Ole Miss Alumni Review - Spring 2021

OLE MISS ALUMNI REVIEW

SPRING 2021

ALUMNI REVIEW

SPRING 2021

It’s a Family Matter OLE MISS FIRST PROVIDES COMMUNITY FOR DESERVING STUDENTS

VOL. 70 NO. 2

Alumnus follows passion for improving education Medical student earns golden ticket to Hollywood

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Features ALUMNI REVIEW

24 It’s a Family Matter

Ole Miss First provides community for deserving students

BY JONATHAN SCOTT

30 Transformational Leader Alumnus follows passion for improving education

BY ANNIE RHOADES

34 No ‘Idol’ Boast

Medical student earns golden ticket to Hollywood

BY GARY PETTUS

30 30

34 34

Contents VOL. 70 NO. 2

Departments

SPRING 2021

ON THE COVER

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

22 Calendar

38 Ole Miss Sports

3 Rebels invited to NFL Combine Kessinger’s number retired

46 Just Published

48 Rebel Traveler 52 Alumni News

24 24 Family is the thread running through Ole Miss First’s 20-year history. The students, donors and administrators associated with the scholarship program, which provides $4,500 annually for four years to each recipient, share in the knowledge that they are all valued members of the OMF family. Photo by Kevin Bain Correction: The article “Rowan Oak Gets New Digital Address, Website” in the winter 2021 issue of the Alumni Review incorrectly stated that the house was 260 years old. The main house was completed in 1848.

O le M iss A lumni R ev iew Publisher Kirk Purdom (BA 93) Executive Editor Jim Urbanek II (BA 97) jim@olemissalumni.com Associate Editor and Advertising Director Annie Rhoades (BBA 07, MBA 09) annie@olemissalumni.com Contributing Editor Benita Whitehorn Art Director Amy Howell Contributors Kevin Bain (BA 98), JB Clark (BA 10), Rebecca Lauck Cleary (BA 97, MA 18), Joe Ellis, Kirsten Faulkner, Thomas Graning (BAJ 17), Christian Johnson, Robert Jordan (BA 83, MA 90), Logan Kirkland (BAJ 16), Mary Stanton Knight (BA 00, MA 13, MFA 19), Joshua McCoy, Abigail Meisel, Michael Newsom (BA 05), Gary Pettus, Jon Scott (BA 82), Edwin B. Smith (BA 80, MA 93), Shea Stewart (BA 00) Officers of the University of Mississippi Alumni Association Lampkin Butts (BBA 73) president Dr. Bob Warner (BA 79, MD 83) president-elect Bill Reed (BA 72, JD 77) vice president Johnny Maloney (BBA 78) athletics committee member Candie Simmons (BBA 02, MBA 15) athletics committee member Alumni Affairs Staff, Oxford Kirk Purdom (BA 93), executive director Joseph Baumbaugh, systems analyst III Sunny Brown (BSFCS 09, MA 11), assistant director Allie Bush (BA 12), graphic web designer Clay Cavett (BBA 86), associate director, campaigns and special projects Martha Dollarhide (77), systems programmer II Brian Maxcy (BA 00), assistant director Steve Mullen (BA 92), assistant director for marketing Annie Rhoades (BBA 07, MBA 09), assistant director for communications Scott Thompson (BA 97, MA 08), associate director, engagement Jim Urbanek (BA 97), associate director, communications and marketing Rusty Woods (BBA 01), associate director for information services 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,

Tulips in bloom, baseballs in flight, grads in gowns … there is so much to enjoy and celebrate in the spring at Ole Miss! The campus has bustled with activity, and I’m delighted to share some of our recent accomplishments and good news with you.

We can all be proud of how the university continues to serve those who have served. In recognition of our numerous efforts, the university earned a Military Friendly Gold rating. This is the fourth year in a row we have increased our Military Friendly rating, demonstrating our ongoing investments to improve veterans’ lives.

Student achievements keep rolling in. Congratulations to Ivy Li of Oxford and Austin Wallace of Southaven, who recently earned the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, one of the oldest national scholarships in the natural sciences, engineering and mathematics.

Ivy and Austin, both junior chemistry majors, are exceptional students with bright futures as research leaders. They are the university’s 17th and 18th Goldwater scholars.

From our faculty, we continue to see outstanding accomplishments including Leo Stein, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, who was awarded a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program award. CAREER grants are among the most prestigious and competitive awards that NSF offers, and Dr. Stein’s CAREER award is the university’s sixth in the last six years.

At the University of Mississippi Medical Center, a $600,000 gift by the Allison Foundation will help to create a wellness lab within the School of Nursing to promote self-care, help fight burnout among Mississippi’s nurses, and aid in how nurses teach patients resiliencebuilding skills. This is just another way we’re creating a healthier Mississippi.

Congratulations to Ole Miss legend and Major League Baseball All-Star Don Kessinger for retirement of his jersey number. He wore the familiar and beloved No. 11 while earning six All-Star and two Gold Glove selections as shortstop for the Chicago Cubs. Don will join Jake Gibbs as the only two Rebel baseball players to have their numbers retired.

At Ole Miss, we have a long legacy of distinguished Commencement speakers, which we doubled up on this year. For the Class of 2021, Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International, graced our graduates for the 168th Commencement address. And for the Class of 2020, we welcome back to campus a name near and dear to Rebels everywhere, Patrick Willis. Patrick overcame tremendous adversity to become a scholarathlete and one of the most decorated football players in Ole Miss history.

Finally, I extend a heartfelt thanks to our health care professionals on the Oxford campus, including our nationally ranked pharmacy program, for playing a pivotal role in administering more than 5,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses on campus to faculty, staff and students.

The growing adoption and distribution of vaccines enables us to plan for a full resumption of in-person classes for fall 2021 and return our campus to pre-COVID-19 operations. Like you, I’m looking forward to returning fully to the academic, operational and campus atmosphere that we all know and cherish. We can’t wait to see you in Oxford very soon!

Hotty Toddy!

Glenn F. Boyce (BAEd 81, EdD 96) Chancellor

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ALUMNI REVIEW

It is difficult to believe this is my third letter as president of the Ole Miss Alumni Association. Time certainly flies when you are having fun! Though the year has flown by, I am looking forward to warmer weather, the upcoming fall semester and a return to a sense of normalcy after the tumultuous events of the previous year due to the coronavirus.

As of April 22, 2021, more than 5,000 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to members of the University of Mississippi community in a month, marking a significant milestone in the university’s effort to administer vaccines on campus and get as many students, faculty and staff vaccinated as possible. We know that vaccinations are key to returning to full operations this fall, and I am encouraged by the progress made thus far to vaccinate our university community.

Already, university projections for the fall semester are encouraging, considering the challenges we faced in the previous semesters. Enrollment for the semester is looking good, and the university has announced its plans to fully resume in-person classes. Nothing could be more exciting than students returning to class on campus, student enrollment increasing and the possibility of attendance restrictions lessening on campus events!

Ole Miss baseball is off to a great start this spring, and our women’s basketball team finished strong, reaching the NIT championship game. We are proud of the hard work the players and staff put in to represent our university well.

All across campus, our university is at work to improve the student experience, and I am excited about the goals described in the 2020-26 Student Housing Strategic Plan, which includes improving existing facilities to enhance the student residential experience in a post-pandemic environment, make student housing competitive with off-campus living, and address renovations and new construction.

At the Alumni Association, things are also looking up with alumni returning to campus and taking advantage of the university’s hospitality amenities such as The Inn at Ole Miss and McCormick’s bar and grill. Similar to student enrollment, alumni membership numbers have recently trended upward, and we look forward to continuing that trend in the coming semester.

In fact, Alumni Association members who renew or donate to the sustaining life member program by May 30 will be entered for a chance to win a 55-inch Samsung smart TV. Your membership or gift to the Ole Miss Alumni Association allows us to enhance our programs, increase scholarship offerings, enhance and create new publications, and offer greater assistance to other university departments.

As always, I am encouraged by university plans and projections for the fall semester. None of this progress could be accomplished without the hard work and dedication of Chancellor Glenn Boyce, our professors and staff, and the dedicated members of our Alumni Association.

Hotty Toddy,

Lampkin Butts (BBA 73)

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Circle from the

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

Face to Face

UM ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR FULL, IN-PERSON FALL 2021 SEMESTER

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he University of Mississippi announced on Feb. 26 that the fall 2021 semester will be offered fully in person and on campus, a return to pre-COVID-19 operations.

UM Chancellor Glenn Boyce (BAEd 81, EdD 96) shared the announcement with students, faculty and staff, stating that adjustments will be made if necessary based on government orders and public health guidance.

“The growing adoption and distribution of multiple vaccines against the COVID-19 virus enables us to plan for a full resumption of in-person classes for fall 2021 and fully return our campus to pre-COVID-19 operations,” Boyce says. “As we remain committed to doing all we can to operate similar to fall 2019, we will monitor the distribution of the vaccine closely, as well as other relevant indicators.”

Decisions regarding the summer session and intersession will be announced soon.

“Thank you again for all of your efforts and contributions to our campus community, and for your continued commitment to keeping our campus safe and healthy,” Boyce says.

“Like you, I’m very excited and looking forward to returning fully to the academic, operational and campus atmosphere that we all know and cherish.”

In October 2020, the university announced a modified academic calendar for the spring 2021 semester and additional details regarding in-person Commencement activities for 2020 and 2021 graduates.

For further university COVID-19 updates and information, visit coronavirus.olemiss.edu.

Archived photo by Christian Johnson, (2019)

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ALUMNI REVIEW

from the Circle

Gold Standard

UM PROFESSOR NAMED AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION FELLOW

A

Photo by Robert Jordan

University of Mississippi professor was named a 2021 fellow of the American Council on Education. Phillis George, assistant chair and associate professor of higher education, is among 52 college and university leaders inducted into the 2021-22 class of the national academy.

The ACE fellows program is considered the gold standard in higher education leadership development.

“Being selected as an ACE fellow is very humbling and simultaneously inspiring,” George says. “You recognize immediately that you are a part of a long-standing tradition and community of excellence in higher education leadership.

“The ACE fellows program has existed since 1965, and over 80% of ACE fellows have served in senior and executive

Phillis George

leadership roles.”

George learned of the program in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

“I was working in the Office of the Provost and shared my office with an ACE fellow,” she says. “Since then, I’ve developed deep respect and appreciation for the program and its overall mission of preparing current and emerging leaders ‘to take on real-world challenges and serve the capacity-building needs of institutions.’”

George’s recognition is a major professional achievement, UM Chancellor Glenn Boyce (BAEd 81, EdD 96) says.

“It is a tremendous point of pride for our entire university

that one of our esteemed faculty members, Dr. Phillis George, was chosen for the ACE fellows program, the longest-running education leadership development program in the country,” Boyce says. “Her selection for this prestigious fellowship reflects her outstanding leadership, talent and dedication to growth and improvement.

“We are excited for the opportunity this provides her to gain career-enriching experience in leadership, innovation and problem solving.”

David Rock, Ole Miss education dean, says the fellowship is also an honor for the school.

“This is an outstanding honor for her and for the School of Education,” Rock says. “This program will allow her to work collaboratively with other fellows in her elite cohort and learn from incredible mentors and leaders at the host university where she will complete an intensive internship.

“Furthermore, we are confident that she will share all she learns and the skill sets she develops in support of enhancing diversity of the professoriate to better serve our students and academic programs at the University of Mississippi.”

As a member of the fellows cohort, George will be immersed in the study and practice of higher education leadership. During periodic visits throughout the academic year, she will experience the organizational culture, systems and policies, and decision-making practices of another institution.

George is also a fellow in the 2020-21 Education Policy Fellowship Program, a national 10-month professional development program for emerging and mid-level leaders.

EPFP is a part of the national Institute for Educational Leadership, which combines regular meetings and activities specific to state-based site programs with policy events of national scope.

“The goal is to equip fellows with the skills and knowledge needed to facilitate educational policy development, implementation and advocacy at local, state and federal levels,” George says. “My experience as an EPFP fellow has and continues to be rewarding and will serve as a great complement to the ACE fellowship.”

George oversees the university’s new minor in higher education and conducts research on issues of access and equity in college student retention and graduation, service learning and civic engagement, curriculum design, and college teaching and learning.

A native Mississippian, she earned her doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and a master’s degree in sociology from Oxford University in England. George joined the Ole Miss faculty in 2014 as an assistant professor and was recently promoted to associate professor.

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from the Circle

Lights, Camera, Action

OXFORD FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS WITH MORE THAN 200 MOVIES

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ALUMNI REVIEW

Programming at the university, which prepares the enrolled students for the festival. They also learn how to develop their work and navigate film festivals.

For the full list of events, visit ox-film.com.

‘The Long Haul,’ a three-minute short film directed by Ole Miss student Maggie Bushway, is among the entries in this year’s Oxford Film Festival.

Submitted photo

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transitioned to a nonprofit organization in 2008. It celebrates film, the range of stories that can be shared through the medium and the diversity of those who love the art.

Addington teaches Cine 396: Festival

Submitted photo

he Oxford Film Festival has returned this year with an ambitious hybrid format and plenty of movie magic for all to enjoy.

The popular festival, held March 24-28 and throughout the month of April, takes place in an outdoor theater and a drive-in, and includes virtual presentations. The schedule projects close to 30 world premieres, five U.S. premieres, more than 60 Mississippi premieres and 40 regional premieres.

The festival shifted from being an in-person/in-theater event to being virtual and at the drive-in because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the past year, the Oxford Film Festival has provided films both online and at two drive-in locations.

Melanie Addington (MA 09), OFF executive director, prepares year-round for the event. The festival brings the Oxford and University of Mississippi communities together to showcase artists and filmmakers and offers a chance for the community to engage with them.

“As we continue to prepare for [the] film festival, we want to be very clear about the aggressive steps we are taking in order to make our film festival safe so our patrons can begin to get back to enjoying the moviegoing experience in the company of other people again,” Addington says.

“Therefore, we are being very careful with a measured approach utilizing the open-air theater we have designed specifically for this purpose, with safety always first so we all can enjoy one of the best group of films we have ever had this year.

“We have spent the past year safely providing films via drive-in and will include that experience in this year’s festival. We will monitor COVID-19 and weather concerns and will make changes as needed closer to the event.”

The festival was created in 2003 by the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and

‘Mississippi Yearning,’ an entry in this year’s Oxford Film Festival, is a short directed by Mississippi filmmaker Marcus Black.

Submitted photos

from the Circle

Lainy Day sets up an office in her camp at St. Cuthbert’s, Guyana, on a research trip in 2013, to connect with and help students back in Oxford at the University of Mississippi.

Research Takes Flight

UM BIOLOGIST PUBLISHES BREAKTHROUGH STUDY ON AVIAN EVOLUTION ainy Day, an associate professor of biology at the Univer- International news service. sity of Mississippi and director of the university’s neuDay, who joined the Ole Miss faculty in 2006, became roscience minor, has published an article in Nature, an involved in this research via the Manakin Genomics Research international journal that publishes the finest peer-reviewed Coordination Network, initiated by herself and five other core research in all fields of science and technology. researchers and supported by a $500,000 grant they secured Part of an international team, Day has helped unlock from the National Science Foundation. Members essential new information about the evolution of of the B10K project and the Manakin Network birds, known as avian evolution. The breakthen recruited other scientists worldwide to through research brings critical new data that sequence avian genomes from DNA samples will ultimately help with species preservation. collected in the wild or in aviaries.

This research initiative is part of the Day’s research focuses on 13 of the 50 B10K project, which seeks to collect species of the manakin family of birds, genomes, sets of genetic instructions, from which live in tropical areas across the all existing bird species on Earth. The projAmericas. For this initiative, she contribect’s initiative has resulted in the world’s uted DNA samples from one of the two largest database of bird genomes. species of manakins represented in the The research reported in Nature includes Nature manuscript.

363 bird species, 267 sequenced for the first “As we begin to sequence genomes for time. This amounts to representative species each of the species I work with, we come to for 92% of all avian families. understand the formula for creating athletic prow“By examining multiple lineages and noting ess,” she says. “The B10K project aims to share these Lainy Day genes that diverge among specific lineages, we may dismanakin genomes and those of all birds with the world. cover, for example, the genes contributing to loss of flight in “The database the B10K project has created is far larger ostriches, or those that allow a songbird to trill beautiful notes than any others. Scientists have been looking at fewer genomes in contrast to the deafening call of the rooster,” Day says. “We in depth. With this manuscript and continuing work of the want to know how particular genes allow for trait evolution.”

Manakin Research Coordination Network and the B10K The research published in Nature has been featured on project, we provide, for the first time, sufficient genomic data a BBC podcast; on the website of Cosmos, a quarterly news to unlock the mysteries of bird evolution as well as fundamenmagazine; and in an article distributed by the United Press tal principles of evolution.”

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from the Circle

Submitted photo

The kitchen at the George Street House has become a satellite location for Grove Grocery, where Ole Miss students and employees can pick up groceries or prepare a ready-made freezer meal.

Satellite Location

GROVE GROCERY ADDS KITCHEN, CENTRAL LOCATION

W

hen Andrew Newby first saw the kitchen in the University of Mississippi’s George Street House, he saw an opportunity to help connect his student veterans with the rest of campus while also meeting a need for many other students.

The kitchen at the George Street House, the new home for UM’s Office of Veteran and Military Services, has become a satellite location for Grove Grocery, the university’s food pantry that provides free meals and some hygiene items for students and employees.

At this new secondary location, Ole Miss students and employees can pick up groceries or prepare a ready-made freezer meal on the stove or in the microwave.

“When we moved into the George Street House, I knew I wanted it to serve as a central beacon for food insecure students but also help the students we serve in a number of ways,” says Newby, assistant director of veteran and military services.

“It puts food in front of students who need it, and it exposes student veterans — who can sometimes keep to themselves — to many more students than they would otherwise meet.”

When the student volunteers who operate Grove Grocery 10

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heard about the opportunity to add a second location, they were excited.

“This is one of those things we weren’t planning on; it just happened, and it’s a huge blessing for us,” says Dan Parks, director of marketing for Grove Grocery.

The satellite location, which is between the J.D. Williams Library and Martindale Hall, will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mondays-Fridays, and Grove Grocery volunteers will be on site for any students or employees who need assistance.

Parks, a psychology and business major from Nashville, says the new space is in a convenient location on campus and offers a great secondary spot to supplement the primary location in Kinard Hall.

“For anyone living on campus, this will be a great and convenient way to change their diet a little bit and maybe eat a little healthier,” he says.

The kitchen has been funded in part through grants from Kroger and Home Depot.

