Staff, Oxford Kirk Purdom (93), executive director Joseph Baumbaugh, systems analyst III Sunny Brown (09, 11), coordinator of student engagement Allie Bush (12), graphic web designer Clay Cavett (86), associate director, campaigns and special projects Anne Cofer (07, 08), accountant Martha Dollarhide, systems programmer II Annette Kelly (79), accountant Brian Maxcy (00), assistant director Steve Mullen (92), assistant director for marketing Annie Rhoades (07, 09), assistant director for communications Anna Smith (05), assistant director Scott Thompson (97, 08), associate director, engagement Jim Urbanek (97), associate director, communications and marketing Torie Marion White (07), assistant director Rusty Woods (01), associate director for information services Warner Alford (60, 66), executive director emeritus The Ole Miss Alumni Review (USPS 561-870) is published quarterly by the Ole Miss Alumni Association and the Office of Alumni Affairs.

Alumni Association offices are located at Triplett Alumni Center, 651 Grove Loop, University, MS 38677.

Telephone 662-915-7375.

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ALUMNI REVIEW

C hancellor from the

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Each season at the University of Mississippi offers so much to celebrate and enjoy, especially the spring when the azaleas and dogwoods bloom and our campus is bustling with activities leading up to Commencement. For spring 2019, we enjoyed a special treat when Gen. Leon Collins, alumnus and president of the Alumni Association, shared lessons from a life in leadership as speaker for the university’s 166th Commencement. It is truly special when alumni share their experiences, insight and knowledge with the newest Ole Miss graduates.

In March, we hosted an enthusiastic crowd of nearly 1,500 prospective students and their families at our annual Junior Preview Day. And our current students turned out in a big way for RebelTHON, the annual dance marathon that raises money for our Blair Batson Children’s Hospital. For the second year in a row, RebelTHON raised more than $250,000 — a tremendous gift and an inspiring demonstration of our students’ commitment to help the children of Mississippi.

In April, University Development hosted our first-ever Ole Miss Giving Day. In tribute to the university’s founding year of 1848, Giving Day actually spanned 1 day, 8 hours and 48 minutes. This crowdsource event sought gifts of all sizes for 26 participating schools, colleges and programs. When all was said and done, $542,990 was raised through 1,053 gifts — that’s $16,549 an hour! Thank you to everyone who participated. Your generosity plays an important role in providing exceptional opportunities for our students in their pursuit of a world-class education that will lead to successful careers, innovative discoveries and lives that make a difference.

Ross DeVol, a Walton Fellow with the Walton Family Foundation of Bentonville, Arkansas, visited Oxford and our campus in April. DeVol, an economist who researches policies to promote economic growth, featured Oxford and Ole Miss in his 2018 publication Micropolitan Success Stories from the Heartland. In it, he highlighted how the University of Mississippi contributes to Oxford’s economy with high-tech job creation and higher wages. On campus he said, “If we are going to compete globally, we have to lift our universities up as the economic drivers they are, but also hold them accountable as we look to the future and how entrepreneurship will evolve.” The university will continue to engage DeVol and the Walton Family Foundation for future initiatives as entrepreneurship takes several forms at UM. And finally, something all Ole Miss Rebels and Mississippians alike can be proud of: In his first season as head coach of Ole Miss men’s basketball, Leakesville native Kermit Davis Jr. was named SEC Coach of the Year by his peers and by the Associated Press. Coach Davis becomes the sixth Ole Miss men’s basketball coach to earn SEC Coach of the Year honors. And how about that performance by Ole Miss Women’s Golf — SEC champs for the first time in program history! Let me also give a shout-out to Austrian Robinson for receiving the 30th annual Chucky Mullins Courage Award from the Ole Miss M-Club. I know Austrian will wear “38” with pride!

Hotty Toddy!

Larry D. Sparks (BAccy 84) Interim Chancellor

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President from the

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ALUMNI REVIEW

As I pause to write this correspondence, I find myself reflecting on the great history of our university. When the university opened classes for 80 students in 1848, I doubt that those responsible could have dreamed of the great successes that were ahead. Today, Ole Miss stands as one of the top universities on the planet. Why? Well, one of the reasons is the great alumni base we have. It consists of men and women who truly make a difference in our state, our nation and the world.

At Commencement, we will add more than 3,000 additional members to our ranks. They, too, will do great things and represent our university well. To the Class of 2019, congratulations and welcome to the family.

Congratulations are in order for our men’s and women’s basketball teams. Coach Kermit Davis led his team to the NCAA tournament in his first year as head coach, and the team is now scheduled to participate in the prestigious NIT Season Tip-Off at the beginning of next season. Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin also made headway with the women’s team, as they improved their conference wins by two this season and were able to defeat a top 20 ranked team on the road. These are great accomplishments for teams that look to be forces next season.

The Grove Bowl just concluded, and I, for one, am excited. Each year, after the seniors move on and others opt for the draft, you wonder what the football team will look like. Well, I can tell you that the cupboard is not bare. Stay tuned. The fall season promises to be one that keeps us on the edge of our seats.

Since my last letter, the Executive Committee of the Alumni Association met, and the members of that committee are busy working with the Alumni staff to make your Association stronger than ever. We hope to soon roll out ideas for the McCormick Café at The Inn at Ole Miss and report on the success of the partnership the association has with the Ole Miss Business Connect program. Momentum for both initiatives is growing.

In February, we had our Leadership Ole Miss Conference, where club presidents from around the country came to offer and receive ideas on how to make our local alumni chapters more effective and exciting. These are the people who organize the watch parties, the tailgates, and host periodic alumni events in their cities. They don’t do it for the money. They do it because of their love for Ole Miss. Thanks to all of them for their service.

Let’s not forget that our university is not just about athletics. On May 11, the Grove was full of men and women poised to receive degrees that attest to their hard work in the classroom. It will be those degrees and their hard work that will lead to success.

Yes, Ole Miss continues to move forward. I continue to be excited. Why? Because I believe in our students! I believe in our alumni! I believe in Ole Miss!

Fins Up!

Augustus L. (Leon) Collins (BBA 82)

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Freddie is a Mississippi guy. Graduated from Clarksdale High School and enlisted into the US Army in 1990 as a Combat Medic excelling to the rank of E-5 Sargent Airborne Flight Medic. He then attended the University of Arkansas receiving a Registered Nursing degree. In 1998, Freddie moved to Oxford to work in the ER at Baptist Hospital.

MEET THE FAMILY

Freddie is married to Melanee, who owns and operates Pinion Family Insurance.

They have 10 year old twins, Barrett and Baily. In honor of Barrett, for the past 7 years, Freddie and Melanee have held an Autism Awareness fundraiser.

Proceeds have gone to the local Special Education Programs and the Autism Center of North MS.

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Circle from the

THE L ATES T ON OLE MISS S TUDENTS, FACULT Y, S TAFF AND FRIENDS

Longstanding Tradition

UM TO HOST AMERICAN LEGION BOYS STATE THROUGH 2021

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he University of Mississippi will continue to host American Legion Boys State through 2021, bringing high school juniors to campus for a weeklong event designed “to develop tomorrow’s informed, responsible citizens.”

Hundreds of students will stay on campus May 26-June 1 this year to learn how city, county and state governments function through simulating those jobs. They’ll also participate in Memorial Day services and hear from many local, state and federal elected officials.

“We’re excited to continue our partnership for the next three years with the American Legion and Boys State, which provides outstanding educational and leadership opportunities for future leaders of Mississippi,” interim UM Chancellor Larry Sparks (BAccy 84) says.

Hunter Pace, director of Mississippi’s American Legion Boys State, says the group is excited to continue its relationship with Ole Miss. Boys State’s goal is to make sure all delegates understand the value of civic education, and that 6

ALUMNI REVIEW

they have an opportunity to put that education into practice, he says.

The Illinois American Legion created the program in 1934, and Mississippi’s began in 1938. The national organization adopted it in 1945. The goal of the program is to show that democracy needs both an intelligent citizenry and a moral, honest and impartial administration that is responsive to the will of the people.

The program is conducted each year across the country through each state’s Department of the American Legion. It’s estimated that more than 28,000 young men annually participate in the civic workshops.

The gathering is designed to be a virtual 51st state with a constitution, statutes and ordinances constructed by its citizens to govern themselves. Participants are required to review their knowledge about political workings of state and local government, but they also perform the same duties as real-world officeholders.

Photo by Thomas Graning

Interim UM Chancellor Larry Sparks (third from right) talks with representatives of American Legion Boys State at the signing of a contract to bring Boys State to campus for the next three years.

from the Circle

Return in Investment

UNIVERSITY’S ANNUAL STATEWIDE ECONOMIC IMPACT CLOSE TO $3 BILLION

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Photo by Thomas Graning

he University of Mississippi’s annual economic impact totals $2.9 billion and enables 43,121 jobs across the state, which means that one out of every 37 jobs in Mississippi is supported by the activities of UM and its students.

A report of the university’s influence also revealed a return of $4.40 in state tax revenue and public sector savings for every dollar in state funds that supports the university.

The study, which was commissioned by the university and conducted by a nationally recognized economic consulting firm, analyzed data from fiscal year 2016-17 to measure the economic effects created by UM and the benefits the university generates in return for investments made by its key stakeholder groups: students, taxpayers and Mississippi society.

“As a publicly supported institution, the University of Mississippi exists to serve the people and the economy of our state,” Interim Chancellor Larry Sparks (BAccy 84) says. “This

It represents approximately 2.6 percent of Mississippi’s total gross state product.

In FY 2016-17, Mississippi taxpayers provided $121.5 million in funding for UM Oxford and regional campuses.

In return, taxpayers will receive an estimated present value of $442.9 million in added tax revenue stemming from students’ higher lifetime earnings and increased business output.

In addition, $96.9 million in taxpayer benefits are generated by the improved lifestyles of Ole Miss students and the corresponding reduction in government services. This means that for every dollar of public money invested in educating students, taxpayers receive an average of $4.40 in return.

In other words, taxpayers enjoy an annual rate of return of 10.6 percent.

“The results of this study highlight the value of the University of Mississippi from multiple perspectives,” says William Nicholas (BBA 89), UM director of economic development.

“Businesses benefit from increased spending by UM and a steady flow of top talent, graduates enjoy a lifetime of higher earnings, and state taxpayers benefit through increased tax revenue.

“Investing in higher education is critical to advancing our state.”

Among noneducation industry sectors, the university delivered the greatest impact in the health care and social assistance industry sector, supporting 13,496 jobs in FY 2016-17. Expenditures on medical center operations added a net $1.6 billion in added income to the state.

The “Analysis of the Economic The University of Mississippi’s annual economic effect totals $2.9 billion and enables 43,121 jobs across Impact and Return on Investment the state, which means that one out of every 37 jobs in Mississippi is supported by the activities of UM of Education” study was conducted and its students. A new report on the university’s impact also revealed a return of $4.40 in state tax

by Emsi, a leading provider of revenue and public sector savings for every dollar in state funds that supports the university. economic impact studies and labor market data to educational institustudy affirms the university’s substantial impact in Mississippi tions, workforce planners and regional developers in the U.S. supporting industry and benefiting society, from an expanded and internationally. economy to improved quality of life.”

Data and assumptions used in the study are based on sevThe study used a two-pronged approach that involved an eral sources, including the FY 2016-17 academic and financial economic impact analysis and an investment analysis. The $2.9 reports from the university, industry and employment data billion in income UM added to the Mississippi economy in the from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Census analysis year represents the sum of effects from operations, Bureau, outputs of Emsi’s Multi-Regional Social Accounting research and medical center spending; startup and spinoff Matrix model and a variety of studies and surveys relating companies; visitor and student spending; and alumni. education to social behavior.

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from the Circle

ANNETTE KLUCK NAMED DEAN OF UM GRADUATE SCHOOL

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he University of Mississippi has hired Annette Kluck as dean of the university’s Graduate School following a nationwide search.

Kluck, who has 12 years of experience in graduate education, comes to UM from Auburn University, where she most recently served as assistant provost for women’s initiatives in the Office of Inclusion and Diversity, and as a professor of counseling psychology in the university’s College of Education.

She assumed her position at Ole Miss on March 1. The Graduate School, organized in 1927, included more than 2,100 students in fall 2018, enrolled in master’s, specialist

as an assistant professor and doctoral programs of counseling psychology, ranging from accountancy was promoted to associate to teacher education. professor in 2011 and “As we look toward the became a full professor future of higher education in 2017. She holds Level and the world of work 2 Graduate Faculty Status within the U.S. and across with the university’s Graduthe globe, it will be critical ate School. Before Auburn, to ensure access to excelshe was a teaching assistant lent graduate education and a statistical consultant for all students,” says Kluck, Annette Kluck in the psychology departwho is a licensed psychologist and has led a program accredited by ment at Texas Tech University. the American Psychological Association for Kluck takes the place of Christy Wyandt, who had served as interim Graduate School seven years.

Kluck began her Auburn career in 2006 dean since 2016.

Air and Space Law Program Expanded SCHOOL UNVEILS NEW CERTIFICATE PROGRAM FOR NONLAWYER PROFESSIONALS

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he program in air and space law at the University of Mississippi School of Law is launching a new graduate certificate program for nonlawyer professionals. The Graduate Certificate in Air and Space Law is designed for individuals who are not lawyers but want to gain knowledge of legal, policy and regulatory issues affecting the aviation and space industries.

“Aerospace industries have recognized the need for cross-disciplinary education in their workforces,” says Charles Stotler, associate director of the

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air and space program. “For example, an engineer who works on regulatory affairs, such as compliance for the use of radio frequency-emitting equipment, might find useful background knowledge on legal and regulatory processes.”

The certificate is not limited to professionals with technical expertise.

“Professionals with backgrounds in business, marketing and communications could also benefit from a deeper understanding of law, policy and regulation, and how they come about,” Stotler says.

Students, who can participate in

person or online, will have the option to choose among 10 different air and space law courses.

“Our air and space program is the only one of its kind in the nation, and we are thrilled to be able to offer this new certificate program,” says Susan Duncan, UM law dean. “Legal issues and policies are rapidly changing in aerospace.

“It will become vital for all industry professionals to have some foundational knowledge of air and space law, which they will be able to achieve through this program at their convenience.”

from the Circle

A Record of Student Service LAW REGISTRAR WINS NATIONAL AWARD

ONLINE MBA PROGRAM BOASTS TOP 10 NATIONAL RANKING

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he University of Mississippi’s online Master of Business Administration program has been named one of the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings place Ole Miss in a four-way tie for No. 9 nationally.

UM is tied with Auburn University, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium for the No. 9 spot.

The University of Florida, at No. 4, is the only other Southeastern Conference school ranked among the top 25.

“We are excited for this recognition of our online MBA program that reflects the outstanding education and value of the degree,” says Ken Cyree, dean of the UM School of Business Administration. “We have dedicated our efforts to create the best online experience possible that mimics our on-campus program with scheduling flexibility so students can keep their job while earning their degree.”

MBA programs have a greater enrollment than any other type

of graduate business degree program in the country, the U.S. News release noted. Prospective students often narrow their research exclusively to programs that award MBAs. For the 2019 edition, U.S. News ranked online MBA programs using the categories of student engagement and excellence; expert opinion; faculty credentials and training; and student services and technologies.

The strength of the Ole Miss curriculum is a plus for businesses in the state, says Ashley McGee (BAEd 05), the program’s director.

“When I ask current students what made them choose our Ole Miss MBA program, I hear a similar response,” McGee says. “They were looking for a highly ranked, accredited, reputable institution with a competitively priced tuition.

“We check all of those boxes. The value of an Ole Miss MBA is hard to beat.”

