Rose Garden
OXFORD, Miss. – Donna and Jim Barksdale of Jackson have been chosen to receive the fourth Legacy Award given by the Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthropy, or OMWC. The couple will be honored during events April 11 at the University of Mississippi.
The Legacy Award, presented by C Spire, recognizes the contributions of individuals who epitomize OMWC’s goals of philanthropy, scholarship, leadership and mentorship, the tenents upon which the council was founded. The Barksdales will address students at noon in the Overby Center. A seated dinner and award presentation is set for 6:30 p.m. at The Inn at Ole Miss.
Additional sponsors include FedEx, FNC, Butler Snow, the UM Medical Center, Yates Construction, Sigma Chi and Newk’s Eatery.
Jim Barksdale, former president and CEO of Netscape, and Donna Kennedy Barksdale, president of Mississippi River Trading Co., are deeply involved in state and national programs that benefit young people, such as serving on the board of America’s Promise Alliance, founded by Colin and Alma Powell. The Barksdales have established a successful mentoring program at Lanier High School in Jackson that helps provide jobs for students and prepares them for college and professional work. Among many other philanthropic endeavors, they continue to create and fund scholarships on both the Oxford and Medical Center campuses.
The Legacy Award is a focus of the OMWC, which has endowments totaling $10.9 million and has provided scholarships for nearly 100 students. Past Legacy Award recipients are Leigh Ann Tuohy, Olivia Manning, and Gov. William and Elise Winter.
Tickets for the evening event are $125 per person, with all proceeds benefitting the OMWC mentoring and leadership training programs. To purchase a ticket, visit http://www.olemissalumni.com/events or call 662-915-2384.