Anyone who wants to volunteer to staff one of the Grove Grocery locations or to donate can visit grovegrocery. olemiss.edu.

from the Circle

Training Nation’s Security Specialists UM ADDS GLOBAL SECURITY STUDIES MINOR

A Submitted photo

new academic minor at the University of Mississippi will help educate the country’s next generation of national security specialists.

The university’s Center for Intelligence and Security Studies is adding a minor in global security studies that will supply UM students with the skills and educational background for entry-level employment in the national security sector. The program begins in the fall 2021 semester.

Shaio Zerba

“In the past, this sector, which includes the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and intelligence agencies, has had difficulties recruiting and retaining a science, technology, engineering and math workforce, and cybersecurity-educated employees,” says Shaio Zerba, director of the center, known as CISS. “This new minor is designed to attract talented students from these disciplines.”

Founded in 2008, CISS prepares students for intelligence and security careers by focusing on the critical thinking, writing and briefing skills used by the 18 organizations that form the U.S. Intelligence Community. The center also offers students

real-world experiences through simulated national security crises and invites senior government speakers to campus.

The new interdisciplinary global security studies minor will co-exist with the center’s intelligence and security studies minor, which provides Ole Miss students with the necessary education for entry-level employment in the intelligence community.

Both minors complement existing UM programs in the Department of Public Policy Leadership, Croft Institute for International Studies, Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and the university’s two Language Flagship programs in Chinese and Arabic.

The new minor is intended to attract high-achieving students who are interested in global security but perhaps not an intelligence career, Zerba says.

“As the new director for the CISS, I spent my first semester on the job listening to students, especially in the introductory intelligence studies course,” says Zerba, who joined the center in July 2020 after retiring from the U.S. Air Force, where she served for 22 years with intelligence postings spanning the globe.

“Many students expressed a desire to learn more about national security topics and employment opportunities but didn’t necessarily have an interest in intelligence. Offering a broader global security minor under the CISS banner gives students another option to achieve their educational and professional goals.”

Course requirements for the new minor include the completion of 18 hours of classes in intelligence security studies, political science and an approved elective. The elective can be a CISS course or a course offered by other departments related to national security, such as foreign policy or conflict studies, but students must receive prior approval for a course offered outside of CISS. CISS has developed a great reputation with employers for preparing students to enter into intelligence careers, Zerba says.

“Many of the same skills needed for intelligence work can also be employed on a wider range of security and defense sector careers,” she says. “By offering a global security studies minor, the center moves closer to the goal of providing students a broader education in security studies with more flexibility and choices.

“In the coming years, CISS will continue to recruit faculty with the practical expertise in the fields of national security, cybersecurity and intelligence to help expand the center’s course offerings in security and cybersecurity studies. Beyond its two minors, the center plans to foster collaborative interdisciplinary research with colleagues in academia, the U.S. government and industry to benefit the national security community.”

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from the Circle

Innovative Design

SOUTH CAMPUS RECREATION CENTER NAMED TOP NEW FACILITY

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The Ole Miss recreation facility was recently recognized by the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association, the nation’s leading college recreation association, with the 2021

Photo by Thomas Graning

Photo by Kevin Bain

he University of Mississippi’s South Campus Recreation Center has been recognized as one of the most innovative new college recreation and wellness facilities in the country.

The South Campus Recreation Center, in the old Whirlpool factory, features functional training space, an indoor climbing wall, fitness space, three fitness studios, two basketball courts, a multiactivity court, a walking and jogging track, a classroom with a demonstration kitchen and a convenience store.

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ALUMNI REVIEW

Outstanding Facilities Award. NIRSA gives these awards to only 10 facilities nationwide.

The S outh Campus Recreation Center, which opened in 2019, was converted from the old Whirlpool factory and connects one of Oxford’s largest clusters of off-campus student residences with the campus through exercise trails and footpaths.

Peter Tulchinsky (EdD 18), director of campus recreation, says he was excited to see such an important project that benefits students, faculty, staff and community members recognized externally with the award.

“I think it speaks to the university’s mission of transformation,” he says. “I don’t think there is a building on campus that better represents that than this facility. We took a warehouse that was a decrepit, old unused space and turned it into a bright, vibrant hub of well-being.”

The facility has functional training space, an indoor climbing wall, fitness space, three fitness studios, two basketball courts, a multiactivity court, a walking and jogging track, a classroom with a demonstration kitchen and a convenience store.

Brandon Bishop, the lead architect on the project, says he was excited to see the facility awarded, but he wasn’t surprised.

“It should be nationally recognized for the quality facility it is, so of course we’re very happy about it,” he says. “It’s nice to be able to take an old building that had some embodied energy in it and use that to restore it to being a big part of the community again.”

The recreation center also won the 2020 Honor Award from the Mississippi chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

The new facility, which features 25,000 square feet of fitness space, also has been helpful in enforcing social distancing while providing fitness opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

from the Circle

A Heartbeat Away

CAMPUS RECREATION EMPLOYEES REVIVE MAN IN CARDIAC ARREST

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Photos by Thomas Graning

ob Barber doesn’t remember it, but his heart stopped beating for almost a full minute after he collapsed recently while exercising at the University of Mississippi’s South Campus Recreation Center.

Though the event is for now only a blank spot in his memory, he knows if not for the quick actions of Shannon Richardson (PhD 11), UM assistant director of campus recreation for Ole Miss Outdoors, and Gabby Sokol (MA 15), assistant director of campus recreation for intramural sports and clubs, and the well-trained staff of SCRC, he wouldn’t have survived.

They rendered CPR, dialed 911 within seconds and were able to use an on-site defibrillator to restore his heartbeat when he collapsed Dec. 2. These actions led to Barber receiving medical attention quickly enough that he was able to walk away without any neurological damage.

He’s recovering after having three stents placed to fix blockages after being rushed by ambulance to Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi, just down the street. Barber gives Ole Miss credit for saving his life and says he’s forever thankful.

“I am a testimony to how well run the place is, and how Rob Barber (front, left) suffered cardiac arrest while working out well prepared they are for whatever the situation may be,” with his wife, Janie Barber (right), at the university’s South Campus Barber says. “I can’t say enough good things about Gabby Recreation Center. UM staff members Shannon Richardson (back, left) and Shannon, and the entire staff. They’re so well trained and and Gabby Sokol used CPR and their training to help save his life. professional. It’s so much more than a gym.”

The SCRC, the university’s 100,000-square-foot hub of Once Barber regained a pulse and began to breathe, he was holistic wellness and recreation, is the go-to workout spot taken to the hospital and further stabilized by the ER team, for Barber and his wife, Janie. The facility, which opened and then cardiologist Dr. Justin May performed a stenting in 2019, has functional training space, an indoor procedure to fix the blockages. climbing wall, fitness space, three fitness studios, Dr. Preston Gallaher, assistant medical director two basketball courts, a multiactivity court, for the ER, was on duty that day and agrees with a walking and jogging track, a classroom the assessment that Richardson and Sokol with a demonstration kitchen and a consaved his life. venience store.

“Shannon and her team’s efforts were Barber is doing well after surgery and truly heroic, and without their training smiles a lot when he talks about those who and preparation for that moment, Mr. helped him.

Barber would have had a much different Richardson was working in an office outcome,” Gallaher says. “Fortunately, he with Sokol when a student worker alerted had a great outcome — one that defied them to the emergency. They quickly all the odds of cardiac arrest — thanks to sprang into action. the early, rapid, lifesaving interventions he “It was not a normal work day, that’s for received at the South Campus Recreation sure,” Richardson says. “His pallor was not good, Center.” his breathing was labored, and then he lost pulse in Barber is continuing his recovery with plans to Rob Barber return to the recreation center to work out again soon. the next minute.

“We started CPR and couldn’t feel a pulse, or any Whatever happens, though, he says he’ll never forget the breathing. We came back with the automatic defibrillator chance to keep living that he has been given. machine, which reads the heart rhythm and delivers a shock to “Needless to say, Shannon and Gabby are now on the top of the patient to return the heart to normal rhythm.” my Christmas list every year,” he says.

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from the Circle

MISSISSIPPI SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION HONORS NANCY DUPONT adviser of the year awards seek to honor, and I think I speak for the entire board when I say we are incredibly excited to have her name attached to this honor going forward.”

Morgan, who was the first recipient of the award, says it has been around since 2011. It honors the state’s best high school broadcast adviser for the school year and was previously unnamed. The association’s newspaper and yearbook awards were both already named for other educators before he took over in 2013, he says.

The selection process begins in January, when brief statements of nomination are accepted from students, colleagues and others, then narrowed to five finalists.

Those finalists submit a pair of short essays, describing their successes and struggles in the classroom over the last year, their

Photo by Thomas Graning

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he Mississippi Scholastic Press Association board of advisers has unanimously approved a request by the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media to rename its Broadcast Adviser of the Year award in honor of Nancy Dupont.

Dupont, who joined the Ole Miss journalism faculty in 2006, recently announced that she is retiring at the end of the spring semester.

“Dr. Dupont is a highly decorated journalism educator and the longtime faculty adviser for the award-winning ‘NewsWatch,’ UM’s daily, live, student-run news broadcast,” says R.J. Morgan, MSPA director. “Throughout her career, Dr. Dupont has been a friend to scholastic journalism and a mentor to generations of young communicators.

“As such, she embodies both the spirit and substance of those educators our

Nancy Dupont

philosophy of education and value of high school media, for further judging.

The winner is announced at MSPA’s spring convention.

Inclusive Excellence

ENGINEERING SCHOOL EARNS RECOGNITION FOR DIVERSITY WORK

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he University of Mississippi School of Engineering has received bronze-level designation from the American Society for Engineering Education Diversity Recognition Program, the highest level of recognition available in the program.

According to the ASEE, the designation means that UM is among the nation’s leaders in inclusive excellence.

“As a pillar of the flagship University of Mississippi, the School of Engineering is committed to promoting a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion throughout our constituencies,” says Dave Puleo, Ole Miss engineering dean. “The innovation and creativity fostered through diverse teams representing different backgrounds, perspectives and life experiences are needed to address engineering challenges of the 21st century and to advance our state.”

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signatories of the ASEE Deans Diversity Pledge, which committed the colleges to developing a diversity plan and creating at least one activity associated with K-12 or community colleges.

The Diversity Recognition Program was created by the American Society for

Engineering Education to publicly recognize those engineering and engineering technology colleges that make significant, measurable progress in increasing diversity, inclusion and degree attainment

outcomes of their programs.

The honor is given to colleges that sign the diversity pledge, build the infrastructure to support diverse populations, have at least one K-12 or community college pipeline activity and commit to a diversity and inclusion plan that includes measurable goals. The association plans to award silver and gold status in the future, but universities must first receive bronze recognition, which is valid for three years and is renewable.

“R e c o g n it i on by t he ASE E demonstrates the importance of the school’s DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) efforts on a national scale,” says Alexander Lopez, assistant professor of chemical engineering and the school’s diversity liaison. “The ASEE bronze recognition is a crucial first step in pursuit of the objectives and achievements we seek to accomplish through our EIA (equity-inaction) plan.”

from the Circle

Crash Course

TOYOTA REPS TEACH STUDENTS MANUFACTURING PROCESS

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“The two trainers did an excellent job of sharing Toyota’s training on standardized work, line balancing and continuous improvement,” says Maren McSparin, a sophomore chemical engineering major from Edwardsville, Illinois. “Through their presentation, we had some interactive activities, which gave us a foundation in determining takt time and cycle time.”

The training emphasized the human aspect of work and provided a new perspective on how balancing a line gives each operator an amount of work that truly contributes to the success of a project and, ultimately, the company, says Carter Brown, a sophomore mechanical engineering major from Ocean Springs.

Prude says she was impressed that students learned so much at such a rapid pace.

“They learned teamwork and how to come together as a group to make decisions,” she says. “Brainstorming skills were developed in the sense of having to deal with change points within the process and when sudden changes were introduced to make adjustments.

“They also learned the power of benchmarking from others and bringing those original ideas back to their groups. They learned how to create visuals on the standard TPS documents.”

CME administrators are grateful for their relationship with the auto manufacturing company, says Tyler Biggs (BA 12, MA 17), the center’s admissions and marketing specialist.

“Toyota is one of the many Mississippi companies that host our students over the year,” he says. “This relationship has grown over the last couple of years as we have seen an increase in CME students hired by Toyota.”

Photo by Logan Kirkland

everal University of Mississippi students received intense, hands-on manufacturing instruction when two trainers from the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi plant in Blue Springs spent time with them on campus during Winter Intersession.

Toyota Production System group leaders Jesse Corley and Tiffany Prude assisted in teaching Manf 255: Takt Time and Standard Work, one of three experimental classes offered in the UM Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence.

The word “takt” is a reference to the pace or rate at which customers demand a product to be made. “Standard work” is the term used globally by companies to define a process by listing the exact steps and sequence required to complete the process correctly.

During their two-day classroom session, the sophomore students learned these practices and developed a manufacturing line using toy cars. During this exercise, they had to focus on efficiency, takt time and defect rates.

“Students spent a great deal of time learning about the ‘seven deadly wastes’ in a manufacturing organization and how to remove waste from a process,” says Eddie Carr, professor of practice and the course’s instructor.

“The Toyota TPS trainers also exposed the students to ‘kaizen,’ which is a term for ‘continuous improvement.’ Students learned to examine a process used to manufacture a product and utilize the kaizen process to improve the step or steps that limit improved production output.”

Students say the time spent with the Toyota reps was informative and inspirational.

Students learn about takt time and standardized work from Toyota training reps Tiffany Prude (standing, left) and Jesse Corley (upper right).

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from the Circle

Southern Tales

WILLIE MORRIS AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

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Morris was a writer-in-residence and instructor at Ole Miss from 1980 to 1991. The youngest-ever editor to lead Harper’s Magazine, he also found great success as a writer, especially with his nonfiction works such as North Toward Home, My Dog Skip and The Courting of Marcus Dupree.

Wi t h t h e i r $ 3 m i l l i o n g i f t t o the Department of Writing and Rhetoric, Reba White Williams and Dave Williams established an endowment to oversee administration of the awards.

More than 100 fiction entries were narrowed to a list of 10, then to a shortlist of three. The process of delivering books to a national team of judges became tricky during quarantine, but Oxford’s Square Books bookstore helped facilitate that process.

Winslow, as the fiction winner, receives $10,000. He was born and raised in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

De’Shawn Charles Winslow

Christian Garduno

Submitted photos

debut fiction writer and a poet are the winners of this year’s Willie Morris Awards, which recently moved to the University of Mississippi.

Winning the Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction is De’Shawn Charles Winslow for In West Mills, and the Willie Morris Award for Southern Poetry goes to Christian Garduno for his poem “Southern Horses.”

T h e w i n n e r s w e re a n n ou n c e d through the Oxford Conference for the Book in a virtual award ceremony.

“Congratulations to these wonderful writers, whose prose and poetry enrich our region and world. We honor their efforts with these awards,” says Stephen Monroe (MA 03, PhD 07), chair of the UM Department of Writing and Rhetoric.

A colorful, renowned and respected editor and author from Yazoo City,

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He earned a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Iowa and a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and a master’s in English literature from Brooklyn College. He lives in New York.

The Willie Morris Award for Southern Poetry celebrates the diversity of Southern verse and encourages new works. As Morris said, “… words make experience last.” Poets will be challenged and inspired by this opportunity to reveal the South, as they have done over centuries.

For winning the poetry award, Garduno receives $2,500. His work can be read in more than 50 literary magazines.

He is a finalist in the 2020-21 Tennessee Williams and New Orleans Writing Contest, and lives and writes along the South Texas coast.

“It feels fantastic to have people reading my work and recognizing it,” Garduno says. “Thank you to everyone involved, including, you know, all the judges and all the people on the other side of the award. It’s great to be a part of this world.”

from the Circle Submitted photos

Arthur Doctor, director of fraternity and sorority life at the University of Mississippi, was named Mississippi’s 2021 Diversity Educator of the Year by the state Institutions of Higher Learning at its Feb. 18 meeting.

Building Equity across Campus ARTHUR DOCTOR NAMED IHL DIVERSITY EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR

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rthur Doctor was given a monumental task when our state become more inclusive places to live, learn and he arrived at the University of Mississippi in 2018: work.

Increase equity in some of the university’s most estab“We applaud and thank Arthur for his contributions to our lished spaces, fraternities and sororities. And, he did it as the campus as a transformational leader who makes an enduring first person of color in his position. difference for our students and countless individuals.”

His work hasn’t gone unnoticed as the InstituDoctor says his goal is not simply for students tions of Higher Learning’s board of trustees participating in Greek life to have more connamed him Mississippi’s 2021 Diversity Eduversations about diversity, but to think about cator of the Year during its Feb. 18 meeting. how the organizations themselves interact “I don’t often think of myself as a with the greater community. diversity innovator or formal educator “How are we creating equitable experiin my role,” says Doctor, a native of ences for our community, but also in the Charleston, South Carolina. “I just try to way we interact with our communities?” create opportunities to build equity and Doctor says. “How can every student see to provide education to our stakeholders.” a space for themselves in fraternity and Doctor hit the ground running as sorority life at the flagship?” director of fraternity and sorority life, hirThe Diversity Educator of the Year award ing a diverse staff and bringing conversations is handed out each year during Black History about diversity and equity into all aspects of his Month to recognize campus and community team’s programming, from onboarding new staff and leaders for their efforts in advancing diversity and Arthur Doctor students to leadership development. encouraging understanding and respect.

“Arthur Doctor is an outstanding campus and community “Dr. Doctor has made significant changes at the Univerleader, and we’re incredibly proud of him for the honor and sity of Mississippi to make Greek life more inclusive and recognition of being named the 2021 Diversity Educator of works with others across campus to expand diversity efforts the Year,” Chancellor Glenn Boyce (BAEd 81, EdD 96) says. and make the campus more welcoming to all students,” “It is especially impressive to be recognized among all IHL says Shane Hooper, chair of the board of trustees’ Diversity institutions for his efforts to shape how our community and Committee.

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from the Circle

Center of Excellence

MEDICAL CENTER EARNS PRESTIGIOUS HUNTINGTON’S DESIGNATION MMC has been chosen as one of 54 Huntington’s disease care facilities in the nation to receive the designation of Huntington’s Disease Society of America Center of Excellence.

The designation goes to institutions with stellar multidisciplinary care teams that have expertise in Huntington’s disease and that share an exemplary commitment to providing comprehensive care.

UMMC joins medical centers and institutions in five states in being named to the Centers of Excellence program. They include the Barrow Neurological Institute in Arizona, the Medical University of South Carolina, the Rowan University School of Medicine and Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey, the University of Arkansas and the University of Cincinnati.