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Photo by Christina Steube

Duncan nominated Upton for the award and noted that niversity registrars work diligently behind the scenes to keep up with student records. From setting students’ his attention to detail sets him apart from other law school schedules to helping them stay on track with graduation officers.

“He has the burden of taking care of so many details, requirements, they are dedicated to serving students.

Eddie Upton, registrar for the University of Mississippi and he hardly ever lets any fall through the cracks,” she says.

School of Law, was honored for his commitment to students “He thinks innovatively and improves the experience of all with the 2019 Vanguard Award from the National Network of students, faculty and staff at the law school. In fact, I often encounter alumni who ask about him and tell me what a difLaw School Officers.

The award recognizes the outstanding contributions of a ference he made for them.” law school officer who uses innovative methods in transforming academic services for students. More than that, the Vanguard Award recognizes outstanding leadership and effective administration.

Upton has served as registrar for the Ole Miss law school for the past seven years. During that time, he designed a database to handle all reporting and processing requirements for students.

Besides traditional registrar duties, Upton also handles bar certifications and reporting for law students, as well as annual student questionnaires and forms.

“Eddie genuinely cares about our students,” says Susan Duncan, UM law dean. “His door is always open, and he is Eddie Upton, registrar for the University of Mississippi School of Law, chats with third-year law truly dedicated to serving our students.” student Brittney Eakins. Upton is being honored with the national Vanguard Award in April.

from the Circle

Nursing Program Increases Reach MOVE WILL ALLOW PROGRAM TO OFFER MORE SPACE, OPTIONS eginning in the fall, the University of Mississippi School of Nursing will expand its footprint in Oxford with a new space and more students.

The next cohort of students pursuing the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree will number 45, an increase from this year’s class of 30. The eventual goal is to admit 60 students each year, according to Mary Stewart, interim dean for the School of Nursing.

And students will be doing their work in a new space: the South Oxford Center, or what was formerly the old Baptist Memorial Hospital before being purchased by UM in 2017.

The hospital’s former intensive care unit will be converted to a high-fidelity simulation practice lab for nursing students.

The decision to expand the program was based on the demand from both applicants and the workforce. In addition, students pursuing their accelerated nursing degree undergo a more intense schedule and need different resources

and spaces than a traditional undergraduate student requires.

“The A-BSN requires intensive study for 12 months. Students do not work outside school, so they spend much of their time in classes, labs, clinicals and other program-related activities,” Stewart says. “They need space for all of these things. Additionally, students need dedicated areas to study, work on projects and sometimes simply retreat for some solitude. The new space affords all of these opportunities and more.”

The School of Nursing is currently housed on two floors in Kinard Hall on the Oxford campus. The new space in the South Oxford Center will include an administrative suite for faculty and other offices, a 60-student classroom with full technological abilities, student lounges and other common areas.

Eva Tatum (BSN 02, MSN 07), assistant professor of nursing on the Oxford campus, has overseen much of the planning for the expansion.

“We can’t grow (without more

space),” Tatum says. “There’s all this talk of nursing shortages, and our accelerated students really are highly desired as nursing graduates by employers.”

The School of Nursing in Jackson began offering the accelerated nursing program in 2006, and UMMC is the only institution in the state to offer an accelerated nursing degree for students who already have one degree. The program has been offered in Oxford since 2014.

The Accelerated BSN program is designed for those who have a bachelor’s degree in another field and wish to change career paths quickly. It contains a continuous three-semester curriculum in which students participate in clinical training and classroom instruction.

The goal on the Oxford campus is to collaborate with the Health Professions Advising Office to promote the program and develop pipelines for current Ole Miss students, especially in programs such as nutrition and bi ol o g y, to e a s i ly move i nto t h i s degree, Stewart says.

Photo by Joe Ellis/UMMC

Eva Tatum (left), assistant professor of nursing at Oxford, shows a future simulation lab to students Piercen Burchfield (center), Katelyn Hazelgrove and Charles Gill.

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from the Circle

STEVEN SOIFER NAMED CHAIR OF SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENT

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he University of Mississippi School of Applied Sciences named Steven Soifer as chair of the Department of Social Work.

Steven Soifer

Soifer previously was chair of the Department of Social Work in the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Memphis. He was responsible for overseeing all aspects of curriculum design, delivery and evaluation; faculty and staff hiring, retention, promotion and tenure; research and scholarship activities; development; strategic planning; and student engagement for undergraduate and graduate students for one of the university’s fastest-growing master’s programs.

Under Soifer’s leadership, the Master of Social Work program at Memphis improved from being unranked to appearing in the top half of U.S. News and World Report’s annual publication of best M.S.W. programs.

“I hope to bring the skills I learned

while being Department of Social Work chair at the University of Memphis to the UM Department of Social Work and take our program to new heights,” Soifer says. “The department’s potential is unlimited.”

With 38 years of teaching experience, he held full-time academic appointments at the University of Memphis, University of Maryland at Baltimore, University of Washington, Trinity College and Community College of Vermont.

The School of Applied Sciences offers professional preparation programs that integrate academic study, clinical training, creative research, service learning and community outreach, leading to the development of leaders whose professional endeavors will improve health and well-being.

In the Footsteps of Greatness

WINONA NATIVE CHOSEN FOR MOUNT VERNON LEADERSHIP FELLOWS PROGRAM

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University of Mississippi student is heading to Virginia this May to study leadership at the home of the country’s first leader, George Washington.

Mitchell Palmertree, a sophomore public policy leadership major from Winona, was selected as a Mount Vernon Leadership Fellow. The program is a highly selective, six-week institute for 16 rising college juniors across the country that offers unparalleled leadership learning and networking opportunities at Mount Vernon, the historic home outside Washington, D.C., of the country’s first president.

“This truly is an opportunity to experience something very few people could ever dream of,” Palmertree says.

“To call such a historic place my home and experience some of the same experiences as our first president for even a short time will be both awe-inspiring and transformational.”

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Over the course of his May 25-July 5 Boyer, of Houston, was selected last year, stay at the institute, which includes hous- becoming the first Ole Miss student ever admitted to the program, ing, transportation, meals which started in 2015. and a $3,000 stipend, “Mitchell’s passion Palmertree will study a emerges from his conviccharacter-based leadertions and his ability to ship and decision-making align his actions with curriculum modeled after these deep-felt commitWashington’s military and ments,” says Douglass political career. He also Sullivan-González, dean will learn about instituof the Honors College. tion building, identify “R a re a re t h e y o u n g areas for growth and meet people who can follow with national leaders in through on their passions government, military, to implement strategies to industry and nonprofits, mitigate the challenges in learning from their jourMitchell Palmertree neys and counsel. a community.

Palmertree, who “ M i t c h e l l ’s t r a c k studies in the Sally McDonnell Barks- record mirrors those convictions and dale Honors College, is the second proves that he has already made a student from the college in as many difference. We are very proud of his years to be selected to the Mount Vernon accomplishments and elated with this Leadership Fellows Program. Elizabeth national recognition.”

from the Circle

Why So Sudden?

UM RESEARCHERS UNCOVER BRAIN SCIENCE BEHIND IMPULSIVITY

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esearchers in the School of Applied Sciences at the University of Mississippi have discovered an anatomical link in the human brain associated with impulsivity.

“Impulsivity is the tendency of your behavior to make decisions based on what you see in front of you, rather than seeing the entire picture,” says Tossi Ikuta, assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders and first author of the breakthrough study “White matter integrity in the frontostriatal accumbofrontal tract predicts impulsivity,” recently published in the journal Brain Imaging and Behavior.

“So, if you see something you want in front of you, do you buy it? You would consider your financial situation of this week or this month and make a decision. If you don’t do that and you just buy it – that is high impulsivity behavior.”

Some high impulsivity behaviors are associated with high behavioral risks, including taking illegal drugs or driving very fast.

Ikuta translated previous animal studies by using human MRI data to confirm what previous research has shown to be true in animal models: the strength of the connection between the brain’s prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens is a good indicator of impulsivity. The nucleus accumbens is a major component of the brain’s reward center.

“Previously this projection from the frontal lobe to the nucleus accumbens has been known to be associated to impulsivity in rodents,” Ikuta says. “Our colleague, Dr. Alberto del Arco, did a study with rodents showing this projection from the prefrontal cortex to the nucleus accumbens and associated with dopamine release at the nucleus accumbens.

“We knew that there is the same structure in humans, too, but we are the first people who extracted this particular tract in humans. We took that part of the brain made by white matter, and we took the strength of this connection, and we compared this with people’s impulsivity.”

Ikuta is well known for replicating and translating animal studies with human MRI data.

“We have so many neuroscience studies done in animal models,” he says. “My interest is to translate what we know from rodent or primate studies and translate them into human brain using human brain MRI data that were already collected.”

Ikuta and his fellow researchers in the School of Applied Sciences are dedicated to improving human health and well-being.

“We are trying to deliver science into practice, and what I do is part of that,” Ikuta says.

“It’s on the way from the bench using animals to (bedside) in a medical practice, where we try to use our knowledge for health and medicine.”

Photo by Sarah Sapp

Tossi Ikuta, UM assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders, examines human MRI data. Ikuta is first author on a recent breakthrough study that identifies the brain structures and connectivities associated with impulsivity.

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from the Circle

On the Must-Read List

‘EVICTED’ SELECTED FOR UNIVERSITY’S 2019 COMMON READING EXPERIENCE

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he critically acclaimed New York Times best-seller Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City has been selected for the University of Mississippi’s Common Reading Experience for 2019.

Written by Matthew Desmond, a Princeton sociologist and recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, Evicted was awarded the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction for being “a deeply researched exposé that showed how mass evictions after the 2008 economic crash were less a consequence than a cause of poverty.”

The book is described as “a landmark work of scholarship and reportage that will forever change the way we look at poverty in America.” Since its publication, Evicted has been credited with transforming how the nation understands “extreme

Members of the Common Reading Experience subcommittee chose from the nominated books that were ideally less than 400 pages, available in paperback, written by a living author and published within the last five years, all to

’a landmark work of scholarship and reportage that will forever change the way we look at poverty in America‘ poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving a devastating, uniquely American problem.”

As the selection for the Common Reading Experience, Evicted will be the focus of campuswide discussions throughout the 2019-20 academic year.

All incoming freshmen and transfer students will get copies of the book with instructions to read it before the fall semester begins. Instructors will use the book in their classes, and faculty and staff are also encouraged to read Evicted.

The author also will be the keynote speaker at the university’s Fall Convocation in August.

“I am proud that UM gathers together around a common reading every year,” says Stephen Monroe, chair of the Department of Writing and Rhetoric and of the Common Reading Experience Steering Committee. “First and foremost, we are an intellectual community; we need good books.

“When first-year students arrive for orientation and receive their copy of the common reading, they are being welcomed and initiated into our community of learning. They are being reminded that college is about engaging new ideas and developing social responsibility. ‘Evicted’ will challenge all of us to think deeply and compassionately about our world.”

Evicted was selected for the Common Reading Experience after a months-long process that began this past fall when faculty, staff and students, as well as alumni and residents of the greater Oxford community, were invited to nominate a suggested title.

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ensure the book is accessible to students and readers in the community.

The Common Reading Experience began with the 2011-12 school year. Ten selected short stories by UM alumnus and Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner were featured as the university’s 2018 Common Reading Experience.

Previous selections include The Education of a Lifetime, a memoir by UM Chancellor Emeritus Robert Khayat, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan and Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Ole Miss professor Tom Franklin.

from the Circle

SUMRALL TO PRESIDE OVER SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION oseph Sumrall (BA 78, BSChE 82), a professor of science education at the University of Mississippi School of Education, has been elected to serve as president of the Mississippi Science Teachers Association, starting in 2020.

Sumrall, who has been a member of MSTA since 1987, wants to incorporate more opportunities for north Mississippi teachers and college education students across the state to become more involved with the association during his presidency. He was elected for the position by members of the association who were in attendance at the MSTA annual conference.

“It’s an honor that I was elected by my peers for this position,” Sumrall says. “It was an honor to even be nominated for this position. It’s going to be a lot of work, but we have a great board that works very hard, too.”

MSTA’s mission is to promote quality science education, professional development in content areas, implementation of science inquiry and the networking of science educators, according to its website.

Sumrall earned two undergraduate degrees from UM in zoology and chemical engineering. He also holds master’s and doctoral degrees in education from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Joseph Sumrall

‘Play It Again, Sam’

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PIANO COMPETITION RETURNS TO UM

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Submitted photo

he 44th Annual World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival is set for May 23-26 at the University of Mississippi.

This will be the festival’s third season in Oxford following a 41-year run in Illinois.

“It’s a four-day celebration of ragtime, jazz, blues, honky-tonk, boogie and Tin Pan Alley piano music,” says Ian Hominick, UM associate professor of music and the festival’s artistic director. “The music is outstanding; we

draw extremely talented musicians and visitors from over 30 states, Mexico, Canada, Great Britain and France.”

Featured guest artists for this year include four-time champion Adam Swanson, Terry Waldo, Julie McClarey and local artist Bill Perry Jr. Held annually to coincide with Memorial Day weekend, the festival boasts the largest, most comprehensive competitive events for pianists in the musical genres of ragtime, traditional jazz and blues. Performers compete in period costume, are interviewed before each round and show off their musical skills in an attempt to advance to the finals.

Besides the competitions, the festival offers workshops by guest artists, a silent movie luncheon with live piano accompaniment, after-hours parties, an epic singalong of old classics and various catered events.

William McNally, the 2016-17 champion of the Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival, performs at the UM Nutt Auditorium.

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from the Circle

Don Cole Retires

LONGTIME PROFESSOR, ADMINISTRATOR LEAVES LASTING LEGACY AT UM

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chaired the Chancellor’s Standing Committee on Sensitivity and Respect until 2017 and co-chaired the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on History and Context the last couple of years.

Over the years, Cole also has helped hundreds of Ole Miss students understand math.

Photo by Robert Jordan

hen Donald Cole (PhD 85) was a graduate student at the University of Mississippi in the 1980s, he and a faculty member would walk over to the Union to get coffee together. Cole would walk so fast, his companion would have to hold onto his shoulder to keep up.

As a champion of education, Cole has outpaced others ever since.

The Jackson native, who officially retired in January, likely has done more than anyone at the university to help underrepresented students achieve academically through leading the Louis Stokes Mississippi Alliance for Minority Participation’s IMAGE, or Increasing Minority Access to Graduate Education, and summer Bridge STEM programs and the McNair program, which recruits 29 low-income, first-generation and underrepresented students each year and prepares them for doctoral studies.

Cole’s start at the university, however, was not quite so auspicious. As an undergraduate at Ole Miss in 1970, he took part in a protest at an Up with People concert on campus and was expelled from the university along with seven other students. He spent two nights in the Oxford jail.

“Today, many individuals on our campus take for granted the opportunities that were created by the sacrifice made by Don and others,” says Charles Ross, UM professor of history and director of the African American studies program.

Cole says he believes the university has come a long way in becoming a welcoming place for all.

“I remember getting here as a freshman (in 1968).

I remember some of the incidents that made me uncomfortable. The university’s just a far cry from that today.”

After being expelled from Ole Miss, Cole went on to earn master’s degrees in mathematics from the State University of New York and the University of Michigan, and returned to Ole Miss and completed a Ph.D. in mathematics in 1985.

Cole then worked in Fort Worth, Texas, in the aerospace industry. He later was a mathematics Don Cole professor at Florida A&M until he was asked to join Ole Miss as assistant dean in the Graduate School and associate professor of mathematics. Returning in 1993, he won the university’s Frist Student Service Award in 2001 and Award for Excellence in Promoting Inclusiveness in Graduate Education in 2004.

