Ole Miss Alumni Review - Spring 2023

ALUMNI REVIEW SPRING 2023

UM Plans to Breathe New Life into Faulkner’s Mule Farm

WRITER’S RESIDENCY TO BE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN MISSISSIPPI

Eight alumni celebrate 60 years of friendship with a return to Ole Miss

Alumna traces her successful path to Google

Oxford’s only independent senior living community offers:

• Luxurious 1 and 2-bedroom apartments

• Three restaurant-style meals every day

• Complimentary transportation, 24-hour concierge, & housekeeping services

• Bistro and lounge areas—perfect for sporting and social events

• Group activities and social clubs

• Beauty salon, fitness room, and therapy services on site

• Ability to schedule on-site private assistance if needed

Locally owned by an Ole

2702 South Lamar Blvd. Oxford, MS 38655

Parlor Bistro Lounge

One-bedroom model apartment

Miss Alumni

By Jonathan Scott

Erin Garrett

Ole Miss Alumni Review

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), Rebecca Lauck

Cleary (BA 97, MA 18), Travis Crabtree, Ruth Cummins (BA 82), Bill Dabney (BA 89), Andrea Wright Dilworth, Sydney Slotkin Dupriest, Joe Ellis, Jay Ferchard, Erin Garrett (BAJ 11, MS 20), Thomas Graning (BAJ 17), Tina H. Hahn, Jason Hoeksema, Robert Jordan (BA 83, MA 90), Logan Kirkland (BAJ 16, MS 22), Mary Knight (BA 00, MA 13, MFA 19), Joshua McCoy, Stephanie Mortimer (BS 22), Jonathan Scott (BA 82), Kirsten Simpson (BAJ 18, MA 20), Edwin B. Smith (BA 80, MA 93), Melanie Thortis, Clara Turnage (BAJ 17)

OFFICERS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Bill Reed (BA 72, JD 77) president

Karen Moore (BS 82) president-elect

Jeff Hubbard (BBA 80, JD 83) vice president

Todd Sandroni (BSPh92, PhMD 97) athletics committee member

Bruce Ware (BBA 99) athletics committee member

ALUMNI AFFAIRS DIRECTORS

Kirk Purdom (BA 93), chief executive officer

Joseph Baumbaugh, assistant director for information services

Sunny Brown (BSFCS 09, MA 11), assistant director

Clay Cavett (BBA 86), associate director, campaigns and special projects

Michelle Coughlin (BAccy 93, MAccy 94), chief financial officer

Junae Johnson (BBA 15), assistant director

Jessica Lynch (BSES 05), assistant director

Steve Mullen (BA 92), assistant director for marketing

Annie Rhoades (BBA 07, MBA 09), assistant director for communications

Mary Kate Smith (BS 18), assistant director

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.

from the Chancellor

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Every season at Ole Miss offers something special, and spring is no exception. Our campus is in full bloom, and the nation’s finest landscaping team is doing what it does best — working its magic to make our university the most beautiful campus in America. I hope you have a trip to Oxford planned soon to soak in the magnificence of our campus and our community.

I want to extend a special recognition and my deep gratitude for our incredibly dedicated team at UMMC that deployed personnel and resources within hours of the recent devastating tornado outbreak in Mississippi. Students, physicians, nurses and others treated and supported storm victims in collaboration with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi State Department of Health. They provided much-needed solace and medical care support for the impacted areas, including staffing for a mobile field hospital in Rolling Fork.

I’m also grateful for how our researchers tackle pressing, everyday concerns for Mississippians. Joshua Bloomekatz, assistant professor of biology, recently received a $411,969 grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct a study that could help scientists understand why congenital heart defects occur. Undergraduate and graduate students are participating in this innovative study, highlighting how we provide transformative, handson experiences to our students. This research is one of many ways in which our research enterprise addresses fundamental challenges that touch us all.

Our students continue to shine in all they do! For the second year in a row, we have three students who won coveted Barry Goldwater Scholarships in a single year. In February, more than 1,100 Ole Miss students raised $211,530 during the 11th annual student dance marathon. With this year’s donation, RebelTHON has contributed more than $1.4 million to Children’s of Mississippi! What an amazing impact for our state and for the health of Mississippi’s children. In April, the Ole Miss Big Event attracted nearly 1,300 volunteers for our annual universitywide day of service across the Lafayette-Oxford-University community, benefiting schools, churches, nonprofits, community centers and other sites.

This spring, we cheered Ole Miss Women’s Basketball during their run to the Sweet 16 round in the NCAA Tournament, including a hard-fought win over top-seeded Stanford. Congrats on their No. 22 ranking in the final USA Today Coaches Poll of the season! And, of course, spring means Commencement and the culmination of our academic year as we celebrate students crossing the “finish line” to walk across the graduation stage and into lives full of purpose. It is at the heart of why we are here. I’m especially proud of how our six-year graduation rate continues to rise and stands now at 68.4%, almost 10 points higher than Mississippi’s overall rate and exceeding the latest national rate.

Finally, I’m pleased to share that growth on campus continues — we’re up 1,025 students this spring compared to a year ago. And, we anticipate continued growth for the upcoming fall as we welcome thousands of prospective students and their families to campus to experience Ole Miss up close and personal. They are learning what our passionate alumni and supporters already know so well — that we offer unsurpassed academic excellence, a vibrant campus experience and boundless life-changing opportunities.

All this certainly deserves an enthusiastic “Hotty Toddy!”

Glenn F. Boyce (BAEd 81, EdD 96) Chancellor 73718

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from the President

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Spring is a wonderful time at Ole Miss. The campus, particularly the Grove, is in full bloom and undeniably one of the most beautiful spots in the country, thanks to Jeff McManus and his team. Several athletics teams, both men’s and women’s, are competing against the best athletes from the always tough SEC and across the country. And hundreds of students are close to earning a degree and becoming new members of the Alumni Association.

This spring also marks several important anniversaries for our alma mater: the historic enrollment of James Meredith (60 years), the opening of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College (25 years), the founding of the Croft Institute for International Studies (25 years) and the completion of the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts (20 years). These and other milestones make all of us proud to be part of the Ole Miss family.

The nationally ranked School of Pharmacy, led by Dean Donna Strum, recently hosted the first-ever “Pharmacy Pioneer Champagne Toast” to celebrate its first Black graduates. The honorees included Pearl Wales, Clarence Dubose, Catina White, George Leonard, Stephanie Lovett and Nkere Ebube. Kudos to these outstanding alumni!

The Alumni Association, led by an incredible staff of true professionals, has been very busy on several fronts. For example, the Association named and celebrated the second “40 Under 40” class during the recent 2023 Young Alumni Weekend. The honorees were selected from more than 450 nominees and enjoy careers in such diverse fields as design, technology, medicine, athletics, law and entertainment.

Also honored last month were five new members of the Law Alumni Hall of Fame: William H. Barbour Jr., Myres S. McDougal, Minnie P. Howard, Michael C. Moore (my classmate) and Colette Oldmixon. Last, but not least, the Association hosted the 2023 Alumni Club Leadership Summit, which focused on expanding and improving our club network.

As you may know, the Alumni Association operates The Inn at Ole Miss, as well as McCormick’s restaurant and bar (thank you, David and Susan McCormick). Upgrades to regular rooms and suites at The Inn are in the works, and you and your guests can now enjoy delicious food and drinks on the new and improved patio at McCormick’s (thank you, Brevard Family Foundation). If you have an occasion to stay overnight in Oxford, I encourage you to try The Inn and McCormick’s. You will not be disappointed.

In closing, congratulations are in order for Coach Yo and the women’s basketball team for an outstanding season and a long run in the NCAA Championship tournament. In addition, I want to welcome our new men’s basketball coach, Chris Beard, and to recognize Kermit Davis for leading the Rebel men’s team for the past five seasons. Coach Davis, as well as his staff and players, generously devoted their time to supporting the Rebel Road Trip and many other Association events. Thank you, Coach Davis, for your many contributions to Ole Miss and its alumni.

Hotty Toddy!

Bill Reed (BA 72, JD 77) President, Ole Miss Alumni Association

f rom the Circle

THE LATEST ON OLE MISS STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF AND FRIENDS

Local Inspiration

‘FRIENDS OF THEORA’ ON DISPLAY AT UNIVERSITY MUSEUM

Think of Theora Hamblett and you’ll likely see bright, multicolored trees from a bird’s-eye view, or maybe a self-taught spinster whose visions inspired her to create art that would hang in the Museum of Modern Art.

But that’s not all Hamblett was.

A new University of Mississippi Museum exhibit, “Friends of Theora,” shows not only her kaleidoscopic trees, but the formative work and the inspiration she drew from the art community in Oxford. The exhibit runs throughout 2023. The UM Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.

“People think of Theora as selftaught, as a loner, a spinster, but she was actually a part of this vibrant community of artists,” says Melanie Antonelli (MFA 13), curator and collections manager at the UM Museum.

“I was frustrated with the oversimplification of her story. People minimize who she was because that’s easy. I’m interested in the multifaceted Theora who was a part of her community.”

Following Hamblett’s death in March 1977 at age 82, more than 800 of her paintings and drawings were left to the

university, giving the UM Museum the largest collection of Hamblett’s work. Among these paintings are many works that were not created by the famous artist, Antonelli says.

Some of these pieces had been misidentified as Hamblett’s work but were actually created by friends in the arts community, she says. Among them are similar illustrations, such as Ruthie Marie Smith Noyes’ paintings of bright, semi-pointillist trees on a cloudy background. Noyes, wife of former Ole Miss professor and vice chancellor Charles Noyes, likely took inspiration from the artist’s work.

Hamblett, commonly considered a self-taught artist, took art classes at night at the university, and many of her paintings show influence from trained artists, Antonelli says.

Some works appear to be experimental and suggest the influence of other artists, including the instance of “The Little Red Shoe,” wherein a beige and tan background of various hues gives way to a small red-and-white high-top sneaker. The color scheme and tonality are similar to the painting that hangs directly above it, though the

artists are not the same.

“What I love about this exhibit is, at a glance, you won’t be able to tell what’s Theora’s and what isn’t,” Antonelli says. “This shows, I think, that she took great influence and inspiration from the artists around her.”

The new University of Mississippi Museum exhibit ‘Friends of Theora’ strives to show the formative work and inspiration the famous painter drew from the arts community in Oxford. | Photo by Kevin Bain

Theora Hamblett’s work in ‘The Little Red Shoe’ (bottom) is tonally similar to the work of Malcolm Norwood, an artist and professor at Delta State University. | Photo by Kevin Bain

Gift of Time

HEART DEVICE ADDS YEARS, IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE

What started out as a routine cold for 16-year-old Sierra Garner became far from routine, landing her in a Jackson hospital emergency room almost too sick to move.

“I had a common cold, and afterward I had chest pains,” says Garner, who’s now 29. “Because I was so young, I didn’t feel like it was my heart. I thought it was a chest cold, but I was extremely sick.”

After tests, the news was unexpected, even though Garner has a family heart disease history: She had dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease that causes the heart chambers to thin, stretch and enlarge, making it harder for them to pump blood to the body.

After transitioning to being an adult patient at the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s University Heart, Garner’s heart function continued to decline even with medications.

“That’s when we began talking about LVAD and a heart transplant,” she says.

For patients like Garner, the next option can be a ventricular assist device, or VAD, a surgically implanted, battery-operated pump that helps take over some or all of the work of the left side of the heart. A left ventricular assist device, or LVAD, is used to stabilize the heart, improving the patient’s quality of life.

Garner had LVAD surgery in November. It was just in time.

“Once I recovered from the surgery and the pain, I felt a change,” Garner says. “I’m no longer winded.”

UMMC surgeons implanted the state’s first LVAD in a patient from Tupelo in 2010, giving her the gift of time and improving her chances for a heart transplant. Today, UMMC remains the only hospital in Mississippi that performs LVAD surgery.

The last decade-plus has produced improvements in technology and treatment, says Dr. Charles Moore, a UMMC cardiologist and section head of Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology in the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases.

How long patients use an LVAD depends on their individual health concerns, “but it truly adds years to people’s lives,” says Dr. Craig Long (BSPh 97, PharmD 99, MD 05), a cardiologist and professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and the LVAD program’s medical director.

The number of patients receiving LVAD varies depending on their degree of illness, but UMMC does an average 10 surgeries annually.

University Heart’s LVAD program has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of National Quality Approval for Ventricular Assist Device Destination Therapy, says Susan Allbritton (MSN 16), UMMC’s director of accreditation.

University Heart’s LVAD coordinators educate patients and develop a lifelong rapport, says Jamie Kiihnl, who with Katherine Speer is one of the state’s only two LVAD nurse coordinators.

“We teach them how to do dressing changes, how to give themselves a shot if they need to … a long list of things to get them ready,” Kiihnl says of their 30 patients.

Patients can access a 24/7 call line and a support group that meets regularly, Kiihnl says.

“We tell them that getting an LVAD is like taking a baby home. You’re nervous about it, even though you know what to do.”

Heart failure “is a disease state that needs to be aggressively treated with medications and devices,” Long says. “Not everything is right for every patient, so a work-up is needed to get them on the right therapy.”

For more information on LVAD, or to make a referral or appointment, email lvad@umc.edu or call 601-984-5078.

Registered nurse Katherine Speer guides Sierra Garner, a left ventricular assist device patient, through an assessment to check for frailty during a follow-up visit at the Advanced Heart Failure Clinic. | Photo by Melanie Thortis

Garner wears a bag that holds the left ventricle assist device’s control system and batteries. | Photo by Melanie Thortis

the Circle

Gardening Tips

UNIVERSITY EXPERT GIVES POINTERS FOR LOVELY LANDSCAPES

When it comes to beautifying lawns and gardens, Jeff McManus knows his way around the grounds.

As director of landscape services at the University of Mississippi, McManus has built a national reputation for excellence, resulting in the Ole Miss campus repeatedly being recognized as one of the most beautiful in the country.

McManus was asked to share some of his secrets.

UM: When is the best time to plant flowers?

McManus: With seasonal flowers, there are annual and perennial varieties of flowers that may need to be planted at different times. Annuals — summer or winter — in Mississippi, will have to be planted every year, whereas perennials may return each year or will need to be replanted only once the previous flower has lived its full life.

Fall is a good time to plant perennial varieties, such as day lilies and iris.

UM: Is there a best time to plant a shrub?

McManus: Evergreen and deciduous shrubs — sometimes called a “bush,” depending on the variety — like to be planted in the fall when temperatures are cooler. If irrigation is not available, wait for the first frost, when temperatures get colder, to plant.

You can plant shrubs in other seasons, and they will often thrive, but fall is cool enough where there is no aboveground growth, so all the growth is in establishing the roots. Fall can be a good moist season, while spring and summer may require a plant to be watered to keep it from drying out. The next best time is very early spring.

UM: What are the best types of potting soils for certain types of plants?

McManus: Choosing a potting mix may seem simple, but not all mixes are created alike.

When buying potting mix for containers, I look for mixes with ingredients that will help my plants thrive. A potting mix I like to use is a blend of peat moss, pine bark fines, perlite, sand and a small bit of fertilizer.

I have found the quality of the mix has a direct relation to the price on the bag. I will pay more for potting mix to give my

plants a good foundation.

UM: How often should one check plants for damage? What should they be on the lookout for? Given the uncertainty of nature, what should people do to protect their plants in the event of extreme cold, winds or no rainfall?

McManus: Most people will be walking outside and will notice their plants’ condition, that something is out of place or a plant is showing signs of stress.

Exterior landscape plants are meant for outdoors, and if you plant Zone 7 (year-round) plants, you most likely will not have many issues with cold weather.

When temperatures drop from mild to extreme cold in less than 24 hours, that is generally when we see plant damage and even death. It is best to wait until spring to see what has lived or not made it.

A lot of plants will lose their leaves that usually do not because the temperatures got so cold, but the plants are not dead. Many will push new growth back when temperatures start to warm up. There may be some plants that need more pruning to remove the dead material.

Jeff McManus (right), UM director of landscape services, leads a Luckyday class in planting trees around the Luckyday Residential College. | Photo by Logan Kirkland

Workers for the Department of Landscape Services replant a flower bed on the Ole Miss campus. | Photo by Thomas Graning

CAN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PLAGIARIZE?

Since the launch of ChatGPT in November, the online tool has gained a record-breaking 100 million active users. Its technology, which automatically generates text for its users based on prompts, is highly sophisticated. But are there ethical concerns?

A University of Mississippi professor has co-authored a paper, led by collaborators at Penn State University, showing that artificial intelligence-driven language models, possibly including ChatGPT, are guilty of plagiarism — in more ways than one.

“My co-authors and I started to think, if people use this technology to write essays, grant proposals, patent applications, we need to care about possibilities for plagiarism,” says Thai Le, assistant professor of computer and information science in the

School of Engineering. “We decided to investigate whether these models display plagiarism behaviors.”

By comparing 210,000 generated texts to the 8 million GPT-2 pre-training documents, the team found evidence of all three types of plagiarism in the language models they tested. Their paper explains that GPT-2 can “exploit and reuse words, sen tences and even core ideas in the generated texts.”

“People pursue large language models because the larger the model gets, generation abilities increase,” says Jooyoung

Mapping Creativity ENGLISH PROFESSOR NAMED HUMANITIES COUNCIL TEACHER

AUniversity of Mississippi English instructor described by colleagues as a “shining example” among educators has been selected as the 2023 Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year.

