Maura Wakefield Langhart

OXFORD, Miss. – As new director of annual giving for the University of Mississippi, alumna Maura Wakefield Langhart hopes to strengthen the Office of Development‘s connection with donors while also working to increase crucial private support.

“In the short term, my goal is to modernize our annual giving efforts by increasing our presence online and making it easier for our donors to give,” said Langhart, a 2014 graduate of the UM School of Applied Sciences with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science.

“In the long term, I want to encourage our donors to give sustainably – that is, give modest amounts every month for several years. This allows donors to maximize their impact on the university because it creates a stable stream of long-term funding that our units can rely on receiving.”

Annual giving also enables Ole Miss to connect more meaningfully with its donors as the university gains insight into their unique affinities, she added.

At a time when state support helps offset only 12.4 percent of university expenses, private giving can make up the difference, providing support for student scholarships, faculty programs, academic facilities and other operational expenses within the university’s schools, colleges and departments.

“Private giving is important for so many reasons,” Langhart said. “Firstly and most importantly, it makes an immediate and lasting impact in the lives of our students and in the value of their degrees.

“Private gifts are also a metric that national ranking committees consider when they examine our university. The percentage of alumni who give is seen as an endorsement of the university. When more alumni give, we attract more grants and major gifts. Gifts of any size lead to a transformative impact.”

After graduating, Langhart, who grew up near Washington, D.C., remained at Ole Miss as a graduate assistant in the Office of Development while earning a master’s degree in business administration in 2015.

She then accepted a full-time position as assistant director of annual giving with the UM Office of Development. In 2016, she joined the staff of Ruffalo Noel Levitz, a national fundraising and donor-engagement company, where she worked as director of client services for two years before returning to the Office of Development in her current position.

Langhart brings great value to the development staff and to the university as a whole, said Charlotte Parks, vice chancellor for development.

“We are excited to have Maura onboard,” she said. “She is already proving to be a great asset in helping to establish a steady, consistent stream of private support and sharing ideas on how to increase support.

“Given her prior experience, combined with her knowledge of the university, we have great expectations.”

In college, Langhart was active in Phi Mu sorority. She also met her husband, Alex, at Ole Miss. The couple married in 2017 and lives in Oxford.

“I’m happy to be working for a university that has given me so much,” Langhart said. “Even on our worst days, I would rather be an Ole Miss Rebel than anything else!”

To make gifts to the university, go to https://give.olemiss.edu/ for academics, https://www.umc.edu/givenow/ for the UM Medical Center or http://givetoathletics.com/forward-together/ for Ole Miss athletics.

Private giving helps maintain the level of excellence in UM programs, facilities and other aspects of the student experience. Photo by Kevin Bail/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services

OXFORD, Miss. – Until last year, Phil and Charlotte Malone, of Oxford, were able to receive a charitable gift deduction for annual insurance premiums of $20,200 on life insurance policies they transferred to the University of Mississippi Foundation.

A 2017 change in tax law could have prevented the couple from claiming a full deduction for their yearly gift to the university.

The Malones’ annual charitable gift benefits an endowment established as a tribute to their son, Ryan, an Ole Miss graduate student who was only 24 when he died in September 2012. Unfortunately, the gift is less than the standard deduction threshold for a married couple, which Congress raised to $24,000 under the new plan; the threshold for individuals is $12,000.

“The challenge in effectively deducting all eligible charitable contributions is for itemized deductions such as medical expenses, health insurance costs, home interest costs and other taxes paid to exceed the standard deduction,” said Phil Malone, retired chair and associate professor of finance at Ole Miss.

“Unless you maximize your gifts, then only part – or in the worst case scenario, none – of your charitable contributions will decrease your taxes.”

A strategy called “bunching” will help donors such as the Malones, said Anna Langley, director of finance and accounting for the UM Foundation. Bunching allows donors to combine several years’ worth of contributions into one gift.