Cole was named assistant to the chancellor for multicultural affairs by Chancellor Emeritus Robert Khayat. He

“Don was a great teacher in every way,” says Scott Coopwood (BA 84), founder and owner of Coopwood Communications. “He went slow and explained everything extremely well. I can’t recall many teachers who had faith in me or even encouraged me. But Don certainly did. Thirty-four years later and I have never forgotten the impact he had on my life in the summer of 1984.”

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Hike, boat, fish, or just kick back and relax.

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484 County Road 343 Taylor, MS 38675

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Calendar Photo courtesy of the Gertrude C. Ford Center

Youth Music Theatre Workshop JUNE 10-21

MAY

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Cash Flow Projections for Your Business Plan: Oxford, Small Business Development Center, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Visit events.olemiss.edu.

Cash Flow Projections for Your Business Plan: Tupelo, Renasant Center for IDEAs, 1-2:30 p.m. Visit events.olemiss.edu.

-26 45th Annual Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival: Nutt Auditorium, 7-10 p.m.

Visit events.olemiss.edu.

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Recital: Oxford School of Performing Arts. Gertrude C. Ford Center, 4 p.m. Visit fordcenter.org.

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Starting a Business: First Steps.

Tupelo, Renasant Center for IDEAs, 1-2:30 p.m. Visit events.olemiss.edu.

Starting a Business: First Steps.

Oxford, Small Business Development Center, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Visit events.olemiss.edu.

Starting a Business: First Steps.

Southaven, First Regional Library, 6-8 p.m. Visit events.olemiss.edu.

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Luncheon: Pharmacy Alumni and Friends Luncheon at Magnolia State Pharmaceutical Society Annual Meeting, IP Casino, Resort & Spa in Biloxi, 11:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Call 662-915-1878.

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-21 Youth Music Theatre Workshop: This popular twoweek workshop focuses on the development of performance skills in music theatre and includes exercises in singing, acting and movement. Gertrude C. Ford Center, various times. Visit fordcenter.org.

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How to Develop a Business Plan: Tupelo, Renasant Center for IDEAs, 1-2:30 p.m. Visit events. olemiss.edu.

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How to Develop a Business Plan: Oxford, Small Business Development Center, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Visit events.olemiss.edu.

Calendar

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How to Develop a Business Plan: Southaven, First Regional Library, 6-8 p.m. Visit events.olemiss.edu.

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-15 Reunion: Mississippi Teacher Corps 30th Anniversary, various times and locations.

Email hataylo4@olemiss.edu.

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Atlanta’s Mississippi in the Park: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Chastain Park. Visit mssocietyofga.org for tickets.

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Reception: Pharmacy Alumni and Friends Reception at Mississippi Pharmacists Association’s 148th Convention, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Florida, 6:30-8 p.m. Call 662-915-1878.

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Cash Flow Projections for Your Business Plan: Southaven, First Regional Library, 6-8 p.m. Visit events.olemiss.edu.

BancorpSouth Rebel Road Trip: Washington, D.C., 6-8 p.m., Homer Building. Call 662915-7375 or visit rebelroadtrip.com.

Honors College Alumni Brunch: Washington, D.C., 10:30 a.m.-noon, The Hamilton. Call 662915-7375 or visit olemissalumni.com.

Mississippi on the Mall: Washington, D.C., 3-7 p.m., Henry Bacon Ball Field. Visit mississippisociety.org for tickets.

JULY

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Luncheon: UM Law Alumni Luncheon at the Annual Meeting of the Mississippi Bar, Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Florida, 12:15 p.m. Call 662-915-1878.

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Reception: Pharmacy Alumni and Friends Reception at Mississippi Society of Health-System Pharmacists 66th Annual Meeting. Oxford, Brandt Memory House, 6:30-8 p.m.

Call 662-915-1878.

For a complete and latest listing of Ole Miss sports schedules, visit olemisssports.com.

For more Oxford events, news and information, go to visitoxfordms.com or call 662-232-2477.

Photo by Nathan Latil

Cash Flow Projections for Your Business Plan: Tupelo, Renasant Center for IDEAs, 1-2:30 p.m. Visit events.olemiss.edu.

Cash Flow Projections for Your Business Plan: Oxford, Small Business Development Center, 4:305:30 p.m. Visit events.olemiss.edu.

Pharmacy Alumni and Friends Summer Events JUNE 7 AND 16, AND JULY 26

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A Decade of

GROWTH and F

Photos courtesy of the School of Journalism and New Media

orget the internet for a second. The way most of us observe the world, reason, seek the truth through evidence and write to persuade others goes back about 2,400 years to the Greek philosopher Aristotle.

You’ve heard of him, of course: the father of Western thought. Ole Miss alumni might also note that he established a philosophy school in Athens at the temple of Apollo, a place known as the Lyceum.

But where would Aristotle be without his teacher, Plato?

For that matter, where would Plato be without his teacher, Socrates?

The best teachers follow the model set by Socrates and Plato and Aristotle: They teach their students how to think, not what to think. How to reason. How to seek the truth. How to

persuade others through rhetoric and writing.

Ten years ago, when the University of Mississippi transitioned its journalism department into the School of Journalism and New Media, the “New Media” part of the name garnered much of the attention. What kind of technological training would the students receive? What did that mean, anyway?

Ten years later, we know the answer. “New Media” is whatever comes next, and that can be unpredictable. We don’t know what journalism and marketing will look like in 2029.

But the graduates of the School of Journalism and New Media

Students on a depth reporting trip on the way from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Kandy, Sri Lanka 20

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By Angela Moore Atkins

EVOLUTION School of Journalism and New Media celebrates 10th anniversary

will know how to master the form, thanks to their ability to think through problems, to find the truth and communicate that message to others.

And much like the debt Aristotle owed to Plato, those students can thank their teachers for that.

expert on the magazine industry, says the department had slow and steady growth from its founding in the 1940s to 2009.

“Then, all of the sudden, it was like rocket fuel,” Husni says.

In fact, from 2009 to 2019, the school’s enrollment jumped from around 500 majors to more than 1,600. In 2010, students

Rocket Fuel “After 10 years, the story of our school is our faculty,” says Will Norton, dean of the school who nurtured its transition from a small but well-regarded department to the budding powerhouse it has become.

Norton led the College of Journalism at the University of Nebraska for 19 years before he became a dean at Ole Miss in 2009. He previously had worked as chair of the UM department from 1977 to 1990, alongside legendary Ole Miss journalism professors such as S. Gale Denley and Jere Hoar. Taking the helm at Ole Miss was a comfortable homecoming for him.

But Norton didn’t crave comfort. He aimed to take the UM School of Journalism and New Media to national prominence — and he wanted it done fast. Norton has led Ole Miss journalism through the most explosive growth period in its history.

Longtime professor Samir Husni, a former chair of the department who achieved renown as the nation’s leading

A Journalism 610 class pauses for a photo before going out to cover a news event on campus.

Alysia Burton Steele talks about the Lens Collective project during a panel discussion on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Burns-Belfry Museum as part of the Oxford Film Festival.

earned $63,000 in scholarships. By 2017, it was $120,000.

But the biggest gain came from new faculty attracted to the school, which had fewer than 10 full-time faculty members in 2010. Word spread that Ole Miss did things differently. Today, the school has 35 full-time faculty members at the top of their profession. An additional 31 adjuncts teach at least one course a semester — 46 percent of the school’s course offerings each semester.

“It was a new program — dynamic and evolving as we went,” says Robert Magee, an assistant professor and co-chair of the graduate program in integrated marketing communications — a degree path that did not exist a decade ago. “It holds a lot of promise as a professor to be a part of creating something new. You’re able to do things the way you think they ought to be done with less concern for the way things used to be done.”

Magee, who conducts research in persuasion and new media, says new faculty members are able to have an immediate effect on the school, thanks to a culture of continuous improvement.

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Alysia Burton Steele teaches a photojournalism class near the steps of Farley Hall.

Mark Dolan, associate professor of journalism and new media, works with a student on the steps of Farley.

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“Other programs tend to have bureaucratic inertia,” he says. “When you’re starting with a new program, you have the opportunity to be more cutting edge.”

Scott Fiene leads the undergraduate IMC program as an associate professor and assistant dean and first came to the school in 2012. He says the reason the Ole Miss curriculum can change with the changing marketplace is the faculty’s extensive — and recent — real-world experience.

“It’s almost divine when you look at what has happened here,” Fiene says. “A decade ago, we all had industry careers all over the country, and one by one we segued into teaching, and it coalesced right here in Oxford. Things like that don’t just randomly happen.”

achievement and Ole Miss’ leadership in journalism education comes together in the Lens Collective Multimedia Workshop, hosted each fall by Alysia Burton Steele, a UM assistant professor and multimedia journalist whose work has been featured in a who’s who list of the nation’s best news outlets.

In the fall, 38 students from eight universities came to Mississippi to work with 15 professional mentors from both news organizations and the School of Journalism. Professors

The Classroom Outside the Classroom From day one in 2009, Norton focused on making sure the school’s students received an education outside the classroom.

That’s because journalism and marketing aren’t like other professions. A senior graduating with honors and a Phi Beta Kappa distinction can apply for an entry-level news position and still not get hired if he or she doesn’t have clips — stories and projects published in real news outlets — or hasn’t competed for real clients.

So, the first person Norton hired wasn’t for the classroom.

Norton persuaded veteran journalist Patricia Thompson to lead the Student Media Center, where students and staff produce The Daily Mississippian, The Ole Miss yearbook, NewsWatch Ole Miss, Rebel Radio WUMS 92.1 FM and several websites. Thompson wrote for The Washington Post and led staff at the San Jose Mercury News and the south Florida Sun-Sentinel as an editor.

Award-winning Miami Herald reporter and editor Bill Rose (BA 69) also was hired in 2009 to lead a special depthreporting class, during which students work together to report and produce a comprehensive project about an issue.

Together, Rose and Thompson have led teams of Ole Miss students to three Robert F. Kennedy journalism awards for their work, in 2011, 2013 and 2016.

Since 2009, many other journalism and IMC professors push their students out of Farley Hall and into the world, whether it’s covering the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, reporting a protest march through the Ole Miss campus or redesigning the logo for Mississippi Today.

Assistant Dean Debora Wenger, a broadcast news veteran and associate professor and assistant dean at the school, says students benefit from new platforms on which to publish and from faculty with recent professional experience who are devoted to creating hands-on opportunities for students. Professors help guide them and push them to create better work.

“The best students really do love when you are there with them,” Wenger says. “They want to have your support and your guidance. Sometimes they get nervous and say, ‘I don’t know that I’m ready.’ But their confidence level increases with the faculty there. They’re willing to stretch.”

The interplay between professional guidance, student

Michael Fagans’ Journalism 456 class works on an in-class assignment.

Michael Fagans, Vanessa Gregory, Bobby Steele and Iveta Imre worked with Alysia Steele to come up with story topics for the students to cover in the Mississippi Delta.

Once the students arrived, they had 24 hours over two days to produce their multimedia projects, working in teams alongside award-winning photojournalists from the Dallas Morning News, Detroit Free Press and Minneapolis Star Tribune.

For the students and the mentors, the experience is profound, Alysia Steele says.

“The students challenge each other to produce better and better work,” she says. “Our students host the visiting students, which creates a stronger bond.

“We now have universities who want to participate on a waiting list. Everyone who has participated can’t wait to come back.”

One of the student-produced projects, “Signs,” tells the story of the vandalization of historic sites related to the murder of Emmett Till and was selected by PBS for its “Reel South” series.

Alysia Steele says most instructors in the School of Journalism and New Media have a mission to provide practical experience to students. Wenger shares that view.

“Even something simple — like covering Election Day and publishing to a real audience — can energize them,” Wenger says.

“It’s more than a class. It’s an assignment. It’s real journalism.”

That’s also true of the school’s newest degree path, integrated marketing communications.

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“The teaching is very real world and hands-on,” Fiene says.

“It’s not so much about reading textbooks and taking exams, but about the application of concepts through projects, presentations and working with clients.”

The dedication to student growth means School of Journalism and New Media faculty members work long hours each week to help their students grow and succeed, according to Norton.

They don’t treat their work as a job. It’s a mission.

Assistant professor Zenebe Beyene; Assistant Dean Scott Fiene; a nationally regarded anchor; and Dean Will Norton Jr., in the Student Media Center

Abbie McIntosh, NewsWatch station manager, does camera work during a press conference.

School of Journalism student Semaj Jordan talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer John H. White at the Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar.

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New Direction, New Strength The IMC program has grown to become one of the most popular majors at the university, in part, because of that dedication.

“I think two of the big drivers are what is taught — curriculum — and how it is taught — instruction,” Fiene says. “Our students learn how to write, how to persuade, how to sell ideas, how to understand what customers want, the importance of visual communication, how to work on a team and many other things.”

Fiene says that he and many other professors in the School of Journalism and New Media have “one foot in journalism and one in marketing.” That’s also true of the school itself.

Students still learn the fundamentals of writing, no matter their major, but IMC majors accounted for over 1,200 of the school’s more than 1,600 enrolled students in fall 2018. IMC provided the rocket fuel for the school’s growth.

The Ole Miss IMC major was born in 2011, and assistant professor Evangeline Ivy was there in the delivery room. At first, Ivy taught introductory-level IMC classes, which were full to bursting. One of her classes had more than 100 students.

“In the first couple of years of IMC, I think I taught almost every student in the program,” Ivy says.

Although she has worked for nearly 20 years marketing nonprofit groups, from universities to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, she first came to Ole Miss as a young print journalism graduate student during the early 1990s intent on becoming the editor of a magazine.

Instead, Ivy found that the skills she learned as a young Ole Miss journalist helped her succeed in her marketing career.

That merger of writing skills and business savvy makes the IMC major valuable to students, she says.

“It’s not just marketing. Our program is integrated marketing communications,” Ivy says. “We focus on the communications part of marketing. The message is most important to us. If you can’t get your target audience to understand what you have to offer and build a relationship with them, whatever you’re promoting is not going to be as successful.”

Senior lecturer Robin Street first taught for the Ole Miss journalism department in 1989, teaching both advanced reporting and advanced public relations through the years.

She leads the university’s Public Relations and Marketing student group, which wins awards every year. Even before IMC came along, her students worked in internships with local and

Students capture a project in Bryant Hall.

regional businesses as part of their coursework. She says she was glad that the new professors in the IMC program shared that focus.

“IMC faculty have done a great job of finding a way to blend real-life experiences with the classroom,” Street says.

“But learning the basics will always be the foundation of the school. Our students have to know what makes a good story and what doesn’t.”

For Fiene, the synthesis of journalism and marketing is the whole point of the IMC program, and what has made it successful and popular with students.

“There are tremendous advantages of combining the two,” Fiene says. “First, success in business is predicated on the ability to write and communicate well, and to know how to find and use information — journalism. And journalism today is about understanding audiences, targeting and delivering content in a way that is profitable — business.”

God and a Fool Husni, who’s been teaching Ole Miss journalism since some of its newest professors were children, always emphasizes the basics. Yes, students learn the latest data-gathering research techniques. Yes, they learn multimedia platforms and a new form of visual storytelling using the web. But it’s more than that.

“The toys don’t matter. The heart of the news business is storytelling, no matter what platform you’re using to tell those stories,” Husni says. “And the heart of our school is the students. I owe it to them to prepare them to be the best in the basics of what this industry requires.”

As for what the future holds? Husni says it’s impossible to know in an industry that changes almost monthly. What will the school look like 10 years from now?

John Biewen, host and producer of ‘Scene on Radio’ and audio program director at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, leads a master class in audio storytelling.