Beth Spencer (BA 94, MA 98), senior lecturer in English, says she appreciates the award because it was so unexpected.

“I’m honored to be included with a list of winners whom I truly admire and some of whom have provided mentorship to me through the years,” Spencer says. “Teaching and work ing with students is my passion and so it’s gratifying to receive recognition for doing what I love.”

The award recognizes outstanding contributions of humanities faculty during October, which is National Arts and Humanities Month, and at the council’s annual awards ceremony in the spring.

As part of the honor, Spencer delivered a lecture on the influence of early 20th-cen tury cartographer Harold Fisk and how his 1944 meander maps of the Mississippi River can serve as a metaphor for people’s roles as mentors and teachers.

Lee, first author and an information sciences and technology doctoral student at Penn State. “At the same time, they are jeopardizing the originality and creativity of the content within the training corpus. This is an important finding.”

The scientists believe that this automatic plagiarism detection method could be applied to later versions of OpenAI technology, such as those used by ChatGPT. The research team will present their findings at the 2023 Association for Computing Machinery, or ACM, Web Conference in Austin, Texas.

OF THE YEAR

Spencer says. “They are also hand-drawn works of art that invite meditation not only on the history of the river but also the nature of the human spirit and its relationship to that river.”

Spencer says creativity and curiosity about the world are closely linked to her satisfaction as a teacher, writer and mentor.

“These values are also important for our students’ lives and their ability to find meaning and satisfaction in their careers,” she says.

Spencer credits one mentor in particular who influenced her decision to become an educator.

“Astrid Daly, my biology teacher in high school, lit a fire in me for sharing knowledge and exploring the world that would become my vocation later in life,” she says. “She embodied passionate, engaged and caring teaching that provides a model for me to this day.”

Beth Spencer

“Fisk’s maps, which have long been a source of fascination for me, are visually captivating and provide a unique geological rendering of the ancient courses of the Lower Mississippi River,”

A member of the Ole Miss faculty since 2009, Spencer teaches courses in literature and creative writing and takes undergraduate students to the U.K. each spring for a fantasy fiction class.

Her honors include an artist fellowship from the Hambidge Center for the Arts and Sciences, the Creswell Hall Recognition for Excellence in Teaching at the University of Georgia and a nomination for the Pushcart Prize in Poetry.

Thai Le

Bug Off

DIAMOND FLOWER COMPOUNDS SHOW PROMISE IN REPELLING MOSQUITOES

Aflowering plant may provide a safe, biodegradable replacement for DEET as a primary insect repellent. Researchers at the University of Mississippi’s National Center for Natural Products Research have published a paper in the journal Molecules demonstrating that Stenaria nigricans contains compounds that repel mosquitoes.

The study is the latest development in an ongoing, longterm partnership between the NCNPR, housed in the School of Pharmacy, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to screen natural products for a variety of potential uses in the areas of health and agriculture.

“There is very little information about the use of natural products in insect management, so that’s what we have set out to do,” says Ikhlas Khan, NCNPR director. “We are looking for natural sources that have compounds or molecules that have the potential to repel insects like mosquitoes and fire ants. Everyone is looking for natural remedies to take care of these problems.”

Stenaria nigricans, a perennial commonly known as bluet or diamond flower, produces small white or pale-lavender flowers with four petals arranged in a diamondlike pattern.

While NCNPR researchers often investigate natural products through ethnobotany, or the study of indigenous plants that are used by different cultures, Stenaria nigricans was flagged as part of a random screening of hundreds of plants for repellent activity against mosquitoes and fire ants.

Mosquito repellency is particularly important on a global scale, since these insects can transmit diseases such as malaria, West Nile virus, yellow fever and encephalitis.

The samples used in NCNPR screens often come from the center’s repository of more than 18,000 natural product specimens. Abbas Ali, principal scientist at the NCNPR, has tested thousands of these samples during his 14 years at the center.

“Initial screening for mosquito repellency is conducted using a bioassay (biological assay) system that exposes female mosquitoes to compound-treated fabric in small chambers,” he says. “Females are used because they alone transmit disease when biting to feed. We record the landing and biting on the treated surface.”

If a compound shows promise, it is then tested in another bioassay system that consists of a large cage where the mosquitoes have the flexibility to move away from the repellent-treated surface. Finally, if the compound is active at this level, it is tested in a direct skin application bioassay by exposing a treated hand or arm in a cage.

The results show that compounds in Stenaria nigricans are very effective in repelling mosquitoes.

“With DEET, the chemical stays in place — degradation is very low,” Ali says. “We are working to find a safe and biodegradable natural compound to replace these chemicals.

“We have made great strides in identifying natural products that are equally effective and easily available.”

In 2022, the NCNPR team was awarded a U.S. patent for the use of carrot seed essential oil and its pure compound carotol as mosquito repellent. The team is seeking a development and commercialization partner for this technology.

Abbas Ali, a principal scientist in the UM National Center for Natural Products Research, works to develop insect repellents from natural products, part of the School of Pharmacy’s efforts to fight diseases transmitted by the insects. | Photo by Sydney Slotkin DuPriest

NCNPR scientists use bioassay systems to test natural compounds that may repel mosquitoes. | Submitted photos

Photo by Gary Nored/Creative Commons

Celebration of Excellence

UM HONORS COLLEGE MARKS 25TH ANNIVERSARY WITH SILVER GALA

The Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi celebrated its 25th anniversary in March with a silver gala on campus.

The program featured a special presentation to the Barksdale family for its generosity in supporting the Honors College, a video on its history and comments by three accomplished alumni.

“The Honors College has helped us recruit some of the brightest minds from across the world,” says Ethel Young Scurlock, the college’s dean. “We have been able to provide a space for students to advance their critical-thinking skills, learn in small classrooms that encourage creativity and independent

Jim Barksdale’s gifts to the Honors College total more than $37 million. He also has provided support for numerous other programs on campus and at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

The Office of National Scholarship Advisement, housed in the Honors College, helps students apply for nationally prestigious scholarships. Honors College students have won Fulbright, Truman, Goldwater and Rhodes scholarships in the last three years, putting UM on par with the nation’s best institutions.

The Honors College offers an increasing number of in-depth courses, opportunities for experiential learning in the U.S. and abroad, and avenues for effective engagement with community concerns.

The 2022-23 academic year saw 1,636 students accepted in the Honors College. This number includes 463 freshmen, 270, or 58%, of whom are Mississippi residents. The freshman class posted an average ACT of 30.5 and an average high school GPA of 3.97.

Students in the Honors College come from 38 states and represent 84 majors that span the university’s academic offerings. The most popular majors among its students are biology, accountancy, international studies, chemistry — including biochemistry and forensic chemistry — and public policy leadership.

thought, and financially support student research and travel.

“The Honors College is helping our students gain the experiences they need to be accepted into top graduate and professional programs. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we also remain wholly committed to our mission of preparing citizen scholars so they can make a difference in their communities.”

Jim Barksdale (BBA 65) and the late Sally Barksdale (BSC 65) worked with Chancellor Emeritus Robert Khayat (BAEd 61, JD 66) and the late Provost Carolyn Ellis Staton to establish the Honors College in 1997 with their largest gift ever to the university. When Sally Barksdale died in 2003, the Honors College was renamed in her memory.

The Honors College awarded more than 20 scholarships to its entering freshmen for the 2022-23 academic year, continuing a 25-year tradition of supporting students with new and established scholarships. More than $600,000 was awarded to these scholars who hail from Mississippi to Nepal.

An associate professor of English and African American studies who previously served as senior fellow of the Luckyday Residential College and chair of the Department of African American Studies, Scurlock was named Honors College dean in 2022. Among her many accolades, she was named the College of Liberal Arts Outstanding Teacher of the Year and UM Humanities Teacher of the Year in 2003 and received the Elsie M. Hood Outstanding Teacher Award in 2011.

At the fall Honors Convocation, benefactors Jim and Donna Barksdale (second and third from right) visit with Honors College students (from left) DeShauna Lee Vaughn, of McCalla, Alabama; Sepp Cecil, of Olive Branch; and Jorge ‘Andy’ Flores, of Ocean Springs. | Photo by Mary Knight

RODRIGUEZ BLENDS LOVE FOR FOOD, CONVERSATION AT FOODWAYS ALLIANCE

Sarah Rodriguez engages with people through her work as an oral historian, honing skills such as honesty and empathy building. She also enjoys connecting with them over a meal, which is not surprising, given her job with the Southern Foodways Alliance.

“I like to meet people for drinks and a meal and to chat, so oral history is a good field for me to get into,” says Rodriguez, who grew up in Natchez and has spent time in Virginia and Georgia.

In a stroke of luck, the SFA, housed at the University of Mississippi’s Center for the Study of Southern Culture, was looking for a new oral historian as Rodriguez was finishing graduate school.

She became familiar with the alliance and its work a few years ago and realized she really liked foodways, even though her previous oral history work focused on gender and sexuality.

“As I got more into foodways research, I realized food is an interesting avenue to really difficult truth-telling because, for some reason, people are more willing to engage in hard conversations if it starts from a place of food, so I’m curious to keep exploring that

Pivotal Leadership

in my work,” she says.

Last fall, she attended the Oral History Association conference in Los Angeles, where the theme was “Oral History as/and Education: Teaching and Learning in the Classroom and Beyond.”

She says it was a very open type of space, where people talked vulnerably about their work.

“I think oral history is a field that is conducive to those types of conversations, so it made sense that the practitioners embody that was well,” Rodriguez says. “There were multiple sessions where the presenters were not afraid to start crying and it fit into the context of what we were talking about.

“We specifically addressed the idea of if you are interviewing someone who is telling you a really traumatic story and they start getting emotional, what happens when you start getting emotional as well and not being afraid of that dynamic popping up. It’s about figuring out how to navigate when you yourself as the interviewer start to get emotional and in some ways that is part of really difficult truth-telling, and it comes with the territory.”

HARRIELL NAMED DIRECTOR OF UM AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM

Derrick Harriell, an associate professor of African American studies and English at the University of Mississippi, is the new director of the university’s African American studies program, and he has plans to increase the program’s size and stature.

“African American studies is a vital program at any institution, but even more so at our institution, given the complicated history of the University of Mississippi,” says Harriell, who served as acting and then interim director before assuming his new position Jan. 13. “I find it rewarding to be a part of challenges that carry deep significance.

“Working under the leadership of our previous directors, Dr. Chuck Ross and Dr. Ethel Scurlock, I wanted to continue their incredible work. Our faculty, given the national political and social climate over the past few years, has viewed this moment as a watershed opportunity for our program.”

Harriell’s experience, leadership abilities and academic prowess make him the right person for the position, says Lee Cohen, dean of the UM College of Liberal Arts.

“Dr. Harriell is now a part of a strong line of directors of the

African American studies program, and I am thrilled that (he) has agreed to serve in this important leadership role,” Cohen says.

Harriell is working to hire new faculty members and support staff to help with his long-term goals of attracting more students to major in African American studies and raise the program’s national profile.

“This will start with new, innovative programming — we are currently in the process of starting an open mic — and continue with our presence on campus and our surrounding communities,” Harriell says. “We need to let people know that we are a strong program with award-winning faculty who are full of energy and ambition, and our students are at the core of all the things that we are passionate about.”

Harriell served as director of the UM Master of Fine Arts in creative writing program from 2014 to 2022.

A native of Milwaukee, Harriell earned his doctorate in English from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee and his master’s degree in creative writing from Chicago State University.

Sarah Rodriguez

Derrick Harriell

Nature Network

CAN TREES COMMUNICATE UNDERGROUND? MAYBE NOT

Imagine this: A tree in a forest is threatened by a predator or an invasive plant species. Underground, it sounds an alarm to neighboring trees through the “Wood-Wide Web,” a network of mycorrhizal fungi that connects them through the soil.

It is a fascinating theory, but a University of Mississippi scientist has doubts — and he’s published a paper that justifies them.

“Our paper investigates the science behind the idea that trees use common mycorrhizal networks to help redistribute resources and alter the balance of competitive interactions between them,” says Jason Hoeksema, professor of biology.

The paper examines three main claims. The first is that common mycorrhizal networks are ubiquitous; they are everywhere and in a persistently functional state.

“We found that there are very few studies that find evidence of this in the field,” Hoeksema says. “Even if there is evidence that they form, which is likely, we don’t know if they last and whether they last long enough to be functional, because they may die frequently.”

The second claim the authors investigated is that CMNs are beneficial to the trees and forests. They found that these benefits were almost always tested in seedlings, not mature plants. While testing growth and survival on adult trees would be difficult, conclusions should not be drawn based on experiments with seedlings, Hoeksema says.

“Even in the studies on seedlings, only a small percentage of them show benefits for seedings to be connected to these networks,” he says. “Frequently those benefits are offset by negative effects that are happening at the same time.”

The third claim addressed in the paper is that trees warn one another of threats, such as insect damage, by signaling through the networks.

“We found the least evidence for this of all,” Hoeksema says. “There are no field studies that address this question and only one greenhouse study using seedlings in pots.”

Another component of the paper looks at a “disturbing” trend of inaccurate citations of influential scientific papers on the subject.

The research — co-authored by Hoeksema; Justine Karst, first author and associate professor at the University of Alberta; and Melanie Jones, professor of biology at the University of British Columbia — was published Feb. 13 as “Positive citation bias and overinterpreted results lead to misinformation on common mycorrhizal networks in forests” in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

The Wood-Wide Web was coined in the late 1990s to refer to networks of fungi that connect roots of multiple plants of the same or different species below ground, forming a common mycorrhizal network, or CMN.

“Inaccurate citations were increasing over time during the last 25 years,” Hoeksema says. “It was to the point where, depending upon which part of the literature you look at, 25%50% of the citations are now considered unsupported.

“This misinformation seems to be propagated through the scientific literature as well and growing.”

Hoeksema hopes that the paper will “reset the field to some degree.”

“We want to encourage scientists and the next generation to look at these questions in a fresh way that doesn’t assume anything about the results,” he says. “Rather, to look at them critically and try to move forward while recognizing that we have fascinating complexities that need to be worked out.”

Biology professor Jason Hoeksema (left) and doctoral student Ian Mounts | Photo by Kevin Bain

Mycorrhizal fungus, Ecto mycelium, in the soil, attached to roots of pine trees in the dunes of Oregon | Photo by Jason Hoeksema

Post-Pandemic Education

GRANT BOOSTS STUDY OF COVID PK-12 TECHNOLOGY USE

Virtual and hybrid learning is a boon to student prosperity and continues to be a priority for state and local leaders. That is the main takeaway from state-funded research conducted by University of Mississippi education professors who analyzed the impacts of virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In January 2021, the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund awarded the School of Education a $500,000 grant to study in-person, virtual and hybrid pre-kindergarten to 12th-grade instruction during the pandemic.

collaboration across organizations and districts.

“We have to look at this from a systematic approach, and we see that we have to have collaboration and continued study,” Platt says. “The devices might change, the tools might change, but we know that we have to have this collaboration among not only education but our outside partners.”

In July 2020, the Mississippi Legislature passed the Equity in Distance Learning Act, which allotted $150 million toward the purchase of nearly 400,000 devices for 148 of the 150 Mississippi school districts and aided 144 districts in expanding broadband support and access.

Before the pandemic, only 23 school districts reported a 1:1 student-device ratio. In 2021, 91% of students reported access to a computer and internet at home, according to Mississippi Connects.

While bolstering technology availability and support, the state also implemented digital learning coaches for teachers and school administrators on using technology in classrooms to better educate students. Teaching teachers and students to use the technology effectively was essential in the success of the virtual classroom, Platt says.

“Technology is an amazing tool to enhance teaching and learning if used effectively,” says David Rock, UM education dean. “The pandemic caused one thing that I think is critical: It forced us into the 21st century whether we liked it or not.

“How are we going to use the lessons learned during the pandemic to help teachers and students across the country succeed?”

Assistant professor of special education Sara Platt (PhD 17) and doctoral student Elizabeth Young Sweeney (MA 06) led the research, which concluded in September 2022.

“What did we do right and what can we improve?” Platt says. “We cannot just say this is over and done. We’ve gotten this far. We can choose to plateau our efforts to integrate technology, or we can continue increasing our efforts and move upward.”

Some of the study’s recommendations include creating a state advisory task force to advance education, emphasizing the importance of high-quality instructional materials for distance learning, and creating regional acceleration hubs for

“I don’t want us to skip by that; this was a huge thing that Mississippi did,” she says. “Using free statewide digital learning coaches is something no other state did.”

Some schools, such as the Gulfport School District, are including a separate virtual academy as an option for students.

Continued distance learning is essential for students with certain developmental or emotional disorders, students who are professional athletes and traveling often, and students with severe disease or disability. Virtual classes also can equalize the opportunity for students to take AP and college prep classes that their local school may not provide.

Platt, a mother of two children who attended virtual classes during the pandemic, says one of her children thrived in distance learning while the other fell behind.

“It’s not a one-size-fits-all,” Platt says. “People learn differently. If we want to keep moving forward, we need to see that.”

The study — twice reviewed by a panel of experts in business, education, government and philanthropy — is already receiving national attention. Platt was selected to give a presentation at the June 2023 International Society for Technology in Education conference in Philadelphia.

