Seven Babies for Seven Students

UM higher education cohort draws strength, support from one other as members welcome new children

When members of a University of Mississippi School of Education doctoral cohort kept getting pregnant, the running joke was there had to be something in the snacks they ate when they met each month. Someone also blamed voodoo, or other supernatural forces, being at work in Guyton Hall, home of the School of Education. SinceRead the story …

Wise Words for New Graduates

Seven outstanding Ole Miss alumni share their best advice

Great minds. Celebrity personalities. Famous athletes. The University of Mississippi has long held a reputation for producing graduates who are true Rebels. Whether they’re business executives, celebrities, writers or athletes, they’re known to break barriers and challenge the status quo. It can be hard to fathom that even the most successful Ole Miss graduates wereRead the story …

Following Precedent

Journey to Commencement: Twins Katherine and Michael Farese become eighth and ninth family graduates of UM School of Law

Twin siblings Katherine and Michael Farese have always been close, so it was no surprise that they wanted to continue their education together. The Ashland natives come from a long line of attorneys, so law school felt not only like a natural progression, but something they were meant to do. On Saturday (May 11), KatherineRead the story …

Beating the Odds

Journey to Commencement: First-gen student Cellas Hayes seizes opportunities and sets sights on pharmacy doctorate

Coming from a single-parent household in a small, rural Mississippi town, the odds are that Cellas Hayes should not have graduated from high school, much less college. The odds are that as a first-generation college student, Cellas cannot get a Ph.D. The funny thing about odds, though, is that maybe they are meant to beRead the story …

Discovering a New Confidence

Journey to Commencement: Ole Miss First provides Jacob Ferguson path to pursue writing career

Pontotoc native Jacob Ferguson best describes his four years at the University of Mississippi in a single word: incredible. “I have found a better understanding of myself because I’ve been able to pursue things I am passionate about in a supportive environment,” said Ferguson, who graduates May 11. “The people around me have been soRead the story …

Digging Deep for Success

Journey to Commencement: UM volleyball star Caroline Adams to pursue audiology clinical specialty

You might know Caroline Adams as the University of Mississippi women’s volleyball star who broke the single-season digs record at the National Invitational Volleyball Championship last year. Or perhaps you recognize this young libero as one of six students from the School of Applied Sciences who recently was honored with a Taylor Medal, the university’sRead the story …

Sacrificing for Success

Journey to Commencement: Aaron White foregoes time with his family to pursue pharmacy

There are no limits to the sacrifices parents will make for their families. Just ask Aaron White. The first-year student pharmacist from Madison makes a tough choice every Sunday evening as he drives the two-and-a-half hours from Madison to Oxford after spending the weekend with his wife, Lauren, and their 3-year old son, Walter. AaronRead the story …

Saying Yes to Selfless Service

Journey to Commencement: Anatomy graduate Edgar Meyer makes serious impact across UMMC campus

On any given day, you can find Edgar Meyer darting around the University of Mississippi Medical Center, being on opposite ends of the campus in the same day as he goes from Associated Student Body roundtables, alumni events, interfaith dialogues and the anatomy labs on the seventh floor of the old hospital. How does oneRead the story …

Discovering a Second Family Halfway Around the World

Journey to Commencement: Daria Herasymova turns foreign exchange trip into everlasting Ole Miss experience

When Daria Herasymova was a high school sophomore, she left Dripro, Ukraine, as a foreign- exchange student to spend her junior year 5,575 miles away at Oxford High School. She had been selected as a finalist for the Future Leaders Exchange Program administered by the U.S. Department of State, but little did she know thisRead the story …

Hail to the Chief (of Staff)

Journey to Commencement: La Shon Brooks taps into executive leadership experience to fuel doctoral studies

La Shon Brooks is no stranger to wearing several hats at once. As chief of staff to Mississippi Valley State University President Jerryl Briggs, Brooks’ days are filled with the broad duties of an executive cabinet member. This often means collaborating with a range of faculty, staff and students to help MVSU meet strategic goals.Read the story …