“Only two people know the future: God and a fool,” he says.

“One thing I can tell you: It’ll be 2029.”

Norton was chair of the old journalism department before some of the current professors were born. He takes a longer view. The future of journalism, he says, is in its past.

“Journalism does face a complicated future. But what we’re teaching is not a trade — it’s one of the oldest liberal arts,” Norton says. “The art of persuasion and communicating facts is ancient. We’re teaching rhetoric. That rhetoric is centered around a specific industry, but it’s a skill that everyone needs.

Our students get a comprehensive liberal arts education while learning how to write well.

“That’s at the heart of what this university is about,” he says.

“We’re at the heart of what it means to be an educated person.”

Socrates would be proud.

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The Next Giant Leap

Alumnus turns journalism background into NASA career

By Annie Rhoades

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s NASA’s Super Guppy aircraft carrying a piece of the Orion rocket gets ready to depart for Kennedy Space Center, University of Mississippi alumnus David Hitt (BA 96), a strategist for payload engagement at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, can’t help but marvel at his role in space exploration.

“I got where I am today completely by accident,” Hitt laughs. “I am a 1996 journalism graduate of Ole Miss who worked for The Daily Mississippian and graduated with the idea that I was going to spend the rest of my career working in newspapers. It’s an incredible seat to be sitting in because as we’re building this rocket, I get a front-row seat.”

A graduate of Huntsville High School, Hitt enrolled at Ole Miss to study journalism after falling in love with the field while working on his school’s newspaper.

“I grew up in Huntsville surrounded by NASA, in the shadow of rockets, so I grew up wanting to be a part of this,” Hitt says. “I thought early on in high school that I was going to be an aerospace engineer, and halfway through, I got involved in the student newspaper. When I did, I saw a divided path in front of me, a forked road — you do this, or you do that. You can either do communications or do space, and it took me until six years after college before somebody came to me and said you know it doesn’t have to be an ‘either/ or.’ It can be an ‘and.’”

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Hitt with the full-size pathfinder of the SLS core stage

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hroughout his studies at Ole Miss, Hitt worked for The Daily Mississippian in almost every capacity except editor.

“Jesse Holland (BA 94) was one of my early editors at the DM and a good friend,” Hitt says, “but also someone that helped me recognize and develop the potential and talent that I didn’t see in myself.”

During this time, Hitt learned about his first job opportunity after graduation.

“I was getting ready to graduate and didn’t know where I was going to go,” he says. “The staff manager for the DM said I should go to Indianola, Mississippi, and I said, ‘Where’s that?’

I ended up working for five years at The Enterprise-Tocsin where my first editor out of college was an Ole Miss journalism alumnus, Jim Abbott (BBA 66, BSJ 70).”

Abbott, 2003 recipient of the School of Journalism and New Media’s Silver Em Award, has nothing but praise for his friend and mentee.

“It was evident from the start that David had the potential to become a truly talented journalist, and we enjoyed watching him attain that while at our newspaper,” Abbott says. “He was fresh out of Ole Miss and tackled some tough investigative stories, which won several top awards from the Mississippi Press Association.

“Being the good-natured person that he is, David has a knack to interview persons in a way that opens them up and

city of Indianola for playing a critical role in the development of his career.

“I tell people that I was raised in Huntsville, but I grew up in Indianola. My experience there was a foundation for my entire career, and I could not have asked for a better first boss out of college. He was a great editor, leader, mentor and, in a lot of ways, a father figure.”

After his post at The Enterprise-Tocsin, Hitt spent a year working for Boone Newspapers Inc., in Houston, Mississippi, and later as editor for The Webster Progress-Times in Eupora.

“The entire time I was working for newspapers in Mississippi, my parents really wanted me to come back to Huntsville,” Hitt recalls. “But I was really happy working for newspapers.”

Hitt shows models of the rocket and the ‘Orion Stage Adapter’ in which the CubeSat payloads launch.

The SLS hydrogen tank test article

extracts interesting revelations. The citizens of Sunflower County appreciated his writing abilities and professionalism.

We’ve enjoyed following [his] accomplishments at NASA and in the book world. I’m so proud of him.”

Hitt is quick to credit his mentor, Abbott, as well as the

wonderful way to get your feet wet in what could otherwise be a very technical and intimidating world.”

Hitt began working for NASA in August 2002 as a senior writer and editor supporting NASA’s educational technology services. He then transitioned to a contract position under

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Career Launch While Hitt visited his hometown one weekend, his mother put him in touch with the manager of an education group at Marshall Space Flight Center, who happened to be looking for someone to write education articles for the NASA website.

“The job sounded kind of interesting, so I ended up coming to Marshall, working in education,” Hitt says. “It was a great fit for me at the time because the stories I was writing were for elementary school and high school grade levels. At the time, my understanding of science was at about that level, so if I understood it myself, I could write it at that level. It was a

asked by his former manager, Kimberly Robinson, who at the time was head of the payloads group, to write a payload integration plan.

“That was a 60-page-long technical document, and I knew nothing about writing payload integration plans,” Hitt says.

“But I figured that Kimberly had worked with me enough that if she thought I could do it, I should probably just trust her.

I’m so blessed to have a manager that sees in me things I don’t necessarily see in myself. That gives me the opportunity to do the next illogical thing.

“When you think about your career, it’s so easy to think in terms of the next logical step. I’m doing this now, so the next logical step is I should do that. But when you listen to people who have had incredible opportunities in their careers, at some point they’re going to talk about the illogical stuff when instead of doing that thing that made sense to do next, they did the thing that made almost no sense at all and opened doors.”

The Next Illogical Step

(top) Signing the inside of the Orion Stage Adapter; (bottom) Hitt stands on the Super Guppy plane with the Orion Stage Adapter.

ASRC (Arctic Slope Regional Corp.) Federal as a communications strategist supporting NASA’s Space Launch System, America’s next-generation heavy-lift rocket for human and scientific exploration of deep space.

A pivotal point in Hitt’s career came in 2017, when he was

Once those doors opened, Hitt became an integral part of not only communications but also the technical aspect of payload integration.

In March 2019, Jim Bridenstine, administrator of NASA, announced a $21 billion budget enabling the space program to go back to the moon and “continue ushering in a new era of human spaceflight as we launch American astronauts on American rockets from American soil for the first time since 2011. The Space Launch System, Orion spacecraft and Gateway will continue to be our backbone for deep space exploration.”

Hitt soon found himself involved in helping to identify possible missions that might benefit from flying on the SLS and communicating with people about the capabilities the vehicle offers.

“The fact that we are going back to the moon and will have human beings walking on the lunar surface in the next 10 years, and that this rocket is going to play a major role in making that happen, is an exciting thing to be a part of,” Hitt says.

“When I moved over to the team two years ago within the Space Launch System program, working with payload engagement, that was a very interesting move for me. My background, experience and education are all in communications. It’s incredibly exciting work, and it’s so awesome seeing the ideas and excitement out there in the science community about the opportunities that this rocket presents.”

The foundation and education the University of Mississippi provided were much broader than just his coursework. Hitt learned to think outside the box and be comfortable in situations that on the surface appear intimidating.

“I won the award for place you’d never expect an Ole Miss journalism alum to end up,” Hitt muses. “But everything I’ve done is so completely rooted in the journalism education I received. The biggest thing they taught us was what it takes to go into an environment that you know nothing about and become sufficiently (conversant) about it so that you can write about it as well as anyone.

“You can go into a police station or a mayor’s office and have a conversation as peers because you are as capable of S P R I N G 2 019

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having this conversation as that person is. When you get out into the real world, that is an amazingly valuable skill to have.

I left Ole Miss knowing nothing about rockets or payload utilization, but I left with the skills to become smart about things that I knew nothing about.”

For Hitt, the most satisfying aspect of his work is knowing a day will come when he can go outside and look at the moon and know people will be walking on it again due, in part, to his and the entire NASA team’s work and dedication.

From Newspapers to NASA Twenty years ago, working for a small-town Mississippi newspaper, would he ever have imagined himself being a part of humans once again exploring the lunar surface?

“In a word, no,” Hitt says. “I thought somebody was going to find me dead, slumped over a publisher’s desk at a newspaper at a small town in Mississippi, and I was very excited about that.

“I had the opportunity to marry two great career loves together, and it just doesn’t get much better than that. If you

Astronaut Jack Lousma (left) with David Hitt at the ‘Searching for Skylab’ movie world premiere

want to work for NASA, seriously consider being an engineer.

But if you’re somebody who’s already made that decision with a passion somewhere else, don’t give up that dream, because there are people working here in any field you can think of.

I love being someone who’s able to say ‘Don’t think having a dream means you have to give up on another dream.’”

When he’s not working on rockets, Hitt boasts author, speaker, actor and civic volunteer on his vast resumé. He is co-author of two books, Homesteading Space: The Skylab Story, written with astronauts Owen Garriott and Joe Kerwin, and Bold They Rise: The Space Shuttle Early Years.

Hitt serves as president of the Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society and volunteers at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. He enjoys leading trolley tours for Alabama Constitution Village and field trips for the Huntsville Historic Depot.

He’s a guide for the Huntsville Ghost Walk, participates in the annual Maple Hill Cemetery Stroll and blogs for the Huntsville-Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“Having the opportunity to work on those books and being in a situation where I’m in a conference room full of people 30

ALUMNI REVIEW

(top) Hitt with his wife, Rebecca, at the Maple Hill Cemetery Stroll; (bottom) The writer speaks to educators about his books at Space Camp.

and I’m one of only two that hasn’t been to space is kind of surreal,” Hitt says. “I’m proud to have recorded that history so that it’s out there and viable decades from now.

“Even the work I do promoting Huntsville for the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the stuff I do with the ghost walks for the cemetery stroll — all of it comes down to storytelling. That was instilled in me at Ole Miss and Oxford. You’re at a school, living in a community where narrative is just in the air you breathe. It’s easy to take a little bit of that with you when you leave.”

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Photo by nathanblackhdr.com ALUMNI REVIEW

Ground Zero helps spark Delta tourism, becomes blues mecca

Photo b y Timoth y Ivy

BY TOM SPEED

ill Luckett (JD 73) has long been the type to wear many hats. Likewise, he’s embodied an entrepreneurial spirit — one that is both restless and curious, and willing to take on challenges. For the past 17 years, he has synthesized all those traits into building a Mississippi brand with a worldwide reach.

Luckett worked his way through college and law school at the University of Mississippi by helming a house-painting crew made up of fellow students.

He brags that he painted UM Chancellor Emeritus, then law professor, Robert Khayat’s house during that time.

He went on to a career in law and business.

He’s been a politician as mayor of Clarksdale and a Mississippi gubernatorial candidate. He’s a jet pilot and a motorcycle enthusiast. In recent years, he’s become a working actor, a card-carrying member of the Screen Actors Guild, appearing in films as varied as the drama “Texas Heart” and the comedy-horror romp “Attack of the Southern Fried Zombies.”

But despite his record of achievement and exploration, he’s perhaps most well-known for his involvement with his famous friend, actor Morgan Freeman. Years ago, Freeman, a Mississippi native, hired Luckett to help him with some legal work concerning a house he was building in the Delta.

The two struck up a quick friendship, and over many nights of dining out in Clarksdale, Oxford and Memphis, both came to the same conclusion. Clarksdale, often heralded as the home of the blues, the spot of the infamous crossroads, was turning into a mecca for blues tourists. But S P R I N G 2 019

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About the same time Freeman and Luckett were concocting their plan, Roger Stolle was deciding to move to the area.

Stolle, a longtime blues fan and Ohio native, was a corporate executive for a St. Louis advertising firm. Then he had a life-changing experience on a visit to Junior Kimbrough’s Juke Joint in 1996, and soon became a regular visitor to Mississippi.

One summer, he reached the same conclusion as Freeman and Luckett.

“I was here in the summer of 2000,” Stolle says. “And on a Saturday night, there was no live music at all. That was kind of stunning to me, on a Saturday night in the middle of summer

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Ground Zero of Photo courtesy

Photo courte sy of G round Zero

the home of the blues had no live blues music of which to speak.

When tourists would come to town, they’d visit the Delta Blues Museum and inquire where they might hear some live music. Only a smattering of juke joints offered occasional live music, so the tourists left.

“Most of the [juke joints] had closed, gone out of business or burned down,” Luckett says. “There were very few juke joints around then. If there were any, there was no consistency to the music offerings.”

So, they set out to change that. In 2001, they opened the Ground Zero Blues Club on one end of Delta Avenue in Clarksdale. The intention at the time was merely to provide live blues music, by local artists, on Friday and Saturday nights. A requirement of the liquor license was to have a full kitchen, so a restaurant was born as well. On the other end of the block, they opened the more upscale Madidi restaurant.

“We wanted to make them kind of like anchor tenants on a shopping center,” Luckett says.

By 2012, Madidi had closed but had served its purpose by spurring some economic rebirth in Clarksdale. Beyond providing a spark plug for local development, the blues club gave blues aficionados worldwide a definitive destination.

In time, Ground Zero would provide a nexus — a place where the music lived and breathed among real, living people.

No longer was a visit to Clarksdale just a photo opp for an Instagram page; it provided a pilgrimage destination. Along with the Blues Trail, and other attractions around the Delta, the Mississippi Delta increasingly became a hotspot of international blues tourism.

in Clarksdale, Mississippi. That’s what it had fallen to.”

By July 2002, Stolle had pulled up stakes and moved to Clarksdale to open Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art, a record store and art gallery located on Delta Avenue, smack dab between Ground Zero and Madidi. Just as planned, he’d come to Mississippi specifically to help preserve a blues tradition he loved but felt was languishing. He arrived just in time. “[Ground Zero] was the start,” Stolle says. “Everything else was still in decline. It was one of the few bright spots … one of the foundational blocks. It would take several years and other things happening to really get the momentum, but it was certainly the beginning.”

By 2003, Stolle became the talent booker at Ground Zero, and eventually convinced Luckett and Freeman to expand their lineup to include Wednesday and Thursday nights. The goal was to move toward live music every night of the week to convince tourists not just to visit Clarksdale but to stay.

“My theory,” says Stolle, “was that if we were the town that had the music at night, we would be the town that had the overnight visitors. Back then, you just got a two-hour visitor, and that doesn’t do anything really. There was the Delta Blues Museum. Ground Zero would’ve been open for lunch, and then Cat Head. You can do that in two hours and then off to the next stop. If we became the town with music, then that’s where you’d spend the night.”

He worked closely with the proprietor of Red’s Lounge, the only other juke joint that was operating on anywhere near a consistent basis. Then others started moving to the area.

A couple from Florida opened up the Bluesberry Cafe. When they struggled to compete with Ground Zero on the weekends, Stolle coordinated a plan for his employee and blues musician Sean “Bad” Apple to play at Bluesberry every Monday night.

While Ground Zero and Clarksdale at large increased their tourism draw, the rest of the world took notice. Tour buses arrive full of blues buffs from all over the world eager to visit the birthplace of the blues, and inevitably, that draws them to Ground Zero.

“During a five-day period, about a year and a half ago, we had four buses,” Luckett says. “That is not unusual in itself, but these four buses were from Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.

“Our biggest customer groups are from the U.K. and Australia,” he says.

One night, Luckett took the stage to award a bumper sticker to the fan who had traveled the farthest to be there.

Asking for a show of hands, he asked how many people were from Mississippi, then how many from the South, then how

ommunicat ions Coopwood C Photo courte sy of

Zero Ground

Photo courtesy of Ground Zero

of ourtesy Photo c

Then Red’s took Sunday nights. A blues art gallery called Hambone opened and took Tuesday night. The week was covered.