Sara Platt (left), assistant professor of special education, and Elizabeth Young Sweeney, a doctoral student, lead research into the use of technology in PK-12 education during the pandemic. | Photo by Thomas Graning

Please consider joining the 1848 Legacy Society by including Ole Miss in your estate plans today. Read the story below to see why this made sense for Bill and Ginny Street.

PAYING IT Forward

My first academic experience at the University of Mississippi was a bust. Uncomfortable with the classes my father wanted me to take, I withdrew after only three semesters and joined the U.S. Navy. Six years of service later, I wrote the university and asked if I could return as a student.

Then highly motivated, I made a perfect 4.0 grade-point average on my first four classes and completed my academic career with 26 As.

Ole Miss gave me the second chance I needed. My education there gave me a work ethic and taught me how to focus on priorities. It gave me a foundation for life. Grateful for this, my wife, Ginny, and I joined the 1848 Legacy Society by committing an estate gift designed to provide scholarships to students in the UM School of Education.

We’re proud of the impact we’re having on these students, helping transform their lives while also strengthening the Ole Miss that we love so deeply. This is our legacy.

Bill Street (BAED 77) Alabaster, Alabama

The Streets’ estate gift gives them membership in the 1848 Legacy Society, which honors and recognizes alumni and friends who have either funded or planned a deferred gift in support of the university. Scan this QR code to discover ways to support Ole Miss in your plans. Or contact Marc C. Littlecott, CAP®, CGPP, Advancement Director for Estate & Planned Giving in the Office of Development, at marcplan@olemiss.edu or 662-915-6625.

More Data Needed NEW ALZHEIMER’S DRUG GARNERS MIXED REVIEWS

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new drug for Alzheimer’s patients the first week of 2023, but questions remain about its efficacy, safety and cost.

Lecanemab received accelerated approval — reserved for drugs that fill an unmet need in treating serious conditions — based on results of an early Phase 2b trial. A request for full approval, based on recently published Phase 3 data, is pending.

In the Phase 3 clinical trial of 1,800 people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, the drug slowed cognitive decline by 27% over 18 months of treatment.

Lecanemab is a monoclonal antibody, man-made protein infusion given every two weeks that works by binding to amyloid beta plaques in the brain, which contribute to cognitive decline.

Neurology experts at the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s MIND Center are weighing the benefits versus risks of the new drug that will be sold under the name Leqembi.

While Dr. Juebin Huang, associate professor of neurology and director of The MIND Center’s Neuro-Clinical Core, has received inquiries from patients, he is in no rush to prescribe lecanemab.

“It is not a magic pill that would cure Alzheimer’s disease based on the data we have so far,” Huang says. “I would wait until we hear more from the FDA regarding its clinical benefit. I may prescribe it at that point if it is fully approved and available. I think in a carefully selected patient population, the pros can outweigh the cons.”

Huang’s hesitancy is based on a few factors: long-term benefits and risk are unknown, side effects are significant, biweekly infusions would present challenges to many, and the current cost — $26,500 per year — puts the drug out of reach for those most affected by the disease.

Kevin Sullivan, assistant professor of medicine at The MIND Center, is also “underwhelmed” by the risk-benefit of the drug. Not only is the benefit small, but the risks go beyond side effects.

“These [microhemorrhages] occurred in 21% of the lecanemab group, most without symptoms, but we don’t know what the long-term consequences will be,” Sullivan says. “I consider cost and use of health care resources to be additional risks, and both of these figure to be considerable with this drug.”

Lecanemab, or any other drug, is not a replacement for current guidelines on preventing and delaying dementia, which comes down to managing risk factors including hypertension and diabetes to promote brain health over the entire life span, Sullivan says.

Because most new drugs are being tested in people who already have or are showing signs of Alzheimer’s, doctors are likely not intervening soon enough, he says.

“One of the most difficult aspects of Alzheimer’s disease is that these pathological processes are thought to be in development perhaps decades before we ever see an outward sign of decline,” Sullivan says. “The best path forward for now is to continue to study drug interventions that can target these pathological processes.”

For the more than 6 million who already have the disease, Huang is optimistic that more drugs are being developed that have a much better target engagement toward fighting the disease process.

“And we are able to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease way earlier than in the past by applying more newly developed disease-specific biomarkers,” Huang says. “Hopefully that will lead to more drugs being tested in very early-stage disease, and that would lead to more significant breakthroughs.”

Photo illustration courtesy of UMMC

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Frequencies and Distortions

BLACK HOLE RESEARCHERS ADVANCE GRAVITATIONAL WAVE MODELS

Finding a needle in a haystack might prove easier than finding the most accurate measure of gravitational waves, telltale ripples in space-time created when massive black holes crash into each other. Yet a Uni versity of Mississippi physicist and his team have made significant advances in that direction.

Leo Chaim Stein, UM assistant professor of physics and astronomy, has been working with Keefe Mitman, a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology, and Macarena Lagos, a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University, to precisely model gravitational waves that result from these cosmic collisions.

Stein, Mitman and Lagos detail their findings in “Nonlinearities in black hole ringdowns,” an article pub lished in the Feb. 15 edition of the journal Physical Review Letters. The article was selected as an “Editor’s suggestion,” a desig nation given to only about 15% of all papers and reserved for those that are “particularly important, interesting and well-written.”

“We want to mathematically model how black holes ‘ring down’ like a bell, because we can use the frequencies in the ringdown to test Einstein’s theory of gravity, general relativity,” Stein says.

Linearity is a powerful mathematical tool used by physicists to break up waveforms — such as music — into individual waves of different frequencies and amplitudes. Once that is done, they can deal with frequencies one at a time, without losing any information.

“If you have a sound system and speakers that are linear, then regardless of the volume of the music, they will reproduce the music perfectly,” Stein says. “But for real sound systems, when things get too loud, nonlinearities become important. “Different frequencies start interfering with each other. That would lead to distorted sound.”

The synergy of Stein’s team is what allowed them to firm up this project, Lagos says.

“Keefe has experience and expertise on the development of high-accuracy binary black hole simulations, while I have the same on the theoretical aspects of the nonlinearities predicted by the theory of general relativity,” she says.

The team members understand that their work is far from over.

“(Basically, our work) confirmed that there is more work to do in correctly modeling the gravitational waves from ringdown,” Stein says. “Doing that modeling correctly is very hard, and the pencil-plus-paper theory hasn’t been developed enough yet for this.”

Luca Bombelli, chair and professor of the UM Department of Physics and Astronomy, says Stein’s paper reflects the high quality of the work being done in the department.

“Gravitational wave astrophysics is one of the research areas in which our department is especially strong,” Bombelli says. “Because of the presence of Dr. Stein, together with other faculty, postdocs and graduate students, we have one of the leading groups in the country.”

Leo Chaim Stein

Computer rendering shows two black holes about to merge as they spiral toward each other. | Photo courtesy of the Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes Collaboration

Keefe Mitman

Macarena Lagos

| Ole Miss ‘85

MAY

Through July 8 Exhibit: “The Fall of 1962.” The images, personal accounts and artifacts in this exhibit exemplify the infamous and deadly Ole Miss riot, a final segregationist opposition to James Meredith’s yearlong battle for admission. UM Museum, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.4 p.m. Visit museum.olemiss.edu.

Through Aug. 26 Exhibit: “Blurred Lines.” This exhibit features works from the W. Forrest and Joan Stevens Collection, including Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso and Alexander Calder, that disrupted the status quo in art, from modernism into the postmodernism movement. UM Museum, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Visit museum.olemiss.edu.

8Ole Miss Clubs: Charlotte Ole Miss Alumni Club Scholarship Golf Classic. Rocky River Golf Club, 11 a.m. Email blake.a.barnette@gmail.com or call 704-517-0075.

12Commencement: School of Business Administration – Master’s Degree Ceremony. Ford Center, 9:30 a.m. Visit commencement.olemiss.edu.

10

Commencement: Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College Ceremony. The SJB Pavilion at Ole Miss, 6 p.m. Visit commencement. olemiss.edu.

11Commencement: School of Pharmacy. The SJB Pavilion at Ole Miss, 11 a.m. Visit commencement. olemiss.edu.

11Commencement: School of Law. The SJB Pavilion at Ole Miss, 3:30 p.m. Visit commencement. olemiss.edu.

12Commencement: School of Education. The SJB Pavilion at Ole Miss, noon. Visit commencement. olemiss.edu.

12Commencement: College of Liberal Arts – Master’s Degree Ceremony. Ford Center, noon. Visit commencement.olemiss.edu.

12Commencement: School of Applied Sciences – Master’s Degree Ceremony. Ford Center, 3:30 p.m. Visit commencement.olemiss.edu.

2

Baseball: Ole Miss vs. Little Rock. Oxford-University Stadium, 11 a.m. Visit olemisssports.com.

3Performance: Kyle Pederson “... and Justice for All” with University Chorus guest concert. Nutt Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. Contact dtrott@olemiss.edu for more information.

11Commencement: Graduate School Doctoral Hooding Ceremony. The SJB Pavilion at Ole Miss, 7 p.m. Visit commencement.olemiss.edu.

11-13Baseball: Ole Miss vs. Auburn. OxfordUniversity Stadium, 7 p.m. Thursday, 6:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday. Visit olemisssports.com.

12Commencement: School of Business Administration. The SJB Pavilion at Ole Miss, 4 p.m. Visit commencement.olemiss.edu.

12Commencement: School of Engineering. The SJB Pavilion at Ole Miss, 7 p.m. Visit commencement. olemiss.edu.

12-13 50 Year Class Reunion: Various times and locations. Visit olemissalumni.com/events.

5

Performance: David Willson Retirement Concert. Gertrude C. Ford Center, 7:30 p.m. Visit fordcenter.org.

5First Friday Free Sketch Day: UM Museum, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (drop-in). Visit museum.olemiss.edu.

5Spring Documentary Showcase: Barnard Observatory, Room 105, 6 p.m. Visit olemiss.edu or contact cssc@olemiss.edu.

5-7Softball: Ole Miss vs. Alabama. Ole Miss Softball Complex, 6 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Visit olemisssports.com.

Photo by Thomas Graning

JUNE

DeadSoxy Rebel Road Trips

JUNE 6, 8, 13, 15

13

Commencement: Convocation. The Grove, 8 a.m. In case of inclement weather, Convocation will be held in The SJB Pavilion at Ole Miss. Visit commencement.olemiss.edu.

of 2023 to a reception in their honor featuring photo opportunities and commemorative champagne flutes. Triplett Alumni Center, 9-11 a.m. Register at olemissalumni.com/events.

13

Commencement: School of Journalism and New Media. The SJB Pavilion at Ole Miss, 10:30 a.m. Visit commencement.olemiss.edu.

13

Commencement: General Studies. Ford Center, 11 a.m. Visit commencement.olemiss.edu.

13

Commencement: Patterson School of Accountancy. The SJB Pavilion at Ole Miss, 2 p.m. Visit commencement.olemiss.edu.

13

Commencement: School of Applied Sciences. The SJB Pavilion at Ole Miss, 6 p.m. Visit commencement.olemiss.edu.

Reception: A Toast to Graduates. The Ole Miss Alumni Association invites its members from the Class

13

Commencement: College of Liberal Arts. The SJB Pavilion at Ole Miss, 9:30 a.m. Visit commencement. olemiss.edu.

14

Baseball: Ole Miss vs. Austin Peay. Oxford-University Stadium, 6:30 p.m. Visit olemisssports.com.

16

Memphis May Mixer: Memphis Botanic Garden, 6-9 p.m. Contact Junae Johnson at 662-915-1868 for more information.

25

Astronomy Open House: The Astronomy Open House is an event centered around viewing planets, stars and the moon through UM telescopes. Additional presentations are also planned. Kennon Observatory, 8:30-9:30 p.m. Visit libarts.olemiss.edu.

28

DeadSoxy Rebel Road Trip: Tupelo. Conference Bank Arena and Conference Center, 5:30 p.m. Visit rebelroadtrip.com.

6

8Ole Miss Clubs: Washington, D.C., Annual Meeting. Location and time TBA.

8DeadSoxy Rebel Road Trip: Biloxi. Ground Zero Blues Club, 6 p.m. Visit rebelroadtrip.com.

9Social: Happy hour social for alumni and friends of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and Croft Institute for International Studies. Cuba Libre in Washington, D.C., 6-8 p.m. Call 662-915-1878.

13DeadSoxy Rebel Road Trip: Jackson. Country Club of Jackson, 6 p.m. Visit rebelroadtrip.com.

15DeadSoxy Rebel Road Trip: Memphis. The Bluff, 6 p.m. Visit rebelroadtrip.com.

JULY

20Alumni Association: UM Law Alumni Luncheon at the Annual Meeting of the Mississippi Bar. Mary Mahoney’s Old French House in Biloxi, 12:15-1:30 p.m. Call 662-915-1878.

23Ole Miss Clubs: Ole Miss Alumni Day at the Miami Marlins game. Loan Depot Park, 1:40 p.m. Visit olemissalumni.com/events.

23Ole Miss Clubs: Ole Miss Alumni Day at Yankee Stadium, 1:35 p.m. Visit olemissalumni.com/events.

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

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

A Lifetime of Journeys

A Lifetime of Journeys

Eight alumni celebrate 60 years of friendship with a return to Ole Miss

By Jonathan Scott

In the 1960s, eight University of Mississippi students, all from Mississippi, joined the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity and forged friendships so strong they remain the best of friends today.

The story of their friendship began during the tumultuous fall when James Meredith (BA 63) led the fight to integrate UM. Now, as the university marks the 60th anniversary of integration, these men celebrate their lifelong relationship, the changes that have taken place at Ole Miss and the efforts being made to ensure UM will continue providing an exceptional higher-education experience for future generations of diverse alumni.

Not only have these alumni stayed in touch with one another, but they’ve also taken trips together every year since 1986. In the more than 35 years that they’ve made these excursions together, they’ve traveled throughout the U.S. and even made a trip overseas.

Only an act of nature, it seems, could put a stop to their annual trips. Of course, nature did just that with the COVID-19 pandemic. For two years, this traveling tradition was put on hold.

This past summer, their annual road trip resumed in a way that was uniquely personal and especially meaningful

James Meredith statue photo by Robert Jordan. Background and other images by iStock.

Six of the eight UM alumni who have traveled together for more than 35 years returned to the Oxford campus this past summer for the first time since they graduated from the university more than half a century ago. Gathering together at The Inn at Ole Miss in June 2022 are (from left) Robert Hauberg, John Waits, Ray Mabus, Mike Harrison, Robert Lewis and Jesse White. | Photo by Kirsten Simpson

because they returned to where it all began: their alma mater. UM provided these alumni with a solid foundation from which they would all embark on journeys that would take them to successful careers and fulfilling lives, notes Ray Mabus (BA 69), a member of this group of travelers who is also a former U.S. Secretary of the Navy and governor of Mississippi.

“Our friendship and our yearly trips have been an important part of all of our lives and, as we’ve aged, they’ve become even more important,” Mabus says. “And Ole Miss had so much to do with it. After all, it was the university that put us, as individuals and as a group of friends, on a remarkable and unexpectedly rewarding path.”

‘Beta Eight’ Begins

The recent trip to Ole Miss marks the first time they had been back on campus as a group in more than half a century.

Because they were all members of Beta Theta Pi, some of the eight alumni recently referred to their informal group as the “Ole Miss Beta Eight.” Their years at the university overlapped, for the most part, even though they enrolled and graduated at various times.

The first to enroll was Robert E. Hauberg Jr. (BA 65), who began in fall 1961. George Woodliff (BBA 70), on the other hand, came in spring 1966 and was the last member of the group to obtain his undergraduate degree.

In between those years, the other six members enrolled and graduated, while also joining the fraternity and getting to know one another. In chronological order of their graduation from UM, the other members are James “Jeep” Peden Jr. (BA 66, JD 70), Jesse “Jess” White Jr. (BA 66), Michael “Mike” Harrison (BSEE 68, MS 71, PhD 79), Robert Lewis Jr. (BA 69, MS 73, PhD 76), Mabus (BA 69) and John A. Waits (BA 69).

They came from a variety of towns in Mississippi, such as Ackerman, Laurel and Jackson, to attend Ole Miss and obtain their undergraduate degrees. After graduating, they continued their higher education at other universities across the country, such as Harvard, Yale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Johns Hopkins, and a few European colleges, such as the University of Sussex, University of Hamburg and Oxford University.

Since leaving Ole Miss, their exceptional careers have been just as varied as the universities they attended. Among them, they’ve served as the U.S. Secretary of the Navy, governor of Mississippi, ambassador to Saudi Arabia, co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission, member of the U.S. Department of Education, executive director of the Southern Growth Policies Board, congressional staffers and practicing

attorneys, including an assistant U.S. attorney, engineer and researcher with the U.S. Air Force Research Lab, director of immunopathology and transplantation immunology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and a leader of a national trade association. One has been — and still is — the rector of an Episcopal church.

“We agree that we can trace our friendships and our professional accomplishments back to the same source — the campus of the University of Mississippi,” Lewis says.

Meredith Crisis Creates Awakening

While the desire to earn a college degree from a cherished university initially attracted these alumni to the Oxford-Ole Miss community, it was Beta Theta Pi that brought them together.

“We began as Betas,” White recalls. “Robert (Hauberg) joined the Betas first, then me and Jeep (Peden), and then the others. Ray (Mabus) is the youngest, so I think he was the last in our group to join the Betas, but he finished his degree in three years.”