“Our genetic counseling service is the only one that can provide relevant HD services in Mississippi,” says Dr. Juebin Huang, an associate professor of neurology and an HD care specialist. “What’s unique for Huntington’s at UMMC is that we offer care as a real team.”

Huntington’s disease is a fatal genetic disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. It deteriorates individuals’ physical and mental abilities during their prime working years and has no cure. The symptoms of HD

have been described as simultaneously having amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

The strategic expansion of the HDSA Centers of Excellence program allows expanded access to expert Huntington’s disease clinical care and clinical trial opportunities to more families across the United States.

HDSA Centers of Excellence provide an elite team approach to Huntington’s disease care and research. By pulling in a neurologist, psychiatrist, neuropsychologist, genetic counselor, social worker, registered nurse care coordinator, speech therapist, physical and occupational therapists and other specialties, UMMC offers patients with HD a full array of care. That includes education about their disease and how it affects the entire family.

“The expansion of the HDSA Centers of Excellence program ensures that more families affected by Huntington’s disease have increased access to expert and comprehensive care for this devastating rare brain disease,” says Dr. Victor Sung, chair of HDSA’s national board of trustees and director of the HDSA Center of Excellence at the University of AlabamaBirmingham. “Additionally, clinical research conducted at many HDSA Centers of Excellence is vital to the development of potentially life-changing treatments to improve the lives of everyone affected by HD.” Photo by iStock

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OUR OWNERS ARE BORN IN, EDUCATED IN AND INVESTED IN MISSISSIPPI

George Walker OLE MISS CLASS 1990

Wayne Pierce

OLE MISS CLASS OF 1985

Calendar Photo by Joshua McCoy

Baseball: Ole Miss vs. Little Rock MAY 11

MAY

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hrough Nov. 30 Exhibit: “Exploring the Final Frontier in the Archives.”

J.D. Williams Library. Exhibit open by appointment. Visit events.olemiss.edu.

Reception: A Toast to Graduates.

The Ole Miss Alumni Association invites its members from the Class of 2020 to a reception in their honor featuring photo opportunities and commemorative champagne flutes.

Triplett Alumni Center, 4-6 p.m.

Register at olemissalumni.com/events.

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Convocation: Class of 2020.

Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/ Hollingsworth Field, 8 a.m. This event is not ticketed. In the case of inclement weather, Convocation will be cancelled. Visit commencement. olemiss.edu/2020-graduates for details on school specific events and locations.

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Graduation Brunch: The Inn at Ole Miss, seatings at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Seating is limited to 200 per seating, and reservations must be made in advance. Visit theinnatolemiss.com.

Mother’s Day Brunch: The Inn at Ole Miss, seatings at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Seating is limited to 200 per seating, and reservations must be made in advance. Visit theinnatolemiss.com.

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Baseball: UM vs. Little Rock.

Oxford-University Stadium, 6:30 p.m. Visit olemisssports.com.

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-13 Inclusive Teaching Workshop: Join instructors Kelly Hogan and Viji Sathy for this online, interactive workshop on inclusive teaching. Zoom link will be emailed to those who register. 10 a.m.2:30 p.m. Visit events.olemiss.edu.

Continuing Education: Patterson School of Accountancy is offering four hours CPE (including two hours in Ethics), available in person or livestream, noon-4:45 p.m.

Visit olemissalumni.com/events.

-16 Baseball: UM vs. Vanderbilt. Oxford-University Stadium, 6 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m.

Sunday. Visit olemisssports.com.

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Baseball: UM vs. UT Martin.

Oxford-University Stadium, 6:30 p.m. Visit olemisssports.com.

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Adulting 101: “Buying or Renting Your First Place,” a Zoom series discussing your first few years postgraduation. Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni.com/events.

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Social: Welcome to Your City – Texas. Join us on Zoom to meet Ole Miss Rebels in your area along with Young Alumni Council representatives

Calendar and Alumni Association staff. Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni.com/events.

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Social: Welcome to Your City – Atlanta. Join us on Zoom to meet Ole Miss Rebels in your area along with Young Alumni Council representatives and Alumni Association staff.

Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni.com/ events.

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Social: Welcome to Your City – Washington, D.C. Join us on Zoom to meet Ole Miss Rebels in your area along with Young Alumni Council representatives and Alumni Association staff. Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni.com/events.

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Social: Welcome to Your City – Birmingham. Join us on Zoom to meet Ole Miss Rebels in your area along with Young Alumni Council representatives and Alumni Association staff. Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni. com/events.

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Social: Welcome to Your City – Memphis. Join us on Zoom to meet Ole Miss Rebels in your area along with Young Alumni Council representatives and Alumni Association staff. Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni. com/events.

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Social: Welcome to Your City – Jackson. Join us on Zoom to meet Ole Miss Rebels in your area along with Young Alumni Council representatives and Alumni Association staff. Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni. com/events.

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Social: Welcome to Your City – Mississippi Gulf Coast. Join us on Zoom to meet Ole Miss Rebels in your area along with Young Alumni Council representatives and Alumni Association staff. Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni.com/events.

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Social: Welcome to Your City – New Orleans. Join us on Zoom to meet Ole Miss Rebels in your area along with Young Alumni Council representatives and Alumni Association staff. Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni. com/events.

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Social: Welcome to Your City – Charlotte. Join us on Zoom to meet Ole Miss Rebels in your area along with Young Alumni Council representatives and Alumni Association staff. Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni. com/events.

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Social: Welcome to Your City – Nashville. Join us on Zoom to meet Ole Miss Rebels in your area along with Young Alumni Council representatives and Alumni Association staff. Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni. com/events.

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Social: Welcome to Your City – New York City. Join us on Zoom to meet Ole Miss Rebels in your area along with Young Alumni Council representatives and Alumni Association staff. Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni. com/events.

JUNE

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Adulting 101: “Investments and Retirement,” a Zoom series discussing your first few years postgraduation.

Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni.com/ events.

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BancorpSouth Rebel Road Trip: Southaven, time and location TBA. Call 662-915-7375 or visit olemissalumni.com/events.

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BancorpSouth Rebel Road Trip: Mississippi Gulf Coast, time and location TBA. Call 662-9157375 or visit olemissalumni.com/ events.

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Adulting 101: “Insurance and Wills,” a Zoom series discussing your first few years postgraduation.

Time TBA. Visit olemissalumni.com/ events.

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BancorpSouth Rebel Road Trip: Tupelo, time and location TBA. Call 662-915-7375 or visit olemissalumni.com/events.

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Club Meeting: Jonesboro, Arkansas, time and location TBA. Call 662-915-7375 or visit olemissalumni.com/events.

JULY

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Luncheon: UM law alumni luncheon at the annual meeting of the Mississippi Bar, Hilton Sandestin Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Florida, 12:15 p.m. Call 662-915-1878.

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

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Reception: The Pharmacy Alumni Chapter hosts the opening reception for the Mississippi Pharmacists Association. Centennial Plaza, Gulfport, 6:30 p.m. Email corrie@mspharm.org.

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BancorpSouth Rebel Road Trip: Jackson, time and location TBA. Call 662-915-7375 or visit olemissalumni.com/events.

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

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It ’s a

FamilyMatter Ole Miss First provides community for deserving students

By Jonathan Scott

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Family.

It’s the one word that best describes the Ole Miss First Scholarship program.

That was also the word that kept returning to the mind of Chancellor Emeritus Robert Khayat 20 years ago when he proposed establishing a new scholarship program. He envisioned providing deserving students who wanted to attend the University of Mississippi with the financial help needed to do so.

“We say that phrase a lot, but I was thinking about how Ole Miss really is a family,” recalls Khayat (BAEd 61, JD 66). “Not only do we have generations of people from particular families who have come here, but we are constantly looking for ways to bring more people into our family, especially those who may be the first members of their families to attend college.

“In naming the scholarship ‘Ole Miss First,’ we also were telling the best and brightest students that we wanted them to make Ole Miss their first choice for a college home.”

Shortly after the idea for the scholarship program was born, a team of UM alumni came together in 2002 to begin raising the needed funds. In the years that followed, a variety of university faculty and staff members have overseen and enhanced the program, while generous donors have provided ongoing financial support to the life-changing scholarships.

Consequently, dozens of students have been selected as OMF scholars and realized their academic dreams as a result of the scholarship that provides $4,500 annually for four years to each recipient.

Everyone in the diverse group associated with the scholarship program — the administrators, donors and scholarship recipients — shares in the knowledge that they are all valued members of the OMF family.

Several members of the Ole Miss First Scholarship program visit the Emmett Till Interpretive Center in Sumner. Among those participating in the field trip are (from left) Daniel Reed, OMF graduate assistant, Benjamin Saulsberry, museum director of the interpretive center, six OMF scholars – Edward Puckett, Haley Morgan, John Michael Walker, Katie Davis, Sarah Amitin and Francesca Patawaran – and Patrick Weems, executive director of the interpretive center.

Photo courtesy of Ole Miss First

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From Mississippi to Dubai to D.C.

to others that I have carried with me to this day.

“Being accountable for my grades, community service and program participation gave me a great sense of purpose; it was an honor to be an Ole Miss First scholar.”

The Gladys and Milton Starnes OMF Scholarship played an instrumental role in the educational and professional opportunities Ferguson has pursued since her time at UM.

Leah Tucker Ferguson (BA 11), who grew up in Pass Christian, was among the earliest recipients of an OMF Scholarship when she entered UM as a freshman in 2007. The funds were crucial to her academic journey that included her being a member of the Croft Institute for International Studies and the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College.

“Being a part of the Ole Miss First program opened up a lot of opportunities for me,” Ferguson says. “Not only did it greatly The Starnes Scholarship was created when entrepreneur help offset the cost of tuition and books, but I was able to meet and businessman Michael Starnes (BBA 68) of Memphis and get to know so many wonderful people from around the committed $1 million to the OMF program in 2002. His gift state and country, greatly expanding my horizons and opinions.” honored Khayat and Starnes’ parents, the now late The scholarship was instrumental in providing Milton and Gladys Starnes of Oxford.

Ferguson with an opportunity to begin a profes“Ole Miss First is a great program,” Starnes sional career that would take her far beyond says.

“Hopefully, the student scholars will the Magnolia State. contribute to making Mississippi a better After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree place.

It’s the right thing to do. Giving has in international studies in 2011, she briefly to be felt in the heart, and this is definitely moved to Washington, D.C., then overseas coming from mine. ” to the United Arab Emirates, where she Starnes says he wants to honor his was hired initially as an account executive parents for instilling in him and his siblings at Edelman’s Dubai office and later as an an appreciation of higher education though account director for Hanover Communicaneither of his parents went to college. tions, also in Dubai.

“I think this is what Ole Miss First is all Now, Ferguson is a senior director at Locust about,” Starnes says.

“Each generation tries to do Street Group in Washington, where she lives with Leah Tucker a little better in terms of educating its children and her husband and baby boy.

Ferguson making Mississippi a better place.

“I wouldn’t have had the opportunities I’ve had “Ole Miss gave me the foundation to be successful. So without the education I received at the University of Mismany young people in Mississippi don’t go to college, and so sissippi and the Ole Miss First Scholarship,” she says. “This many others leave the state for their education. The Ole Miss program helped instill a sense of responsibility to myself and

Generous Gift Launches Program

Photo courtesy of Ole Miss First

Rosie McDavid (left), director of the Ole Miss First Scholarship program, visits with OMF scholars Paige Koestler, Aubrey Christian, Phillip Tran and Ahmed Moumad.

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Photo by Mary Knight

Photo courtesy of Ellen Robinson Rolfes

Gloria Kellum, vice chancellor emerita for UM University Relations, and Robert Khayat, UM chancellor emeritus, worked together in launching the Ole Miss First Scholarship program.

family must share in the responsibility of helping young people by providing scholarships.”

Since Starnes’ gift, numerous donors have also given generously. Today, the Ole Miss First endowment has grown to more than $4.3 million.

‘Gaining a Second Family’

Ellen Robinson Rolfes

any questions they might have on nearly any subject.”

As part of the program, students also learn to practice philanthropy in their own lives and become campus leaders.

Blanchard, for instance, is involved in the Columns Society, Ole Miss Ambassadors and RebelTHON, the annual studentdriven dance marathon to raise funds for the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Children Hospital of Mississippi.

She devotes time to two after-school tutoring efforts: CodeMiss, a computer science program for middle school students, and Leap Frog, a literacy and enrichment program in the local public schools. At UM, she is a senator in the Associated Student Body, a member of the Black Student Union and a singer in the Gospel Choir.

“One of the best parts of OMF is being able to give back to Oxford, our campus and other students,” she says.

Cameron Blanchard of Tupelo benefits from the program.

The sophomore receives the James and Lee Ann Carpenter Ole Miss First Scholarship that has paved her way from high school to college.

“I am very grateful for this scholarship,” Blanchard says.

“While it has very significantly helped me financially, it has many more positive aspects.”

For instance, because OMF scholars are assigned mentors, attend regularly scheduled dinners, group meetings and retreats, participate in campus organizations and activities, and become involved in community service initiatives each Providing students such as Blanchard with a well-rounded semester, they quickly develop friendships and supporters. academic experience is precisely what architects of the pro“When I came to Ole Miss, I was quite nervous about gram dreamed would happen. making friends and getting settled,” Blanchard says. “But “We saw the creation of the Ole Miss First Scholareveryone in this scholarship program welcomed ship program as a chance to leave a legacy beyond me immediately with open arms. It’s been like ourselves by helping young people reach their gaining a second family.” full potential,” says Ellen Robinson Rolfes of Today, the OMF program awards an Memphis, the first OMF director. average of 10 scholarships a year. As a result, “This was a way to give future generaat any one time, the program has about 40 tions of children the one gift besides love scholars, ranging from freshmen to seniors, that would remain with them forever — pursuing a wide variety of majors. an education.”

“That’s another part of this program To launch the program, Rolfes worked that is so amazing, academically,” says closely with Khayat; Gloria Kellum, vice Blanchard, who hopes to attend medical chancellor emerita for university relations; school to become a pediatric surgeon. “Because and Warner Alford (BBA 60), former executive my fellow scholars and I are focused on so many director of the Ole Miss Alumni Association and Cameron different fields of study, there’s always someone who athletics director. Ole Miss alumni Jon Turner (BBA Blanchard is available and eager to help another scholar with 78) of Jackson, Sam Lane (BA 76) of Jackson and

Promoting Diversity, Inclusion

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Photo courtesy of Don and Marcia Cole

Larry Bryan (BBA 74) of Memphis served as the leadership of the Philanthropy Advisory Council for the Ole Miss First Scholarship effort.

Don (PhD 85) and Marcia (BA 98, MSS 00) Cole, both recently retired from UM, also were instrumental as members of the OMF National Steering Committee.

“What really appealed to me about the Ole Miss First program was the word ‘family,’” Don Cole says. “When we thought about the phrase ‘Ole Miss family’ in the past, the image of the faces in that family that came to mind was one that featured all white faces, and mostly white male faces.

“We saw the Ole Miss First Scholarship program as a way to bring more diversity into our student body and to be a more inclusive university. We hoped that, with time, when we asked people to imagine what our Ole Miss family album would look like when they opened it, they would see themselves represented and feel that they were not just a part of this family, but welcomed, vital members of our family.”

As a result of taking this all-inclusive approach, the OMF Scholarship campaign proved to be a success, he says.

“Because this scholarship program was so well thought out in the beginning, the campaign really caught on,” Cole says.

“So today when we look back at how this scholarship program began, we are amazed at how Ole Miss First has exceeded our expectations.”

Power of Community Service Don (PhD 85) and Marcia (BA 98, MSS 00) Cole, both recently retired from the University of Mississippi, also were instrumental as members of the Ole Miss First National Steering Committee.

Student Marissa Russell of Pontotoc sees herself in the UM family album that Cole and others envisioned. Now a senior majoring in criminal justice, Russell remembers how all the anxieties she felt beginning her college career quickly

Photo courtesy of Ole Miss First

Members of the Ole Miss First Scholarship program visit the Oxford Square: (back row, from left) Ole Miss First graduate assistant Daniel Reed, OMF Director Rosie McDavid and OMF scholar Aubrey Christian; (middle row, from left) OMF scholars Ahmed Moumad, Andy Flores, Henri Long, Edward Puckett, Abbye Bell, Ethan Lambert and Charlie Torrent; (front row, from left) OMF scholars Francesca Patawaran and Cameron Blanchard, and OMF graduate assistant Anna Booth Weems.

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‘Everyone involved in Ole Miss First strives to create a family environment within the larger Ole Miss family.’

— ROSIE MCDAVID, OMF director faded shortly after she “found a family at Ole Miss First.”

“Everyone involved in Ole Miss First strives to create “Being a member of Ole Miss First has taught me the a family environment within the larger Ole Miss family,” importance of stepping outside of my comfort zone,” she says. McDavid says.

“As an Ole Miss First scholar, I have discovered several pasShe and her team, which includes development associate sions of mine.”

Suzanne Helveston (BA 02) and graduate assistants Tate The recipient of the Anna McDonald Berryhill Dye and Lilly Slaughter, plan and host a variety Ole Miss First Scholarship, Russell not only of educational and social events for the OMF became a student fascinated by the study of scholars each semester. criminal law and set a goal for a career in the “Our scholars get together for dinners and legal profession but also “learned about the other opportunities where they can meet power of community service.” with a wide, diverse group of other students “I now have a joy in keeping the enviwho they wouldn’t be able to meet and ronment clean and participate in Green develop a connection with,” McDavid says.

Grove cleanup,” she says. “I love fostering As the scholars establish relationships animals through the Humane Society. I with student organizations on campus and am also a member of Rebels Against Sexual nonprofit service groups in the community, Assault and work with Ole Miss Outreach, they become more engaged, gain confidence where I moderate the Quiz Bowl competitions. and learn leadership skills that stay with them long Marissa “I owe a major part of who I am today and who I after they leave the university.

Russell wish to be tomorrow to Ole Miss First.”

“Our Ole Miss First scholars are a smart group of students even before they arrive on campus for their first semester,” McDavid says. “But the reward comes in watching how their horizons are broadened during their four years at Ole Miss and how they develop into these The “family” Russell found in the OMF program was no incredible young adults who have amazing gifts to offer the accident. world.