“We’ve worked really hard to cover every single night,” Stolle says. “We do not miss a night for live music here in Clarksdale now. It’s 365 nights a year. … Even holidays.”

In 2004, Stolle, along with Bubba O’Keefe, now chief of the tourism department, started the Juke Joint Blues Festival. Each spring, it showcases dozens of blues acts for free on a downtown stage for a family-friendly event. At night, the purchase of a wristband allows entrance into all the juke joints in town.

Some years, more than 3,000 wristbands are sold. The daytime crowds are sometimes double that.

many from the U.S. As his circle grew wider, he asked them to lower their hands.

“There were some people from Europe,” Luckett says.

“But after them, there were still six hands left up. Turns out, there were six different groups of people from different cities in Australia. All in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on a Wednesday night!”

The club also draws regular busloads of local people. Fraternity parties from Ole Miss are a constant. The Oxford Film Festival includes a trip to Ground Zero each year as one of the perks it provides the visiting filmmakers from around the world. Ole Miss professor Samir Husni brings the attendees of his American Magazine Media Conference to visit Ground Zero each year. Rebel Road Trip stopped at Ground Zero in April, garnering a local crowd of Ole Miss fans. Luckett estimates that 85 percent of the club’s clientele on an average night is from out of town.

But in addition to busloads of tourists, the club attracts high-profile guests. Ground Zero has become a family destination for rock royalty who were highly influenced by Delta blues during the birth of rock ’n’ roll, especially the British Invasion artists of the 1960s.

“A lot of those bands really based their music on our blues music, though I didn’t realize it at the time,” Luckett says. “Now we have rock stars who want to bring their children.”

Artists such as Robert Plant, Ozzy Osbourne, Willie Nelson and Paul Simon have all visited with their children. When the alternative rock band The Flaming Lips embarked on a trek to break the Guinness Book’s world record for most concerts in a 24-hour period, they chose Ground Zero as one of their tour stops, where they played a short set preceded by modern blues great Gary Clark Jr. They broke that record, surpassing Jay-Z, by playing eight 15-minute shows in a 24-hour trek that started in Memphis

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and ended in New Orleans, including a brief stop in Oxford.

Many bands come to Ground Zero and play for heavily discounted rates or for free, just to be able to perform on hallowed ground.

“About 200 different bands a year come through there,” Luckett says. “We have one band flying in on a private jet from Denver, Colorado. They’ll have no hope of making money [with the price of fuel], but they want to play here. We have a British band that comes in to play King Biscuit Festival in Helena, Arkansas, each year, and they play free on that Sunday just because they love it.”

For the most part, Ground Zero Blues Club has fulfilled its mission. Live blues music is played in Clarksdale pretty much all the time. It’s back on the map as a tourist destination, and that, in turn, has enlivened blues tourism throughout the area.

The downtown area is vibrant. The owners are still dedicated.

Yet, it’s always been a labor of love.

“I think people look at it and think Bill Luckett and Morgan Freeman are making all this money,” Stolle says. “But they’re not. Without having their hearts in it, they wouldn’t have kept it going.”

Indeed, Luckett concedes that in its 17 years, Ground Zero has yet to break even. They’ve recently brought in an additional owner from Portland, Oregon, to help on the financial side.

“It’s a labor of love,” Luckett says. “But we do it right. We pay the bands fairly. We offer workers’ comp and all the things to make this a viable business.”

More importantly, the successes of Ground Zero can be seen not just in its own bottom line but in the vibrancy it introduced to a once-dormant Delta Avenue and the worldwide exposure it’s given to an almost forgotten legacy.

“It’s the promised land and mecca and whatever else you want to call it,” Luckett says. “It’s well branded worldwide.

We’re a big draw now. We’re only 17 years old, but we are kind of the grandfathers of the local clubs.”

Meanwhile, Luckett spends time maintaining his law practice, serving as the CEO of Ground Zero, riding motorcycles, flying jet planes and teaching. As an adjunct professor at the UM School of Law, he teaches an intersession course in, appropriately enough, entrepreneurship for lawyers. He’s done that for the past seven years. In recent years, he’s expanded to teach courses in the legal studies department of the School of Applied Sciences in entrepreneurship and civil litigation.

“It’s a great head start for those wanting to go to law school,” he says.

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ALUMNI REVIEW

If his restless spirit continues to motivate him, he credits it to his upbringing.

“My mother put the poem ‘If ’ by Rudyard Kipling in my high school scrapbook,” he says. “I’ve tried to live my life by those verses. A person told me once that if you can do 80 percent of the things you want to do and 20 percent of the things you have to do, you’ve really accomplished something. I love what I do. I think I’m about 70/30 right now.”

If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools: If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

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Sports OLE MISS

Soccer Star

CHANNING FOSTER CALLED UP TO U.S. U-23 NATIONAL TEAM

F

resh off a second-straight high-scoring season for the Rebels, Ole Miss’ Channing Foster is donning a new red, white and blue kit this summer after being named to the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team roster for the 2019 Thorns Spring Invitational in Portland, Oregon, March 24-30.

It is Foster’s first-ever call up at the national level.

The young Americans went 2-1-0 at the friendly tournament, falling to Reign FC 2-1 on March 24 and defeating the host Portland Thorns 1-0 on March 27.

The U.S. defeated the Chicago Red Stars 2-1 in its third and final match at the tournament, which featured a dramatic game-winning goal by Foster in the first minute of second half stoppage time.

“Having the chance to play with some of the very best players in the country is so exciting,” Foster says. “Getting the call up

to Team USA is such an answered prayer, and I am so thankful.”

Foster is one of 24 players selected by U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team head coach B.J. Snow, joining fellow SEC players Haley Hopkins from Vanderbilt and Ally Watt from Texas A&M. The Rebel sophomore also joins the likes of 2018 MAC Hermann Trophy winner Cararina Macario of Stanford and international players in Schuyler Debree (Sparta Prague in the Czech Republic) and Martha Thomas (Le Havre in France).

This is the third year in a row the U.S. U-23s have participated in the Thorns Spring Invitational. All the matches were held at Merlo Field on the campus of the University of Portland.

“We are thrilled for Channing to be called up to the U-23 National Team for the Thorns Spring Invitational,” says Ole Miss head coach Matt Mott. “She has had a great first two years as a Rebel, and she is extremely deserving of this call up.”

Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

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ALUMNI REVIEW

Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

OLE MISS Sports

Kermit Davis

Strong Start

DAVIS SELECTED AS SEC COACH OF THE YEAR

I

n his first season as Ole Miss head coach, Kermit Davis was tabbed SEC Coach of the Year by his peers as well as the Associated Press.

Davis became the sixth Ole Miss men’s basketball coach to earn SEC Coach of the Year honors. He joined the winningest coach in program history, Andy Kennedy, as the only two coaches to be named SEC Coach of the Year in his first season guiding the Rebels. Not even a full year into his tenure in Oxford, Davis took Ole Miss to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in four seasons and just the third in the past 17 years. The Leakesville native has led one of the biggest turnarounds in the country, as the Rebels improved from 12-20 (5-13 SEC) a season ago to 20-11 (10-8 SEC) heading into the conference tournament.

“First of all, I would like to thank Ross Bjork for giving me

this wonderful opportunity at Ole Miss,” the Rebel head coach says. “It’s an honor to be recognized among such an elite group of coaches that we have in the SEC. A huge thanks to the hard work of our coaching staff, support staff and players that make these awards possible.”

With 20 wins already, Kermit Davis became just the third active SEC head coach to win at least 20 games in his first season in the conference (John Calipari – Kentucky, Mike White – Florida). While Ole Miss was projected to finish last in the SEC, Davis got the Rebels off to a hot start.

Ole Miss began conference play 3-0, helping Davis become the first Rebel head coach to win his first three SEC games.

He was the second coach to win 13 of his first 15 games as well as the third coach in program history to win 20 games in his first season.

S P R I N G 2 019

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OLE MISS Sports

Time to Build on Success OLE MISS EXTENDS CONTRACT OF YOLETT MCPHEE-MCCUIN

O

le Miss women’s basketball head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has agreed in principle to a new four-year contract that runs through 2023, Ole Miss Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Ross Bjork announced on April 4.

“Coach McPhee-McCuin has been a breath of fresh air for our women’s basketball program from the moment she stepped foot on campus,” Bjork says. “Her energy and passion for our student-athletes to excel in life and on the court shines through in every moment that she leads our program.

“She inherited a very tough situation, but coaching, hard work, commitment, recruiting and patience are the key ingredients as she and her staff build the program to meet the high standards of Ole Miss women’s basketball. One day soon, we will look up with excitement as Coach Yo will deliver a great program that is built to last. We are thankful for Coach Yo’s commitment to Ole Miss and will continue to build the program together.”

McPhee-McCuin is coming off her first season at the helm for the Rebels. Despite inheriting a team that had just four returnees, she built a nearly brand-new Rebel roster and rallied them into a high-energy unit from wire to wire.

Under her guidance, Ole Miss improved its SEC win total by two games from 2017-18, took down a ranked opponent on the road for the first time since 2011 at No. 16 Kentucky on Jan.

13 (the first win at UK since 2007 as well), and mentored the first All-SEC honoree for the Rebels since 2014-15 in SecondTeam member Crystal Allen, who was consistently one of the top players in the SEC all season long.

“I can’t believe it’s been a year already,” McPhee-McCuin says. “I was extremely grateful for the opportunity last year, and to this date the feeling has not changed. I would like to thank Ross and Chancellor Sparks for their vote of confidence in my staff and myself as we take the necessary steps to build this program back into a national brand.

“This year has not looked like success as far as wins and losses, but if you had a chance to watch us play this year, it is evident that we are heading in the right direction. There is no doubt that with time and continued effort, we will be a force to reckon with in the SEC.” McPhee-McCuin and her staff also made community engagement a high priority, as the Rebels participated in numerous community service events throughout the year and renewed its push to engage with fans and season ticket holders both at games and in the community at large.

“I sincerely appreciate everyone that has attended a game, reached out to us on social media and supported our program,” McPhee-McCuin says. “It is my hope that we can continue to fill The Pavilion and make women’s basketball games the place to be in town.”

Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Yolett McPhee-McCuin 40

ALUMNI REVIEW

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OLE MISS Sports

Chucky’s Legacy

AUSTRIAN ROBINSON WINS CHUCKY MULLINS COURAGE AWARD Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

A

s part of the Nissan Grove Bowl festivities, Ole Miss handed out its annual spring football awards, headlined by senior defensive end Austrian Robinson being named the 2019 Chucky Mullins Courage Award winner.

A native of New York, New York, Robinson became the 29th recipient in the 30-year history of the award when it was revealed at a lunch ceremony on April 6, presented by the M-Club.

Robinson will wear Mullins’ No. 38 jersey throughout the 2019 season.

The award, sponsored by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, honors the late Chucky Mullins, who had his Ole Miss career come to an end during the 1989 Homecoming game against Vanderbilt when he was paralyzed after making a tackle.

After returning to his studies at Ole Miss, Mullins died on May 6, 1991.

Robinson was selected from among several veteran defensive players by head

Austrian Robinson

coach Matt Luke and the Rebel coaching staff. The award is presented annually to an Ole Miss upperclassman defensive player who embodies the spirit of Mullins — courage, leadership, perseverance and determination.

In his three-year Ole Miss career, Robinson has appeared in 26 games on the Rebels’ defensive line. Robinson, who played in 11 games last season at both defensive tackle and defensive end, has 52 career tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss.

GUTIERREZ EARNS FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICAN AT NCAA INDOOR FINALS

O Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

le Miss track-and-field senior Derek Gutierrez posted the highest finish ever by a Rebel in the mile, earning First-Team All-American status at the final

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ALUMNI REVIEW

day of the 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships on March 9.

Ole Miss entered the day’s mile final as the only school with multiple entries in

the mile, with Gutierrez and sophomore Waleed Suliman working together early on. Both Rebels jumped into an early lead, holding firm at the top at the 800-meter mark. It was then, though, that the rest of the pack jumped ahead and took the lead from Ole Miss. Gutierrez was able to hold on for a seventh-place finish at 4:09.28, the highest finish ever by a Rebel in the men’s mile while also making him the first to ever score in the event. Suliman, meanwhile, finished ninth at 4:10.49 for Second-Team All-American honors.

The Rebel men finished with three total meet points scored after Gutierrez’s finish in the mile and the eighth-place performance by the men’s distance medley relay, which ended up tied for 47th place overall in the team standings.

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OLE MISS Sports

OLE MISS RIFLE SWEEPS CRCA ALL-AMERICAN AWARDS

F

or the first time in program history, every Ole Miss Rifle student-athlete has earned Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association Scholastic All-American recognition, as recently announced by the organization.

“Actually, to have every single one of our team members qualify for (the) Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association Academic Award is outstanding,” says head coach Marsha Beasley. “I had a wonderful group this

year, and they approached everything with intensity. They are obviously getting it done in the classroom just as they are getting it done on the range.”

Leading the way with their third scholar award each were seniors Harley Gardner and Randi Loudin.

Abby Buesseler, Hayley Carroll, Alana Kelly, Kamilla Kisch and Megan Taylor won the honor for the second time, while Emily

Cock, Sophia Cuozzo, Erin Walsh and Jillian Zakrzeski made the grade for their first honor.

The program’s previous best total of athletes was eight, set in 2011-12. This season, 181 total student-athletes were CRCA Scholastic All-Americans. Only Nevada (14) and Akron (12) placed more as a team than the Rebels.

To earn CRCA All-Academic status, a student-athlete must maintain a 3.2 cumulative or fall GPA.

Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

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ALUMNI REVIEW

The first step in reaching your goals is reaching the person who can help you achieve them.

Putting the needs of clients first is the approach I believe in, and it starts by listening to you and understanding your dreams. I’ll work with you to find the right financial solutions to help you plan for your unique goals.

Our Advisors. Your Dreams. MORE WITHIN REACH®

Call me today at (601) 442.6292 319 Main St Forrest A Johnson III, CFP® Financial Advisor Natchez, Forrest A. Johnson III, CFA, CFP® MS 39120

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Financial Advisor801 Clay Street, Suite 1 319 Main Street Natchez, MS 39120

PO Box 820139 Vicksburg, MS 39182

801 Clay Street, Suite 1 601-442-6292 Vicksburg, MS 39182

forrest.johnson@ampf.com

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Published JUST

The Reckoning: A Novel b y John

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Grisham (JD 81), 417 pages, $29.95 (Hardcover), Doubleday, ISBN: 9780385544154 Pete Banning was Clanton, Mississippi’s favorite son — a decorated World War II hero, the patriarch of a prominent family, a farmer, father, neighbor and a faithful member of the Methodist church. Then one cool October morning he rose early, drove into town and committed a shocking crime. Pete’s only statement about it — to the sheriff, to his lawyers, to the judge, to the jury and to his family — was: “I have nothing to say.” He was not afraid of death and was willing to take his motive to the grave.

In a major novel unlike anything he has written before, John Grisham takes us on an incredible journey, from the Jim Crow South to the jungles of the Philippines during World War II; from an insane asylum filled with secrets to the Clanton courtroom where Pete’s defense attorney tries desperately to save him.

John Grisham is the author of 32 novels, one work of nonfiction, a collection of stories and six novels for young readers. Over 300 million Grisham books are in print worldwide, which have been translated into 29 languages.

ALUMNI REVIEW

Cemetery Road: A Novel b y Greg Iles (BA 83), 608 pages, $28.99 (Hardcover), William Morrow, ISBN: 9780062824619 When Marshall McEwan left his Mississippi hometown at 18, he vowed never to return. The trauma that drove him away spurred him to become one of the most successful journalists in Washington, D.C. But as the ascendancy of a chaotic administration lifts him from print fame to television stardom, Marshall discovers that his father is terminally ill, and he must return home to face the unfinished business of his past.