“If donors find themselves short on itemized deductions, they can consider consolidating – also known as bundling or bunching – a few years of charitable contributions into a single year to help exceed the higher standard deduction threshold,” she said.

For example, if the Malones bunch their 2018 and 2019 premiums into a single gift for 2018, their contribution will exceed the $24,000 standard deduction threshold, allowing them to itemize and receive a charitable tax deduction on their gift.

“In order to achieve the full reduction of taxes each year, the best strategy would be to double, triple, et cetera, your contributions in one year and itemize,” Phil Malone said. “The next year, or years, they could make no charitable contribution and employ the standard deduction.”

For gifts to be counted in the 2018 tax year, checks must be postmarked and security gift transfers received by Dec. 31. If giving by credit card, online gifts must be initiated by noon on Dec. 31 and credit cards sent by mail should be received by Dec. 28.

For more information about tax advantages related to charitable giving, contact Langley at 662-915-1298 or anna@umfoundation.com.

Robert Jolly

OXFORD, Miss. – As the new associate director of development for the University of Mississippi, alumnus Robert T. Jolly hopes to strengthen existing relationships while exploring new bonds that will help secure the future of the arts at Ole Miss and in the region.

Jolly is responsible for garnering support for the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts and the University Museum and Historic Houses, including Rowan Oak, home of Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner.

“In the scope of just one day, visitors to the university have the opportunity to visit the museum to view the South’s finest collection of Greek and Roman antiquities in the morning, walk in William Faulkner’s footsteps at Rowan Oak during lunch, and enjoy the Moscow Ballet performing at the Ford Center that evening,” Jolly said. “How cool is that! Without private support, none of that is possible.”

Jolly said he looks forward to helping donors match their philanthropic passions in ways that enrich the academic, research and service missions of his alma mater. 

“This job allows me to share my love for Ole Miss with a diverse group of people who are deeply dedicated to the success of the extraordinary arts and cultural programs housed here on the Oxford campus,” said Jolly, a Columbus native who earned a bachelor’s degree in Southern studies from UM in 2002 and a Juris Doctor from the School of Law in 2006.

As an undergraduate, he was a member of the Chancellor’s Leadership Class and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

After graduating from law school, he served as a judicial law clerk for Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Roper for two years before joining the law firm of Watkins, Ludlam, Winter and Stennis.

In 2013, Jolly had an opportunity to join the UM legal staff as a law fellow in the Office of General Counsel. In 2015, he was named assistant general counsel for the university.

“I have always admired the important work performed by the University Development team and have seen the positive impact of building resources in order to have top-tier programs,” Jolly said.

Jolly will be of great value to the development staff and to the university as a whole, said Charlotte Parks, vice chancellor for development.

“We are excited to welcome Rob onboard,” she said. “He is already proving to be a great asset in helping nurture existing donor relationships with supporters of the arts. Given his love for and knowledge of the university, we have great expectations for the coming year.”

Private support is especially important for the development of the arts on campus, Jolly said.

“The arts are crucial to understanding where we came from, who we are and where we’re going,” he said. 

“By being housed on a college campus, the Ford Center, the museum and Rowan Oak are uniquely positioned to serve a wide range of individuals for multiple purposes. For example, students not only have the opportunity to attend a Broadway show at the Ford Center, they also have the opportunity to perform there – a world-class arts and entertainment venue.

“Likewise, faculty can utilize the museum’s vast collection to further their specific academic research while also enhancing their students’ educational experiences.”

Jolly is a sixth-generation Mississippian who met his wife, Rebecca, in law school. She serves as general counsel for a private wealth investment advisory firm in Memphis. The couple has a 2-year-old son and another son expected in March 2019. 

In his free time, Jolly enjoys listening to live music, painting, photography and studying Southern history.

To make gifts to the university, go to https://give.olemiss.edu/.