Family is the powerful thread running through the pro“To be a part of this program is an incredible opportunity gram’s history. It inspired Khayat when he first envisioned the for me and everyone on the Ole Miss First staff.” scholarship program in 2001. It encouraged the group Looking back on the program’s impact on of UM alumni, faculty and staff who campaigned its scholars, the university, the state and far in 2002 to raise the funds needed to launch the beyond, Khayat says he is enormously grateprogram. It convinced donors to give generful to everyone who assisted in taking ously to create the endowments continuing what was an idea he had, turning it into to assist generations of students. something real and far greater than he And it’s the welcoming, supportive could have imagined. environment the newest scholars, such “The Ole Miss family has become as J.T. Johnson, encountered this past more diverse and more complex, and this fall. has made the University of Mississippi “This scholarship has already been stronger,” Khayat says. “And a strong family helpful in so many ways, but I’d say what is educates its youth.” most important to me is how caring the people An individual or organization can establish involved are,” says Johnson, a freshman from Fulton one OMF Scholarship for $25,000 payable over five J.T. Johnson majoring in music education. years, while a permanently held named OMF endow“Everyone in charge supports each and every perment can be established at $125,000. son in this program,” he says. “Knowing someone genuinely For more information, contact Suzanne Helveston, developcares about you is extremely important in all aspects of life, but ment associate, at shelveston@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2956, or especially in college!” visit the Ole Miss First website at omf.olemiss.edu. ContribuRosie McDavid (BA 83), OMF director, and her staff tions also may be made through the University of Mississippi wouldn’t have it any other way.

Foundation, 406 University Ave., Oxford, MS 38655.

Strengthening UM

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TRANSFORMATIONAL

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LEADER Washington with second-graders at Camp Read-A-Lot, hosted each year at Promise Academy Spring Hill

Photos courtesy of Patrick Washington

Alumnus follows passion for improving education

BY ANNIE RHOADES

T

eaching, preaching and a heavy emphasis on education were some of the hallmarks of alumnus Patrick Washington’s (MEd 99, EdD 15) youth. Inspired by his great-great-great-grandfather Richard Adkins, along with his parents, Walter and Zalie, he knew from an early age where he wanted to focus his life’s work.

“I’m an educator at heart,” says Washington, founder and executive director of Man Up Teacher Fellowship, a nonprofit organization that aims to give students in high poverty, urban and rural communities, particularly male students of color, access to high-quality male teachers, and to advance policies that promote equity in K-12 schools.

“My mom was an educator,” Washington says. “Education has always been a big part of my life, so I knew early on that I wanted to teach. I grew up hearing this story about my greatgreat-great-grandfather, who was born in Marshall County in 1860. Obviously, he was born during a time when Black folks didn’t have access to public education, but, nevertheless, he became literate, learning how to read along with math.

“He taught others in the area how to read and become literate at basic math. I was always inspired by his story, as well as observing my parents and their different roles. Mom was a teacher and Dad was a preacher, so it was just a natural fit. They were always loving, loyal and supportive and believed that not even the sky was the limit if you worked hard enough.”

After graduating from Ashland High School in 1993, Washington decided to pursue his undergraduate degree in elementary education at Mississippi State University in Starkville.

“I attended two leadership programs my junior and senior year in high school,” he says. “One was at State, and one was at Ole Miss. I knew a lot of folks at both schools, but State was a little bit farther from home, and I could get a little more freedom. I decided to go there for undergrad and Ole Miss for graduate school. It was a perfect fit for me.”

In 1998, Washington began his teaching career in Memphis, teaching fourth-graders. It was during this time that he enrolled in the Master of Education program at Ole Miss.

“I was making the drive at least twice a week from Memphis to Oxford to finish my master’s degree,” he says. “I was still living in Ashland at the time. I continued to teach for two more years and then went to Union University to get a specialist degree in education.”

After receiving his Education Specialist degree, he saw an opportunity for further training through a program called New Leaders.

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“The local philanthropic community recognized that if Memphis was truly going to transform, then they needed transformational leadership,” Washington says. “I was honored to be selected to be a part of that first group. There were nine of us. I went through a rigorous training process for about a year and a half. It was during that time that I was named principal.”

EDUCATIONAL TRAILBLAZER A mere 27 years old when he started leading Georgia Avenue Elementary School, Washington had his work cut out for him.

The school was located in the 38126 ZIP code, which, at the time, was one of the most violent communities in the country and the 13th-poorest ZIP code nationally, Washington says.

“It was big news that this new program was training these principals because you didn’t see 27-year-old principals,” he says. “I had a staff of 122 folks, and I was the second youngest on the staff. I did that for three years, and we got great results.”

A Mississippi native, Washington knew that he eventually wanted to work in his home state to hopefully improve the education system. After his stint at Georgia Avenue, the citizens of Benton County gave him an opportunity too good to pass up.

“I became the elected superintendent of Benton County in 2008,” he says. “I was the first Black superintendent and the youngest at 32 years old.”

Although he was doing well in Memphis, Washington desired to go home and give back to the community that had given him so much.

“My wife, Vicki, and I stopped at Walmart for two consecutive weekends to listen to local citizens tell us what was going on

Washington at the University of Memphis School of Law with participants in the Sons of Promise, a mentoring group for boys that focuses on character, community service and college preparedness

with their children in terms of education,” he says. “I think, too often in our rural communities, we settle. A lot of things, especially financial barriers, have prevented us from doing more.

“Those conversations really struck a nerve and made me feel that it was my responsibility to try to do something more.

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I defeated a superintendent who gave me my high school diploma, and I think he was proud to see a local graduate come home to do what I could to help my community go further.”

During this time, Washington reenrolled at Ole Miss to pursue his doctoral degree in education.

“I always believed that if you were going to master any particular field, for me it was important to reach the pinnacle in that field in terms of degree acquisition, and obviously that’s the doctoral degree,” he says. “I wanted to represent excellence in education and be an example of that.”

After losing reelection as superintendent, he was on the cusp of relocating to Dallas, Texas, when yet another unique opportunity presented itself.

UNCHARTERED TERRITORY “I was given the opportunity to start my own charter school in Memphis,” he says. “I had done everything except start a school from scratch, so that was very exciting to do. The community leaders who approached me wanted an educator with proven results to start the school, and to take my ideas about what an excellent school should be and make them come to life. I was sold.”

In 2013, Washington became founding principal of Promise Academy Charter School in Raleigh. While the task was “exciting,” it certainly came with challenges.

“You have to think of everything from pencils to paper clips to people,” he says. “The school started with pre-K, kindergarten and first grade. We had 120 kids, and each year I added a grade until I got to fifth grade. I enjoyed getting to know folks in the community and learning what they wanted for their children in terms of the quality of public education.”

A fourth-generation educator, Washington became acutely aware of the absence of minority teachers in schools. In particular, the lack of Black male teachers.

“I’m from rural America, and I just couldn’t buy into that idea,” he says. “Especially when you think about the colleges I went to in Mississippi. They have two of the most esteemed programs in the world, particularly when you talk about athletics. Those programs are almost 80% Black athletes, and for those who don’t go pro, they typically want to coach or get into the school system. But many of them don’t know that they need to get a teacher’s license. Being aware that only 2% of the teachers in this country are Black men, I decided to create the concept of Man Up.” Driven by the desire to present an opportunity to elevate the narrative and bring more attention to the fact that there are too few Black male educators, Washington hopes to remove the financial barrier that often prevents people across all genders, races and ethnicities from seeing teaching as a viable career.

MAN UP “I had researched the most successful teacher preparation programs in the country, and I started thinking about how to link that up with current programs — to recruit, coach and develop these guys using research that I’ve gathered to make

sure that they’re successful,” he says. “When you ask folks to think about how many Black teachers they had, and they realize they maybe had one or none at all, that’s when you get

Washington presents to administrators at a teacher recruitment fair.

the reassurance that this is the right work to be doing. We all benefit from diversity.”

Man Up Teacher Fellowship is a five-year program whose purpose is to recruit, train and place a talented pipeline of men of color who can be effective in any school setting and to work relentlessly to ensure the success of all students. Man Up teacher fellows have an opportunity to earn a Master of Education degree from one of the organization’s partner institutions of higher education at no cost. Fellows earn an additional $5,000 per year on top of their salary for up to three years. Currently, the program is dependent on philanthropy and financial contributions.

“The name really organically came out of a conversation with colleagues,” Washington says. “We all thought that Man Up fits what we want to do, because it speaks to taking responsibility not only in recruiting men but finding men who recognize they have to see themselves as change agents. We truly believe that our presence can help transform schools and ultimately transform the communities that we live in.”

Deadre Ussery, principal at Perea Elementary School in Memphis, was intrigued by the possibilities of how such a program could positively affect underserved communities.

“I met Patrick two years ago as I was seeking assistance in identifying high-quality African American males to work as educators,” Ussery says. “Patrick is the ultimate professional whose passion and dedication to ensuring African American males are adequately represented in our classrooms shines through.

“He is mission driven and deeply supportive of each participant within the Man Up program, and his commitment to their success is a motivator to all.”

The program launched in 2017 with 10 men and currently boasts over 50.

“We’ve received a lot of national attention and currently

have ongoing conversations with the NFL, trying to figure out how to partner with them to support their retired players who become teachers,” Washington says.

Most recently, Washington and his teacher fellowship caught the eye of Kelly Clarkson. Producers of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” saw a local broadcast featuring the work Man Up was doing and decided to reach out to Washington to be featured on the show.

“This voicemail from Kelly Clarkson popped up on my phone, and I’m thinking this probably isn’t real,” Washington laughs. “I reached back out to them, and they said we love what you’re doing, and Kelly wants to feature you on the show. She’s a supporter, and I’ve been on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ twice in recent weeks.

“We’re truly getting national momentum and changing the narrative about this. Our hope and goal is that this will become a national project that will help us bring more diversity, inclusion and equity into our public schools.”

For Washington, the future of the program is limitless.

With aspirations to expand Man Up to every major city in the country, particularly those with high levels of poverty, he’s eager to keep the momentum going.

“Being a product of rural America, I want the program to be in both urban and rural communities,” he says. “I also want to advance policies on a national level that promote diversity, inclusion and equity in the recruiting and hiring of teachers of color in our public schools.

“There should also be an emphasis on our public school system to take a real assessment on who we were pre-COVID, who we aspire to be post-COVID and get alignment from both sides of the political aisle on how we’re going to take tangible actions to ensure that our public education system is the leading system in the world, period.”

According to friend and colleague Michael Lowe, director of equity at Shelby County Schools, Washington is a “visionary” who inspires others around him to become better.

“Patrick and I have worked to recruit and retain Black and brown educators to teaching over the past decade,” he says. “Iron sharpens iron, and we stay in the mission to multiply our talents to be better examples for underserved students and teachers.

“He has become a successful instructional leader, but he has never forgotten his humble beginnings and that grounds him to serve with purpose. He will grow the Man Up Teacher Fellowship, grant universal access and shape the path for more scholars to see what they can become.”

While the challenges of his work are many, the successes outshine the difficulties. According to Washington, nothing compares to seeing “the light of understanding come on” in a child’s eyes.

“That changes my world,” he says. “In that moment, two things happen: The child has this sense of confidence in knowing that he or she can do it, and I have the gratification that I’ve been a part of a human being’s life when they realize that they can do something great. Even if it’s something as simple as adding two digits — that moment of understanding is transformational for both the teacher and the student, and I’m still touched every time that happens.”

For more information on Man Up Teacher Fellowship, including ways to apply and give, visit manupteach.org.

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Photo by Joe Ellis

ALUMNI REVIEW

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No

Boast

Medical student earns golden ticket to Hollywood

By Gary Pettus hen Conner Ball (BA 18) was a first-year medical student, he recorded a song that made the rounds among faculty and staff at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

“It was so good, people kept passing it around,” says Dr. Lyssa Weatherly (MD 12), assistant professor of geriatrics and gerontology and assistant dean of student affairs for the School of Medicine.

“Everyone said, ‘You need to listen to this kid sing.’”

And, in case anyone needs a second, third or fourth opinion: Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan think so, too.

Those three “American Idol” celebrity judges recently ruled that Ball, now in his second year of medical school, was good enough to seize the Golden Ticket — the coveted passport to the Hollywood round of ABC TV’s popular talent showcase.

It’s a noteworthy endorsement for the singer-songwriter who, until relatively recently, didn’t realize he could carry a tune, much less lift it high above his head.

“I didn’t know I could sing at all until I was in the 10th grade,” Ball says.

Validation via “American Idol” presents him with an exquisite dilemma, though, as he ponders how to navigate the separate paths of his two loves: medicine and music.

“I definitely want to finish medical school and be a physician; I’ve always been passionate about that,” says Ball, who grew up mostly in Madison, where he lives now with his wife, Carrie Hancock Ball (BSES 18), a physical therapy student at UMMC who graduates in May.

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Submitted photo

“I want to keep doing music, too. This year, a lot of doors have opened.”

Ball was about 15 years old when he crossed the first threshold of his singing career. Although he had been strumming the guitar since he was 10 — “I played in my room hours at a time,” he says — he didn’t set his voice free until he joined his high school’s show choir at Jackson Prep.

“They needed more guys in the choir,” Ball says. “And my friends asked me to join. Then the director, Dianne Holbert, told me I had a good voice. She had such a great impact on me; that encouraged me to keep singing.”

Sky Studios in Jackson for my birthday. So I wrote a song and recorded it, and then put it on Spotify and YouTube.”

He just needed “a little nudge,” Carrie Ball says. “I don’t think he saw how talented he is. He didn’t believe in himself as much as others believed in him. So, I bought him that studio session and told him to give it a try.

“Having your wife say you’re talented is one thing, but the guys at the studio also said they were really impressed with him. They said, ‘We never know what’s going to come through the door.’ Lucky for them, it was Conner.”

Several recording sessions later, Conner Ball’s discography on Spotify has blossomed into a quartet of Blue Sky productions: “I Remember,” “Hold on for Me,” “In the Air” and “Careful.”

Joseph Cook (BA 18), a third-year medical student and Ball’s friend since they were students at Ole Miss, creates the distinctive artwork for the recordings Carrie Ball describes as “chill and relaxed,” which is probably a good thing, since she’s pretty sure her husband’s lyrics are about her.

“I think most of them are,” she says.

O b v i o u s l y, C a r r i e B a l l ’s “little nudge” worked. After that first recording session, Conner Ball “started writing a ton,” he says. “I kept calling the studio to do more projects.”

C a s e y C omb e s t , B lu e S k y ’s founder, obliged, as did the team of studio musicians who worked with him.

Heartened by this response, Ball considered taking on “American Idol” after his dad, Scott Ball, and his mother-in-law, Rita Hancock, both sent him the link to try out. Realizing that medical school time waits for no one, he sought the blessing of a dean first. That dean was Weatherly.

She remembered well the recording Ball had made about a year earlier. It was his submission for a creative arts project about patient care, an assignment for his Introduction to the Medical Profession course. “Empathy” was his theme, Conner Ball will continue to record and study, and figure out how to accommodate his two passions: and it struck a chord with Weatherly. medicine and music.

“He is so incredible,” she says.

So he did, with various bands, church groups and more. “But when we met, he told me he never expected to be chosen Among the inspirations for his brand of alternative music are for an audition on ‘American Idol.’ He wanted to do it, though, John Mayer and Ed Sheeran. And his wife, Carrie, who helped if I thought it was a good idea; otherwise he wouldn’t try. him birth his foray into recording — on his birthday.

“I said, ‘Are you crazy? We will move mountains to make “We were married right before I entered medical school,” this happen for you.’ And, no matter how far he got, he never Conner Ball says. “Later, Carrie bought me a session at Blue presumed he was entitled to do this; he would always ask if he

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Submitted photo

medical school,” Conner Ball says. “They were awesome.”

For them, he sang Harr y Styles’ version of “Falling” — an ironic title, considering what happened next.

“They gave me a critique and told me I had won the Golden Ticket,” Ball says. “So, I grabbed it off the wall; because of COVID, they couldn’t hand it to me.”

He had his ticket for the first round of Hollywood Week. In December, he traveled again to Los Angeles for another filming session and a performance before the trio of appropriately distanced celebrities.

Ball made it to the “genre” round with 160 finalists, where he was eliminated when the finalists were narrowed down to 75.

“It was stressful for a while, trying to make up so much class time,” Ball says. “Dr. Weatherly was amazing; she figured out what I needed to do to keep up in my classes.”

Conner Ball and his wife, Carrie, flew out to Los Angeles for his successful ‘Golden Ticket’ bid.

Speaking with her, he wondered aloud what a boost to his musical career might mean for could have time off, which was really refreshing.

“The biggest shout-out goes to the course directors of the his medical career.

“I told him if it does get that far, then he figures it out along M2 class. Without hesitation, every single one of them said they would do whatever they could to help him; many volun- the way,” Weatherly says. “I also told him it’s an opportunity he teered to come up here during the Christmas holidays to give cannot pass on. So I’m glad he didn’t.

“I’m just so proud of him. He represents us well, and puts him makeup tests.

“Without their support, it wouldn’t have been possible for a good face on UMMC and Mississippi.”

For her part, Carrie Ball him to do this. And they did it with such grace.”

Through grace, and his own gumption, Ball began his has told him that whatever he “American Idol” experience in September, auditioning online chooses to do, they’ll try to from his house. Otherwise, without that pandemic-imposed make it work.

“I want him to be happy. arrangement, he would have had no time to travel for a series of Right now, I think he’s happy out-of-town tryouts, he says.

“I logged on to Zoom, and each contestant was put in where he is.”

But C on ne r B a l l is not breakout rooms with a producer to perform a song for them,” happy to record only 10 Ball says. He withstood this first trial.

“In October, they flew me and Carrie out to Los Angeles for songs — his total, so far. More are on the way, including an another audition and to film my story,” he says.

That’s when he first met the celebrity judges. When he album, and, separately, an EP wasn’t auditioning, he quarantined in the hotel room and of Christian songs “based on my faith,” he says. studied, he says.

Lyssa Weatherly “Finding time for music, it’s When he was auditioning, Carrie Ball sat on the other side day by day,” Ball says. “Honestly, though, it’s been the best way of the closed door.

“I was praying and praying: ‘Please let him get the Golden to find a release from studying. At the end of the day, I pick up Ticket,’” she says. “I thought he would go far, but for some my guitar and write; that’s been incredible.

“I want to keep recording and writing when I can, and reason I started getting really nervous. I thought, ‘Will they performing when I have free time. Maybe try out for another run out of Golden Tickets?’” show. None of that may happen, though.

They did not.

“But I’ll keep living life to the fullest and try to do both.”

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Sports OLE MISS

Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Rifle team at the 2021 NCAA Rifle Championships in Columbus, Ohio

On the Mark

RIFLE FINISHES THIRD OVERALL AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

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le Miss rifle concluded its season with a third-place finish at the 2021 NCAA Rifle Championships in March with a team score of 4710. The finish is the highest the Rebels have ever achieved in program history.