The fraternity appealed to them because it was relatively small and had a strong focus on character and academics, Harrison says.

“We were all so committed to learning and all put academics first, so it was a very natural fit.”

The members of the Beta Eight got together because they enjoyed one another’s intellectual curiosity, razor-sharp wit, expansive goodwill and openness to new ideas. They also had a compelling interest in social and racial justice, and equality, Hauberg says.

Their passion for equality was formative in the initial stages of their friendship because of UM’s turbulent history in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. For some of them, the violence, racial intolerance and prejudice that played out so publicly around the world during the integration of the university served as their first impression of the campus.

“The Meredith crisis was my introduction to the university — a story of integration that, I believe, touched all our lives,” White says.

“It was a surreal moment,” Hauberg recalls. “We lived at Baxter, Powers and Lester halls, and James Meredith was installed in Baxter Hall. I remember the morning after the riots, walking down the hill toward the Lyceum, and the campus was still covered in tear gas. Cars and benches were overturned. It reminded me of images I had seen of cities in other countries that had experienced a revolution, like Hungary.

“For Jess, Jeep and me, this was a seminal moment of awareness and an introduction to what the true state of Mississippi

Hauberg peden white harrison lewis mabus waits woodliff

was and what the most important issues were at this time.”

Their recollections of their first year at Ole Miss are a kaleidoscope of iconic images. On their way to class, they walked past armed federal troops. One of their other fraternity brothers was asked to tutor Meredith.

“We were forged in the same crucible,” Peden says. “Witnessing the Meredith riots caused me, and I think of all of us, to think about what our role could be in the world. This moment in history that we found ourselves in started something to stir within us.”

Memorable Times, Friends, Faculty

The integration of UM had begun, and the university and the Beta Eight members would never be the same. Those events informed much of their student experiences.

For instance, when they weren’t living in the fraternity house, the group made a point to reside in Baxter Hall because that’s where Meredith lived during his year at UM. As college students being introduced to new theories and evolving cultural issues, they challenged one another intellectually during conversations that often lasted through much of the night.

They have no shortage of favorite memories of their years at Ole Miss, including guest speakers and performers (Robert F. Kennedy, the Mamas and the Papas, Johnny Cash, and Jim Weatherly and the Vegas), hangouts and delicious food (Kiamie’s and the Urbanek burger available only at the old Student Union Grill), and favorite secluded corners where they could pull all-nighters to prepare for exams (biology, pharmacy and engineering buildings).

When it came to academics, they recall specific programs and courses that changed their lives. Many of these classes were filled with brilliant students.

“I took a political science class with two other students who would both become future governors of Mississippi — Haley Barbour (JD 73) and Ray Mabus, and Ray was my Ole

Miss roommate,” Waits says.

They are also quick to remember an enormous number of cherished professors.

“Regardless of what years we were at the university, each of us can recall a number of amazing, memorable, inspirational and influential professors,” Woodliff says.

In addition to their own close relationships, Harrison says they all created friendships with hundreds of other students.

“Without a doubt, one of the greatest impacts UM had on my life has been meeting and associating with students with very high standards in both the educational and ethical areas of life,” he says. “A number of these associations have lasted a lifetime, such as those of us in the so-call(ed) Beta Eight. These associations continually increase and reinforce my understanding of political and human rights issues.

“The student experience we had individually and collectively has left virtually all of us with the feeling that our time at Ole Miss was the best way to spend the student phase of our lives.”

Start of a Travel Tradition

When their undergraduate years ended, they continued to pursue additional degrees at other universities, and eventually, six of the eight married, and most started families. They began successful careers that took most of them far from Mississippi.

Individually, they kept in touch with one another as often as they were able and frequently reminisced about their time at the university.

In the early 1980s, they found themselves together as part of a larger group of UM alumni gathered in Jackson. They had a great time reconnecting, and someone suggested they should take a trip together. That’s when Waits mentioned that he had just returned from a trip to Key West, Florida, and recommended that they consider a trip there.

They went, had an exceptional time and agreed to do it again. And just like that, a travel tradition was born.

Dining at a restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2017 are (from left) John Waits, Robert Lewis, Mike Harrison, James Peden, George Woodliff, Robert Hauberg, Ray Mabus and Jesse White. | Photo courtesy of Robert Lewis Jr.

CRISSCROSSING the US

The group found traveling to unfamiliar cities to be appealing on several levels.

“We all love to escape by traveling, and each of us has a robust curiosity about the world beyond those places we got to know when we were growing up,” Waits explains.

“All of us also appreciate the variety of experiences that travel offers as well as all the marvelous sights that are just waiting to be seen,” Harrison adds.

These shared experiences are frequently mentioned by the alumni as a highlight of their travels together. By far, the most attractive element of these trips is that it allows them to get back together to enjoy one another’s company and swap old stories while also bringing everyone up to date on what is happening in their lives.

The members of the travel club have ventured to dozens of different destinations, and they never go to the same place twice. The process of deciding where to go is fairly informal, and this decision is often made near the conclusion of the current trip they happen to be on.

While no specific amenities offered by a city are factored into the decision-making process, they appreciate a city that’s home to a major league baseball park.

The trips they’ve made together have taken them to Seattle, Salt Lake City, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Boston, Minneapolis, New Orleans and Chicago. They’ve also visited Saratoga Springs, New York; Kansas City, Missouri; Austin, Texas; Savannah, Georgia; Jacksonville, Florida; Burlington, Vermont; Asheville and Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; Santa Fe, New Mexico;

Norfolk, Virginia; Annapolis, Maryland; Newport, Rhode Island; and most recently, Oxford.

Some of the trips made when Mabus served as the U.S. Secretary of the Navy (2009-17) centered around naval bases. Having the Navy secretary as a part of the group made it easier to arrange tours of naval facilities and vessels, such as aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines.

When Mabus was appointed as the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia in the mid-1990s, a few members of the group traveled to Riyadh, the country’s capital.

Returning to a Changed Campus

While the Beta Eight plan for future visits to faraway places, they continue to relish the memories of their most recent trip. Due to unexpected developments, two of the members — Peden and Woodliff — were not able to join the group’s other six members on their journey to the University of Mississippi.

Those who did go were impressed by the changes that had taken place on campus in the decades since they were students. Most notable, they say, are the efforts made to tone down the glorification of the university’s troubled past while also taking steps to create a more welcoming atmosphere.

For instance, the divisive Confederate monument that previously had been positioned so prominently on the university Circle and had served as a staging area for rioters opposing the integration of Ole Miss in 1962 has been moved to a more inconspicuous part of campus. Also, a statue honoring James Meredith now stands near the Lyceum.

“As soon as we arrived on campus, the first picture that we

In 2014, the group members traveled to Seattle, where they took a tour of the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier. One of the largest warships in the world, the Nimitz had her homeport in Naval Station Everett at that time. Standing on the deck of the Nimitz are (from left) Ray Mabus, Jesse White, Mike Harrison, Robert Hauberg, James Peden, John Waits, Robert Lewis and George Woodliff. | Photo courtesy of Robert Lewis Jr.

took together was at the James Meredith statue,” Lewis says. “This is the new Ole Miss.”

Other admirable campus changes they praise include the establishment of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, which is aimed at creating a more equitable, diverse and inclusive university, and the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, celebrating its 25th year.

“The percentage of Black and minority students on campus is very encouraging,” says Waits, who also mentions the Office of Global Engagement and its efforts to attract and encourage more international students and scholars and study abroad opportunities.

“When I was here in the 1960s, there was little or nothing in place that resembled programs dedicated to promoting diversity, inclusiveness and racial reconciliation, and welcoming those from other parts of the world.”

Bright Future Predicted

The alumni also recognize the university’s successful efforts to put in place a more diverse administration and enjoyed meeting with deans, directors and others during their visit.

Challenges remain and more is needed to ensure UM is a welcoming place for all, but these respected alumni applaud the university for positioning itself for a bright future.

Some of the additional highlights of their visit included

tours of the renovated and expanded Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union, which now has a lactation room for nursing mothers, the LGBTQIA+ Lounge in Lamar Hall, and an exceptionally managed and maintained Rowan Oak, as well as impressive improvements to various academic and athletics facilities on campus.

“Each and every one of us has been bowled over by the enthusiasm we’ve encountered by all those we’ve met and everything we’ve seen,” White says. “The evolution of our university is absolutely inspiring.”

The group also appreciates the university’s efforts promoting the arts and providing inviting spaces for entertaining productions, such as the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts and enhanced UM Museum and Historic Houses.

On the academic side, they are pleased with how UM is positioning itself to be a leader for generations of students to come. They note how the construction of the Jim and Thomas Duff Center for Science and Technology Innovation, which is now more than 50% complete, will serve as one of the nation’s top facilities for STEM education.

“We had a great adventure during our visit,” Mabus says. “We are lifelong supporters of Ole Miss, and we owe everything to this university, but the changes that have been wrought here are unimaginable. If someone had told us when we were students here that all this was going to happen in our lifetime, we would have said that they were crazy.”

In 2017, all eight of the UM alumni took a trip to Cleveland, Ohio, where they enjoyed a Cleveland Indians (renamed the Cleveland Guardians) baseball game. Touring the stadium on Progressive Field are (from left) Jesse White, Robert Hauberg, James Peden, Mike Harrison, Ray Mabus, John Waits, George Woodliff and Robert Lewis. | Photo courtesy of Robert Lewis Jr.

Searched and Found

Alumna traces her successful path to Google

By Annie Rhoades

ntrepreneur, fundraiser, congressional intern, global communications adviser and now, Googler, are just a few of the many hats worn by alumna Sederia Gray (BA 10), head of communications for global operations, Google devices and services.

“I had no intention of being [where I am],” Gray muses. “I thought things were going to go a little bit differently. When [Google] reached out to me about [the job], it wasn’t on my list, but it made sense. It’s the perfect role for me.”

A standout high school student with an interest in international journalism, Gray began looking into the Croft Institute

for International Studies at the University of Mississippi at the urging of her high school Spanish teacher. After receiving UM’s coveted Luckyday Scholarship among others, the Starkville native set her sights firmly on Oxford.

The Croft Institute, home to the international studies major at UM, is lauded as a top-tier center of academic excellence. Its rigorous, interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to give Croft students the tools to meet America’s global challenges in the 21st century.

“I felt that having the Croft Institute on my resumé would be a great way to start,” Gray says. “[The program] sounded amazing and was a perfect fit. For me, it’s a full-circle situation because I now head up global operations communications, which is an international perspective on communications. My current role really has a little bit of everything I’ve ever done.”

A member of UM’s prestigious Columns Society, Associated Student Body and Hall of Fame, Gray participated in the university’s study abroad program in Ecuador and Costa Rica.

“Having an international perspective to everything we did was so important, and it’s something I’ve carried with me to all of my roles,” she says. “Croft allowed me to look at things from a global viewpoint instead of just a national or local viewpoint, which has been really helpful. Technology has advanced so much and now that everyone is connected globally, you’re

Gray visits UM's Croft Institute for International Studies. | Submitted photo

forced to have that mindset. Thankfully, I already had that mindset because of my studies at Croft.”

Longtime friend and UM roommate Christina Norris (BS 10, MS 12) credits Gray being a “problem solver and innovator” as keys to her success.

“[She] has gained much success over the years because she is diligent, and she perseveres when faced with adversity. She is also caring, compassionate and a God-fearing woman who upholds principles and values. To this day, we remain in each other’s lives. She is one of my most supportive friends who always makes time to support me, as well as other friends.”

Rebel with a Cause

After earning her bachelor’s degree in 2010, Gray interned for former U.S. Rep. Travis Childers (BBA 80) in Washington, D.C., before taking a break from her studies for a couple of years to work for her family’s nonprofit, the Southern Foundation for Homeless Children.

The organization is the brainchild of her mother, Gwendolyn Gray, a nutrition major. Its focus is to provide nutritional support to families and children across the state. The programs are designed to promote healthy eating habits that have been found to improve a variety of conditions including school performance, reduction of antisocial behavior and generating lifelong patterns that result in inclusive well-being for the whole family.

“We’ve had the foundation since 1999,” she says. “It initially was one foster home for children, then we expanded to two — one in Sturgis, the other in Columbus. We decided to expand

the feeding program to focus on child nutrition because we saw how much it really helped children. That’s what we’ve been focusing on since 2013.”

Like numerous other organizations, the foundation saw a sharp increase in the need for its services during the COVID19 pandemic.

“We had a food box program where we gave away thousands of food box boxes to people who were hungry and in need during the pandemic,” Gray says. “That was a big program for us. We also just did a program with AT&T where we gave away tablets to students. It’s been really cool to be a part of that since I was young. I’ve been around the nonprofit world for a long time, which is why I became interested in corporate social responsibility.”

Learning and Leading

With an interest in pursuing a master’s degree, Gray enrolled at Howard University in 2012. She received her MBA in 2014, where she also earned the title of MBA Student of the Year.

“[She’s] always been a leader — whether it was in academics, social environments or her career field,” Norris says. “I know she will continue to excel in leadership roles in her career, leading and guiding her community, accomplishing entrepreneurship and in her personal life as well. I look forward to watching her continued success and growth.”

After graduation, Gray accepted a position with Boeing where she spent nearly three years in supplier management and later government relations.

“I really wanted to work at a company that had strong corporate citizenship and a corporate social responsibility program,” she says. “Boeing and Coca-Cola were my top two choices. I ended up working at Boeing because I wanted to learn and understand the business side. That got me into supplier relations and supply chain management.”

Gray later transitioned to a lobbying role with the company while in D.C. It was during that time she realized she still wasn’t quite where she wanted to be.

“I still wasn’t in citizenship yet, but citizenship was housed under the government affairs team at Boeing, so I was getting pretty close,” Gray recalls. “My entire life I would have a goal, but then I would try to be strategic about how to get to that. Once I finished there, I took some time off to find out what I really wanted to do. That’s what landed me in communications.”

In 2018, Gray began her career in communications with Memphis-based FedEx as a communications specialist and later communications adviser for global media relations.

Googler

As she began expanding her communications skills taking on various roles with FedEx, Google started searching for someone with her skill set. In July 2022, she relocated to Los Angeles to start her new role as a Googler.

“I like it a lot, and it’s really a sum of all the things I’ve done in the past,” she says. “When I came in, I had all this historical knowledge from working at Boeing and FedEx regarding global operations and what it takes to have a strong operations team. Having the opportunity to be the communications

person for that worked out nicely because I’m able to bring that expertise into it as well. It’s been fun and challenging.”

While her days are filled with meetings, projects and international travel, she most enjoys working on initiatives that make a direct impact on people’s lives.

“We have some projects that focus on making the world more sustainable,” she says. “I really like being a part of the storytelling aspect of what we’re doing within sustainability and within Google in general.”

While she’s navigated a successful career, Gray knows she wouldn’t be where she is today without the guidance of both her “entrepreneurial” mother and cousin Telisa Yancy, president of the American Family Insurance Group of companies.

“[Telisa] has been an executive for a while working at various companies,” Gray says. “It’s super inspiring to see family members have that kind of success, especially as a Black woman. Black women being in the C-suite isn’t something you see often. Having a cousin that’s my mentor and someone I look up to be able to achieve that level of success is pretty awesome.”

40 Under 40

Due in part to her varied career and accomplished resumé, Gray was named to the Alumni Association’s 2023 40 Under 40 class recognizing the personal, professional and philanthropic achievements of successful UM graduates under the age of 40.

“It’s an honor to be selected and be part of something that’s still so new,” she says. “I’m excited to come back and see some of the people that I graduated with.”

In addition to being a Googler, Gray has followed in her mother’s entrepreneurial footsteps. In March 2022, she founded Luna Sol, a Mississippi-based health and wellness company.

“It’s a company that focuses on holistic ways for people to take care of themselves,” she says. “I think that’s something important, particularly in Mississippi. For me, my long-term interest is entrepreneurship and having something sustainable for me and my family.”

For now, the Mississippi native is enjoying L.A. life and relishing the opportunity to sharpen both her business and communications skills with the tech giant.

“I look forward to continuing to be a good partner within Google and working to make [the company] a better place from a communications perspective. This is not what I was expecting for my career, but it’s been a fun ride. My life experiences have shown me what I’m truly interested in, and I’m going after that.”

Gray at the 2023 40 Under 40 celebration with fellow inductees Andre Cotten (left) and Chris Presley. | Photo by Bill Dabney

Gray at the 2010 UM Hall of Fame induction ceremony with her mother, Gwendolyn, and father, Eucluck. | Submitted photo

UM Plans to Breathe New Life into Faulkner’s Mule Farm

Writer’s residency to be first of its kind in Mississippi

By Erin Garrett

t is a brisk February day on a farm 15 miles east of Oxford. The sound of flapping wings fills the otherwise quiet air as two turkey buzzards alight on a nearby oak branch.

“It’s a good omen,” says John T. Edge (BA 96, MA 02), director of the Mississippi Lab. “Faulkner wanted to be reincarnated as a buzzard — they can eat whatever they want, and no one bothers them.”

For writers especially, unbothered has its perks. A new University of Mississippi project aims to create a retreat-style writer’s residency that will afford 50-plus writers each year the time and space to imagine and execute big projects.

The location? A 20-acre plot of land with a storied history involving one of the nation’s most treasured literary giants. Now owned by the university, Greenfield Farm was once Nobel prize-winning author William Faulkner’s mule farm.