On arrival, he finds Bienville very much changed. His family’s 150-yearold newspaper is failing; and Jet Turner, the love of his youth, has married into the family of Max Matheson, one of a dozen powerful patriarchs who rule the town through the exclusive Bienville Poker Club. To Marshall’s surprise,

the Poker Club has taken a town on the brink of extinction and offered it salvation, in the form of a billion-dollar Chinese paper mill. But on the verge of the deal being consummated, two murders rock Bienville to its core, threatening far more than the city’s economic future.

The Poker Club’s secret reaches all the way to Washington, D.C., and could shake the foundations of the U.S. Senate. But by the time Marshall grasps the long-buried truth about his own history, he would give almost anything

not to have to face it.

Greg Iles spent most of his youth in Natchez. His first novel, Spandau Phoenix, was the first of 13 New York Times best-sellers. Iles’ novels have been made into films and published in more than 35 countries. He lives in Natchez with his wife and has two children.

Touching Lives – Jerome Smith b y Pam (PhD 00) and Jerome Smith

(BAEd 48, MEd 51), 130 pages, $50.74 (Paperback), Scan South Publishing, ISBN: 9780368299308 Growing up as a poor dirt farmer, Jerome Smith decided early on that he would change his life, and along the way, he changed so many others’ lives.

Touching Lives is his story. With his long life has come many opportunities to learn, grow and touch people through his experiences and wisdom.

Read about his early life in Noxapater, the military where he was an Air Force glider pilot, his happy years at the University of Mississippi, and life as a retired educator where he was instrumental in obtaining health insurance for teachers and served on former Mississippi Gov. Kirk Fordice’s cabinet.

He was in the thick of the integration of the public schools in Jackson and served as principal of Callaway High School in Jackson for many years.

Information presented in this section is compiled from material provided by the publisher and/or author and does not necessarily represent the view of the Alumni Review or the Ole Miss Alumni Association. To present a recently published book or CD for consideration, please mail a copy with any descriptions and publishing information to: Ole Miss Alumni Review, Ole Miss Alumni Association, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677.

The Return of an Icon In 1865, Civil War veterans George and Joe O’Bryan had an idea - repurpose army tent material to make work pants. The canvas cloth, known as “duck,” served as inspiration for their company trademark. Over a century later, Duck Head was “discovered” by brand savvy college students who began wearing Duck Head chinos to class, football games, spring break, even church. By 1990, the gold mallard became a symbol of southern sensibility from Austin to Nantucket. Today’s Duck Head remains true to its humble roots. We invite you to welcome back this American icon and join the revival.

www.DuckHead.com Use code GOREBS for free shipping on all orders at www.DuckHead.com.

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Traveler 2019-20 REBEL

Prague bridges over the Danube River

T

he Ole Miss Alumni Association is offering a number of spectacular trips in 2019.

Alumni and friends obtain group rates and discounts. All prices are per person, based on double occupancy and subject to change until booking. Airfare is not included unless noted. For a brochure or more information, contact the Alumni office at 662-915-7375. Prices and dates are subject to change. Visit the Ole Miss Alumni Association’s website at olemissalumni.com/travel for the most up-to-date information.

CANADIAN ROCKIES EXPLORER SEPT. 7-17, 2019 Tour Operator: Odysseys Unlimited

One of North America’s great unspoiled wildernesses, the Canadian Rockies richly reward outdoor lovers, as this 11-day small group adventure reveals.

After exploration of cosmopolitan Calgary, a nature-focused itinerary brings you face to face with some truly stunning sights. Encounter majestic Glacier National Park, riding a legendary Red Jammer sightseeing bus along 48

ALUMNI REVIEW

the fabled Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Continue on to Whitefish, Montana, an authentic mountain town, hike scenic Whitefish Trail, then savor more striking scenery en route to world-famous Banff National Park. Highlights here include visits to photogenic Lake Louise and the Columbia Icefield, and traversing Athabasca Glacier in a special vehicle. Jasper National Park follows, with its dramatic Maligne Canyon and a cruise on cerulean Maligne Lake. An exhilarating expedition to Glacier Skywalk affords spectacular views. On the final full day, ride the Banff Gondola to Sulphur Mountain’s peak, and see two more natural wonders: the Hoodoos and Bow Falls. — From $4,295

SYMPHONY ON THE BLUE DANUBE SEPT. 16-25, 2019 Tour Operator: Gohagan

Visit five countries and up to six UNESCO World Heritage sites on this exclusive journey to the cultural centers that inspired classical music’s great masters. Framed by rolling hillsides, lush vineyards and medieval castles,

the Danube River Valley has resonated with musicians, artists, poets and travelers throughout the centuries and contributed to the world the genius of its most renowned virtuosos. This unique combination of river and land travel includes three nights in the medieval gem of Prague and a five-night cruise on the legendary Blue Danube from Passau, Germany, to Budapest, Hu n g a r y, t h rou g h t h e s t u n n i n g Wachau Valley aboard the exclusively chartered, deluxe Amadeus Queen, launched in 2018 as one of the finest ships on the waterways of Europe. This custom-designed and carefully orchestrated itinerary includes private performances featuring the musical heritage of Europe’s accomplished composers, including Mozart and Beethoven, and a comprehensive schedule of exclusive expert lectures and guided excursions featuring magnificent Melk Abbey, the storybook village of Dürnstein, imperial Vienna and medieval Bratislava.

Berlin pre-program and Budapest post-program options are offered. — From $3,195

2019-20 REBEL Traveler COLORS, COASTS AND COVES OF CANADA AND NEW ENGLAND SEPT. 27-OCT. 8, 2019 Tour Operator: Go Next

Take in vibrant fall colors along the coast of New England and in Canada.

Depart from New York and sail to Newport to take in the city’s remarkable shoreline and opulent Gilded Age mansions. Then, spend two days in Boston, one of America’s oldest and most influential cities, and learn about its remarkable history. The next stop is Bar Harbor. View its sweeping natural vistas, while Saint John, the following port, is home to geological marvels such as the Reversing Falls, a daily tidal phenomenon that reverses the flow of the Saint John River. Big-city Halifax has a remarkable small-town feel, and Sydney is home to landmarks dating back to the 1700s. Before ending your cruise in Montréal, visit the setting of the historic conference that led to the formation of Canada in Charlottetown, located on Prince Edward Island — the setting of Anne of Green Gables — and stroll the romantic cobbled streets of Québec City as you admire centuriesold architecture. — From $4,099

Kotor, Montenegro

ROMANCE OF THE DOURO RIVER OCT. 1-12, 2019 Tour Operator: AHI

Portugal led the world during the Age of Discovery. Now, it is time for the world to rediscover Portugal. Spend three nights in Lisbon, and delve into its epic history. Visit the 16th-century Hieronymites Monastery, where monks and explorers prayed for successful voyages, and the Tower of Belém.

See local life unfold during a tour of Lisbon’s unique neighborhoods. Your journey continues on a seven-night cruise of the Douro River aboard your exclusively chartered river ship.

Glide through the scenic valley where port, Portugal’s famous sweet fortified wine, is produced. Spend an afternoon exploring wine country, and visit a wine cellar for a tasting. Explore Vila Real and Lamego, two towns with special architectural charm. In several ports, choose from a selection of included excursions. Options include hiking, cycling and historic tours. Enjoy an extensive meal plan and a generous selection of complimentary beverages onboard. No single supplement. — From $3,795

MAJESTIC VISTAS – VENICE TO ROME OCT. 27-NOV. 4, 2019 Tour Operator: Go Next

Explore ancient cities and alluring architecture as you set sail across the Ionian Sea. Embark Marina in Venice, and sail to Dubrovnik, an ancient walled city on the Dalmatian Coast that retains its centuries-long allure. View Venetian architecture in Kotor and opulent baroque landmarks in Valletta.

Stroll through Messina, a lovely medieval city, rich with history and famous for a cathedral where Richard the Lionheart worshipped in 1190. Before returning to Rome, rejoice in Naples, home to world-class dining, fascinating museums and treasures such as the Farnese Bull, or observe the ruins of ancient Pompeii, a vast archaeological site, standing in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. — From $1,999, including airfare, with early booking discount through April 25

ISLAND LIFE IN ANCIENT GREECE, AN AEGEAN ODYSSEY NOV. 7-15, 2019 Tour Operator: Gohagan

Join us for this unparalleled and comprehensive nine-day Aegean odyssey to the very cradle of Western civilization and the classical world. Cruise round trip Athens, Greece, aboard the exclusively chartered, newest five-star small ship Le Bougainville. Call on the islands of Delos, Mykonos, Pátmos, Rhodes and Santorini, and the Peloponnese Peninsula. Visit the extraordinary wonder of Meteora, where 14th- and 15th-century monasteries stand high atop soaring natural sandstone pinnacles, and walk through legendary sites of antiquity — including the ancient citadel of Mycenae and historic Epidaurus. Enjoy guided tours in these storied destinations, free time to encounter their mysteries and delights at your own pace during the best time of the year, and opportunities to visit seven magnificent UNESCO World Heritage sites. Meet local residents during the specially arranged Island Life Forum for a personal perspective on S P R I N G 2 019

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2019-20 REBEL Traveler sturdy Zodiac watercraft for excursions ashore, and observe Antarctica’s abundant wildlife. Spend two nights in vibrant Buenos Aires. Extend your journey with the exclusive three-night Iguazú Falls post-program option. — From $9,995

AMAZON RIVER EXPEDITION FEB. 2-14, 2020 Tour Operator: Gohagan

San Blas Islands, Panama

the true character of the Aegean Sea’s maritime culture. Extend your voyage with the Athens pre-cruise option and the Ancient Olympia post-cruise option. — From $4,795

HOLIDAY MARKETS CRUISE – THE FESTIVE RHINE RIVER DEC. 11-19, 2019 Tour Operator: AHI

Celebrate centuries-old traditions on a Rhine River cruise taking you to holiday markets in France, Germany and Switzerland. Holiday delights — Old World decorations, toys, jewelry and more — fill these festive fairs. The scent of cinnamon and nutmeg and the sounds of carolers and bells enchant your senses. New adventures await daily. In Heidelberg, visit the castle and attend a musical performance. Admire Cologne’s spectacular cathedral, and personalize your cruise with a selection of included excursions in Basel, Breisach, Rüdesheim and Strasbourg.

Ample free time allows you to explore the markets at your leisure. Aboard the 50

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exclusively chartered, first-class MS Amadeus Silver III, you’ll never miss a sight, including the scenic Rhine Gorge, on this seven-night journey. All meals are included. Wine, beer and soft drinks are complimentary with lunches and all dinners aboard the ship. There is no supplement for solo travelers. — From $2,295

EXPEDITION TO ANTARCTICA JAN. 15-28, 2020 Tour Operator: Gohagan

Join us for this spectacular 14-day journey featuring a nine-night, exclusively chartered cruise to Antarctica, Earth’s last frontier. Cruise aboard the intimate L’ Austral, one of the finest vessels in Antarctic waters, featuring private balconies in 95 percent of the deluxe, ocean-view accommodations.

Experience the White Continent in its unspoiled state — fantastically shaped icebergs, turquoise glaciers, bustling penguin rookeries and breaching whales. Accompanied by the ship’s expert team of naturalists, board

Delve into the lush Amazon River Basin and the legendary “lost city of Incas,” Machu Picchu, with a five-night cruise aboard the deluxe, all-suite Zafiro through the world’s largest rainforest ecosystem and five nights exploring the breathtaking Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cuzco. Seek rare, indigenous flora and fauna — delicate orchids and pink river dolphins — and visit local villages to observe the traditional life of the ribereños (river people). In the Urubamba Valley, visit the terraced Inca fortress of Ollanytaytambo, the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco and Machu Picchu, a mysterious engineering mar vel in the Andes. A Lima pre-program option is offered. — From $6,995

PANAMA CANAL AND COSTA RICA FEB. 2-14, 2020 Tour Operator: Gohagan

Join this incomparable nine-day journey from the Costa Rican rainforest through the mighty locks of the Panama Canal. Spend one night in a deluxe hotel in San José, Costa Rica.

Cruise for seven nights aboard the exclusively chartered, five-star Le Dumont d’Urville. Experience a daylight passage through the awe-inspiring Panama Canal, and explore the terrestrial wonders of Costa Rica’s national parks, wildlife refuges and pristine waters, which diverse marine life call home. Call at rarely visited Isla Cébaco.

Tour Panama City and visit Panama’s San Blas Islands. Enjoy lectures by exclusive onboard study leaders. Costa Rica’s Cultural and Natural Riches pre-program and Dynamic Panama post-program options are available. — From $4,995

YOU WANT A BETTER COMMERCIAL BANKER. REGIONS IS WHERE YOU’LL FIND ONE. EXPECT BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE THAT GOES BEYOND THE BALANCE SHEET. There will come a moment when you realize your Regions Commercial Relationship Manager is someone who will bring you a lot more than just ways to raise capital. You’ll see we’re here to demonstrate our value to you as local, knowledgeable business consultants. You’ll find we ask smart questions, listen to your answers and deliver smart solutions for your business. You’ll know we’re true partners. In that moment, you’ll realize you made the right choice.

LET’S START THE CONVERSATION TODAY. Chris Steiner | Commercial Banking | 662.871.6816 | christopher.steiner@regions.com

Commercial Banking | Treasury Management | Capital Markets | Wealth Management © 2019 Regions Bank. All loans and lines subject to credit approval, terms and conditions. | Regions and the Regions logo are registered trademarks of Regions Bank. The LifeGreen color is a trademark of Regions Bank.

One prestigious MBA. On campus or online. olemissbusiness.com/mba | mba@olemiss.edu | 662-915-5483 S P R I N G 2 019

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News ALUMNI

Leading the Way

2019 NEW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS

T

he new members of the Alumni Association board of directors are involved in a wide range of careers and community organizations. One-third of the board is appointed each year by the Ole Miss Alumni Association president and serves a three-year term.

STEPHEN BLAKE (BA 80) is chairman, CEO and president of Blake Gastroenterology Associates and chairman, CEO and medical director of Mount Airy Ambulatory Endoscopy Surgery Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology. A graduate of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, he is chairman of the University of Mississippi College of Liberal Arts advisory board. At Ole Miss, he was president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and was an Ole Miss ambassador.

SHUNDRAL HOBSON COLE (BA 05) is an

assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi. She has ser ved as a board member for the Magnolia Bar Association, Mississippi Women Lawyers Association and the Mississippi Prosecutors Association.

In 2014, Cole received the Mississippi Business Journal’s Leadership in Law Award for Top 10 Leading Attorneys in Mississippi. Cole is a member of Junior Auxiliary of Gulfport, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and the 2015 Leadership Gulf Coast class. She and her husband, Joseph, reside in Gulfport with their daughter, Harper.

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AMANDA GREEN (BSFCS 07) is office and financial accounts manager for Mississippi Interactive LLC. She is past president for both the Central Mississippi Ole Miss Rebel Club and the Lee County Ole Miss Rebel Club. Green and her husband, Bert, live in Jackson with their daughter and are expecting their second daughter in August.

CARL E. “HOPPY” LANGLEY III (BBA 80) is an

account manager with Otsuka Pharmaceutical. Previously, he was an executive manager with Zeneca Pharmaceuticals for 30 years before retiring in 2013. He is a silent partner in several startup companies and holds the patent on a protective apparel item for athletes competing on artificial surfaces. A native of New Ellenton, South Carolina, Langley came to Ole Miss on a football scholarship, where he was a four-year starter as a place-kicker. He is a life member of the OMAA and M-Club. He and his wife, Stephanie, have two children: Leigh and Collins.