“The team really performed well at the championships,” says head coach Marsha Beasley. “I’m very proud of how everyone worked through the challenges and put up good scores. All season we’ve been focused and working very hard, and it really showed this weekend. It’s exciting to see where we will go from here.”

It was the Rebels’ second time ever competing as a team at the championship event and their first in 15 years. Back in

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2006, Ole Miss competed and placed sixth overall. As a team, the Rebels capped off the championship by earning third-place team honors in smallbore, air rifle and overall.

“The team shot great and truly competed as a team,” says assistant coach Jean-Pierre Lucas. “They’ve been working hard and making a lot of progress. With that said, the team was very focused and had a clear understanding of how they wanted to compete. They did exactly that. We are very proud of this team and proud of everything they have accomplished this season.”

With a trio of third-place finishes, the Rebels wrapped up competition for their 2020-21 campaign.

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Virtual Showcase

THREE REBELS INVITED TO 2021 NFL COMBINE

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ALUMNI REVIEW

202 receptions and recorded 10 or more receptions in seven of the eight games this season.

In his first and only season in a Rebel uniform, Yeboah finished second on the team in receptions (27) and receiving yards (524). He was unable to complete his Pro Day activities due to an injury.

seven of his targets for a career-high 181 yards and two TDs. Yeboah’s 181 receiving yards were the most yards ever by a Rebel tight end.

Newman started all 10 games in 2020 at right tackle for the Rebels. The redshirt senior appeared in 43 career contests for Ole Miss, including 22 Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

le Miss’ Elijah Moore, Kenny Yeboah and Royce Newman all earned invitations to the 2021 NFL Combine, the National Football League recently announced.

The NFL Combine — the league’s traditional showcase where top prospects are assessed by NFL general managers, coaches and scouts — was held virtually in 2021 due to COVID-19 protocols.

The NFL released the list of players that would have been invited to the event had it been held in order to recognize them for ranking among the top prospects for the upcoming NFL Draft.

Instead of bringing the players to Indianapolis for the much-anticipated pre-draft event, the NFL also used Pro Day at each of the schools to supplement what is normally done at the combine. Ole Miss’ Pro Day was held on March 25 with 37 scouts and NFL personnel from 29 professional teams gathered inside the Manning Center.

Multiple Rebels put their skills on display with hopes of pursuing a future in the NFL. A total of 10 Rebels — five from the 2020 roster and five other former Ole Miss letterwinners — participated.

Moore earned first team consensus All-America accolades (Walter Camp, American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, Sporting News) after his historic and shortened 2020 junior season. He played in and started eight games at wide receiver for the Rebels before electing to forgo the remaining games of his Rebel football career to begin preparation for the 2021 NFL Draft.

The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native hauled in a school record 86 receptions for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns during his last season in a Rebel uniform. Moore led the country in receiving yards per game (149.1) and receptions per game (10.8) The Biletnikoff finalist concluded the 2020 season just 13 catches short of Laquon Treadwell’s career mark of

Elijah Moore participates in Ole Miss’ Pro Day at the Manning Center.

He ranked No. 7 among Football Bowl Subdivision tight ends with six receiving touchdowns, and his 244 yards after catch were the fifth-most this season by a tight end.

Yeboah had a career night versus No. 2 Alabama in the fall. He caught all

consecutive starts. Newman allowed just two sacks this past season in 430 pass blocks. He was part of an Ole Miss offense that ranked top 20 in the FBS in nine separate offensive categories, including No. 3 in total offense per game (555.5).

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OLE MISS Sports

Bouncing Back

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL MAKES WNIT FINAL

Rebels win the WNIT Regional Championship.

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ALUMNI REVIEW

Photos courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

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le Miss gave all it had left to cut what was once a 16-point second half deficit down to four, but a superb and clinical Rice team never faltered, taking command of the game back to defeat the Rebels, 71-58, in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament championship game on March 28.

The Rebels (15-12) finish with their first winning season since 2016-17, and that late-game rally encapsulated all that was great about this young and exciting team that had fought through so much adversity. Rice (23-4), which had a serious case to make for being included in the NCAA Tournament, took the WNIT crown.

“Super proud of my team,” says Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, who willed this team to an incredible turnaround from a 0-16 SEC season in 2019-20 to a postseason tournament runner-up this year. “When I went out with COVID, some of my close friends told me we wouldn’t get out of the first round, just because my team depends on my effort and energy so much. Yet, we’re playing in the championship game against a Rice team that was ultra experienced.

“Of course, we wanted to win, but in hindsight if we couldn’t win, then I still feel like I got a victory for this program out of this. Obviously, my team is heartbroken, but I talked to them about good things that they did, and I am very appreciative of them.”

On the game, the Rebels scored 23 points off of Rice’s 24 turnovers, but Rice’s inability to miss from the free throw line and the powerful one-two punch of Mulkey and Schwartz proved too much in the end as Rice extended back

WNIT semifinal

out to its eventual 13-point win.

“I was telling the team that two years ago, Rice was in the NCAA Tournament. Those same kids played in the tournament,” McPhee-McCuin says. “They understood the moment, you could tell from the beginning of the game. They understood it, and my players didn’t. Even when we made a run back, I felt that they were in control the whole 40 minutes.”

The final game wraps up an exciting, yet trying, 2020-21 season. Ole Miss improved by eight wins and bounced back from a winless conference season to a 15-12 record, its first postseason since 2016-17, its first postseason win since 2015, and its first-ever trip to a postseason semifinal or final — NCAA or WNIT — and did so with the NCAA’s 10th-youngest roster all during a global pandemic that shortened the season and affected the team on multiple occasions.

When asked postgame about whether she saw the team here this year, all Coach Yo could do was laugh.

“This is a win for our program,” McPhee-McCuin says. “We had three bleachers filled. You put that in The Pavilion, and it’s rocking next year. I’m in it for the long haul, y’all. This is just a step in the right direction.”

The Future Alumni Network is the student level of membership in the Ole Miss Alumni Association.

Becoming a member is the erst step in beginning students’ lifelong relationship with Ole Miss.

Get special gifts & perks: • Free printing and scantrons in Triplett Alumni Center Sponsored by Rose Business Equipme Equipment

• Special events throughout the year just for student members • Receive special gifts every year • Access to MEMBER ZONE on home football game days • Discounts and special offers at local and national retailers • Meet prominent alumni and learn valuable career advice at our networking events • Special car decal

Memberships are only $25 annually, or $75 for four years for undergrads!

• Four-year members receive $100 off an alumni Life Membership their senior year.

JJn Today!

JOIN ONLINE AT OLEMISSALUMNI.COM/STUDENTS

OLE MISS Sports Illustration courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Retiring No. 11

BASEBALL RETIRES DON KESSINGER’S JERSEY NUMBER

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le Miss legend and Major League Baseball All-Star Don Kessinger (BA 65) had his jersey number retired on April 22.

Kessinger’s No. 11 — the number he wore as he earned six All-Star and two Gold Glove selections as the shortstop for the Chicago Cubs — will be displayed on the outfield wall at OxfordUniversity Stadium. He joins Jake Gibbs (BSHPE 61) as the only two Rebel baseball players to have their numbers retired.

“Few individuals have represented Ole Miss with more grace and prestige than Don Kessinger,” says Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter (BBA 01, MBA 16). “We are honored to celebrate his lifetime of success, his contributions to Ole Miss and the person that he is by placing his jersey number in its rightful place alongside Jake Gibbs in Swayze Field.”

“I’m excited this honor is being bestowed upon Don Kessinger,” says head baseball coach Mike Bianco. “He’s been a great ambassador to Ole Miss baseball and pillar in our community.”

Kessinger excelled in both basketball and baseball for the Rebels in 1962-64, earning All-SEC and All-America honors in both sports. In basketball, he averaged 22.2 points per game to rank fourth in Ole Miss history as well as 11th with 1,553 career points. On the diamond, Kessinger’s feats were equally impressive. His .400 career batting average still remains No. 1 in the Ole Miss record book, an effort which is also sixth on the SEC career chart.

“I am thrilled, honored, overwhelmed and humbled by this gesture,” Kessinger says. “I will be forever grateful that 44

ALUMNI REVIEW

my number will be hung next to the great Jake Gibbs in the outfield. I am also so privileged that I have had the honor of representing Ole Miss through the years in two sports.

“My teammates, coaches and those Ole Miss fans who have encouraged my career will never be forgotten. I have also been blessed by the amazing young men I got to coach at Ole Miss.

They taught me so much. I could not be where I find myself today without the support of all.

“And to my family, I am thankful for your constant love, support and encouragement through my athletic career. But most of all, I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for gifting to me the skills, the health and the ultimate successes I have had.

I pray that I have honored Him above all.”

Following a successful collegiate career, Kessinger moved on to Major League Baseball where he put together an impressive 16-year career. He started with the Chicago Cubs in 1964 and played at Wrigley Field until 1975. In his last season in MLB, 1979, Kessinger served as a player-manager for the White Sox. Named an SEC Legend, as well as a member of the Chicago Cubs, Ole Miss Sports, Mississippi, Arkansas, Chicago and National High School Halls of Fame, Kessinger kept close to baseball following his MLB career. In 1991, he returned to his alma mater to become head coach of the Rebels, taking over for the legendary Gibbs. Kessinger won 185 games over six seasons, and in 1995, he led Ole Miss to its first-ever 40-win season, as well as its first NCAA Regional berth since 1977.

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Published JUST

Blood in the Water by Rick Outzen will be in the water. Holmes hopes none

Places I’ve Taken My Body: Essays b y Molly McCully Brown (MFA 17), 224 pages, $24.95 (hardcover), Persea Books, ISBN: 978-0892555130 In 17 intimate essays, poet Molly McCully Brown explores living within and beyond the limits of a body — in her case, one shaped since birth by cerebral palsy, a permanent and often painful movement disorder. In spite of — indeed, in response to — physical constraints, Brown leads a peripatetic life: The essays comprise a vivid travelogue set throughout the United States and Europe, ranging from the rural American South of her childhood to the cobblestoned streets of Bologna, Italy.

Brown constellates the subjects that define her inside and out: a disabled and conspicuous body, a religious conversion, a missing twin, a life in poetry.

Throughout, Brown offers us the gift of her exquisite sentences, woven together in consideration, always, of what it means to be human — flawed, potent, feeling.

Brown’s poems and essays have appeared in The Paris Review, Tin House, The Guardian, Virginia Quarterly Review, Vogue, The New York Times, Crazyhorse, The Yale Review and elsewhere.

She lives in Gambier, Ohio, and teaches at Kenyon College, where she is the Kenyon Review Fellow in Poetry.

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ALUMNI REVIEW

(BBA 79), 286 pages, $16.95 (paperback), Waterside Productions, ISBN: 978-1941768501 In the sequel to his award-winning debut novel, City of Grudges, author Rick Outzen brings back alt-weekly newspaper publisher Walker Holmes, his dog Big Boy and a cast of unforgettable characters as they continue to expose corruption in Pensacola, Florida.

In Blood in the Water, Holmes’ world has fallen apart yet again — his girlfriend has left him, an exposé on human trafficking has led to his source being brutally murdered, and his nemesis, Sheriff Ron Frost, appears to be unstoppable in his pursuit of a third term.

The publisher’s life becomes even more chaotic when a flood shuts down Pensacola, causing hundreds of millions of dollars of damage, and leaving Holmes’ entire staff stranded in his apartment.

Before the town can cope with the destruction, the county jail explodes, killing five and injuring hundreds.

Somehow Holmes must get his act together — stop his binge drinking,

win back the support of his staff and friends, stave off a hostile takeover of his newspaper and figure out what and who caused the deadly blast. But his investigation is unearthing dangerous connections to the Dixie Mafia, the Ku Klux Klan and decades of backroom deals that have fattened the bank accounts of a few powerful families.

Before he is done, plenty of blood

of it is his.

Rick Outzen is the publisher and owner of Pensacola Inweekly and creator of “Rick’s Blog.” His investigative reporting on crime, corruption and the BP oil spill for his newspaper and The Daily Beast earned him international attention and awards. His 2018 debut novel, City of Grudges, was honored by the Florida Writers Association and Killer Nashville.

He has been profiled in The New York Times and featured on “Dateline NBC.”

Runaway Haley: An Imagined Family Saga b y William A. Thomas

Jr. (BA 87, MD 91), 362 pages, $22.50 (paperback), Shotwell Publishing Co., ISBN: 978-1947660380 Escaping poverty and looking for a better life, Michael Haley came to America from Ireland in 1847. He married above his station and lived a life of adventure, hard work and tragedy, but died young — leaving his children orphaned.

Based on real people, using actual documents, maps, photos and news clippings, and including supporting characters pulled from census reports, Runaway Haley imagines what might have happened in the lives of two generations of a Mississippi family in the Deep South in centuries past.

Bill Thomas served in the U.S. Air Force as a physician, flight surgeon and commander. Read more about the people in his book at therunawayhaleystory.com.

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.

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Traveler 2021 REBEL

T

he Ole Miss Alumni Association offers the alumni travel program as part of its mission to unite our alumni and keep them connected to Ole Miss and one another. OMAA has partnered with several tour operators that specialize in alumni travel to offer a broad selection of educational tours for 2021.

Alumni and friends obtain group rates and discounts. Listed prices are per person, based on double occupancy, and pricing and dates are subject to change until booking. Airfare is not included unless noted. Visit olemissalumni.com/travel for a complete listing and the most up-todate information.

Due to the continued effects and uncertainty on travel as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, these offerings and itineraries are subject to change or cancellation. OMAA strongly recommends purchasing travel insurance.

For a brochure or more information

Lake Orta, Italy 48

ALUMNI REVIEW

on a trip, contact Allie Little in the Alumni office at 662-915-7375 or email alliel@olemissalumni.com.

England lobster farewell dinner. — From approximately $3,125, including airfare from Memphis

CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS SEPT. 18-24, 2021

ITALIAN LAKES SEPT. 18-26, 2021

Lodge for five nights on the Cape to experience its beauty and history. Enjoy a night in Boston and a tour of historic Boston with dinner at a local restaurant.

Take a ferry ride to Martha’s Vineyard to see the colorful Victorian cottages of Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, and view beautiful, pristine beaches along the shore. Cruise to scenic and historic Nantucket Island, with a visit to the Nantucket Whaling Museum. In Newport, Rhode Island, enjoy a guided tour of the Breakers mansion, and see additional exquisite mansions from the turn of the century along the “Ten Mile Drive.” The tour concludes with a traditional New

Northern Italy’s fabled Lake District beckons with its sublime landscapes of shimmering glacial waters, soaring Alpine peaks and bijou towns. Immerse yourself in the distinct bella figura Italian style that has inspired poets, composers, artists and philosophers for centuries. Stay for one week in the heart of the quintessentially Italian città di Como, at the lakeside, belleépoque Palace Hotel, just steps from the local market. Cruise by private boat on Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta. During expert-guided excursions, explore authentic villages and cultural treasures. Visit Bellagio,

Tour Operator: Premier World Discovery

Tour Operator: Gohagan

2021 REBEL Traveler Villa del Balbianello, Stresa, Isola Bella, San Giulio and Sacro Monte di Orta, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In Milan, visit the Duomo and Teatro alla Scala, and enjoy a specially arranged viewing of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” Enriching lectures and the exclusive Village Life® Forum with local Lombardy residents provide personal perspectives of daily life and cultural heritage. This intimate and comprehensive soggiorno, at just the right pace, includes exceptional accommodations, specially arranged meals and all excursions. A Verona and Venice postprogram option is available. — From approximately $3,895

EASY COMPANY: ENGLAND TO THE EAGLE’S NEST SEPT. 18-30, 2021

Tour Operator: National WWII Museum

Made famous by The New York Times bestseller Band of Brothers and the critically acclaimed miniseries that followed, the stories of Easy Company were immortalized by National WWII Museum founder Stephen E. Ambrose.

On this unforgettable, 13-day travel experience, you will follow in the footsteps of Easy Company, from England

to the hedgerows of Normandy, along “Hell’s Highway” in the Netherlands, through the foxholes surrounding Bastogne, and atop the Eagle’s Nest. Led by expert battlefield guides, and accompanied by original cast members from the miniseries, this tour immerses you in the incredible lives of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne. — From approximately $6,995

OPERATION HOMEFRONT SEPT. 23-26, 2021

Tour Operator: National WWII Museum

Travel to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans to explore, remember and reflect on World War II through exclusive access to the museum’s campus. The National WWII Museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world — why it was fought, how it was won and what it means today — so that all generations will understand the price of freedom and be inspired by what they learn. Enjoy easy access to the National WWII Museum during your stay at the Higgins Hotel, located across the street from the museum.

Prominently located in the New Orleans Warehouse District and directly on the museum campus, the Higgins Hotel &

Conference Center features a striking 1940s theme and is part of the exclusive Curio Collection by Hilton. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience a custom program at this world-class institution. — From approximately $1,399

MOROCCO SEPT. 24-OCT. 2, 2021 Tour Operator: AHI

Embark on an exciting, eight-night journey that showcases Morocco’s ancient cities, vibrant culture and riveting history. Begin with six nights in Marrakech, and explore the city’s walled medina, bustling with shaded souks and a centuries-old square filled with storytellers and musicians.