Duly Noted, the house band for the Living Music Resource, will perform Thursday evening as part of the cabaret competition at Nutt Auditorium. Photo by Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi’s Nutt Auditorium will dress herself appropriately to host a full-bore cabaret competition Thursday (Nov. 29) evening.

“If you think you know what Nutt looks like, think again,” said event organizer Nancy Maria Balach, an Ole Miss associate professor of music who is creator and artistic director of the Living Music Resource.

The 7:30 p.m. event is produced by Living Music Resource and the UM Department of Music. Tickets are $10, available from the UM Box Office, at https://olemissboxoffice.com/ or 662-915-7411, and at the door.

“Vault Entertainment will transform the space from a traditional recital hall to a showcase that’s a cross between ‘America’s Got Talent’ and the Grammy awards,” said Brady Bramlett, co-organizer of the event and executive managing director of the Living Music Resource.

This family-friendly event features 11 finalists competing for the highly-coveted Cabaret Crown and a $500 prize.

“We have singers, dancers, and instrumentalists performing in a variety of styles and moods,” Balach said. “And the audience gets to choose the winner!”

The evening also features the Living Music Resource’s house band, Duly Noted. Doors open at 7 p.m.

All the proceeds from the cabaret competition will support Living Music Resource’s Ignite Ole Miss campaign to expand programming and opportunities for music students and give them skills to engage as musicians with their communities.

“We are hoping to reach our stretch goal,” Balach said. “Every dollar makes an impact in the LOU community and positions our students for creative, engaged professional lives, no matter where they go from Ole Miss.”

Officers for the 2018-19 MBA class at UM are (front, from left) Maranda Armstrong, vice president of finance; Mary-Morgan Coburn, vice president of social events; and Abbey Bufkin, vice president of communications and public relations and (back, from left) Chi Cunningham, vice president of recruitment; Quinn McKemey, co-president; John Irvine, co-president; and Blain Rose, vice president of community service. Bloomberg BusinessWeek has ranked the Ole Miss MBA program at No. 37 among American public universities. Photo by Andrew Nail

OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi’s Master of Business Administration program has been named as one of the nation’s best by Bloomberg BusinessWeek. The rankings, released Thursday (Nov. 8), place Ole Miss at No. 37 among American public universities.

For the 2018 edition, Bloomberg ranked MBA programs using four categories: Compensation, Learning, Networking and Entrepreneurship. The UM program came in at No. 28 in Entrepreneurship.

“We are excited about the success we have enjoyed in our MBA program, and the reflection of the quality of our program as indicated in these rankings,” said Ken Cyree, dean of the School of Business Administration. “These rankings are an indication of the dedicated faculty and staff who make the program successful, and our alumni who add depth with personal development programs for our students.

“We are especially proud of being ranked No. 28 in the area of entrepreneurship, as this is an up-and-coming part of the business school that has existed for less than a decade.”

All schools surveyed were required to submit employment data for the Class of 2017 following standards set by MBA Career Services and Employer Alliance, a trade group founded in 1994 to establish and collect consistent, comparable, peer-reviewed data.

“The reputation of our MBA program is a result of a team of faculty members who are highly qualified and intensely engaged with our students,” said Walter Davis, faculty adviser to the MBA program. “The faculty work hard to develop the professional skill set of our students.”

Bloomberg surveyed 26,699 MBA students, alumni and recruiters in 2018 about their goals and experiences. These rankings are based on their responses, as well as compensation and job placement data from each school. A full global ranking will be published Dec. 11.

“We are proud of our program and our most recent rankings,” said Ashley McGee, the program’s director. “Earning an MBA is going to give a person the opportunity to advance within their field and the flexibility to move across industries.

“At Ole Miss, we have the option of a one-year campus program, and the success of the program is a collaborative effort.”

Coming in at No. 71 overall, UM ranked ahead of Auburn, at No. 75; Syracuse, No. 77; Missouri, No. 82; and University of South Carolina, No. 86.