“This is a metaphorically and physically important space,” says Edge, who is spearheading the residency’s planning effort. “The road leads to Faulkner’s birthplace. By purchasing this land, Faulkner bought access to his past. On this farm, he tapped into Mississippi’s narratives.

“At a later juncture in his life, Faulkner advocated for a writer’s residency much like we are imagining.”

A Front Porch for Writers

Greenfield Farm will act as a welcoming “front porch” for novelists, poets, songwriters, playwrights, essayists, nonfiction writers — essentially anyone who wishes to make words. The residency will attract writers who live in Mississippi, writers who make Mississippi their subject or draw inspiration from the state, and writers with family and other roots there.

“We depend heavily on writers to tell our story in Mississippi,” Edge says. “I’d argue that writing is one of our state’s leading cultural and

economic outputs. With the creation of this residency, we are making an infrastructure investment to support that work.”

In addition, Greenfield Farm will be a place for UM students, faculty and staff. They could be composing theses, completing dissertations or using their dissertations to write first books. The plans include invitations to lecture series speakers and research fellowships.

The residency program will make a special effort to serve “diaspora writers whose families left Mississippi, pushed by Jim Crow or pulled by economic opportunity.”

Residencies provide a place for writers and artists to focus

intently on their work minus the daily disruptions of life. More than 300 of them are operated by academic institutions and nonprofits across the nation. However, most are clustered along the East Coast and West Coast with very few in the South.

Edge made eight residency program visits to develop the Greenfield Farm plan. He interviewed artist residency principals, reviewed artist residency proposals, engaged the Artist Communities Alliance, sampled research from South Arts and served as a fellow at an artist residency. He gleaned ideas from the top three models he found.

Beth Ann Fennelly, professor of English at the university and Mississippi poet laureate from 2016 to 2021, says the residency project is a unique opportunity for the state.

“There is no other residency like this,” Fennelly says. “Most residencies charge the working artist a fee to attend. That narrows the application pool a good bit — suddenly, the only people who can apply are those well off enough to take time off work and pay a fee of, say, $500 a week.

“Greenfield Farm upends that model by granting a stipend to those who can attend, democratizing the field for artists of all backgrounds.”

There is currently no nonprofit, stipend-supported writer’s residency operating in Mississippi. Greenfield will offer $1,000 weekly stipends to ensure that writers of all economic classes

What was William Faulkner’s mule farm is to become a retreat-style writer’s residency that will host 50-plus writers each year.

Greenfield Farm main house | Photo by Amy Howell

William Faulkner at Greenfield Farm | Photos sourced from a 1952 Ford Foundation documentary

will have the ability to apply. Its 50-plus annual residents will stay an average of three weeks and pay no fees.

W. Ralph Eubanks (BA 78), faculty fellow and author of “A Place Like Mississippi,” knows firsthand the value of a paid residency. He was a Radcliffe Institute Fellow at Harvard University in 2021-22.

“That experience was a game changer because I didn’t have to worry about finances while I worked there,” Eubanks says. “Greenfield will similarly fund writers while they spend a significant amount of time in a beautiful place in nature with few distractions.

“At Harvard, I had to put blinders on to work, and there are other obligations when you are a fellow. Greenfield will give a community, but also some real privacy.”

That community will be enhanced by the facilities at the farm. Writers will stay in four modern dogtrot cabins that will serve as “architectural and cultural linkages between the past and present.” The 960-square-foot, one-bedroom cabins will feature large windows overlooking the farm’s valley, a covered porch to enable outdoor writing and, naturally, a writing desk.

There will be collaborative spaces, as well as indoor and outdoor gathering areas. A residency manager will be housed on-site to manage writers and direct upkeep.

The plan takes virtually every detail into account. Ruins of a farmhouse and hunting cabin on the land will be restored and made into history and nature exhibits, respectively. Hiking

trails and bridges will wind around the farm.

“The design of the place is inclusive and thoughtful, down to the ecologically conscious architectural dwellings,” Fennelly says.

“The natural beauty of the Mississippi countryside — fields with pockets of woods — will aid the unplugging and recharging that bolster an artist’s vision.”

Noel Wilkin, UM provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, says he could not think of a better use for Faulkner’s former farm.

“Mississippi is well known for its creative people, which include writers, poets, songwriters, playwrights, novelists and artists,” Wilkin says. “Creativity requires perspective and concentration. We have a unique opportunity to use land that is steeped in Mississippi history to help embrace and nurture the creative economy.

“By creating Mississippi’s only nonprofit, stipend-supported writer’s residency — a place where writers can reside for a period of time to concentrate and create — we will be creating a place to support and foster the work of current and future Mississippi writers.”

The Farm’s Storied History

Once the residency was conceptualized in 2021, some of the initial steps were to research the property itself, map the topography of the land and illustrate its best use, Edge says. The resulting project plan pays tribute to the farm’s history.

Edge recruited Jim Gulley (BA 90), a history master’s student at the university, to conduct a deep dive into the farm’s past. He traced it from Native American usage up to the Faulkner family’s purchase in 1938. His findings indicate that no enslaved people worked the land.

Gulley, a nontraditional student from Brookhaven, has his own interesting connection to Faulkner.

“Faulkner was a chapter adviser to the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity while my dad was an active member,” Gulley says. “My father had a personal relationship with Bill but had a close relationship with his mother, Maude. She was very friendly to students, and my dad was part of a menagerie of students that she befriended.

“So, all my life I’ve grown up with this affinity for his family. I was excited about the opportunity to work with John T. on this project.”

John T. Edge (right) shares the vision for Greenfield Farm with architect Belinda Stewart. The architectural process includes an analysis of the facility, covering the significance and condition of the structure and its components. | Photo by Amy Howell

Architect Landon Voller (left) and intern Pablo Vargas examine one of the farm structures. | Photo by Amy Howell

Travis Crabtree (left), of Tree Design Co. in Jackson, and donor Ray Neilsen explore one of the remaining structures at Greenfield Farm during a site visit. | Photo courtesy of Travis Crabtree

A large element of Gulley’s research was determining when the Faulkner family acquired the land and who owned it afterward. He sifted through titles, warranty deeds and other recorded documents at the Lafayette County Courthouse to put together a chain of title.

“I went back to the land patent when the U.S. acquired property from the Chickasaw Nation through the Treaty of Pontotoc Creek,” he says. “I show who received the patent from the government, then who sold it and how it got to Faulkner. There were several interesting twists and turns.”

When Faulkner bought the property, seven tenant families lived on the land who had been there for generations. Faulkner and his brother John managed these farmers who raised mules, cotton and corn. Faulkner used the land as a retreat where he observed agricultural life.

In a 1952 short documentary about Faulkner, he is shown at Greenfield riding a tractor, walking the grounds and chatting with farmers. The narrator states that as a farmer, Faulkner “looks deep into the heart of life and writes what he sees there.”

Indeed, Faulkner spent a lot of his time at the farm in the early years of his ownership, Gulley says. From 1938 to 1942, he was heavily involved in a supervisory role and likely wrote there during that time.

“He built a cabin for himself that was called the hunting lodge,” Gulley says. “He would spend the night out there. And we know what novels he was working on — ‘Go Down, Moses’ and ‘The Hamlet.’ Those were the two primary ones that were Yoknapatawpha-related.

“One of my hypotheses is that Faulkner had used the farm as a living theatre where he got to observe characters, Black tenant farmers or white yeoman farmers, and picked up on dialect and manners of speech. What they did and how they did things invariably got translated into his literatures.”

Themes in Faulkner’s work including paternalism, tensions between rural and urban spaces, and tensions between tradition and modernity can be illustrated by Greenfield Farm.

Supporting a New Generation of Art

Eubanks suspects that Faulkner would be pleased with the plans for his farm.

“I think he would be happy to know that a place that he loved is being used to help the next generation of Mississip pians and Southern writers to flourish,” Eubanks says. “Yes, it was his mule farm, and he had an identity of a farmer, but let’s be honest, Faulkner was not much of a farmer.

“He used that persona to be accepted in the community. To have Greenfield turned into a place where artists are accepted for who they are — I think he’d be nodding his head and saying, ‘Yeah, I like that idea.’”

When Ray Neilsen first learned of the project from Edge, he knew he had to be involved.

“Building Greenfield Farm is an important step to strengthening our literary foundation,” says Neilsen, the Edwards-based philanthropist who made the first gift to sup port the project. “We have a unique opportunity to build upon Oxford and Mississippi’s literary tradition and to grow writers, while also fostering a more authentic, interesting place on land once owned by William Faulkner.”

Fundraising for the grounds and building is underway. Construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2024, with a grand opening in the third quarter of 2025.

“Our greatest asset in this state are our writers and artists,” Eubanks says. “This project gives our alumni a chance to sup port the next generation of writers and artists in the state. That is our most significant contribution to American life and culture.

“It is just as important to support artists as it is to support STEM. There are many people who make significant scientific contributions, but someone has to design, package and write about them in a creative way to develop them. Our support of the arts in this state is probably the most transformative thing that we do.”

Key partners were introduced to the Greenfield Farm project at an event held on site last fall. From left: John Hardy, John T. Edge, Tom Franklin, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Sarah Frances Hardy, Dustin Parsons, Beth Ann Fennelly, Ralph Eubanks, Tom Howorth, Jim Gulley, Noel Wilkin and Ray Neilsen. | Photo by Kirsten Simpson

Ole Miss Sports

Scholar-Athlete

ENGELHARDT EARNS TAYLOR MEDAL FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS

Ole Miss men’s tennis senior Lukas Engelhardt has earned the highest academic honor conferred by the University of Mississippi, being named a Taylor Medal recipient as announced by the university in March.

Students are nominated for outstanding scholarship in their particular field combined with superior work in all other subjects. The number awarded annually may not be more than 1% of the student body. To be eligible, a student must have a GPA of 3.90 or higher and completed at least 105 hours of overall course credit.

Engelhardt received his medal at the Honors and Awards Convocation on April 13 in the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts.

“Lukas is a remarkable example of what is possible when you work consistently with focus, determination and perseverance,” head Coach Toby Hansson says. “For any student to be honored as a Taylor medalist is monumental, but for an accomplished athlete to do so is that much more impressive. This is an incredible achievement for Lukas, and I could not pick a more deserving person to receive this prestigious award.”

Engelhardt has been a model student since coming to Ole Miss in 2019, earning a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll

each year he has played for the Rebels. Additionally, Engelhardt is a two-time ITA Scholar Athlete, earning the honors in 2020 and 2021.

The Augsburg, Germany, native is set to earn his degree in international business management from the School of Business Administration this May. The senior plans to exercise his fifth year of eligibility for the Rebels due to the COVID-19 pandemic and return for year five with Ole Miss in 2023-24.

Photo illustration courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Lukas Engelhardt | Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Ole Miss Sports

Consistently Accurate

RIFLE WRAPS UP NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH FOURTH-PLACE FINISH

Ole Miss Rifle concluded the 2023 NCAA Championships with a fourth-place finish overall after shooting 2367 in air rifle on day two. The Rebels have placed in the top four at the NCAA Championships for three straight seasons.

Ole Miss (9-2, 5-2 Great America Rifle Conference) went into the second and final day coming off its highest smallbore placement in program history. Kristen Derting led the team with an 1182 aggregate score, which was good for fifth overall with three other competitors.

The second day began with three Rebels competing in relay one. Martina Gratz highlighted the group and the team, firing a 595. She ends her excellent air rifle season with four consecutive matches of 595 or above. Gratz ended her first NCAA Championships with an 1177 aggregate score. Emma Pereira also shot well in relay one, scoring a 591. The freshman has scored 590 or above in air rifle in the last five matches. Pereira missed the individual top 10 by 1 point with her 1179 aggregate score.

M’Leah Lambdin rounded out relay one, shooting a 582 in air rifle and an 1149 aggregate score.

Relay two started strong as Derting shot a 10 in 36 of her first 37 shots. The senior concluded her day with a 594. Lea Horvath also started well and finished with a 587 in air rifle. Horvath shot an 1175 aggregate score throughout the two days.

The Rebels fell two spots to fourth due to TCU firing the highest air rifle score of 2385. Also, Kentucky scored 2373 to tie the Rebels’ aggregate score of 4713. Ole Miss was edged out due to fewer centered shots.

Ole Miss’ total score of 4713 ties its highest score ever at the NCAA Championships with last season’s championship performance.

ASHLEY ORKUS SELECTED BY KC CURRENT IN 2023 NWSL DRAFT

Three-time SEC Goalkeeper of the Year Ashley Orkus capped off a tremendous collegiate career by being drafted in the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League Draft. The Ole Miss all-time leader in career saves and shutouts was selected as the 47th overall pick in the fourth round by the Kansas City Current.

She joins former Rebels CeCe Kizer (BGS 18) and Channing Foster (BAccy 20, MBA 22) as active Rebels in the NWSL. Kizer and Orkus will be teammates with KC Current.

Orkus’ selection marks three straight years and four out of the last five that Ole Miss has had a Rebel selected in the NWSL Draft. Ole Miss is one of two SEC programs to have players selected in the last three drafts (Vanderbilt) and has had the most total players drafted in the SEC since 2019.

Orkus was named SEC Goalkeeper of the Year for the third-straight time in 2022 after setting career bests in shutouts, goals against average and goals allowed. The Alabama native allowed just 19 goals on the season, giving her a GAA of 0.94 through 20 matches.

She also became the first Rebel goalkeeper ever to reach the 300 career saves mark and reached 318 total saves before the end of the season, setting a new all-time career record for Ole Miss.

Lea Horvath | Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Ashley Orkus | Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Taking the Lead

CHRIS BEARD NAMED HEAD MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH

Afour-time conference coach of the year and 2019 national coach of the year, Chris Beard will bring his long run of success to Oxford and the SEC, as he was named the 23rd head men’s basketball coach at Ole Miss by Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter (BBA 01, MBA 16).

“We are excited to welcome Coach Beard and his daughters, Avery, Ella and Margo, to the Ole Miss family,” Carter said at a public introduction on March 14, at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. “We thoroughly evaluated a number of outstanding candidates, and there is no doubt Coach Beard is one of the top coaches in the nation. At each stop in his career, Coach Beard has proven to be a program builder and a dynamic leader whose teams exhibit relentless effort. Simply put, Coach Beard is a winner, and Ole Miss Basketball’s best years are ahead of us under his leadership.”

Beard has led three different programs to the NCAA Tournament since 2016, including an appearance in the 2019 National Championship game and Elite Eight run the year before at Texas Tech. As a head coach, he owns a 237-98 record for one of the top winning percentages among active coaches in the nation at 70.7%. Beard also owns a career mark of 11-5

at the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by a perfect 5-0 record in the opening round.

“I am honored to be joining the Ole Miss family and excited to get started at this great university,” Beard says. “I can’t express how grateful I am to Chancellor Boyce, Keith Carter and the rest of the search committee for their belief in me to lead this program. I am really looking forward to being an active part of the Oxford community. I can’t wait to connect with our players and recruits and begin this journey together. Hotty Toddy!”

Beard has coached three NBA draft picks since 2018. On the recruiting trail, Beard has ranked among the very best in the country, earning top-10 class rankings in 2022, 2020 and 2018. He spent 10 seasons on staff at Texas Tech after he was hired as an assistant coach in 2001 under Hall of Fame Coach Bob Knight and spent three years as associate head coach from 2008 to 2011. Beard was the head coach at Seminole State College in 2000-01, going 25-6. He spent the previous season as the head coach of Fort Scott Community College and was on staff as an assistant coach at North Texas for two seasons (1997-99) and Abilene Christian for one (1996-97).

Chris Beard | Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

A Magnificent Run

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM’S JOURNEY ENDS IN THE SWEET 16

Aremarkable run came to an end when No. 8 Ole Miss fell to No. 5 Louisville 72-62 in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Ole Miss concluded its 2022-23 campaign with 25 wins after reaching the third round for the first time since 2007.

Ole Miss (25-9, 11-5 SEC) could not shake off the hot shooting from Louisville (26-11, 12-6 ACC), and was unable to complete the comeback despite multiple scoring bursts. Marquesha Davis and Myah Taylor carried Ole Miss with 19 points each, with Taylor recording a season high. Davis also carried Ole Miss on the boards, with a team high of eight. Adding double figures as well was Angel Baker with 11 points off of five field goals.

The Rebels wrap up a record-breaking season, after totaling a program best 11 wins in SEC play, shattering the single-season program block record with 174 rejections and concluding the season at 25-9.

Photo illustration courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

JALANI DAVIS WINS NCAA WEIGHT THROW TITLE

Jalani Davis came to Ole Miss as a walk-on four years ago and was immediately cast into the shadow of training partners who were among the best in the history of the sport. Davis fully broke free as a star on her own on March 10, winning her first national championship to lead a stupendous first day of action for Ole Miss Track & Field at the 2023 NCAA Indoor Championships.

Davis, a senior native of Hampton, Virginia, concluded a wire-towire indoor season as the NCAA’s best in the weight throw, winning the

Football Legend

national title at her third-round toss making her the No. 4 performer in the history of the national meet with the sixth-best throw.

The win was even more sweet for Davis, who has grinded for a full year after fouling out of both the weight throw and shot put at last year’s indoor national meet.