Admire the Palace Bahia, constructed by architect El Mekki, and see the s p l e n d i d m i n a r e t o f Ko u t o u b i a Mosque. Delve into Morocco’s fascinating culture during a calligraphy lesson and culinary tour at the Amal Women’s Center, and engage with a Berber family during an outing to the Atlas Mountains. Discover the gardens of Marrakech, including the subtropical Jardin Majorelle, and thrill to a special Moroccan feast accompanied by local music. Cap off your adventure with two nights in Casablanca where you’ll explore the city’s architectural wonders, and journey to nearby Rabat to marvel at the Hassan Mosque. Enjoy an extensive meal program featuring wine with dinner. — From approximately $4,090

COASTAL LIFE OF THE ADRIATIC SEA SEPT. 24-OCT. 2, 2021 Tour Operator: Gohagan

Higgins Hotel & Conference Center, New Orleans

Cruise from Athens to picture-perfect Venice through the historic Corinth Canal along the stunning Dalmatian Coast. Enjoy a custom-designed, seven-night itinerar y aboard the exclusively chartered, five-star small ship Le Bougainville, featuring private balconies in all of its ocean-view suites and statero oms. Visit f ive countries and up to eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, exploring the i n f lu e n c e of t h e R om an , Gre e k , B y z a nt i n e , Ve n e t i a n a n d S l av i c S P R I N G 2 021

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2021 REBEL Traveler civilizations. This comprehensive program features ports inaccessible to larger vessels, including the Bay of Kotor, Korčula and Hvar. In Greece, visit the sacred, ancient Greek site of Delphi and Corfu’s Old Town, rooted in the eighth century B.C.; in Albania, tour the remarkable archaeological site of Butrint; in Montenegro, visit Kotor’s medieval fortifications and architectural sites; and in Croatia, see Dubrovnik’s beautifully restored, 15th-century walled city, and tour Split’s Roman Diocletian’s Palace. To further enhance your cruise, enjoy the exclusive Coastal Life Forum with local residents and a traditional folk music performance. Athens and Cape Sounion pre-program and Venice post-program options are offered. — From approximately $3,895

GRAND DANUBE SEPT. 30-OCT. 14, 2021 Tour Operator: AHI

Experience eight European countries, and sail the mighty Danube River on this unforgettable journey. Our carefully curated itinerary introduces f a s c i n at i n g l an d m ar k s an d e pi c landscapes, including the fairy-tale Wachau Valley. Plus, bookend your adventure with stays in Sofia, Bulgaria, and Prague, Czech Republic. Awaken each day to new discoveries, including Roman ruins, cathedrals, synagogues, mosques and fortresses — all part of the region’s dynamic history. Feast your eyes on Budapest illuminated at night, explore medieval towns, and witness the Iron Gate Gorge, an engineering marvel. Taste delicacies in Croatia’s Slavonia region, and enjoy a folk show and Viennese waltz performance. And, enjoy a selection of included excursions selected to immerse you in the destination’s cuisine, architecture, local life and more.

This program offers first-class ship accommodations and deluxe hotels and an extensive meal plan featuring wine and beer with lunch and dinner.

There is no single supplement for solo travelers. — From approximately $5,390 50

ALUMNI REVIEW

Bratislava, Slovakia

TUSCANY OCT. 2-10, 2021 Tour Operator: AHI

Uncover the wonders of Tuscany and its romantic allure on this enriching sevennight journey. From our base in Lucca, we’ll embark on excursions to discover the relics, unrivaled beauty and cultural treasures of this storied region. Spend a day admiring the picturesque Cinque Terre, feasting your eyes on the colorful villages of Manarola and Vernazza from the sea and indulging in a memorable seaside lunch. We’ll stand before the Leaning Tower of Pisa and discover Lucca’s fascinating architecture, including the exquisite façade of the Church of San Michele. Together, we’ll explore the grounds of a centuries-old villa and visit Carrara, home to Michelangelo’s prized ivory marble. Along the way, a captivating Italian operetta performance and winery visit immerse you in the region’s art scene and outstanding viniculture. And, encounter the beautiful Garfagnana region and the sweet village of Barga. This small-group program includes first-class accommodations and an extensive meal plan, complemented by wine with dinner. — From approximately $3,490

DANUBE TO THE BLACK SEA OCT. 11-21, 2021 Tour Operator: Gohagan

Join us for an extraordinary, 13-day journey along nearly the entire length of the fabled Danube River, from the Habsburgs’ imperial capital of Vienna,

a UNESCO World Heritage site, to the captivating Black Sea. Cruise for nine nights aboard the exclusively chartered, deluxe Amadeus Queen, and spend two nights in Romania’s elegant capital of Bucharest, nicknamed “Little Paris” for its classical architecture. Visit the ancient land of Bulgaria, the young territories of Serbia and eastern Croatia, Hungary’s fabled Puszta (plains) and the UNESCO World Heritage-designated castles, palaces and squares of Budapest.

Admire a masterful display of traditional horsemanship in the Hungarian heartland, cruise through the dramatic Iron Gates dividing the Carpathian and Balkan mountains, and experience the fascinating Slavic heritage of medieval Belgrade. This outstanding travel program features seven countries and the enchanting eastern Danube River Valley, an untouched region steeped in natural beauty unknown to many Western travelers. Deepen your knowledge of the Danube with the Vienna pre-program option, and see authentic castles of local lore on the Transylvania post-program option. — From approximately $4,595

ISLAND LIFE IN ANCIENT GREECE OCT. 22-30, 2021 Tour Operator: Gohagan

Journey to the cradle of Western civilization and the classical world on our comprehensive, nine-day Aegean Odyssey. Explore the exquisitely preserved treasures and mythical landscapes of ancient Greece, uncovering layers of architectural history. Cruise to fabled

2021 REBEL Traveler halcyon islands from antiquity aboard the exclusively chartered, state-of-theart, five-star Le Bougainville. Our epic voyage calls on the islands of Delos, Mykonos, Pátmos, Rhodes, Santorini and the Peloponnese Peninsula. Visit the spectacular ancient city of Ephesus, arguably the finest extant example of a Greco-Roman classical city. Walk t hroug h t he fable d L ion Gate of legendary Mycenae, and explore the monumental ruins of the Sanctuary of Asklepios of Epidaurus. Enjoy guided tours in these storied destinations, visit up to eight magnificent UNESCO

tour the gothic port city of Rouen, discover some lesser-known World War II history at La Roche-Guyon, and learn about Operation Jubilee in Dieppe. After the cruise, transfer deep into the breathtaking countryside of Normandy, where you’ll spend four nights in a stunning, historic château.

Once in Normandy, delve into D-Day and the battles that took place in summer 1944. Featured expert historians Craig Symonds and John McManus will guide you as you visit all five landing beaches and learn of the tremendous obstacles troops faced as they pushed

Concepción Castle’s hilltop views, and visit the Roman Theater — dating from the first century B.C. — in legendary Cartagena. Refuel at the lively tapas bars, and take in the large collection of unusual modernisme architecture in Melilla, Spain’s outpost on Africa’s northern shores. And, in the lively port of Alicante, catch views of the parks and waterfront boulevard from the high towers of Santa Bárbara Castle. Sail across the sea to Malta, where Valletta boasts one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world. And cruise to Catania for a visit to upmarket boutiques and bistros in Sicily’s youthful university town. Before you bid farewell to Riviera in Rome, cruise to Naples for a taste of mouthwatering Southern Italian cuisine and access to the storied ruins of Pompeii. — From approximately $3,049, including airfare from select cities

HOLIDAY MARKETS DEC. 4-12, 2021 Tour Operator: AHI

Alicante, Spain

World Heritage sites, and experience the time-honored traditions and delights of authentic Greek villages.

Meet and engage with local residents who will discuss contemporary life on the islands of the Aegean Sea during the specially arranged Island Life® Forum.

Extend your voyage with the Classical Athens and Mythical Cape Sounion pre-program and Oracle of Delphi and Antiquities of Thebes post-program options. — From approximately $4,795

NORMANDY AND THE SEINE RIVER OCT. 31-NOV. 8, 2021 Tour Operator: National WWII Museum

Sail from the heart of Paris along the River Seine, and enjoy four nights on the five-star, exclusively chartered Uniworld Joie de Vivre. Call upon the well-preserved villages of Les Andelys,

inland. Guests may choose to add an optional two-night pre-cruise program, The Liberation of Paris. — From approximately $7,499

IBERIAN IMMERSION, MONTE CARLO — ROME NOV. 6-17, 2021 Tour Operator: Go Next

Traverse the Western Mediterranean across the Spanish, Italian and French rivieras on this 10-night journey with Oceania Cruises. Embark in glamorous Monte Carlo, and set sail for the bustling seaport of Toulon, with easy access to the charismatic hilltop villages and picturesque countryside of Provence. Then sail down the coast of Spain. See Gaudí’s imaginative architecture, and feast your senses at La Boqueria market in Barcelona. Enjoy

Feel the magic of the holidays in Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands on a seven-night Rhine River cruise. Celebrate centuries-old traditions in festive markets aglow with twinkling lights and good cheer and overflowing with handmade decorations and other treasures. Delight in the sounds of carolers and bells and the scent of nutmeg, cinnamon and fresh pine in the air. Visit Heidelberg’s castle, and enjoy an exclusive musical performance in the romantic old town. Stroll through Koblenz and Speyer, charming German towns. Admire Cologne’s spectacular cathedral, and cruise Amsterdam’s scenic canals. In the ports of Breisach, Strasbourg, Rüdesheim and Amsterdam, select excursions that fit your interests, such as wine tastings, culinary tours or cultural experiences.

Aboard your exclusively chartered, first-class ship, revel in the beauty of the Rhine Gorge, and sip warm, spicy Glühwein. This heartwarming journey includes an ample meal plan, plus wine and beer with lunch and dinner. There is no supplement for solo travelers.

— From approximately $2,890 S P R I N G 2 021

51

News ALUMNI

Member Benefits Spotlight embership in the Ole Miss Alumni Association offers many benefits on top of the more visible ones such as the magazine and annual calendar. Always on the lookout for more opportunities, OMAA has added a few new partners to its array of benefits for members.

OMAA has partnered with Simplifi by Quicken, a budgeting app that allows users to build a consolidated snapshot of

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ALUMNI REVIEW

bank accounts, credit cards, loans and investments in one place. Named the Best Budgeting App by The New York Times, Simplifi also allows users to create spending plans and reach savings goals. The OMAA partnership gives alumni a 30-day free trial and 38% off the annual rate.

OMAA also recently partnered with Varsity Tutors to give Ole Miss alumni, students and staff 20% off online tutoring and instruction. Varsity Tutors offers largegroup, small-group and one-on-one tutoring and instruction in a variety of subjects.

To access these and other benefits and discounts, go to olemissalumni.com/benefits.

The Alumni Association also offers an array of members-only discounts separately through the Ole Miss Alumni app. Just download the app, log in, and click the Benefits tile.

ALUMNI News

Class Notes ’60s ’70s LYMAN ALDRICH (BBA 67) of

W. RALPH EUBANKS (BA 78)

Memphis was named to the Memphis 200, a list that includes the city’s famous, infamous and those you don’t know but should.

of Wash i ng ton , D. C . , is author of A Place Like Mississippi, which was released on March 16. The book takes readers on a tour of the real and imagined landscapes that have inspired generations of authors.

RICHARD A. BURKE (JD 66) of New York,

New York, recently retired from a legal practice in immigration and nationality law that spanned over half a century. Burke has kept in touch with Ole Miss and always enjoyed updates on the university from the summer interns working at his office.

RET. REAR ADM. THOMAS G. LILLY (LLB

60) of Oxford was elected an honorary member of the French association of the Americans and U.S. Sixth Fleet in Villefranche-sur-Mer.

MIKE RANDOLPH (JD 74) of Hattiesburg was

recently sworn in again to the Supreme Court of Mississippi. He became chief justice on Feb. 1, 2019, and is the longest currently serving member of the court. He was appointed and then elected in 2004, and reelected in 2012 and 2020.

GLENN SIMPSON ( BBA 7 2 ) of Wash -

ington, North Carolina, and his wife, Kathy, were honored recently when the

Beaufort County Community College Foundation dedicated its nursing simulation laboratory in their honor, acknowledging a donation from the Simpson family.

IKE TROTTER (BA 74) of Greenville has been

reappointed to the eight-member national finance committee of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors of Falls Church, Virginia.

’80s

G. DEWEY HEMBREE III (BBA

83, JD 86) of Madison was recognized in the 2020 edition of MidSouth Super Lawyers in the areas of business litigation, civil litigation and real estate.

MS AL

LA

S P R I N G 2 021

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ALUMNI News DR. L. RAY MATTHEWS (BA 85, MD 89), a

JOHN BARKER (BBA 90), owner and pres-

trauma surgeon of East Point, Georgia, was awarded the first patent for the treatment of concussions and traumatic brain injuries by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

His treatment helped a 15-year-old football player make history by successfully surviving a severe, life-threatening brain stem injury with high-dose vitamin D3.

ident of Two Rivers Ford in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, was named as one of 41 finalists for the 2021 TIME Dealer of the Year award by the National Automobile Dealers Association.

DAVID MCMILLIN (BBA 83) of Madison was

named chairman of the board of trustees for Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson. He recently retired from the Xerox Corp., where he served in numerous roles over a 35-year career.

RET. LT. COL. DEX MCCAIN (BBA 92) recently

accepted a position as assistant professor of leadership and ethics at the School of Graduate Professional Military Education at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, Alabama. McCain was also recently selected as chair of the board of trustees for the St. James School, an independent, nonsectarian college preparatory school in Montgomery, Alabama.

RET. COL. DR. PAUL NELSON (BA 89) cele-

ELISE MUNN (JD 93), partner at Berry &

Smith & Oldmixon in Poplarville, was elected to the Mississippi Bar’s board of commissioners.

Munn PA in Hazlehurst, was elected to the Mississippi Bar’s board of commissioners.

AUDRA RESTER (BA 94), principal at Oxford

STEPHEN T. BAILEY (BPA 92,

JD 94) of Hernando, chancellor for the First Chancery Court District, was appointed as an alternate member on the committee on judicial performance. He was appointed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph for a six-year term.

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ALUMNI REVIEW

Louisiana, was introduced as chair of the chamber board of directors at the Central Louisiana Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 107th annual meeting on Dec. 10, 2020.

’00s

KEVIN ALLEMAND JR. (BAEd

AIMEE BERTRAND (BA 03) of Kingwood,

COLETTE OLDMIXON (JD 81), proprietor of

’90s

ZEB WINSTEAD (BBA 99) of Alexandria,

RANDI PERESICH MUELLER (BA 97, JD 00)

brated his retirement in the Grove with family and friends, members of the community and fellow service members after 31 years of military service.

elected to serve as president-elect of the Mississippi Bar. His term begins at the annual meeting in July, and he will be the 116th president of the association.

elected mayor of Rosedale.

Oxford was honored in February as Parent of the Year for Oxford Intermediate School.

SARAH MCLELLAN (BAEd 97, MEd 98) of

of Biloxi was named circuit court judge for the Second Court District of Mississippi by Gov. Tate Reeves. She will handle cases in Hancock, Harrison and Stone counties.

BRAD TELLER (BBA 88) of Vicksburg was

AELICIA L. THOMAS (JD 97) was recently

05) of Perk inston was selected as a 2020 James Madison fellow.

He is pursuing a Master of Arts in history and political science at Western New Mexico University and expects to complete his fellowship at the summer institute at Georgetown this summer.

DAWN D. MOORE (JD 88) of Columbia, Ten-

nessee, was named chief wealth management officer at First Farmers and Merchants Bank in Columbia. She has served as senior personal trust officer since 2014.

also elected to the board of directors for Ochsner Health.

Middle School, was awarded Oxford School District’s Administrator of the Year.

Texas, was named executive vice president and CEO of the Greater Houston Builders Association effective Jan. 4. The trade association has represented all aspects of the residential building industry in the greater Houston area since 1941.

LINDSEY LAZINSKY (BA 07, JD 16), special

assistant attorney general in Mississippi’s Office of the Attorney General in Oxford, was elected a director at-large of the Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar. ADRIAN L. MAYSE (BBA 05) of Washington,

was appointed to the Mississippi Court of Appeals in January. He previously served as district attorney for the Second Judicial District of Harrison, Hancock and Stone counties for nine years.

D.C., authored the children’s book When I Grow Up I Want to Be … an Accountant, which introduces children to the world of accounting. Mayse is associate professor and chair of accounting at Howard University.

DR. DAVID SUMRALL (BA 93) was promoted

BRYANT PETTIS (JD 05), partner at Balch

JOEL SMITH JR. (BA 96, JD 99) of Gulfport

to system chair of anesthesiology and associate medical director of surgical services at Ochsner Health in New Orleans. He was

& Bingham LLP in Gulfport, was elected to the Mississippi Bar’s board of commissioners.

ALUMNI News ROBERT SAVOIE (BBA 07), attorney at

McGlinchey Stafford in Cleveland, Ohio, received national recognition in the 2021 Chambers FinTech guide.

MANSI SHAH-PATEL (MS 03, PhD 07) of

Oxford was honored in February as Parent of the Year for Della Davidson Elementary School.

MICAJAH STURDIVANT (BBA 01) of Ridge-

land, president of Mississippi-based MMI Hotel Group, announced the $24 million Overton Square hotel Memphian, which is scheduled to open in April. MMI Hotel Group manages the 106-room boutique hotel.

RYAN UPSHAW (BA 06, MA 08) recently

at Jackson Preparatory School. He also has been appointed to the Mississippi Food Network board of directors.

LEIGH-TAYLOR WHITE (JD 05) joined Mul-

lins, Whitfield, White & Hillis PLLC in Memphis, where she will be practicing law as a partner with fellow alumna Mary Morgan Whitfield (JD 05).

’10s

RISHER CAVES (BA 10, JD 13),

member at Caves & Caves PLLC in Laurel, was elected to the Mississippi Bar’s board of commissioners.

ALUMNI FRIENDS JEFF ULMER, of Ocala, Florida, retired

in January as Stetson University’s vice president for development and alumni engagement.

STUDENT MEMBERS NATALIE PRUITT, a senior from Knoxville,

Tennessee, developed the website Creative Connect to connect Mississippi nonprofit organizations needing assistance and Ole Miss students interested in expanding their resume through community involvement.

JESS WALTMAN (BAccy 13, JD 16), attorney

with Davis & Crump PC in Gulfport, was named president-elect of the Young Lawyers Division of the Mississippi Bar.

assumed the role of chief diversity officer

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ALUMNI News

NFL Legend to Speak at Convocation ALUMNUS PATRICK WILLIS WILL DELIVER 2020 COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS

N

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At 17, Willis, then a standout multisport athlete, moved with his three younger siblings to live with his coach when his home life became intolerably unsafe.

era, Willis finished his NFL career with 950 combined tackles (732 solo, 218 assists), 20.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, five fumbles recovered, eight intercepPhoto by Ben Solomon/National Football Foundation

FL legend Patrick Willis (BSCJ 07), who overcame tremendous adversity to become a scholarathlete and one of the most decorated football players in Ole Miss history, will give the University of Mississippi’s 2020 Commencement address on May 8.

Commencement exercises for the Class of 2020, which were postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic last year, are slated for May 6-8. Morning convocation, where Willis will speak, is scheduled for 8 a.m. in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Ceremonies for the Class of 2021 are set for April 29-May 2.

A four-year letterwinner for the Rebels from 2003 to 2006, Willis is one of the most heralded defensive players in Ole Miss football history. Besides his accomplishments on the field, he also achieved tremendous success in the classroom and the community.

Willis, who holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Ole Miss, plans to focus his Commencement remarks on destiny and the strength that comes from lifting others as we rise.

“When I received the call, I had to take a moment to catch my breath and let it soak in,” Willis says. “I am truly humbled that the university has invited me to speak at the Commencement.”

Chancellor Glenn Boyce (BAEd 81, EdD 96) says the university community is “absolutely thrilled” to welcome Willis back home to address the Class of 2020.