UM band members and administrators gather to thank alumnus and former band member Sumner Spradling for his lead gift that will help begin construction of a new director’s tower. Pictured are (from left) Matt Louis, of Corinth; Ole Miss band director David Willson; Matt Smith, of Flowood; donors Risa and Sumner Spradling; Wil Stacy, of Southaven; Francena Sekul, of Biloxi; UM development officer Ron Wilson; Richard Springer, of Biloxi; and Max Warren, of Ocean Springs. Photo by Bill Dabney/UM Foundation

OXFORD, Miss. – A gift to the University of Mississippi is expected to help take the Ole Miss band program to a new level – literally.

Sumner Spradling, of Greensboro, North Carolina, has given $100,000 to establish the Band Director’s Tower Fund, an account designed to support the construction of a new director’s stand overlooking the practice field of the Pride of the South, the university’s acclaimed marching band.

“I hope the tower will enable the band director and staff to observe the marching band in a safe environment while also helping to move Ole Miss practice facilities into a competitive position,” said Spradling, a Clarksdale native who graduated from UM in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in music education; he later earned a master’s degree in music education from the University of South Carolina.

Because of his lead gift, the tower will bear Spradling’s name.

“Sumner stood beside me in jazz band decades ago and is a great musician, composer and better person,” Ole Miss band director David Willson said. “He contacted me and asked what he could do to help the band. He offered to sponsor it and do more, wanting nothing in return but the good feeling it gave him to serve the institutional band that served him. 

“Now he is the leader in kicking off our field renovations, and we are very thankful for his generosity and leadership in this important campaign.”

Spradling chose to attend Ole Miss after meeting then-band director Luther Snavely.

“I loved the idea of becoming an Ole Miss Rebel and when I visited the campus, Dr. Snavely welcomed me and offered an attractive scholarship,” said Spradling, who played trumpet for the band. “Plus, Ole Miss had – and still has – a reputation for academic excellence and therefore was the best option among the in-state schools.”

During his time at Ole Miss, Spradling focused on earning top grades, often taking in excess of 20 hours a semester while also managing to practice, attend rehearsal, work part time in the music library and become active with a number of campus and honorary organizations, including Phi Mu Alpha, Kappa Kappa Psi and Phi Kappa Phi.

“The memories that stand out from my time at Ole Miss are not necessarily extraordinary; they are instead mostly of the simple pleasures,” said Spradling, elaborating, “… enjoying the beauty of the campus while walking to class, the activity and excitement of home games, making lifelong friends, eating pizza at Pasquale’s on the Oxford Square and, believe it or not, classes. I loved them!”

After graduating from Ole Miss and spending six years as a band director in Sumter, South Carolina, and at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri, Spradling returned to Mississippi to help with the family business. His father founded Infolab Inc. in Coahoma County, which became one of the nation’s largest regional medical-supply distribution centers, covering 22 states.

Upon his father’s death, Spradling became president, managing the company for three years until 2012, when Infolab merged with a larger company.

He always kept his interest in playing music.

“Through the years, I have continued to actively pursue opportunities in music, serving as interim minister of music in numerous churches and playing in various professional and community ensembles,” he said.

Spradling and his wife, Risa, have two adult sons, Jason and Carter, who live nearby with their families. He enjoys spending time with his grandchildren as well as farming, hunting, golfing and time at the beach.

He remains active in his church and serves as principal trumpet in one of the local symphonies. He also plays in a swing band in Danville, Virginia.

Up to $100,000 more is needed to fully cover the tower’s construction costs, said Ron Wilson, the band’s development officer.

The Sumner Spradling Band Director’s Tower Fund is open to gifts from individuals and organizations. To contribute, send checks with the endowment name noted in the memo line to the University of Mississippi Foundation, 406 University Ave., Oxford, MS 38655; or visit http://www.umfoundation.com/makeagift.

For information on supporting the Pride of the South, contact Ron Wilson at 662-915-1755 or jrwilso3@olemiss.edu.