“(Winning) feels amazing,” Davis says. “On my last throw I started crying, it’s just a relief to get it done. What it takes to be here and what it takes to do what I did in the meet, it paid off. It feels great.”

This is the 11th indoor national title in Ole Miss history, and it makes Davis the 14th overall NCAA Indoor Champion. It also puts her into elite company as just the fourth Rebel woman to ever do so indoors alongside Olympian Brittney Reese (BA 11) in the long jump in 2008, Olympian Raven Saunders (18) in the shot put in 2017, and teammate Shey Taiwo (BBA 21) in the weight throw just last year in 2022.

Combined with Taiwo’s win, Ole Miss is now just the sixth school in NCAA history to repeat as the women’s weight throw champion.

Davis’ win caps off an extraordinary 2023 indoor campaign in the weight throw, during which she became the No. 5 performer in collegiate history and No. 12 in world history at her career-best 24.63m/80-09.75 from the SEC Championships two weeks ago. At the conference meet, Davis became the first woman in world history to break 80 feet in the weight throw and 60 feet in the shot put.

GLYNN GRIFFING SLOTTED INTO SUGAR BOWL HALL

Former Ole Miss quarterback Glynn Griffing (BBA 65) was one of four legends recently inducted into the Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame, in conjunction with the 89th annual Allstate Sugar Bowl, on Dec. 31, 2022, in New Orleans.

Bobby Bowden (Florida State), Bobby Scott (Tennessee) and Peter Warrick (Florida State) joined Griffing as part of the fifth class in the hall of fame.

Co-captain of Ole Miss’ undefeated 1962 team, Griffing earned Most Outstanding Player recognition in the Rebels’ 1963 Sugar Bowl win over Arkansas. Griffing completed 14-of23 passes for a then-Sugar Bowl record 242 yards as the Rebels held off Arkansas, 17-13, to cap a perfect 10-0 season — the school’s only perfect season. After Griffing threw for a 33-yard touchdown in the second quarter, the Razorbacks knotted the game at 10 early in the third, but Griffing drove his team 80 yards, completing passes of 23 and 35 yards and then sneaking in from the one-yard line, to put the Rebels on top for good.

A member of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and the Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame, Griffing quarterbacked Coach John Vaught’s Rebels to a share of the 1962 National Championship. He took home Atlanta TD Club’s SEC Back of the Year in his final season. He earned MVP honors at the Senior Bowl following the Sugar Bowl victory in 1963 and helped a team

OF FAME

of College All-Stars to a stunning upset of the NFL champion Green Bay Packers in an exhibition game.

During his career, the Rebels posted a record of 39-3-4 with a pair of Sugar Bowl wins and a trip to the Cotton Bowl. Griffing was drafted in the fourth round by the New York Giants and would later retire from the NFL to enter private business.

Glynn Griffing | Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Jalani Davis | Photo courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Murder in Vail by Dean C. Ferraro (BA 92, JD 96), 357 pages (Kindle; also available in hardcover and paperback), Digital Biz Media, ISBN: 978-1737836742

Murder in Vail is an exciting legal thriller, filled with enough suspense, twists, humor and ’80s music references to keep the reader engaged and entertained until the very last word. Deputy D.A. Joshua Rizzetti and his girlfriend go on vacation to Vail, Colorado, to ski, relax and unwind from their recent knock on death’s door. But their ski escape unexpectedly gets derailed, as murder once again crosses their path and puts their lives at risk. Only by swiftly deciphering a cryptic message can Joshua prevent his dream vacation from becoming his worst nightmare. Will he solve it in time, or crash in a fatal wipeout?

Dean C. Ferraro received his law degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law and is a former assistant district attorney, where he worked several years as one of the top prosecuting attorneys in Tennessee. Today, Ferraro is an attorney in Colorado and, in addition to practicing law, dedicates much of his time pursuing his lifelong passion for writing.

Union Warriors at Sunset: The Lives of Twenty Commanders

After the War by Allie Stuart Povall (BA 63, JD 77), 321 pages (paperback; also available in Kindle), McFarland, ISBN: 978-1476690506

Ulysses S. Grant was appointed general-in-chief of the U.S. Army after the Civil War and served two terms as president. His former subordinates, Philip Henry Sheridan and William Tecumseh Sherman, also served as generals-in-chief; Sherman indulged his passion for young women until his death. Two other former generals ran for president, one against his old commander, Grant. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, the hero of Gettysburg, became president of Bowdoin College and served as governor of Maine. George Armstrong Custer found the immortality that had eluded him during the Civil War at Little Big Horn. Chronicling the sunset years of 20 union generals, this book details their attempts to resume productive lives in the aftermath of America’s defining cataclysm.

Povall is a native of Lexington and served in the U.S. Navy, including in Vietnam. He is also the author of four other novels including Rebels in Repose: Confederate Commanders After the War.

It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Humidity, Stupid! by Michael Fleming (BAEd 83), 720 pages (hardcover; also available in paperback and Kindle), Authorhouse, ISBN: 978-1665571562

It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Humidity, Stupid! chronicles the life of Nick Finch, the fifth of five children of J.W. and Charlene Finch from the post-World War II meeting of his parents to his life growing up in one of the most unique places in the United States. Follow his journey from childhood to college to a career in the classroom surrounded by personalities, events and challenges that will leave you laughing, grinning and even, at times, crying. Palm Beach County is the backdrop for some 60 years of Nick Finch’s incredible journey, so come along for the ride and make sure you have sunscreen and an umbrella because it is Palm Beach!

Fleming graduated from the University of Mississippi with a degree in education, which he used to teach American history in the public school system for more than 35 years. Now retired, he pursues writing and is enjoying time with his friends and family.

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.

Rebel Traveler

The alumni travel program is a service the Ole Miss Alumni Association offers as part of its mission to unite its 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. 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-to-date information.

Offerings and itineraries are subject to change or cancellation. OMAA strongly recommends purchasing travel insurance. For a brochure or more information on a trip, contact the Alumni office at 662-9157375 or email travel@olemissalumni.com.

SCOTTISH ISLES AND NORWEGIAN FJORDS

JUNE 2-10, 2023

Tour Operator: Gohagan

Trace the legacies of Viking and Celtic clans on this extraordinary voyage across the pristine natural beauty of Norway’s mighty fjords and the mist-enshrouded peaks of Scotland. Cruise into ports accessible only by small ship. Take in the views during your specially arranged ride on Norway’s legendary Flåm Railway. Discover the Orkney Islands’ fascinating Neolithic history, featuring a special presentation by archaeologist Nick Card. Enjoy a full-day scenic excursion into the glens of the Scottish Highlands. Enhance your journey with the Norway/Copenhagen pre-program and/ or Edinburgh/Glasgow post-program options. — From $5,395

2023

UTAH’S MIGHTY NATIONAL PARKS

JUNE 4-11, 2023

Tour Operator: Premier World Discovery Welcome to Utah’s Mighty National Parks, renowned for awe-inspiring views, impressive rock formations and otherworldly landscapes that must be seen to be believed. Enjoy five nights at one hotel on this relaxed tour that features Canyonlands and Arches National Parks along with Dead Horse Point State Park and Monument Valley. Begin your tour with a scenic byway drive from Grand Junction to Moab. Enjoy a Colorado River cruise to view the canyon walls and ancient Indian petroglyphs. Explore Canyonlands National Park, carved by Utah’s two mightiest rivers. Stand 2,000 feet above a gooseneck in the Colorado River at Dead Horse State Park for a breathtaking view of vertical

Berchtesgaden, Germany

cliffs. And visit and walk along one of our country’s great national parks to see the stunning collection of natural sandstone formations at Arches National Park. Journey on a guided, scenic drive to explore Monument Valley Navajo Tribal area and experience one of the most majestic points on earth. View the area’s oddly shaped monoliths, buttes and mesas of red sandstone and stop at famous John Ford’s Point, the location of many classic Westerns. Conclude your tour with wine tasting and a cowboy cookout with incredible views of the surrounding mesas. With roundtrip airfare included, we hope you can join us on this amazing trip. — From $3,599

ENGLAND — COTSWOLDS ESCAPE

JULY 6-14, 2023

Tour Operator: AHI

Soak up the magic and distinctive charm of the English countryside. Unpack for seven nights in the Georgian town of Woodstock and encounter the Cotswolds, where floral pathways and storybook scenery evoke a quiet beauty. Venture out each day to honey-colored villages and customary gardens, cast together with centuries-old tales. Travel to Oxford to stand beneath the ivory towers of its storied university. Uncover

the lives of William Shakespeare and Sir Winston Churchill in Stratford-upon-Avon and the stately Blenheim Palace. Spend a day amid the limestone houses, stone bridges and shop-lined streets of Cotswold villages, including Stow-on-the-Wold and Chipping Campden. Engage with a Cotswold family at their traditional farm, and visit Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage city filled with archaeological wonders and beautiful Georgian architecture. Plus, choose between visiting Blenheim Park or Hidcote Manor Gardens. This handcrafted, small-group journey features first-class accommodations and an extensive meal plan. — From $3,795

THE GREAT JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE

JULY 12-23, 2023

Tour Operator: Gohagan

Take part in a 12-day “Grand Tour” of Europe featuring an incredible combination of river, rail, lake and mountain travel, including a cruise aboard the exclusively chartered, deluxe small river ship Amadeus Imperial . Private balcony in all suites and staterooms. Journey through Switzerland, France, Germany and the Netherlands, cruising the Moselle and Rhine rivers. Spend two

nights each in Zermatt and Lucerne. Ride aboard three legendary railways — the Gornegrat Bahn for views of the Matterhorn, the Glacier Express from Andermatt to Zermatt and the Pilatus Railway, the world’s steepest cogwheel railway — and enjoy a scenic cruise on Lake Lucerne. This is an extraordinary itinerary at an exceptional value. Enhance your “Grand Tour” with the Amsterdam post-program option featuring the historical heart of Amsterdam, laced with tree-shaded canals and stately 16th- and 17th-century merchant houses. — From $4,195

EASY COMPANY: ENGLAND TO THE EAGLE’S NEST

SEPT. 5-17, 2023

Tour Operator: WWII Museum

Made famous by The New York Times bestseller Band of Brothers and the critically acclaimed miniseries that followed, the stories of the Easy Company members were immortalized by the 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 $6,995

GREAT LAKES

SEPT. 18-25, 2023

Tour Operator: Gohagan

Admire magnificent coastal scenery and discover nearly two centuries of North American innovation and maritime history on this one-of-a-kind cruise itinerary from Toronto to Milwaukee featuring all five Great Lakes. Experience the thunderous force of Niagara Falls, the historical charm of Mackinac Island, the unspoiled beauty of the UNESCO-inscribed Niagara Escarpment, the Henry Ford Museum of Innovation in Detroit, and transit the

Mackinac Island, Michigan

Rebel Traveler 2023

Welland Canal and Soo Locks, among the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century. Extend your journey with our exclusive Toronto pre-program and/or Milwaukee post-program options. —

From $4,995

IRELAND — WESTERN GEMS OF THE EMERALD ISLE

SEPT. 23-OCT. 2, 2023

Tour Operator: AHI

Come along on a grand adventure through western Ireland brimming with spectacular beauty, cherished traditions and warm hospitality. On this first-class journey, enjoy six nights in the charming market town of Ennis and two nights at a family-owned, country-house hotel on a 400-acre estate in Mallow. Take in the breathtaking coastal splendor of the Wild Atlantic Way as you see the majestic Cliffs of Moher, the Burren’s fossil-laden terrain and the stunning Loop Head Peninsula. Discover historic monuments while exploring the unspoiled Aran Island of Inishmore and the atmospheric Rock of Cashel. Plus, embrace Ireland’s creative spirit as you listen to traditional songs in a musician’s cozy home, visit the beautiful settings that inspired poet William Butler Yeats and learn about renowned literary legends. You’ll also savor delectably fresh Irish cuisine, including an exceptional farm-to-fork dinner on the estate and an artisanal lunch at a stately manor. This small-group experience features educational insights from expert guides and lecturers, a travel director and wine with all dinners. — From $4,595

EXPERIENCE THE VICTORY: NEW ORLEANS

SEPT. 25-28, 2023

Tour Operator: 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. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience a custom program at this world-class institution. — From $1,399

ISLAND LIFE IN ANCIENT GREECE

OCT. 3-11, 2023

Tour Operator: Gohagan

Call on the islands of Delos, Mykonos, Pátmos, Rhodes and Santorini, including the Peloponnese Peninsula, on this epic, one-of-a-kind voyage. Enjoy a tour of Delos’ classical ruins, including the Sanctuary of Apollo and the theater quarter; walk through the fabled Lion Gate of legendary Mycenae; and explore the Sanctuary of Asklepios’ perfectly preserved theater in historical Epidaurus. Discuss contemporary life on the islands with residents during the specially arranged Island Life® Forum. Extend your journey with the Athens pre-program and/or Delphi post-program options. — From $4,995

LANDSCAPES AND LIGHTHOUSES OF COASTAL MAINE

OCT. 7-14, 2023

Tour Operator: Premier World Discovery

From the iconic lighthouses perched along sparkling bays to Portland’s cobblestone streets boasting award-winning restaurants, Maine offers unique landscapes and experiences for everyone.

Begin your journey with an overnight in the Boston area followed by a comprehensive city tour highlighted by historic Fenway Park. The walking tour of America’s oldest ballpark will bring alive past glories and history. Following some free time at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, enjoy an afternoon ride along Maine’s beautiful coastline. Check in to your award-winning hotel for a fivenight stay overlooking the Kennebunk River and a short walk to the resort town of Kennebunkport and Colony Beach.

Day three brings us north to Portland and a Casco Bay cruise to see lighthouses, forts, lobster boats and seals. Visit the Victoria Mansion, also known as the Morse Libby House, the nation’s premier showpiece of Victorian architecture. Enjoy some leisure time in Old Port Historic District before heading to Cape Elizabeth for a visit to the Portland Head Lighthouse and Museum, one of America’s oldest and most photographed lighthouses.

The following day is sure to be a highlight as you explore Maine’s southern coast with its quaint seaside villages, picturesque coast and historic mansions. In Kennebunkport, see the Wedding Cake House, an overexuberant version of gingerbread Victorian architecture; visit the Seashore Trolley Museum and take in the view from

Adare Manor, Ireland

Walker’s Point, the longtime summer retreat of George H.W. Bush and family. Later board a working lobster boat where a local lobsterman takes you out into the harbor for an authentic, hands-on experience in the lobstering trade with a lobster haul. The day is topped off enjoying an authentic lobster clambake. — From $3,765 including airfare from Memphis

THE RIVER SEINE TO THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY

OCT. 29-NOV. 6, 2023

Tour Operator: 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, 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 the summer of 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 our troops faced as they pushed inland. Guests may choose to add an optional threenight post-cruise program, The Liberation of Paris. — From $7,499

LEGENDS OF THE NILE

OCT. 31-NOV. 11, 2023

Tour Operator: AHI

Thrill to the eternal allure of Egypt! On this exciting, 10-night active adventure, journey along the Nile River for four nights on a deluxe ship and enjoy five nights in Cairo and one night in Luxor. Guided by an expert, licensed Egyptologist who accompanies you on all excursions, explore the magnificence of ancient Egypt including the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Valleys of the Kings and Queens and the tomb of

King Tutankhamun. Stroll through the awe-inspiring Temples of Luxor and Karnak, gaze at Tutankhamun’s glittering burial treasures in the Grand Egyptian Museum, and marvel at the colossal Great Temple of Ramses II carved out of a mountain in Abu Simbel. Visit Cairo’s venerable mosques and colorful bazaar, plus learn how antiquities are preserved with special access at the Oriental Institute’s Chicago House in Luxor. This small-group experience features four flights within Egypt, including round trip to Abu Simbel; deluxe and first-class hotels; and a generous meal plan with wine at dinner. — From $5,695

CRUISING THE FIJI ISLANDS NOV. 7-17, 2023

Tour Operator: Premier World Discovery

Join us in exploring the Fiji Islands and the joy of small-ship cruising aboard the intimate Fiji Princess. This “bucket-list” adventure takes you on a journey through paradise and includes seven days cruising the breathtaking Mamanuca and Yasawa islands. These idyllic tropical islands lie on the western coast of Viti Levu and boast some of the most striking scenery in Fiji.

The Fiji Princess has 34 air-conditioned cabins accommodating a maximum of 68 guests. The ship’s small size is just one of the reasons this Fiji cruise is so special. Measuring 179 feet, she can access bays and islands that would be impossible to reach in a larger ship. Along the way, visit traditional Fijian villages, swim in crystal-clear lagoons and enjoy tropical vistas you thought only existed in movies.

Upon arrival in Fiji, you will be treated to an island tour with a visit to an orchid farm and one-night hotel accommodations at an oceanfront resort in Nadi Fiji. Before embarking on your Fiji cruise, you will spend a day at the Malamala Beach Club enjoying this private island. On the last day of your cruise, a day room is included at the same Nadi Fiji resort allowing you to relax or explore Nadi on your own before your evening flight home on day 11. — From $7,599

Temple of Sobek and Haroeris, Egypt

A lumni News Association Leaders

2023 NEW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS

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

JOHN BANAHAN (BA 06, MD 11), of Pascagoula, is a radiologist with Singing River Radiology Group covering hospitals in Pascagoula and Ocean Springs. He specializes in musculoskeletal imaging and serves as department chair. While at Ole Miss, he was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity and Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He and his wife, Taylor (MD 11), have three children, Ann, Abigail and Hart, and attend St. John’s Episcopal Church.