ALUMNI News JOHNNY MALONEY (BBA 78) joined the family business, Cowboy Maloney’s, after graduating from the University of Mississippi, and now lives in Madison. Johnny Maloney, along with his brothers Con and Eddie, helped launch the digital revolution by selling the first DirecTV satellite system, Sirius Satellite Radio system and dishNET satellite internet system. Maloney is past president of the Mississippi Kidney Foundation and served as the first president of the Ole Miss Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship advisory board. He serves on the Ole Miss Business advisory board, the Salvation Army board and as chairman of the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership.

SCOTT THOMAS MATLOCK (BBA 91) is a

senior vice president, group manager with Broadway Bank in San Antonio, Texas. He is past president of the San Antonio Ole Miss Alumni Club and is vice president of Boysville Inc. in Texas.

While at Ole Miss, he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity, where he served as vice president, rush chairman and pledge class president. He was also a member of the Interfraternity Council. Matlock, a native of Memphis, and his wife, Paige (BA 91), reside in San Antonio and have one son.

MALLORY MCCORMACK (MBA 15) is a

project manager for a government contractor. She received her bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of North Alabama in 2007.

She serves on the board of directors for the American Cancer Society of Madison County and is president of the board of directors for Christmas Charities Year Round. She has also served as president of the Rocket City Ole Miss Rebel Club for the past three years. McCormack and her husband, Cody, live in Huntsville, Alabama, with their two dogs, Jazz and Annie.

They enjoy traveling and attending Ole Miss football games.

SHAQUINTA MORGAN (BE 03) serves as director of solutions architecture, U.S., for Philips Lighting. She is a licensed professional engineer, certified energy manager and LEED accredited professional. She is the recipient of the Ole Miss Alumni Association’s 2018 Outstanding Young Alumni Award and also serves on the Ole Miss Engineering advisory board. Morgan resides in Madison, Alabama, and is active in the local community and schools with her husband, Markeeva, and their two daughters, Mallory and Sydney.

BATHSHEBA T. SAMS (BSChE 81) is vice president for human resources at InterRidgeland and has a background in national Paper Co. Sams joined the forest communications and nutrition. While products industry over 37 years ago and at Ole Miss, she was chairman of the has held various positions in engineerChancellor’s University Committee and ing, manufacturing, business and corposerved as secretary and editor of Kappa rate human resources. Sams serves as Delta Sorority. After graduating, she chair of the board for NEXUS (mentormarried A. William May (BPA 73), and ing leadership organization), executive they raised two daughters. She is a past board member for the National Civil president of the Jackson Preparatory Rights Museum, board member for Memphis in May and MemSchool alumni board. She is a Junior League of Jackson sus- phis Tourism, North Carolina A&T business school executive tainer and a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Jack- advisory board, University of South Carolina MHR Program son. She is also a proud grandmother of one grandson, Adam. strategic advisory board and University of Mississippi School of Engineering advisory board.

MARTY HEDERMAN MAY (BA 75) resides in

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ALUMNI News BERNARD L. SHIPP (BA 66, MD 70) has practiced ophthalmology in Corinth for over 40 years. He recently moved into a new office building and surgery center with his son, John (BA 99, MD 05), and another ophthalmologist. While at Ole Miss, he was in the honors program and was a member of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. He is an elder at First Presbyterian Church. He and his wife, Sherri Farmer (BSN 67), have four children and 11 grandchildren.

CANDIE SIMMONS (BBA 02, MBA 15) is a senior vice president and geography marketing strategist for Regions Financial Corp. in Jackson. In this position, she provides marketing support for the bank’s lines of business throughout Alabama, south Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana.

She also works with different entities to promote and provide financial education, as well as support the bank’s HBCU initiative and SEC sponsorships. She is a native of Ocean Springs.

JAMES THREADGILL (BBA 77) served for 30

years in a number of management roles for BancorpSouth Bank throughout Mississippi, including the last 12 years in Tupelo as senior executive vice president with responsibility for mortgage, insurance and wealth management before retiring in 2017. He serves as vice chairman of the board of directors for the Mississippi University for Women Foundation and as a consultant to BancorpSouth Bank. He is married to the former Carol Palmer (BS 80) of Forest, and they have two sons.

JESS WALTMAN (BAccy 13, JD 16) is an attorney with Davis & Crump P.C. in Gulfport. He serves as president of the Harrison County Young Lawyers Association and on the board for the Mississippi Bar Young Lawyers Division. A 2013 Ole Miss Hall of Fame inductee, Waltman served as president of Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity and as an Ole Miss ambassador. In law school, he served as president of the law school student body and on the editorial board of the Mississippi Law Journal.

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WILLIAM ELISHA YORK JR. (BSPh 85) is a

partner in and senior vice president of Concord Inc., an Atlanta corporation operating nine independent pharmacies in the north metro Atlanta area.

While at Ole Miss, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and has previously served on the School of Pharmacy alumni board. He joined Concord in 1995 and has specialized in infertility treatments and, most recently, dermatological compounding. He is an active member of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church in Atlanta.

NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR SERVICE ominations are open for the positions of president-elect and vice president for the Ole Miss Alumni Association in 2019-20. Any member in good standing of the Association may submit in writing or electronically to the executive director of Alumni Affairs the name(s) of one or more persons to be considered by the nominating committee in its selection of nominees for president-elect and/or vice president of the Association. Each person shall have served on the board of directors of the Association or otherwise notably participated in the activities of the Association. Nominations are due by Aug. 21, 2019.

They may be sent to the attention of Kirk Purdom, executive director, Ole Miss Alumni Association, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS, 38677 or emailed to kirk@olemiss.edu.

ALUMNI News

Class Notes ’50s

ALBERT W. LYLE (BBA 59) of

Jackson, former member of the Ole Miss golf team, was inducted into the Mississippi Tennis Hall of Fame in January.

’60s

PHILLIP BURNETT (BBA 66)

of Memphis, a former chief staff executive for the National Cotton Council, received the 2018 Harry S. Baker Distinguished Service Award.

JAMES KITCHENS (JD 67), presiding justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court, was named a fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

JIM SMITHSON (MEd 67) and his wife,

Jannie Smithson (MEd 67) of Johnson City, Tennessee, announced plans to endow a

$500 scholarship for a student to attend Northeast State Community College.

’70s

JAMES D. BELL (BAEd 75, JD 77), a retired county, city and chancery judge who practices in Mississippi, was the youngest trial judge in state history and received the highest bar association approval ratings ever given to a Mississippi circuit or county judge. He is the author of a novel, Vampire Defense.

BILL LUCKETT (JD 73), proprietor of the Luckett Law Firm PA in Clarksdale, was named a fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

ARCHIE MANNING (BPA 71), former Ole

Miss and New Orleans Saints quarterback, received the Football Bowl Association’s highest honor, the Champion Award.

YORK CRAIG (JD 73), attorney in Jackson, was named recipient of the Mississippi Bar Foundation’s Professionalism Award.

DENNIS MILLER (BBA 78) of Madison was awarded the 2018 Jacobs Bowl by the Southern Section of the United States Tennis Association for service to the section where he served on the board of directors as treasurer from 2013 to 2018.

TOMMY DULIN (JD 77), with Dulin & Dulin Ltd. in Gulfport, was named a fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

CRAIG ROBINSON (BBA 72) of Gurley, Alabama, was named Mississippi regional president by the board of directors of CB&S Bank.

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ALUMNI News M. KEITH STARRETT (JD 74), U.S. district

court judge, announced that he will retire from regular service as judge for the Southern District of Mississippi. Effective April 30, he took senior judge status.

PATRICIA D. WISE (BAEd 73, MCD 76, JD 84) retired after serving 30 years as judge of the Fifth Chancery Court District of Hinds County.

RICHARD F. YARBOROUGH JR. (BA 74, JD 76) of Columbia accepted a position as general counsel for Duff Capital Investors.

’80s

DONNA M. BARNES (BA 82, JD

85) of Jackson was appointed chief justice of the Mississippi Court of Appeals.

SANDRA COX-MCCARTY (BA 84), associate dean for administration and diversity initiatives at the University of Mississippi School of Law, was recognized for her work by the board of trustees of Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning with its Excellence in Diversity Award.

GREGORY E. MAKSI (PhD 83) of Bartlett, Tennessee, was named a Lifetime Achiever

by Marquis Who’s Who.

’00s

ALISON MARIE SCHULZ BUTSCH (BAccy 05) of Dia-

mondhead received the NASA exceptional service medal in 2018.

ALVIN L. SPENCER (BA 85) of Yorktown,

Virginia, authored a book of poems titled Midnight in a Poetic Mind.

’90s

BRYNNA CLARK (BA 01, JD 04) was named

executive director of the Mississippi Pharmacists Association in Jackson.

JENNIFER INGRAM JOHNSON

(BA 93), with the Ingram Law Firm in Hattiesburg, was named president-elect of the Mississippi Bar. JEFF KORTZ (BSES 93) of Oak Lawn, Illi-

nois, was inducted into the 2018 Richards High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

MCCALL DEMPSEY (BBA 04), of Ponte Vedra

Beach, Florida, and founder of Southern Smash, announced the organization was awarded the Eating Disorder Hope’s 2019 Seal of Excellence in the nonprofit category.

JORDAN DOWNS (BA 08) of Washington,

ELIZABETH LEE MARON (JD 95), partner in

the Jackson office of Adams and Reese LLP, was named a fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

LISA MELTON (BA 94, MA 96) of Green-

wood was elected to the board of directors of the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi.

D.C., was named chief of staff to Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss).

JACINTA A. HALL (BA 02, JD 05) of Memphis spoke at Yale Law School with colleagues from around the country about public defense practice.

NOAH HAMILTON (BSES 00, MEd 08) was

named principal of Oxford High School.

CHRIS H. ODOM (BBA 91) was promoted

DARRON DODD (BBA 89) of Laurel was pro-

moted to executive vice president for retail banking at First State Bank.

to president of the Waynesboro office of Great Southern Bank.

AMOS P. PARKER (BBA 91) of Summit was

ANDY HOWORTH (BBA 84, JD 87), circuit

promoted to brigadier general.

court judge in Oxford, was named a fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

COURTNEY SHAW (BSW 93, BAEd 96) of

DONNA JACOBS (BPA 85, JD 88), attorney

with the Jackson office of Butler Snow, was named a fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

WILLIAM LISTON III (BA 85, JD 89), attorney at

Liston & Deas PLLC in Jackson, was named a fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation.

SELENE DUNN MADDOX (BBA 83, JD 87)

of Tupelo was sworn in as a U.S. bankruptcy judge for the Northern District of Mississippi.

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ROBERT KRAUSE (BA 04, PhD 11) accepted a position as practice lead, disaster management for Gray & Pape Inc. in Houston, Texas.

Ridgely, Tennessee, was chosen as Teacher of the Year for Fifth Consolidated Elementary School.

STAN LITTLE (JD 01), chairman and CEO of Southern Airways Express, announced the acquisition of Hawaiian-based Mokulele Airlines, making the company the largest commuter airline in the 50 states.

AMANDA WHALEY SMITH (BA 99, JD 02),

CHRISTY MALATESTA (JD 09), shareholder at

with Smith Whaley PLLC in Holly Springs, was elected to the Mississippi Bar’s board of commissioners.

Daniel Coker Horton & Bell PA in Jackson, was named president-elect of the Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar.

LEE ZOLLER (BBA 91) was included in the

TIFFANY YATES MCWHORTER (JD 06), an

Nashville Post’s annual “In Charge” list of Middle Tennessee’s top business, political and civic leaders.

attorney in the Fort Worth, Texas, office of Cordell & Cordell, was promoted to lead litigator.

ALUMNI News ALEX MUNDERLOH (BBA 08) joined the corporate practice of Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis LLP in Nashville.

JARED BOYD (BAJ 15) joined The Daily Memphian as a general assignment reporter.

N I C H O L A S J . P I E R OT T I ( B A 0 6 ) w a s appointed by the town of Oakland, Tennessee, to serve as town prosecutor for the Oakland Municipal Court.

VINCE CHAMBLEE (BA 10, BAccy 10) was promoted to senior vice president with Diversified Trust in Memphis.

BRETT YOUNG (00) of Westminster, Cali-

fornia, added two more Recording Industry Association of America certifications to his collection, including a 4X-Platinum certification for “In Case You Didn’t Know” and a 2X-Platinum certification for “Mercy.”

’10s

DAVID DYE (BBA 15) joined the Jackson team of Pyron Insurance Group as an associate agent.

HANNAH GADD (BM 13, MM 15), choir teacher in the Lafayette County School District, was named 2019 Mississippi Teacher of the Year by the Mississippi Department of Higher Education.

KATHRYN FOWLER MOORE (BA 14, JD 16)

joined Gatewood, Skipper & Rambo in Americus, Georgia, as an associate attorney.

CALI NOLAND (BA 10) founder of Griot

Arts, an arts-based youth development and job training program in Clarksdale, saw her program featured in a documentary film that premiered on Mississippi Public Broadcasting in March.

MATTHEW TARPLEY (BBA 12) was named a vice president at New York-based investment bank Hammond Hanlon Camp.

ZACHARY ATWOOD (JD 13)

joined the Birmingham, Alabama, office of Stewart Title as state counsel for Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi.

S P R I N G 2 019

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ALUMNI News BIRTHS

WEDDINGS

Walker Spicer III, son of Kristin Agnew and Walker Spicer Agnew Jr.

Virginia Wright Mayo (BS 15) and Christopher Fletcher Coan (BBA 15),

(BBA 09), Oct. 2, 2018.

Dec. 22, 2018.

Eleanor Rose, daughter of Mary Jones Atwood (BSN 18) and Zachary

Taylor Mills and Brett Charles Young (00), Nov. 3, 2018.

Anders Atwood (JD 13), Dec. 22, 2018.

Patrick James, son of Alison Marie Schulz Butsch (BAccy 05) and Robert M. Butsch III, Jan. 22, 2019.

Quinn Riley, son of Ashley Neal Cox and John C. Cox (JD 99), Jan. 29, 2019.

Pam Presley and Gene Tolbert (BBA 74), Oct. 13, 2018.

IN MEMORIAM 1940s

Willis McGee, son of Rebecca McGee Jolly (JD 08) and Robert T. Jolly

William Brown Barrett (41) of Mount Juliet, Tenn., April 1, 2019

(BA 02, JD 06), Feb. 20, 2019.

Frances Moore Buchanan (BA 45) of Holly Springs, March 24, 2019

Tully Noble, son of Virginia Turnage Jones (BBA 05) and Timothy S.

Lorrayne Vick Donnell (BAEd 48) of Coppell, Texas, March 12, 2019

Jones, Jan. 21, 2019.

Willie Carroll Eaker (BAEd 49, MSS 63) of Corinth, March 15, 2019

Charles Elisha, son of Abby McGrew Manning (BSFCS 05) and Elisha Nelson Manning (BBA 03), Feb. 3, 2019.

George Kimbrough, son of Christine W. McBee and Ward K. McBee (BA 93), March 6, 2019.

Hazel Ann, daughter of Mallie Fabris Prejean (BAEd 11) and Robert Wayne Prejean II, Feb. 15, 2019.