“It’s an honor having such an accomplished, esteemed and beloved member of the Ole Miss family speak to our 2020 graduates as they themselves return to Ole Miss for a well-deserved celebratory Commencement,” Boyce says.

Willis’ story is a tremendous example of the power of resiliency, which should also connect with those who graduated last year, the chancellor says.

A native of Bruceton, Tennessee, Willis grew up with extremely limited resources, and by the age of 10 was working full time to support his siblings.

Former Ole Miss All-American linebacker Patrick Willis gives a ‘Landshark’ sign as he is inducted into the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame in 2019.

While Willis was a student at Ole Miss, his younger brother, Detris, tragically lost his life in 2006.

Willis ended his collegiate career as the Defensive MVP for the South Team in the 2007 Senior Bowl. A 2015 inductee into the Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame, he was selected to SI.com’s All-Decade Team of the 2000s. The 11th overall selection of the 2007 NFL draft, Willis won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year during his debut season with the San Francisco 49ers.

Willis enjoyed an eight-year NFL career, in which he made seven Pro Bowls and was voted All-Pro five times.

One of the best defensive players of his

tions and two defensive touchdowns.

Willis announced his retirement from the NFL in 2015, and in 2019 became the 10th former player or coach to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as an Ole Miss Rebel. He also was enshrined in the Mississippi and Tennessee Sports Halls of Fame and was a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist in 2019 and 2020.

“Whatever you want to do in life, you have to put your best foot forward,” he says. “Sometimes it may feel overwhelming or overly complicated, but even if the journey is slow and steady, as long as you are still running the race, you are making progress toward your goals.”

ALUMNI News BIRTHS

Jack Julian Jernigan (MA 49) of Garland, Texas, Feb. 7, 2021

Bird Lavender, daughter of Virginia T. Jones (BBA 05) and Timothy S. Jones, May 13, 2020.

Lewis Henry, son of Megan Pace Lovett (BA 07) and Alan Dale Lovett, Aug. 5, 2020.

Towers Jackson, son of Allison Metcalf McLarty and Jackson Harris McLarty (BBA 10), Nov. 4, 2020.

Camille Marie, daughter of Camille Breland Rome (BBA 06) and Gregory Rome, Nov. 23, 2020.

WEDDINGS

Molly Mackenzie Harris (BA 14) and Gill R. Stevens, Dec. 12, 2020.

Meagan Alexandra McGee (BAJ 18) and Sean Patrick Greer (BAccy 17, MAccy 18), March 6, 2021.

IN MEMORIAM

James Ely King Jr. (BA 42) of Heidelberg, March 26, 2021 Virginia Wittjen Lacey (BSHPE 45) of McComb, Jan. 12, 2021 John Cole McIntyre (47) of Brandon, Dec. 8, 2020 Robert Harry Mullett (BBA 49) of Leawood, Kan., Dec. 18, 2020 Jase Owen Norsworthy (BBA 49, LLB 50) of Billings, Mont., Dec. 8, 2020 Eleanor Knee Rooks (BA 49) of Brownsville, Tenn., March 27, 2021 Miriam Jeanette Edwards Wilkinson (BA 49) of Germantown, Tenn., March 21, 2021 William Forrest Winter (BA 43, LLB 49) of Jackson, Dec. 18, 2020

1950s Arlon Essie Adams (MEd 59) of Start, La., Jan. 10, 2021 Carnig Ajamian Jr. (BBA 58) of Bronx, N.Y., Feb. 12, 2021

1940s

Herbert Robert Babington Jr. (46) of Slidell, La., March 7, 2021 Roy Nisbet Boggan Jr. (48) of Tupelo, Jan. 15, 2021 Lena Ruth Murphy Brejot (BA 47) of Memphis, Tenn., Dec. 5, 2020 Charles Arlin Carter (BBA 48, MBA 48, LLB 53) of Madison, Dec. 24, 2020

Lula Dean Morris Alexander (BA 51) of Jackson, Dec. 30, 2020 Grace Carolyn McKinney Barrentine (BA 55) of Brandon, Dec. 29, 2020 Jefferson Charles Bell (BBA 51, LLB 54) of Hattiesburg, Feb. 10, 2021 Neil Bryan Blount Jr. (56) of Philadelphia, March 6, 2021 John Kenneth Bramlett Sr. (MEd 59) of Brandon, March 22, 2021

Worth Isom Dunn (MedCert 49) of Tampa, Fla., Dec. 7, 2020

Jack Telford Breazeal (BSPh 51) of Jonesboro, Ark., Dec. 9, 2020

Carolyn Sissell Elkin (BM 49) of Columbus, Jan. 22, 2021

Lynn Holloway Brewer (51) of Plant City, Fla., Feb. 11, 2021

Alicia Rollins Ellis (BA 49) of Pass Christian, Dec. 29, 2020

Joseph J. Buonassi (MEd 59) of Miami Springs, Fla., Feb. 1, 2021

Wilkie Jane Adams Engle (46) of Jackson, Jan. 4, 2021

Albert Percy Caldwell Jr. (BSChE 53) of League City, Texas, Feb. 25, 2021

Bryce Griffis (49) of Starkville, Dec. 9, 2020

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ALUMNI News Francis Julian Carroll Jr. (BSEA 52) of Jackson, March 3, 2021

Joseph Kelly Murphy (MEd 54) of Granbury, Texas, Jan. 7, 2021

Jacqueline DeMange Cole (BSC 57) of Germantown, Tenn., Dec. 21, 2020

Hazel Irene Garrett Myers (BBA 50) of Newport News, Va., Dec. 18, 2020

Frances Thompson Coleman (BA 56) of Mobile, Ala., Feb. 20, 2021

Walter Crawford Owen Jr. (BS 59, MD 62) of Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 12, 2020

Patricia Reilly Collmus (BA 50) of Norfolk, Va., Jan. 20, 2021

Marjorie Marie Parks (BBA 56, MA 57) of Booneville, Feb. 22, 2021

William Wesley Combs Jr. (BA 51) of Lagrangeville, N.Y., Dec. 10, 2020

George Dudley Pearce (LLB 58) of Winchester, Va., Jan. 30, 2021

Clyde Love Erwin (BBA 57, MBA 58) of Olive Branch, Jan. 25, 2021

Jacob Charles Pongetti (LLB 58) of West Point, Jan. 22, 2021

Ethel Sue Dent Fair (BAEd 58) of Austin, Texas, Jan. 10, 2021

Harold Thomas Porter (BA 58) of Hernando, Jan. 1, 2021

George Kavanaugh Farr Jr. (BBA 51) of Jackson, Feb. 23, 2021

Edwin Gilmer Potts Sr. (BSPh 59) of Oxford, Dec. 30, 2020

James Smith Ferguson (BA 58) of Woodstock, Ga., March 17, 2021

Frank Owen Rains Jr. (57) of Pascagoula, Jan. 22, 2021

Ralph Morgan Fortenberry (BS 54, MD 57) of Oak Vale, Nov. 20, 2020

Clifton Jack Ramsey Sr. (BBA 56) of Hattiesburg, Jan. 13, 2021

Margaret Houston Fyfe (BA 57) of Cordova, Tenn., Jan. 19, 2021

Jimmy Mack Reagan (MSChE 58, BSChE 58) of Houston, Texas, March 4, 2021

Jack Elbert Gilbert (BBA 57) of Staunton, Va., March 25, 2021 William Flournoy Goodman Jr. (LLB 51) of Jackson, Jan. 7, 2021 Melvin McNeal Grantham Jr. (BSGE 59) of Oxford, Md., March 14, 2021

Ernest Emmanuel Rivers (BBA 57) of Pensacola, Fla., Dec. 5, 2020 Marion Dortch Rosser (BAEd 56) of Lafayette, La., Jan. 24, 2021 Johnny Anthony Sampognaro (BSPh 57) of Monroe, La., Oct. 25, 2020

Walter Kelly Gray (BPA 58, BBA 58) of Bloomington, Ill., Nov. 16, 2020

John Chester Simmons Jr. (BBA 55) of Boulder, Colo., Jan. 29, 2021

Hosea A. Grisham Jr. (51) of Valrico, Fla., Oct. 3, 2020

Murray Stroud Smith (BSHPE 54) of Orlando, Fla., Dec. 7, 2020

Nancy Ramey Gutsch (BM 56) of Hattiesburg, Dec. 31, 2020

William Kelly Taylor (MedCert 50) of Macon, Ga., Jan. 22, 2021

Robert Owen Hale (BA 54) of Jackson Springs, N.C., March 1, 2021

Barbara Ann Wilson Varner (51) of Oxford, Dec. 29, 2020

Jo Ward Haynes (BSHPE 50) of Brandon, March 23, 2021

John W. Vold (BSEA 52) of Green Valley, Ariz., July 8, 2020

Hal Eugene Hill Sr. (BA 54) of Orange Beach, Ala., Aug. 1, 2020

Howard Allen Weltner (BAEd 54) of Franklin, Pa., Feb. 22, 2021

June Taylor Hill (55) of Woodland, Jan. 3, 2021

William Walter Wicker (BA 51) of Waxahachie, Texas, March 21, 2021

Wiley Carter Hutchins (BA 53, BS 57, MD 60) of Columbus, Jan. 31, 2021

Samuel Jobe Wilder Jr. (BA 57, MD 64) of Clinton, Feb. 17, 2021

Evelyn Anne Brown Jenkins (BBA 57) of Brownwood, Texas, March 22, 2021 John Paul Jones (BAEd 57) of Gulf Breeze, Fla., Jan. 29, 2021 Pleasant Zebulon Jones Jr. (BBA 57) of Jackson, Jan. 4, 2021 Jānis Leimanis (BSCvE 59) of La Fayette, N.Y., Feb. 13, 2021 Henry Linton Jr. (54) of Hattiesburg, Feb. 9, 2021 Philips Ray McCarty (BPA 55) of Clinton, Dec. 10, 2020 Grace Jean Gillespie McClendon (BAEd 52) of Jackson, Feb. 23, 2021 John Land McDavid (LLB 56, BA 01) of Jackson, Feb. 11, 2021 Frank Hampton McFadden (BA 50) of Mountain Brook, Ala., Dec. 28, 2020 Norman Arnold McKinnon Jr. (MedCert 50, BS 51) of Maryville, Tenn., March 15, 2021

Bailey Robert Williams (BBA 59, MBA 61) of Corinth, Jan. 7, 2021 Ray Leon Woock (BS 59) of Winter Park, Fla., Jan. 10, 2021 Samuel William Yarbrough (BSHPE 57, MEd 59) of Oxford, Dec. 13, 2020

1960s George Anthony Alexander (BFA 63, MFA 69) of New Orleans, La., May 1, 2020 John Donald Anderson (MD 65) of Bellingham, Wash., March 11, 2021 Paul H. Aron (BPA 68) of Jackson, Jan. 27, 2021 William Henry Barbour Jr. (JD 66) of Yazoo City, Jan. 8, 2021 Anne Herrington Barker (BS 62) of Jackson, Tenn., Jan. 13, 2021 Christeen Hankins Bean (MA 65) of Mantachie, Dec. 27, 2020

Andre Earl McNeil (MBEd 58) of Conway, Ark., Dec. 16, 2020

Theodore Thomas Bean (BSCvE 66) of Woodbridge, Va., Dec. 31, 2020

Stephanie Klotz Moore (BA 57) of McComb, Nov. 6, 2020

Fred Calvin Bordelon (BA 62, MD 66) of Oxford, Jan. 24, 2021

Tommy Muirhead (56) of Greenwood, March 29, 2021

William Meredith Bradford (MD 60) of Jackson, March 14, 2021

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ALUMNI News Aubrey Horace Brewer (JD 67) of Ridgeland, Jan. 15, 2021

Otis Jean Cermele Grayson (BBA 66) of Marana, Ariz., Jan. 21, 2021

DuWayne Douglas Carnes (MCS 67, MEd 68, EdD 69) of The Villages, Fla., Jan. 25, 2021

James Martin Greene (BBA 64) of Oxford, Feb. 5, 2021

Mary Boone Wingfield Cate (BAEd 61) of Layton, Utah, Dec. 18, 2020 Carroll David Channell (BBA 66) of Wesson, March 17, 2021 Mary Wilborn Chotard (BSPh 67) of Ridgeland, Feb. 5, 2021

Homer Cicero Greer III (BSEE 61) of Vicksburg, Dec. 12, 2020 Mary Ann Harris Gulley (BAEd 63) of Tupelo, Dec. 13, 2020 Dorothy Guynell Harrison (64) of Pearl, Dec. 13, 2020

Thomas George Coleman (PhD 68) of Jackson, Feb. 27, 2021

George Calvin Harrison Jr. (BSChE 64) of Newbern, Tenn., Feb. 13, 2021

Dorothy Patrick Crow (BSN 64, MN 74) of Brandon, Feb. 6, 2021

Robert Vernon McElroy Harrison (60) of Madison, Dec. 29, 2020

Dudley Russell Davis Jr. (BAEd 61, MEd 68) of Vardaman, Dec. 5, 2020

Jon Michael Helms (BBA 62) of Brandon, March 26, 2021

William Bradshaw Davis (BA 66, PhD 72) of Mobile, Ala., Jan. 2, 2021

David Alan Herkner (BBA 68) of Houston, Texas, Jan. 2, 2021

Charlene Maxwell Dial (BSC 60) of Brighton, Tenn., Jan. 28, 2021

Hoyle Steve Hester (BBA 60) of Belden, March 27, 2021

Edward Dobbins (MEd 66) of Lutz, Fla., Nov. 30, 2020

Kent Robert Hottinger (MCS 64) of Daytona Beach, Fla., Jan. 27, 2021

Robert Livingston Douglas (BSEE 62) of Long Beach, Dec. 25, 2020

Kenneth Alexander Howell (BBA 60) of Tyler, Texas, Jan. 21, 2021

William Jefferson East (JD 68) of Meridian, Jan. 2, 2021

Clara Smith Hunt (MLS 69, MSS 84) of Bristol, Va., Dec. 28, 2020

Mary Turner Elliott (MD 67) of Baton Rouge, La., Feb. 24, 2021

Doreen West Irby (BSN 60) of Saltillo, Dec. 11, 2020

Robert Lange Elliott Jr. (MD 61) of Baton Rouge, La., Jan. 31, 2021

Gary W. Johnson (64) of Tupelo, March 9, 2021

Ralph Beckman Elston (BA 61, LLB 63) of Fort Wayne, Ind., Feb. 24, 2021

Ira Charles Jones (BSPh 61) of Greenwood, Feb. 22, 2021

Jimmy Blaine Fisher (JD 67) of Corinth, Jan. 2, 2021 Belle Brown Forster (BAEd 62) of Louisville, Jan. 25, 2021 Edgar Winford Garrett (MEd 67) of St. Charles, Mo., Sept. 29, 2020 Robert Myers Garrigues (BSHPE 69) of Louisville, Jan. 17, 2021 Joseph Robert Gedris (BSME 62) of Hartsville, S.C., March 11, 2021 Hardy Poindexter Graham Sr. (BA 64, MA 65) of Meridian, March 24, 2021

Nick Kalcounos (BA 68, JD 71) of Silver Spring, Md., Jan. 27, 2021 Jerrol Lynn Kellum (BBA 65) of Oxford, Feb. 28, 2021 Frank Manning Kinard Jr. (65) of Ridgeland, Dec. 29, 2020 James Thomas Knight (BBA 68) of Oxford, Feb. 24, 2021 Robert Lawrence Lennon Sr. (JD 64) of Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2021 Dewitt Marshall Lovelace Sr. (BBA 69, JD 73) of Miramar Beach, Fla., Jan. 2, 2021

JOIN THE REBEL MUG CLUB $500 per member. Membership includes a commemorative beer mug for your home, 20-ounce draft beer for the price of a pint in McCormick’s and a tax-deductible donation to the University of Mississippi. The first 200 charter members will have their names placed on a plaque at McCormick’s.

olemissalumni.com/mccormicks S P R I N G 2 021

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ALUMNI News Henry Nolan Mettetal (BSPh 69) of Sardis, Dec. 28, 2020

Kenneth Wayne Smith (BBA 63) of Hattiesburg, March 15, 2021

James Longstreet Minor III (64) of Jackson, Dec. 13, 2020

Archie Patrick Sprabery (MD 67) of Meridian, Feb. 5, 2021

Mitchell Allan Mitchell (BS 63) of Athens, Ga., Dec. 15, 2020

Howard Mattox Stroud (JD 66) of Hattiesburg, Dec. 11, 2020

Mike Ellis Monsour (MA 68) of Salem, S.C., March 8, 2021

Ernest George Thomas (BBA 64) of Vicksburg, March 8, 2021

Clara Jean Parden Moody (MEd 68, AMEd 68) of Biloxi, Jan. 13, 2021

William Puffer Thompson (MD 69) of Yazoo City, Feb. 14, 2021

Glynn Ray Morgan (BA 60, MA 62) of Tampa, Fla., Jan. 8, 2021

Nancy Camp Truax (MLS 69) of Huntsville, Ala., March 6, 2021

Harold Ivan Moyer (BM 69, MM 71, DA 87) of Naples, Fla., Feb. 17, 2021

William Edrington Trusty (BA 64, JD 67) of Batesville, Jan. 12, 2021

James Robert Mozingo Jr. (MD 67, PhD 68) of Lakeland, Fla., March 19, 2021 Wendell Phillip Mullins (BSME 65) of Shreveport, La., March 29, 2021 Cora Ellen Garner Norman (MCS 64, PhD 75) of Crossville, Tenn., Jan. 11, 2021 Lawrence Howard Payne (BBA 61) of Cape Girardeau, Mo., Dec. 19, 2020

Trudys Curlee Tuckier (BS 61) of Tuscumbia, Ala., Dec. 19, 2020 Ronald Day Veazey (BBA 60) of Madison, March 3, 2021 Nickey William Velotas (MA 67) of Vestavia Hills, Ala., May 31, 2020 Dorothy Duncan Jones Walcott (BA 66) of Greenwood, March 3, 2021 Ralph Lush Alexander Watts Jr. (BBA 61) of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 16, 2021 James Dexter Weatherly (66) of Brentwood, Tenn., Feb. 3, 2021

Carolyn Maxwell Perry (BA 68) of Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 12, 2021

Ethel Busby Weathersby (BSN 66) of Clinton, March 27, 2021

Frank James Pickering (64) of Hazlehurst, Feb. 14, 2021

David Gould Weir (BA 69) of Terry, Nov. 11, 2020

Gerald Emile Pitchford (BBA 60) of Santa Fe, N.M., Feb. 18, 2021

Sue Lawson White (MEd 61) of McComb, Jan. 26, 2021

Harry Porter Jr. (MD 61) of Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 18, 2020