CABLE M. FROST (BA 97), of Madison, is managing partner for the Mississippi office of the law firm of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP. While at Ole Miss, he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and worked at The Inn at Ole Miss and the Ole Miss Golf Club. He and his wife of 25 years, Candace (BBA 97), have two children, Matthew (a freshman at Ole Miss) and Kate, and are members of Highlands Presbyterian Church.

BEN LANE (BS 14), of Jackson, is the commercial account executive for C Spire Business Solutions representing Madison County and has been with the company five years. He is a board member of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, Madison County Business League and Foundation and various other boards and committees within the community. While at Ole Miss, he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and an active participant in the Student Alumni Council. Lane and his wife, Walton (BA 14), have one daughter, Kelley.

TAY COSSAR MORGAN (BFA 87), of Madison, is the franchise owner and publisher of three Stroll publications in Mississippi. Stroll has nearly 600 neighborhood publications throughout the country in large, affluent neighborhoods and is owned by N2 Publishing. At Ole Miss, Morgan was a member of Delta Delta Delta Fraternity, Panhellenic Rush book co-editor and a member of the Student Alumni Council. She and her husband, Bill (BBA 88), are members of Christ United

Methodist Church in Jackson. They have two children: Meggie Morgan McKemey (Tripp) and Cossar Morgan (Catie), who are Ole Miss graduates.

GAIL PITTMAN (BA 72), of Ridgeland, taught school after graduating from Ole Miss before she started Gail Pittman Inc. Pittman was a 2001 inductee into the Mississippi Business Hall of Fame and University of Mississippi Alumni Hall of Fame. She has been a member of the Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthropy since 2003. She served as chairwoman for the Greater Jackson Partnership and the Madison County Foundation. She was elected as the first female member to the Sanderson Farms board of directors in 2000, serving until 2022. She and her husband, John (BBA 72), have two children, Sonny (BBA 96) and Natalie (BSFCS 02), and five grandchildren.

ZACH SCRUGGS (BAccy 96, JD 00), of Oxford, is the executive director of 2nd Chance MS Inc. He and his wife, Amy (BA 97, MEd 00), serve on the UM Development “Now and Ever” Campaign Committee. Scruggs also serves on the advisory board of the William Magee Institute and is a founding board member of the Grove Collective. In undergraduate school, he was a member of ODK, vice president of Mortar Board and served as president of Sigma Nu Fraternity. In law school, he was a member of the Mississippi Law Journal and graduated cum laude.

TYWANNA SMITH (BBA 04, MBA 05), of Proctor, Arkansas, is an award-winning sports manager, bestselling author and president of The Athlete’s Nexus. Smith is a past Ole Miss M-Club board member and is a member of the 2023 Ole Miss Alumni 40 Under 40 class. She also delivered the 2022 Ole Miss MBA Commencement address. In addition, the former women’s basketball starter spent two years playing professional basketball in Europe. She is the proud mother of two future Rebels, Tyson and Tatum.

JULIA H. THORNTON (BA 72) returned to Oxford after more than 30 years in various legal, regulatory and governmental affairs positions in Louisiana, notably general counsel for University of New Orleans, vice president of federal relations for Blue Cross Blue Shield, in-house counsel for the LSU System, and CenturyLink’s director for regulatory/government relations in Louisiana and Mississippi. While at Ole Miss, she served as president of the Panhellenic Council, vice president of Tri Delta, and was chosen for the Mortar Board and the Ole Miss Hall of Fame. She is president of the UM Museum’s Friends board.

JOHN MCLEAN TROTTER (BA 96, MD 00) is a partner with Cardiology Associates in Fairhope, Alabama. He is chairman of the Cardiology Department Committee at Thomas Hospital in Fairhope and specializes in coronary and peripheral intervention. While at Ole Miss, he was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and served on the Student Senate. McLean is a fifth-generation Ole Miss graduate. He is married to Lisa DeLoach Trotter (BA 96), and they have three children, Patten, Mary McLean and Stephen.

WANDA TAYLOR TRUXILLO (BBA 75), of Roswell, Georgia, is an experienced global executive with four decades of professional achievements. She manages her own firm, advises on boards and consults on executive talent needs for today’s corporate world. Truxillo earned postgraduate degrees in marketing, finance and business law from SMU and Harvard. She enjoys being an active Ole Miss alumna and member of the Banking and Finance Board and Symposium, Business Advisory Board, Career Connect and Tri Delta. Truxillo, a native of Mississippi, has three children: Cole (BBA 15), Rachel (BBA 12) and Brooke.

JESSICA MCNEAL (BA 04), of Pascagoula, and CHRIS SPENCER (05), of Nashville, are also new board members for 2023, but bios and photos were not available at press time.

Top 40

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HONORS 2023 40 UNDER 40 RECIPIENTS

The Ole Miss Alumni Association recognized its 40 Under 40 Class for 2023 at a ceremony on March 24 as part of Young Alumni Weekend. The program celebrates the personal, professional and philanthropic achievements of successful University of Mississippi graduates under the age of 40.

The 2023 group of young alumni includes a global talent casting director for  Vogue  magazine, a special agent for Homeland Security Investigations, a head of communications for the chief operating officer of Google and an engagement coordinator for Nike.

“We are thrilled with this year’s class of 40 Under 40 and can’t wait to welcome them back to campus to honor their accomplishments,” says Kirk Purdom (BA 93), Ole Miss Alumni Association CEO. “These outstanding individuals exemplify leadership in their industries and communities, and I am delighted that we can showcase their achievements through this program of recognition.”

Nominations for 40 Under 40 were open from September to December, and more than 450 nominations were received for this year’s class. Honorees must be active members of the

Tim Abram Matthew Barker Aaron Barrett Paris Buchanan Quintavious Burdette Taylor Carnes Kate Carter

Dr. George Cibulas Cody Clifton Shundral Cole Andre Cotten Allona Cross Blake Dubinski Amanda Fallon

Kelly Wynne Ferguson Martin Fisher Ashley Glover

O’Keefe Graham Sederia Gray Sydney Hedberg

Craig Joe Hunter Kitchens Brandon Lewis Regan Looser Jay Lynch Victoria Meadows

Dr. Ryves Moore

Bobby Morgan Ignacio Murillo

Dr. Ryan Perkins

Brandon Pharr

Chris Presley Brittney Reese

Brandon Sherman Austin Sumrall Morgan Spencer Jess Waltman

Lee Williams Jaklyn Wrigley Jessica C. Zuppardo

Alumni Association, have made a significant impact on their industry or field, have civic or professional achievements, aspire to uphold the core values of the UM Creed, have earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi and demonstrate a commitment to maintaining a lifelong relationship with the university and the OMAA.

“With the program in its second year, the Class of 2023 did not disappoint, boasting young alumni from Ole Miss with diverse careers in design, technology, health care, athletics and even reality television,” says Sunny Brown (BSFCS 09, MA 11), assistant director of alumni affairs, who organized the awards. “It was an honor to award this special group and to provide the opportunity for our current students to network with all they have to offer.”

Members of the 2023 class of 40 Under 40, including their degrees and graduation years from UM, are:

• Tim Abram (BA 14), of Horn Lake, director of policy, Charter School Growth Fund

• Matthew Barker (BS 18), of Nashville, Tennessee, vice president, Two Rivers Ford

• Aaron Barrett (BA 12), of Evansville, Indiana, rehab pitching coordinator, Philadelphia Phillies

• Paris Buchanan (BBA 11, MA 14), of Oxford, assistant athletics director for marketing/fan experience, Ole Miss Athletics

• Quintavius Burdette (BAccy 16, MAccy 17), of Senatobia, broker, RE/MAX Experts

• Taylor Carnes (BSGE 14, MS 20), of Nashville, senior data analyst, The Obama Foundation

• Kate Carter (BBA 10), of Nashville, global group creative director, Mojo Supermarket

• Dr. George Cibulas (BSPhSc 09, PharmD 11), of Anchorage, Alaska, orthopedic hand and upper extremity surgeon, U.S. Air Force

• Cody Clifton (BSPhSc 13, PharmD 16), of Savannah, Georgia, director of practice transformation and clinical programs, Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network, or CPESN, USA

• Shundral Cole (BA 05), of Hattiesburg, assistant U.S. attorney, Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office

• Andre Cotten (BA 10, JD 14), of Washington, D.C., assistant general counsel, Navy Federal Credit Union

• Allona Cross (BPS 06), of Atlanta, head of state/agency head and executive director, Georgia Commission on Equal Opportunity, Office of the Governor

• Blake Dubinski (BBA 13, MBA 15), of Oxford, co-founder and CEO, GenTeal Apparel

• Amanda Fallon (BSPhSc 08, PharmD 10), of Montgomery, Alabama, pharmacist, Adams Drugs

• Kelly Wynne Ferguson (BA 09), of Austin, Texas, founder and CEO, Kelly Wynne LLC

• Martin Fisher (BA 11, MA 14, EdD 21), of Oxford, associate director of admissions for orientation and campus visit programs, University of Mississippi

• Ashley Glover (BSW 11), of Austin, Texas, social worker, Travis County Health and Human Services, and adjunct professor, Our Lady of the Lake University

• O’Keefe Graham (BBA 05), of Oxford, co-owner and co-broker, Nix-Tann & Associates of Oxford

• Sederia Gray (BA 10), of Los Angeles, head of communications for the COO, Devices and Services, Google

• Sydney Hedberg (BBA 15), of Asheville, North Carolina, director, Marsh McLennan

• Craig Joe (BA 07), of Nashville, owner, Tennessee Cobbler Co.

• Hunter Kitchens (BSCVE 07), of Nashville, managing partner, Chapman Capital

• Brandon Lewis (BA 09), of Columbus, Ohio, National Institutes of Health F32 Postdoctoral Fellow, Nationwide Children’s Hospital

• Regan Looser (BAJ 13), of Flowood, reality TV producer, freelance TV producer

• Jay Lynch (BBA 06, MBA 22), of Oxford, senior territory manager, Liberty Mutual Insurance

• Victoria Meadows (BAccy 11, MAccy 12), of North Palm Beach, Florida, principal/lead designer, Victoria Meadows Interiors

• Dr. Ryves Moore (BA 07, MD 13), of Oxford, orthopedic surgeon-sports medicine specialist, Specialty Orthopedic Group

• Bobby Morgan (BA 09), of Jackson, vice president for public affairs, Atmos Energy

• Ignacio Murillo (BAJ 14), of Horn Lake, global talent casting director, Vogue

• Dr. Ryan Perkins (BA 08), of Melrose, Massachusetts, instructor in pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children’s Hospital

• Brandon Pharr (BBA 07), of Belmont, senior sales manager, PepsiCo, and owner, McWright Insurance Group

• Chris Presley (BA 12), of Dallas, director, early career development, Invesco

• Brittney Reese (BA 11), of Gulfport, coach, Gulfport High School

• Brandon Sherman (BBA 05, MBA 06), of Nashville, risk advisory and consulting partner, Frazier & Deeter

• Austin Sumrall (BS 10), of Biloxi, chef and owner, White Pillars Restaurant

• Morgan Spencer (BA 13, MBA 15), of Portland, Oregon, engagement coordinator, Nike Inc.

• Jess Waltman (BAccy 13, JD 16), of Gulfport, attorney, Davis & Crump P.C.

• Lee Williams (BSCJ 18), of Lambert, police/student resource officer, Oxford Police Department

• Jaklyn Wrigley (BA 08, JD 11), of Ocean Springs, chief legal officer, Singing River Health System

• Jessica C. Zuppardo (BSCJ 07), of Metairie, Louisiana, special agent, Homeland Security Investigations

continued on page 54

40 Under 40 Ceremony

Photos by Bill Dabney

Class Notes

’60s

WILBURN “GLYNN” GRIFFING (BBA 65), of Madison, was a member of the fifth class to be inducted into the Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame due to his outstanding football career at Ole Miss.

LYT HARRIS (BBA 62), of Houston, Texas, was selected to receive the Distinguished Practitioner Award from the Academy of Marketing Science. This award is the top academy award for practicing marketers and recognizes their contributions to business practice, as well as character.

WILLIAM C. “CHAM” TROTTER III (BA 69, JD 72), of Belzoni, was selected to receive the Mississippi Bar’s Lifetime Achievement Award for 2023 in honor of his dedication and contributions to the practice.

FRED SLABACH (JD 82), of Fort Worth, Texas, will become dean of the University of Mississippi School of Law effective June 2023.

JEFF SUTTON (BBA 86), of Oxford, has joined Regions Bank and will serve as market executive and commercial banking relationship manager for Oxford and surrounding communities.

ELIZABETH ROSS HADLEY (BA 96, JD 99), of Austin, Texas, was recognized as board certified in legislative and campaign law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Board certification is the highest level of recognition for a specialization by the State Bar of Texas.

’10s RATOYA GILMER MCGEE (JD 13), of Edwards, was appointed by the Hinds County Board of Supervisors to take over as Hinds County District 2 election commissioner.

’20s GEORGE CREWS (BBA 21) recently joined William Howard & Co. Financial Advisors Inc. in Memphis as a financial analysis assistant.

ALUMNI FRIENDS

SHAWN BREVARD, of Tupelo, was presented with the Karen Cummins Community Service Award by the board of trustees of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning for her devotion to the community of Tupelo.

’70s

MICHAEL K. RANDOLPH (JD 74), of Hattiesburg, was selected to receive the Mississippi Bar’s Judicial Excellence Award for 2023. He was nominated by his colleagues and chosen by the Bar’s Board of Commissioners as this year’s recipient of the annual award.

MEADE W. MITCHELL (BAccy 90, JD 93), of Jackson, was elected 2023 president-elect designee of the Mississippi Bar.

WILLIAM G. YATES (BBA 93), of Biloxi, was selected to serve on the New Orleans branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s board of directors.

PAT HOPSON, of Vicksburg, was selected to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mississippi Pinnacle Awards. The awards honor excellence, professionalism and outstanding achievement in sales, marketing and community engagement.

’80s

SUSAN W. DIO (BSChE 83), of the Woodlands, Texas, was appointed to the Kirby Corp.’s board of directors.

MARTY FERGUSON (BBA 87), of Memphis, was named as North State Bank’s director of government lending.

MICHAEL FLEMING (BAEd 83), of Jupiter, Florida, was welcomed into Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide edition for 2022.

DEREK HORNE (BBA 87), of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was appointed to Temple University’s board of directors for the Minority Opportunities Athletic Association.

’00s

ROBERT C. BASS (BBA 08), of Pontotoc, was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America’s 2023 “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” list.

ROB KING (BAccy 08), of Hattiesburg, co-authored two chapters in Business Valuation Resources’ recently published seventh edition of The Comprehensive Guide to Economic Damages

NATHAN LEON (BA 04), of Live Oak, Florida, was awarded 2022 Executive of the Year for Marine Corps Logistics Command. This major command of the Marine Corps is responsible for the logistics support of all weapon systems.

ith a modest beginning in downtown Jackson, Hederman Brothers has grown to become the largest commercial printer in the Southeast. As we celebrate our quasquicentennial this year... 125 years of providing imPRESSive SOLUTIONS, we would like to thank the Ole Miss Alumni Association and the entire community for their support throughout these years.

Alumni News

BIRTHS

Dean Smith, son of Kathryn Rose Smith Kidd (11) and Dean Sterling Kidd (BA 07, JD 10), Dec. 7, 2022.

Joseph Harrison, son of Emily Wilkins Kruger (BAccy 06, MTax 07, JD 14) and Baxter Kruger (BA 10), Oct. 12, 2022.

Madelyn Muriel, daughter of Mikayla Johnson Pracht (BS 19) and Caleb Andrew Pracht (BA 18, JD 21), Jan. 9, 2023.

WEDDINGS

Laurel Alexandra Marois and Christopher James Ackerman Jr. (BA 16), Dec. 17, 2022.

Mary Kathryn Smith (BS 18) and Trey Skelton (BSES 19), March 11, 2023.