Martha Ferguson Goss (BA 49, MedCert 51) of Slidell, La., Feb. 13, 2019 Ann Dukeminier Howell (BSC 44) of Bonifay, Fla., Dec. 6, 2018 Mireese Delp McKenzie (40) of Germantown, Tenn., March 4, 2019 Marion Green Peel (BA 46, MedCert 47) of Madison, Jan. 19, 2019 Henry Calvin Rose Jr. (BSPh 49) of Ridgeland, Feb. 28, 2019 Kenn Sneed Terry (49) of Vero Beach, Fla., March 22, 2019 Joel Elliott Varner (BBA 49) of Madison, March 13, 2019 Leroy Wesley Worsham (BSCvE 40) of Corinth, March 30, 2019

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ALUMNI News 1950s

Betsy Emerson Sartor (BAEd 56) of Oxford, March 20, 2019

Charles Edmund Bacon (MEd 59) of Little Rock, Ark., March 3, 2019

Johanna Easley Schulte (MA 54) of Freeport, Fla., Dec. 5, 2018

Ralph A. Barber (BSEA 51) of St. Louis, Mo., Feb. 14, 2019

Benjamin Morris Stevens Jr. (BA 58) of Germantown, Tenn., Feb. 3, 2019

Gene Herbert Bishop (BBA 52) of Dallas, Texas, Feb. 22, 2019

Maxine Ivy Storment (BSC 52) of Louisville, Ky., Feb. 17, 2019

Linwood Lloyd Brown Jr. (59) of Cleveland, April 10, 2018

Delmar Dean Stover (BSChE 58) of Holly Springs, Jan. 21, 2019

Nancy Dickson Carey (BSC 56) of Crowley, La., Feb. 23, 2019

Eldon David Tweddle Jr. (BBA 59) of Corinth, March 10, 2019

David Lee Clippinger (BS 57, MD 59) of Gulfport, Jan. 25, 2019

Walter Ray Wilkie (BS 58) of Senatobia, Feb. 20, 2019

Eugene Daniel Ellis (BBA 54) of Santa Fe, N.M., Dec. 10, 2018

Robert Keith Wilson (BBA 56) of Oxford, Feb. 1, 2019

Gladys McGaughy Garmon (BAEd 51) of Pelahatchie, Jan. 25, 2019 Joseph Charles Gibbon (BSHPE 57) of Newton, Feb. 20, 2019 Carol Meek Guy (BAEd 59) of Virginia Beach, Va., March 26, 2019 Ulysses Howard Harvey Jr. (55) of Canton, Jan. 28, 2019 Ben Franklin Horan (LLB 59) of Water Valley, March 30, 2019

1960s

B. Carmen Sorrells Alford (BSPh 65) of McCarley, Feb. 4, 2019 Joseph Houston Andrew (MEd 64) of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., March 11, 2019

Carroll Edward Jarvis (BA 52) of Jackson, Jan. 17, 2019

Robert Crowe Barker (BS 68) of Germantown, Tenn., Jan. 21, 2019

Clarice Mashburn Little (BAEd 51) of Houston, Texas, March 19, 2019

Geneva Barr Carroll (MS 61) of Spring, Texas, Dec. 24, 2018

Robert Andrew McCool (57) of Mooreville, Feb. 24, 2019

Jon Crook (BBA 68) of Plano, Texas, March 30, 2019

Gordon Spencer McHenry (BA 50, BS 51) of Madison, April 2, 2019

James Harry Cunningham (MCS 64) of Vanleer, Tenn., March 14, 2019

Jane Hunt McLin (BA 59) of Gainesville, Fla., March 5, 2019

Margaret Jo Thornton Dill (BAEd 66) of Pine Bluff, Ark., April 3, 2019

Will Morton Melson (BBA 52) of Shelbyville, Tenn., Feb. 27, 2019

Carlos Ray Dollar (BSChE 65) of Lake Jackson, Texas, Feb. 27, 2019

Greely Ray Nash (BSPh 53) of West Point, Jan. 22, 2019

William Mallory Farned (BBA 69, BSCvE 74) of New Albany, March

Charles Wells Palmer (BBA 55) of Germantown, Tenn., March 30, 2019

16, 2019

Sue Galloway Riggins (55) of Piney Flats, Tenn., July 15, 2018

Nancy Parker Ford (BA 63, MSS 66) of Laurel, Feb. 21, 2019

Julia Clower Rose (BAEd 55) of Indianola, March 29, 2019

Aubrey Vastine Godwin (BA 60) of Phoenix, Ariz., July 30, 2018

R A Y P O O LE I N S U R A N CE · R E NT A L S ,

CO NDO S , HO M E , A U T O , L IF E , E T C ·

“W e W a n t Y o u r Bu s i n e s s !”

662·563·7721

RA YP O O L E . C O M

662·234·7574

W I L L P O O L E SF . C O M

334·365·1800

T RE YP O O L E . C O M

S P R I N G 2 019

59

ALUMNI News Mary Launa Jones Gray (BAEd 65) of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 22, 2019

Charles Conner Burns (BA 72) of Natchez, April 3, 2019

Nicholas McLeod Haas (JD 65) of Philadelphia, Jan. 27, 2019

Timothy Burrel (MEd 73, MLS 77) of Clarksdale, March 8, 2019

Donald Daniel Hamachek Jr. (BBA 65) of Chattanooga, Tenn., Feb. 12,

Michael Dewayne Childers (BPA 76) of Ecru, March 30, 2019

2019

Cynthia Rasberry Childs (BAEd 71) of Arcadia, Fla., March 6, 2019

John Lee Hargraves Sr. (BA 67) of Cordova, Tenn., April 1, 2019 Tommie Lee Dixon Harris (BS 61) of Laurel, Feb. 17, 2019 Taras John Herbowy (BAEd 65) of Utica, N.Y., April 2, 2019 Michael Allan Horne (BS 65) of Dorchester Center, Mass., Jan. 19, 2019 Mary Ann Whitten Hurdle (66) of Holly Springs, Feb. 15, 2019 Linda Sinclair Jackson (MA 63, AMEd 69) of Coldwater, Feb. 6, 2019 Donald C. Johnson (MEd 64) of Hernando, Jan. 24, 2019 Billy Ray Jones Sr. (BSHPE 64) of Summit, Jan. 31, 2019 Dudley Brown Kinard (62) of Petal, Feb. 15, 2019 Sarah Yarbrough Koenig (MA 67) of Monterey, Calif., March 21, 2018 Joe Karl Larson (BBA 63) of Oxford, March 9, 2019 Regenia Harper Meador (MCS 68) of Decatur, March 10, 2019 Ivan Ernest Miles Jr. (BA 67) of Gulfport, Feb. 8, 2019

Yung-Sen Chou (BSME 75) of Houston, Texas, March 4, 2019 Murry Maxwell Crowe (EdD 70) of Paris, Ark., Feb. 11, 2019 Evelyn Jann Dulany (BAEd 79) of Fulton, Feb. 6, 2019 Elizabeth Hartmann Dyer (MCS 72) of Greenville, March 23, 2019 Tommy Lee Fedrick (BSPh 71) of Greenwood, Jan. 16, 2019 Charles Henry Fulghum Jr. (BS 76) of Columbus, March 23, 2019 Harold Lynn Greer Jr. (BBA 79) of Brentwood, Tenn., Feb. 10, 2019 Vera Cobb Hawkins (MEd 79) of Hernando, March 5, 2019 Kenneth Lloyd Hunt (MEd 75) of Brooksville, Fla., March 21, 2019 Elizabeth Bourland Jolly (JD 76) of West Point, March 25, 2019 Thomas Lester Kesler (BA 77, JD 80) of Columbus, March 31, 2019 Linda Colter Lundy (BA 73, MA 80) of Chattanooga, Tenn., March 14, 2019

Paul Oscar Miller III (BBA 65, JD 67) of Jackson, Jan. 21, 2019

Nancy Knox Morris (BA 70) of Biloxi, Jan. 18, 2019

Hubert Price Mills (BBA 61) of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., March

Sharon Miller Sabin (BSN 70) of Hattiesburg, Feb. 11, 2019

28, 2019

Larry Alfred Smith (BBA 70, JD 73) of Moss Point, Feb. 11, 2019

Carl Joseph Moran Jr. (MD 68) of Diamondhead, Feb. 11, 2019 Hugh Reid Poland Jr. (BBA 60) of Palmyra, Tenn., Jan. 9, 2019

William Hayden Sutherland (BS 70, MD 73) of Jenks, Okla., Feb. 5, 2019

Earl McNichol Rogers (BA 60, MD 64) of Decatur, Ala., Feb. 6, 2019

Helen Sewall West (BA 71) of Anderson, S.C., Jan. 18, 2019

John David Rutherford III (MD 69) of Bay St. Louis, Feb. 26, 2019

Idlett Daniel West (MEd 79) of Ashland, March 25, 2019

Sandra Shook Sperry (BAEd 61) of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 15, 2019 Clyde Michael Stone (BSPh 65) of Fulton, April 1, 2019 Julius Howard Trull (PhD 69) of Linden, Tenn., March 11, 2019

1980s

Tracy Van Bishop (BA 89, MA 91) of Atlanta, Ga., March 8, 2019

Ronnie Leon Wall (BSHPE 67) of Boyle, March 18, 2019

Paul Stacy Briscoe (BBA 82) of Oxford, Feb. 13, 2019

Erwin Connell Ward Sr. (LLB 61) of Madison, Feb. 1, 2019

Gloria Bourgeois Dingeldein (SpecH 86) of Scottsdale, Ariz., Feb. 8,

John Milton White (BSPh 61) of Wiggins, March 7, 2019

2019

Kenneth Charles Williams (MS 63) of Jersey, Ark., Feb. 16, 2019

Mostafa Ghalehgol (PhD 87) of Brooksville, Fla., March 13, 2019

1970s

Mark Alan Jackson (JD 85) of East Moline, Ill., Feb. 19, 2019

Buford Ray Anderson (PhD 74) of Murray, Ky., March 22, 2019

James Jay McElhenney (BPA 89) of Destin, Fla., Jan. 23, 2019

Theodore Richard Baker (EdD 76) of Jonesboro, Ark., Jan. 28, 2019

Steven Mickal Moore (BA 85, JD 90) of Meridian, March 11, 2019

Wilma Sample Baker (MEd 76) of Brandon, March 20, 2019

Gregory Alan Murphy (BBA 82) of Voorhees, N.J., Jan. 18, 2019

Cynthia Thomas Brooks (BBA 78) of Jackson, Feb. 19, 2019

Bahij Suleiman Nuwayhid (PhD 88) of El Paso, Texas, Jan. 22, 2019

Cynthia Mullen Brougher (BM 74) of Charleston, Feb. 26, 2019

John Byrdwell Romine III (BS 82) of Indianola, Jan. 26, 2019

60

ALUMNI REVIEW

Janice Marie Hines (BSW 81) of New Orleans, La., Feb. 10, 2019

ALUMNI News Laura Anne Adams Rushing (MEd 86) of Florence, Ala., Feb. 17, 2019 Jeanie Woods McNeilly Simmons (82) of Savannah, Ga., March 12,

2010s

Coleman Hudson Burris (BBA 17) of Corpus Christi, Texas, April 3,

2019

2019

Thomas Wright Teel (JD 80) of Gulfport, Jan. 26, 2019

John Wesley Gregory (BSW 10) of Okolona, March 13, 2019

Abraham William Wolf (PhD 80) of Cleveland, Ohio, Feb. 28, 2019

Tyrone King Jr. (BBA 15) of Fayetteville, Ga., Jan. 25, 2019 Tanya Denise Mathis (BSW 13) of Oxford, March 18, 2019

1990s

Peter Joseph Skrmetta (12) of Biloxi, March 20, 2019

Christopher Michael Allen (BA 95) of Jackson, March 28, 2019

John Wesley Tull (BBA 17) of Senatobia, Jan. 30, 2019

Anita Ann Brown (BSW 98) of Winona, March 6, 2019

Brittany Leigh Watkins (BGS 14) of Madison, Jan. 12, 2019

Gerald Wilborn Chatham Jr. (BPA 93) of Hernando, April 3, 2019 Jennifer Gay Harris (BSW 94) of New Albany, April 3, 2019 Chris Blythe Jackson (BE 95, MSESC 09) of Blue Mountain, Jan. 20, 2019

Students

Carson Taylor Burcham of Saltillo, Feb. 16, 2019 Sesilia Andriani Keban of Depok, Indonesia, Jan. 24, 2019

Ginger Geri Johnson Esq. (BPA 93, JD 97) of Biloxi, Feb. 22, 2019 Lori Ruffin-Newcomb (BPA 91) of Ridgeland, Feb. 28, 2019 Stacia Hawkins Weir (BBA 95) of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 22, 2019

Ole Miss Friends

Russell S. Buchholz of Water Valley, Jan. 25, 2019 Barbara Carter Caperton of Warrenton, Va., Jan. 30, 2019

2000s

William Fred Chappell of Oxford, Feb. 7, 2019

Brittany Blair Cheek (BBA 06) of Avon, Ohio, Feb. 11, 2019

Steve Couch of Grenada, March 4, 2019

John William Hepfer IV (BBA 04) of Oxford, Feb. 21, 2019

Pamela Scott Eversmeyer of Metairie, La., Jan. 15, 2019

Michael Boren Hill (05) of Paducah, Ky., Feb. 25, 2019

Sandy Halo of Sicklerville, N.J., June 16, 2018

Brianna Phillips Tringale (BA 06) of Washington, D.C., March 8, 2019

Kyle Dean Harris of Oxford, March 25, 2019

S P R I N G 2 019

61

ALUMNI News Ray Hofmister of Jackson, Feb. 12, 2019

George Thomas Wilburn of Abbeville, Feb. 28, 2019

Erma Dennis Hollowell of Water Valley, March 3, 2019

Jon Barry Wimbish of West Lake Hills, Texas, Sept. 22, 2018

William Paul Kennedy of Flowood, Jan. 22, 2019

Arthur Horace Leslie Sr. of Saltillo, March 5, 2019

Due to space limitations, class notes are only published in

Dorothy Dempsey Lloyd of Pope, Feb. 23, 2019

the Alumni Review from active, dues-paying members of the

Betty Joyce Upton Magee of Madison, Ala., Jan. 28, 2019 Janice Spradley McCarthy of Oxford, March 11, 2019 Michael Scott Monaghan of Water Valley, March 16, 2019 Derward Thomas Norsworthy Sr. of Pearl, March 7, 2019

Ole Miss Alumni Association. To submit a class note, send it to records@olemiss.edu or Alumni Records Dept., Ole Miss Alumni Association, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 386771848. Class notes also may be submitted through the Association’s website at olemissalumni.com. The Association relies

Sandra Kay Buford Phillips of Abbeville, Jan. 24, 2019

on numerous sources for class notes and is unable to verify all

Ann Russell of Baton Rouge, La., Nov. 23, 2018

notes with individual alumni.

Edgar Earl Simmons of Jonesboro, Ark., Feb. 5, 2019 Dewitt Aden Spurgeon of Oxford, Feb. 4, 2019 Pamela Jones Swanson of Madison, Jan. 18, 2019 Jo Salinas Walley of Brandon, Feb. 4, 2019 Robert Ralph Ward of Woodstock, Ga., Feb. 22, 2019

Show your Ole Miss pride Show your loyalty to Ole Miss by owning an official University of Mississippi license plate.

Mississippi residents pay an additional $51 a year for the affinity plate, $32.50 of which returns to the university and is applied toward student scholarships and keeping the Grove and University Circle green and vibrant.

Ole Miss affinity license plates also are available in some other states, including Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Washington D.C. For more information visit olemissalumni.com.

62

ALUMNI REVIEW

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ALUMNI News Photo by Anna Smith

LEADERSHIP OLE MISS Ole Miss Alumni Association club volunteers returned to campus in February for the annual Leadership Ole Miss conference.

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