Jim and Donna Barksdale
Jim and Donna Barksdale were recently honored with the Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthropy’s Legacy Award. The Barksdales have touched many on the Ole Miss campus, giving both their time and resources to help improve education in the state sometimes one child at a time. The Barksdale name is attached to buildings and scholarships, but those are the visible ways Jim and Donna have helped people. What isn’t seen are the conversations they have with students, the time they contribute to others and the ways they really do care about how another person is doing.
I filmed two of the events held in honor of the Barksdales this past week and I was able to see their interactions with students during a question and answer session. The students didn’t hold back in asking hard questions like how does religion play a role in their business decisions and life choices, have they ever done something that went against their moral fiber and how can the state keep students from leaving?
Out of that conversation came many great responses and tidbits of wisdom. The Barksdales are humble people, not entirely comfortable with the spotlight that was on them last week, but still willing to share what they’ve learned along the way. Donna and Jim are both wonderful examples of how caring people can make a difference.