IN MEMORIAM

1940s

Ruth Gayle Carlisle (BA 48), of Tampa, Fla., Jan. 20, 2023

Lavona Stringer Currie (49), of Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 7, 2023

Sara Simmons Davidson (47), of Oxford, Jan. 21, 2023

Lee Gibbs Kirk (LLB 48), of Ridgeland, June 30, 2022

Thomas Ford Leggett Jr. (46), of Laurel, Jan. 4, 2023

Louis James Lyell (BA 47, LLB 50), of Jackson, March 18, 2023

Newton Joslin Robison (46), of Lubbock, Texas, Jan. 4, 2023

Shirley Williams Self (49), of Florence, Ala., March 9, 2023

1950s

Walter Raleigh Barker (BSCvE 59), of Laurel, March 13, 2023

Bessie Carolyn Wilkins Best (BA 54), of Springfield, Mo., March 6, 2023

Betty Everett Bexley (51), of Oxford, March 13, 2023

Mary Frances Pleasants Brady (BAEd 59), of Columbus, Jan. 4, 2023

Robert Abernathy Butler Jr. (BBA 57), of Oxford, Jan. 4, 2023

Bill Cavanaugh (59), of Rowlett, Texas, Jan. 4, 2023

David Loxley Davidson (BAEd 59, MEd 61), of Roswell, Ga., Feb. 25, 2023

Wilson Dillard Jr. (BSHPE 53), of Itta Bena, Jan. 14, 2023

Alisa Reed Elliott (56), of Oxford, Feb. 3, 2023

Charles Lee Frazier (BSCvE 51), of Nesbit, Jan. 25, 2023

William Atterson Gary (BSChE 52), of Fredericksburg, Texas, Feb. 9, 2023

Charles William Greene (BSPh 51), of Starkville, March 11, 2023

Mary Melinda Godbold Gwin (BA 59), of Southaven, March 11, 2023

David Buford Howell (BA 55, MLS 60), of Thibodaux, La., Feb. 4, 2023

Joseph Paul Jones (BBA 50), of Mobile, Ala., March 22, 2023

Barbara Smith Lesley (BAEd 54), of Chattanooga, Tenn., March 2, 2023

Jack Lee Lessenberry (LLB 54), of Little Rock, Ark., March 15, 2023

William Oliver Morris (BBA 50), of Longwood, Fla., Jan. 5, 2023

Martha Mayes Park (BAEd 55, MA 57), of Forest, Feb. 13, 2023

Sue Block Parkes (BAEd 50), of Dover, Ark., Feb. 24, 2023

John Bernard Perkins (52), of Brookhaven, Jan. 1, 2023

Stella Caroline Connell Salmon (50), of Oxford, Jan. 4, 2023

Joann Falls Schmeisser (BA 57), of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 28, 2023

Edward Everett Smith (MD 59), of Terry, Jan. 31, 2023

Wallace Reid Smith (BA 53, MS 60), of Columbus, March 12, 2023

Elmon Powell Thomas (MBA 59), of Tupelo, Dec. 31, 2022

John Erschel Thomason Jr. (BAEd 57), of Pontotoc, Feb. 11, 2023

Janet Dean Weeks (BA 56), of Daphne, Ala., Jan. 7, 2023

George Sudduth White (BSME 56, MS 58), of Rural Hall, N.C., Jan. 13, 2023

Julius Daniel Wiygul (BSCvE 59), of Raymond, Feb. 23, 2023

1960s

Robert Wayne Alexander (BA 62), of Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 6, 2023

Jacquelyn McClure Argalas (BAEd 66), of Ridgeland, March 23, 2023

Ann Bramwell Bittel (BA 66, MLS 67), of Huntsville, Ala., Feb. 4, 2023

John Lester Bloore (BA 60), of Little Rock, Ark., March 16, 2023

Maria Powers Bordelon (BAEd 63), of Germantown, Tenn., Dec. 23, 2022

Harold Ray Bowen (BBA 63), of Opelika, Ala., Feb. 19, 2023

Alumni News

James Richard Bowers (BAEd 63), of Byram, March 16, 2023

James Amzie Boyd Jr. (BSPh 60), of Kosciusko, March 1, 2023

Harold Elwin Burt (62), of Jayess, Jan. 27, 2023

Raymond Jesse Carter (MEd 68), of Biloxi, Feb. 11, 2023

James Albert Cathey (BBA 62), of Arlington, Texas, Feb. 21, 2023

Michael Adam Chrestman (BBA 65), of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 5, 2023

Tommy Climer (61), of Ridgeland, Jan. 4, 2023

Homer Dudley Collins (BA 68), of Jackson, March 7, 2023 Guy Tate Conway (BSPh 61), of Tupelo, Dec. 27, 2022

Artemus Jennings Cox Jr. (BBA 62), of Columbus, Feb. 12, 2023

Fredrick Chastain Cribbs (BSPh 66), of Beaumont, Texas, Jan. 28, 2023

Milton Joseph Cuevas (BBA 61), of Township of Washington, N.J., Feb. 25, 2023

William Xermo Culpepper (BSEE 62), of Lampasas, Texas, Jan. 2, 2023

Oscar Earl Davis Jr. (JD 67), of Little Rock, Ark., Jan. 27, 2023

George Stratford Gennin USAF (Ret.), (BA 66), of Colorado Springs, Colo., Jan. 23, 2023

James Bobby Gibbs (MEd 65), of Petal, Feb. 23, 2023

Thomas Olin Gore III (BA 64, BBA 66), of Decatur, Ill., Feb. 8, 2023

Allen Leldon Green (BSME 61), of Brandon, Feb. 14, 2023

Jerry Reynolds Greene (62), of Meridian, Feb. 24, 2023

John Richmond Gunter (BSEE 63), of Birmingham, Ala., March 1, 2023

Robert Elliot Harris (BSPh 68), of Lauderdale, March 8, 2023

Elizabeth Ward Holcombe (BAEd 65), of Oklahoma City, Okla., Jan. 26, 2023

Sidney Gerald Holmes (BSPh 66), of Tylertown, Oct. 22, 2022

Alben Norris Hopkins (JD 65), of Gulfport, Feb. 12, 2023

Virginia Booth Horne (BSPh 61), of Ridgeland, Feb. 20, 2023

James Robert House Jr. (MD 62), of Hattiesburg, Feb. 11, 2023

Edwin Leon Jackson (BA 65, MA 67), of Athens, Ga., Jan. 10, 2023

Edward Thomas James Jr. (BA 68, MD 72), of Jackson, Jan. 26, 2023

Nancy Germany Lane (BS 66), of Frisco, Texas, Feb. 19, 2023

Ernest Bainbridge Lipscomb III (BSChE 63, JD 65), of Charleston, S.C., Feb. 26, 2023

Patsy Provence Livingston (BAEd 69, MEd 78), of New Albany, March 24, 2023

Charles John Malouf Jr. (BA 62), of Tampa, Fla., Jan. 23, 2023

Mary Lou Mashburn (BBA 63), of Jackson, Feb. 10, 2023

Jerry Dale Mask (63), of Jackson, Jan. 18, 2023

Cornelia Witt Parker Mason (BSHPE 61, MEd 67), of Oxford, Feb. 17, 2023

Okee Lee McDonald (BBA 69), of Pontotoc, Jan. 21, 2023

Willard Swank McDonald (BSPh 62), of Butler, Ala., Oct. 31, 2022

Bettye Fountain Myers (BA 69), of Vicksburg, Feb. 2, 2023

Lamar Brown Neal (JD 66), of Lucedale, March 22, 2023

Richard Paul Nord (MCS 64), of Clarkdale, Ariz., Feb. 17, 2023

Charles Raymond Owen Jr. (BSEE 67), of Spring, Texas, Jan. 27, 2023

Dorothy Pearson Rieves (MBEd 62), of Saltillo, Feb. 25, 2023

Frances Lipson Rubenstein (BSN 62), of Gautier, Jan. 15, 2023

Jack Dale Sallis (BA 65), of Spartanburg, S.C., Feb. 22, 2023

Clanton Jones McInnis Seay Jr. (BA 68, JD 72), of Washington, D.C., March 6, 2023

Susan Willey Shelton (BAEd 60), of Jackson, Jan. 7, 2023

Ewing Berkley Traughber (BSCvE 68, MS 71), of New Orleans, La., Feb. 5, 2023

George Augustus Vincent Jr. (BAEd 64), of Laurel, March 10, 2023

Martha Winchester Gordon Walcott (BA 63), of Oxford, March 5, 2023

Donald Wayne Warfield (MA 65), of Torrington, Wyo., March 21, 2023

Kenneth Wade Welch (BBA 66), of Oxford, Jan. 18, 2023

David Noel White (MS 65, BBA 65), of Austin, Texas, Feb. 7, 2023

Leland Roy White (MCS 69), of Roosevelt, Okla., Jan. 12, 2023

1970s

Judy McKissick Beard (MEd 77), of Tupelo, Jan. 4, 2023

Jim Richard Bruce II (JD 77), of Kennett, Mo., Feb. 20, 2023

Debra Dottley Brumitt (BAEd 76), of Vicksburg, Feb. 19, 2023

Martha Hardison Dixon (BBA 78), of Senatobia, Jan. 11, 2023

Sharon Louise Johnson Ellis (BAEd 74), of Tupelo, Jan. 7, 2023

Bennie Baker Gaines (BAEd 76), of Courtland, Jan. 24, 2023

Larry Steven Goldman (BS 71), of Booneville, Feb. 4, 2023

Chris Emanuel Grillis (BBA 76), of Ridgeland, Jan. 8, 2023

Betty Faye Hall (MCD 74), of Waldron, Mich., Dec. 18, 2022

John David Hargett (MBA 72), of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Feb. 12, 2023

Timothy Lynn Harris (BBA 75), of Montgomery, Ala., Feb. 16, 2023

Jamie William Hendrix (BAEd 72, MEd 75), of Pope, Feb. 1, 2023

Jack Tatum Herrin (BBA 76), of Jackson, Feb. 5, 2023

Betsy Ross Lawhon Hooper (BA 70, BSPh 70), of Galveston, Texas, Jan. 28, 2023

Susan Boswell Johnstone (MEd 70, PhD 94), of Pontotoc, Jan. 17, 2023

Walter Peter Jones III (JD 74), of Hattiesburg, Feb. 18, 2023

William Howard Kessler Jr. (JD 72), of Baton Rouge, La., March 14, 2023

Alumni News

Robert McCreery Leineweber (BA 71), of Greenville, S.C., Dec. 21, 2022

Michael Robert Long (BSEE 72, MS 73), of Hattiesburg, Feb. 3, 2023

Renda Regan McCall (BAEd 70), of Powder Springs, Ga., Jan. 15, 2023

Luther Melvin McClure Jr. (JD 74), of Senatobia, March 25, 2023

James Shelby McCullar (BSHPE 70, MEd 75, SpecEd 88), of Pontotoc, March 16, 2023

Debra Burris Montgomery (MEd 76), of Clinton, March 17, 2023

Elisabeth Watts Murphy (78), of Oxford, March 2, 2023

Ronald A. Pearson (BSPh 77), of Eupora, March 21, 2023

William Ralph Robertson (BBA 77), of Belden, Feb. 25, 2023

Nancy McLeod Rogers (MA 79), of Oxford, Feb. 15, 2023

Albert Pitt Shepherd Jr. (PhD 72), of Boerne, Texas, March 3, 2023

Mose Lee Sudduth Jr. (JD 78), of Vernon, Ala., March 15, 2023

Myrna Ladner Teel (MEd 75), of Oxford, Jan. 24, 2023

Mark Alan Uram (BBA 70), of Bay St. Louis, March 1, 2023

Shellye Waller White (BM 74), of Shreveport, La., March 1, 2023

Robert M. Widen (73), of Meridian, March 24, 2023

Patsy Harris Wilborn (MM 79), of Southaven, Feb. 16, 2023

David Ebright Wylie (BBA 72), of Spruce Pine, N.C., Dec. 21, 2022

1980s

Norris Ray Ashley (MEd 80), of New Albany, Feb. 17, 2023

Wallace Lane Bell (MEd 86), of Walnut, March 24, 2023

Mitchell Jacob Bellipanni (BBA 81), of McComb, March 9, 2023

Grace Wegner Brashier (MEd 80), of Millstadt, Ill., Jan. 9, 2023

Joseph Raymond Bryant (JD 85), of Tampa, Fla., March 25, 2023

Freda McKissic Bush (MD 83), of Jackson, Jan. 15, 2023

Kevin John Carroll (JD 80), of Tallahassee, Fla., March 15, 2023

Samuel Craig Caygle (BBA 82), of Tupelo, Jan. 21, 2023

Alice Jane Robbins Ford (BAEd 82), of New Albany, Jan. 18, 2023

Stewart Gammill IV (BE 83), of Hattiesburg, March 8, 2023

Gary Glenn Gooch (BM 82), of Bells, Tenn., Dec. 2, 2022

Ann Sullivan Griesedieck (BBA 83), of St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 18, 2023

Douglas Martin Grochau (BAccy 88, MAccy 89), of Nolensville, Tenn., Feb. 3, 2023

Robert Allen Higginbotham (MedCert 82), of Louisville, March 2, 2023

Mary DeVall Hodges (MEd 80), of Acworth, Ga., Jan. 23, 2023

Connie Renae Kennedy (BPA 80), of Pontotoc, March 17, 2023

Don Alan Larson (BBA 85), of Water Valley, Feb. 28, 2023

Andrew Jack Martineau (DMD 88), of Sarasota, Fla., March 3, 2023

Pamela Darlene Mitchell (MEd 86), of New Albany, Jan. 7, 2023

John Lawrence Stasi (EdD 80), of Garwood, N.J., Feb. 20, 2023

Charles Daniel Stavely (DMD 84), of Pensacola, Fla., Jan. 26, 2023

John Louis Suter (PhD 87), of Jacksonville, Fla., Jan. 19, 2023

Walter Fane Suthon (BPA 86), of New Orleans, La., March 5, 2023

William Otis Thomas III (MD 83), of Hattiesburg, Jan. 29, 2023

Cornelia McCain Willis (BA 85), of Kingwood, Texas, Jan. 29, 2023

1990s

Wando H.O. Davis (MEd 93), of Greenwood, Feb. 4, 2023

Earl Dishmon (MEd 92), of Memphis, Tenn., March 3, 2023

James Michael Harrison (BA 95), of Acworth, Ga., Jan. 28, 2023

Donald Robert Howie (MA 98), of Batesville, March 14, 2023

Gary Carlton Huckaby Jr. (MA 94, PhD 98), of Huntsville, Ala., Feb. 14, 2023

Tariq Abdul Qadir (BBA 99), of Mandeville, La., Feb. 2, 2023

Vernon Joseph Roberts Jr. (BS 91), of Lauderdale, Jan. 16, 2023

Tony Shawn Rohs (MS 97), of Elk River, Minn., March 20, 2023

Paul Woodie Whited III (BM 97), of Cordova, Tenn., Dec. 19, 2022

2000s

Sean Barrett Eylar (05), of Balko, Okla., Feb. 18, 2023

Grace Arnon Fletcher (MEd 09), of Kosciusko, March 6, 2023

Tyler Lee Harris (BA 04, JD 08), of Columbia, Nov. 22, 2022

Elizabeth Rice Higgins (07), of Collierville, Tenn., Jan. 6, 2023

Rachel Boyles Nichols (BA 02), of Woodland, Jan. 30, 2023

Martha Anne Huey Ringley (BBA 07), of Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 13, 2023

Christopher Morgan Van Sickle (BA 01), of Atlanta, Ga., March 20, 2023

2010s

Judy Hart Forester (BBA 13, MA 16), of Holly Springs, Feb. 2, 2023

Emily Caroline Hearne (BAEd 17), of Dallas, Texas, Dec. 31, 2022

Santanna Holland (BSW 14), of Tupelo, March 5, 2023

Mazzeran Merrissa Moore (BS 10), of Jackson, Feb. 17, 2023

Sunni Danielle Rakestraw (BSW 14), of Mantachie, March 5, 2023

Jacob Cameron Touchstone (19), of Enterprise, March 12, 2023

2020s

Alexander Robert Mann (BUS 20), of Oxford, Jan. 30, 2023

STUDENTS

Clifton Thomas Moore, of Tupelo, March 21, 2023

FACULTY, STAFF AND FRIENDS

John Frank Baskin, of Winona, Feb. 7, 2023

Jeffery Don Bonds, of Tishomingo, Jan. 14, 2023

Benjamin Ray Burns Jr., of Brandon, Feb. 7, 2023

Ora Mae Campbell, of Oxford, Jan. 31, 2023

Jim Carmody, of Madison, Jan. 5, 2023

Benjamin Acton Carpenter II, of Wiggins, March 17, 2023

Robert Grey Cole, of Raleigh, N.C., Jan. 23, 2023

Charles Clayton Cooper, of Greenwood, Jan. 6, 2023

Troy Allen Festervand, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., March 2, 2023

Robert Miller Freeny II, of Clinton, Feb. 2, 2023

Daniel Clark Gartman, of Pharr, Texas, May 6, 2022

Gary Michael Hash, of Pope, Feb. 5, 2023

Deborah Gardner Knight, of Lake Charles, La., Dec. 27, 2022

Carolyn Fedric Laster, of Grenada, Jan. 17, 2023

Beverly June Lemmons, of Oxford, Jan. 3, 2023

Margaret Claiborne Lewis, of Oxford, March 15, 2023

John O’Deady McCarthy, of Oxford, March 4, 2023

Alice Pettis McEwen, of Oxford, Jan. 25, 2023

Kendric Montrel McLean, of Oxford, March 1, 2023

William Henry Murdock Jr., of Gulfport, Feb. 2, 2023

Billy Lane Noah, of Southaven, Jan. 29, 2023

Rosemarie Rhymes Roebuck, of Brandon, March 5, 2023

Matthew Simmons, of Oxford, Feb. 19, 2023

Nan Ballard Sullivan, of Batesville, March 15, 2023

Nathan Whitt Taber, of Oxford, Jan. 10, 2023

Curtis Cleveland Thweatt, of Oxford, Jan. 3, 2023

Patricia Shaw Walsh, of Tulsa, Okla., Jan. 6, 2023

David Eliot Wheelock, of Oxford, Feb. 20, 2023

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 38677-1848. 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.

At The Inn at Ole Miss, you’ll soon find staying footsteps from the Grove on America’s most beautiful college campus is more than an affordable luxury—It’s a tradition.

Grove.

Ole Miss Alumni Association

P.O. Box 1848

University, MS 38677-1848

(662) 915-7375

olemissalumni.com