Marilyn Elizabeth Wilkes (MEd 63) of Dyersburg, Tenn., Jan. 27, 2021

James Richard Price (61) of Columbia, Feb. 16, 2021

James Sidney Wilson Jr. (BAEd 66) of Finger, Tenn., Dec. 31, 2020

Thomas Jefferson Prince Jr. (BBA 63, JD 66) of Amory, Jan. 3, 2021

Robert Wayne Witt (MA 61, PhD 70) of Richmond, Ky., Dec. 16, 2020

Gary Wayne Prosper (MCS 68, EdD 70) of Fountain Hills, Ariz., Jan. 9, 2021

Buford Douglas Wood Jr. (BSPh 62) of West Point, Jan. 28, 2021

James Robert Rhodes Jr. (BAEd 62, MEd 73) of Newton, Ga., Jan. 15, 2021 Lige Homer Rich (MCS 65) of Stilwell, Okla., June 25, 2020 Mildred Ware Richards (MLS 63) of Athens, Ga., Dec. 30, 2020 George Robert Robinson (BSPh 65, MD 68) of Gulfport, Jan. 29, 2021 Joseph Monroe Ross Jr. (MS 62, MD 64) of Meridian, March 14, 2021 Helen Sue Gurley Rowland (BFA 69) of Potts Camp, Jan. 4, 2021 Kieran Fant Rudy (BBA 61) of Kissimmee, Fla., Aug. 18, 2020 Mary Darlene Lewis Sandidge (MEd 63) of Lake Providence, La., Jan. 22, 2021 James Carl Scott (MEd 62) of Jackson, Tenn., Jan. 3, 2021 William Joseph Seawright (61) of Pontotoc, Dec. 30, 2020 Ronald John Senko (LLB 64) of Woodville, March 28, 2021 Linda Roberts Shepherd (BAEd 68, MEd 76) of Saltillo, July 24, 2020 William Millard Shoemaker Jr. (BA 64) of Santa Rosa, Calif., Jan. 19, 2021

Celia Maxey Yancey (BAEd 68) of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 16, 2021 Raymond John Zmaczynski (MCS 63) of Chicago, Ill., Dec. 13, 2020

1970s Toni Callender Allen (BSW 79) of Monroeville, Ala., Dec. 19, 2020 Arthur James Anderson (MEd 71) of Jackson, Dec. 22, 2020 Vicki Abraham Arnold (BAEd 75) of Jackson, Jan. 5, 2021 Donald E. Atkinson Jr. (BA 76) of Gaithersburg, Md., Nov. 24, 2020 Elizabeth Tracy Hale Bell (BSN 78) of Madison, May 15, 2020 Ronnie Lawrence Bethay (BBA 76, MBA 77) of Brandon, Jan. 14, 2021 Hunter Lloyd Blackmon (BBA 76) of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Feb. 20, 2021 Grant Edward Boadwine (MCS 71) of Preston, Minn., Dec. 7, 2020 Glenn Dale Brantley (BSPh 78) of Jackson, Feb. 19, 2021 Thomas Ray Caplinger (PhD 72) of Memphis, Tenn., Feb. 26, 2021 Harold Price Charest (BSPh 75) of Brandon, Jan. 9, 2021

Hank Shows (BSHPE 69) of Coldwater, Feb. 4, 2021

Howard Clark Coleman Jr. (JD 73) of Sun Prairie, Wis., Jan. 1, 2021

Betty Penn Smith (BSHPE 62) of Brookhaven, March 14, 2021

Charles Parker Daniel (BBA 73) of Eureka, Mo., Jan. 27, 2021

Eva Kay Wilbourn Smith (BAEd 64) of Batesville, Feb. 21, 2021

Benny Frank Dedmon (BSPh 70) of Franklin, Tenn., Aug. 1, 2020

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ALUMNI REVIEW

ALUMNI News Juanita Jeanette Buckley Enloe (MEd 79) of Montgomery, Ala., Jan. 28, 2021 Joseph Anthony Fernandez (MD 75) of New Iberia, La., March 30, 2021 Sam Noble Fonda (BBA 73, JD 76) of Greenwood, March 15, 2021 James Earle Gable (BSPh 75) of Columbus, March 25, 2021 Samuel Calvin Galloway III (BAEd 73) of Booneville, March 2, 2021 William Russell Greene (BSPh 70, MD 75) of Portland, Ore., Nov. 5, 2020 John Menteith Harral (BBA 71, JD 74) of Gulfport, Dec. 26, 2020 James Larry Harris (BPA 77) of Brusly, La., Dec. 12, 2020 Russell Johnston Hensley (BA 78) of Memphis, Tenn., Dec. 12, 2020 Sherry Carpenter Hofmister (Cert 71) of Jackson, March 28, 2021 Edward Earl Holden (BSHPE 77) of Amory, Feb. 1, 2021 Dianne Daniel Holmes (BAEd 70) of Columbus, Feb. 1, 2021 Robert Lee Horton (BBA 72) of Gallatin, Tenn., Dec. 15, 2020 Douglas R. House (MS 70) of Bay St. Louis, Dec. 21, 2020 Harold Ervin House Jr. (BBA 73) of Natchez, Dec. 8, 2020 William Bernard Hunt Jr. (BA 74) of Grenada, Jan. 14, 2021 Carol Ann Hyde (BA 76, Cert 78) of Grenada, Feb. 9, 2021 Ralph Newton Jennings (BBA 71) of Laredo, Texas, Dec. 8, 2020 Massena Fontaine Jones Jr. (BSPh 72) of Bentonia, March 20, 2021 Deborah Montgomery Kolarich (75, MBA 75) of Nashville, Tenn., Jan. 26, 2021 Hershel Otho Ladner (BA 72) of Long Beach, March 11, 2021 Jack Arnold Land Jr. (MD 77) of Festus, Mo., June 13, 2020 Tony Clyde Landry (BSEE 71) of Victoria, Texas, Feb. 24, 2021

Linda Trovillo Lehman (MEd 70) of Tupelo, March 20, 2021 Andrew Peter Leventis Jr. (JD 77) of Greenville, S.C., Feb. 3, 2021 Francis Gerald Maples Jr. (JD 77) of Pascagoula, Dec. 2, 2020 Robert Rogan Marshall (JD 73) of Hattiesburg, Jan. 14, 2021 Gary Lou Mason (BA 75, MD 79) of Oxford, Dec. 11, 2020 Joseph Robert McCartt (BBA 71) of Amarillo, Texas, Dec. 28, 2020 Patricia Haynes McClung (BPA 78) of Monroe, La., Dec. 17, 2020 Robert Hess McKenzie Jr. (72) of Mount Pleasant, S.C., Jan. 14, 2021 Ellis Quitman Mitchell III (BBA 73) of Memphis, Tenn., March 16, 2021 Norman Kenneth Nail Jr. (BA 72, MLS 76) of Clearwater, Fla., March 7, 2021 Pleas Miller Norris (JD 72) of Madison, Nov. 23, 2020 Helen Chatburn Nowlan (PhD 78) of Easton, Kan., Feb. 17, 2021 William Wesley Odom Jr. (JD 73) of Corinth, Feb. 5, 2021 Charlotte White Overby (BSB 76) of Pontotoc, Dec. 16, 2020 Sheila Baker Owen (MEd 70) of Pontotoc, Dec. 14, 2020 Fredrick Roger Pfister (DA 76) of Branson, Mo., Feb. 26, 2021 Robert Bradford Pyle (MD 70) of Pensacola, Fla., Jan. 20, 2021 Maureen Francis Rooney (MCS 73) of Notre Dame, Ind., Feb. 3, 2021 Benjamin Allen Root Jr. (MD 78) of Ridgeland, Jan. 15, 2021 Dave Alan Russell (BA 72, MD 76) of Meridian, Jan. 20, 2021 Ronald Rayburn Scott (BAEd 72, MEd 75) of New Albany, Jan. 18, 2021 Eric Denby Snipes Jr. (BAEd 72) of Tupelo, March 28, 2021 Jackie Neal Spencer (BSPh 70) of Vardaman, Jan. 8, 2021 Wade Nelson Spruill Jr. (BA 70) of Hattiesburg, Jan. 10, 2021

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ALUMNI News Lila Wallace Stewart (MEd 75) of New Albany, March 3, 2021

Robert Winford Bunce Jr. (PhD 94) of Senatobia, March 7, 2021

Syria Hayes Sturdivant (BA 70, JD 73) of Meridian, March 10, 2021

Stephanie Johansen Coghlan (BBA 90) of Oxford, Dec. 18, 2020

Gary Dale Thrash (BBA 72, JD 74) of Ridgeland, Feb. 26, 2021

Joseph Andrew Davis Sr. (BA 92, JD 95) of Meridian, Feb. 15, 2021

Lynn Stickney Troutman (71) of Fernwood, March 6, 2021

Amy Ruth Harrington (MA 96, 99) of Takoma Park, Md., March 3, 2021

William Scott Vaughan (BSCvE 79) of Madisonville, Ky., Nov. 19, 2020

Edwin Wilburn Hooker III (BBA 94) of Ridgeland, March 26, 2021

Pamela Mitchell Walker (BAEd 79) of Gulfport, Jan. 17, 2021

Lee Anne Wray Kasper (BBA 91) of Memphis, Tenn., Feb. 24, 2021

William Tucker Walsh (BBA 77) of Jackson, Dec. 23, 2020

Margaret Denton Khayat (BA 93) of Oxford, Feb. 22, 2021

Carl Walter Wasson (BS 71, MBA 72) of Springfield, Va., March 8, 2021

Martha Adrienne Haywood Kittleman (BA 93) of Bartlesville, Okla., Jan. 14, 2021

Janet Sue Work Whaley (BAEd 75) of Potts Camp, March 22, 2021 John Dan White (BBA 71) of Jackson, Jan. 6, 2021 Paul Malone Wilson III (MURP 72) of Santa Barbara, Calif., Nov. 14, 2020 Walter Robert Wimbish (MEd 74) of Iuka, March 23, 2021

1980s Thomas Lawrence Anderson (BBA 80) of Gulfport, Jan. 19, 2021 Dorrance Dee Aultman Jr. (JD 86) of Biloxi, March 21, 2021 Eddie Howard Bowen (JD 80) of Raleigh, Feb. 7, 2021 Sandra Reynolds Bubrig (PhD 86) of Oxford, Dec. 22, 2020 William Lee Campbell Jr. (BA 81) of Cypress, Texas, Feb. 4, 2021 Charles Wesley Conley III (BSPh 85) of Coldwater, Dec. 19, 2020 Nancy Behling Dillon (PhD 88) of Minneapolis, Minn., Dec. 13, 2020 James Floyd Fields Jr. (BSHPE 87) of Dublin, Ga., Feb. 15, 2021 Elizabeth Ulrich Head (BSB 82) of Canton, Jan. 9, 2021 William Allen Homra II (BBA 86) of Stuttgart, Ark., Jan. 3, 2021 Rex Dean Howell (BA 81) of Water Valley, Jan. 31, 2021 David Riales Jones (BM 80) of Flowood, Feb. 25, 2021 Amy Fowler Kinsey (BSN 86) of Cohutta, Ga., Jan. 13, 2021 Deborah Mobley Morris (BSW 80) of Belden, March 5, 2021 Jackie Dillard Parker (BAEd 86, SpecEd 04) of Tupelo, March 3, 2021 Norma Prichard Rogers (PhD 86) of Cordova, Tenn., March 23, 2021 Sharon Ann Watson (PhD 81) of Huntsville, Ala., Feb. 18, 2021 Charlotte Brandon West (BSW 86) of Saltillo, Feb. 21, 2021 Hassell Clay Woods Jr. (JD 87) of Hamlin, W.Va., Feb. 5, 2021 Dolly Henry Young (BS 80) of Germantown, Tenn., Feb. 9, 2021

1990s Jessica Bonds Boelte (BBA 92, MBA 96) of New Orleans, La., Dec. 31, 2020 Kimberly Ann Bryant (BA 95) of Prentiss, Dec. 21, 2020 62

ALUMNI REVIEW

Jeffrey Allen Lloyd (BA 91) of Dallas, Texas, July 1, 2020 David Hunter Manley (SpecEd 93) of Southaven, Jan. 24, 2021 Brady Stewart McFalls (BA 97) of Reston, Va., Dec. 20, 2020 Carrie Ledbetter McKissack (BA 90) of Clarksville, Ark., Dec. 31, 2020 Jerrie Lynn Mitchell (BSN 90) of Winter Garden, Fla., Dec. 17, 2020 Timothy Dylan Moore (BA 93, JD 96) of Jackson, March 9, 2021 Robin Marbury Morris (BSPh 97, PharmD 99) of Jackson, Jan. 31, 2021 J. Stewart Parrish (BPA 91, JD 97) of Meridian, Dec. 28, 2020 Stacy Remmers Plaxico (BS 94) of Guntown, Dec. 28, 2020 Keith Wesley Steele (MEd 97) of Tupelo, Feb. 21, 2021 Vince Edward Turner (JD 90) of Lakeland, Fla., Feb. 7, 2021

2000s Barbara Jean Jeffries Campbell (MA 04) of Holly Springs, Dec. 14, 2020 Amber Rosa Clark (BS 04) of Laurel, March 8, 2021 Kari Allison Fewell (BA 05, JD 08) of Sumrall, March 3, 2021 Andrew Cortus Orr (MEd 06) of Olive Branch, Jan. 4, 2021 George Clinton Rogers (MA 03) of Thaxton, March 22, 2021 Emily Michelle Webber (BA 02) of New Orleans, La., March 4, 2021

2010s William Taylor Arnold (15) of Gulf Breeze, Fla., Nov. 9, 2020 Jimmy Dale Bean Jr. (15) of Tupelo, March 14, 2021 Madison Katherine Conaway (BSW 14) of Diamondhead, Jan. 10, 2021 John Ross Lunn (18) of Mendenhall, Jan. 12, 2021 Charles Alva McIntyre Jr. (BS 12) of Jackson, Jan. 19, 2021 Paul Green Millsaps Jr. (JD 13) of Starkville, Jan. 20, 2021 Dinesh Raj Palikhel (MSESC 11) of Denton, Texas, Jan. 18, 2021 Jimmy Dale Sigler (BA 14) of Coldwater, Dec. 27, 2020 Catherine Holman Thornton (BA 15, DMD 20) of Jackson, Dec. 31, 2020

ALUMNI News 2020s

Charles Herbert Ellis of Oxford, Jan. 4, 2021

Austin Edward Elliott (BBA 20) of Madison, Feb. 23, 2021

Glenn Etheridge of Natchez, March 14, 2021

STUDENTS

Anna Moss Fortenberry of Oak Vale, Jan. 31, 2021

Jennifer Kate Kelly of Oxford, Feb. 17, 2021

Martha Louise Trammell Fredrickson of Senatobia, Jan. 21, 2021

FACULTY, STAFF AND FRIENDS

Raymond Ellsworth Hogue of North Richland Hills, Texas, Dec. 18, 2020

Sydney Earl Guest of Tunica, Jan. 19, 2021

Sylvia Horn Adcock of Oxford, Feb. 24, 2021

Richard Shelton Hollis of Amory, March 29, 2021

Marietta Morman Babb of Paris, Feb. 27, 2021

Jack Lynn Hutchens of Memphis, Tenn., Dec. 6, 2020

Bobby Gene Baker Sr. of Batesville, March 14, 2021

Carl Morehead Isbell Jr. of Oxford, Jan. 5, 2021

Gordon Beasley of Conway, Ark., Dec. 26, 2020

Arthur Charles Jackson of Jackson, March 25, 2021

Robert Deandera Buford of Oxford, Jan. 6, 2021

Paul Kinney Jr. of Brandon, Aug. 15, 2021

Joyce Pope Caracci of Canton, March 16, 2021

Willidora Eskridge Kremer of Gulfport, Dec. 27, 2020

Jacqueline Elaine Certion of Oxford, Dec. 19, 2020 Rosemary Wardlow Chambliss of Southaven, March 22, 2021 James Edward Crutcher of Greenwood, Dec. 24, 2020 Sammy Lee Davis of Coldwater, March 8, 2021 Farouk Shabaan El-Feraly of Helena, Ala., Jan. 2, 2021

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Robert Case Everett of Jackson, Jan. 7, 2021

Robert Dale Kruckeberg of Troy, Ala., Dec. 27, 2020 Michael deLaval Landon of Oxford, March 23, 2021 James Joseph Madden Jr. of Nashville, Tenn., Nov. 1, 2020 John Corbin Malley of Pass Christian, Jan. 18, 2021

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63

ALUMNI News Rawlins Elmo McKey of Baton Rouge, La., Dec. 27, 2020

Donald J. Summers of Oxford, March 3, 2021

Rosemary Lyons McMullan of Madison, Dec. 27, 2020

Roland Matthew Trebotich of Ocean Springs, Dec. 7, 2020

Roy Lee Mitchell of Foley, Ala., March 23, 2021

Earl J. Vaughn Jr. of Abbeville, Jan. 23, 2021

Martha Wilburn Morris of Gulfport, March 14, 2021

Margaret Marshall Walker of Austin, Texas, Dec. 21, 2020

Alan Moss of Bolivar, Tenn., Feb. 22, 2021

Ann Haskins Williams of Olive Branch, Feb. 10, 2021

Thomas William Mullen of Brandon, Feb. 8, 2021

Wesley Waldrop Williamson of Olive Branch, Jan. 21, 2021

Randy Martin Nelson of Water Valley, Dec. 18, 2020

James Ray Windland of Arlington, Tenn., Feb. 15, 2021

Jon F. Parcher of Oxford, Feb. 10, 2021 Jimmie Westmoreland Reynolds of Flowood, March 7, 2021 Evelyn Salmon Lacy Roberson of Clarksdale, March 8, 2021 Hubert Wilson Roberts Jr. of Oxford, Dec. 27, 2020 Rose Dickerson Roberts of Pontotoc, Jan. 8, 2021 Theresa Rosenauer Russell of Knoxville, Tenn., Jan. 10, 2021 Mary McClure Sams of Tupelo, Jan. 20, 2021

Due to space limitations, class notes are only published in the Alumni Review from active, dues-paying members of the 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 on numerous sources for class notes and is unable to verify all notes with individual alumni.

George Ellis Shamis of McComb, Feb. 17, 2021 Kenneth Lynn Sims of Madison, Jan. 8, 2021 Patricia Ellen Sparks of Jackson, Ga., Nov. 5, 2020

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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.

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