Maggie Smith
OXFORD, Miss. – Three freshmen entering the University of Mississippi this fall have received two of the university’s most prestigious scholarships in recognition of their exceptional academic and leadership records.
William Pate of Mooreville and Margaret “Maggie” Smith of Madison were selected for the Robert M. Carrier Scholarship, and Alison Turbeville of Jackson was selected for the Sally Vick Hill Scholarship. Both scholarship awards are valued at $10,000 per year for up to four years, for a total of $40,000.
Among the Mid-South’s oldest endowed scholarships, the Carrier was established in 1955 to “bring the state’s future leaders” to UM for “maximum scholastic and personal development.” Nominations for the award are made by UM admissions counselors, and trustees of the Robert M. and Lenore Carrier Foundation choose the recipients.
At Mooreville High School, Pate was named valedictorian and a National Merit Finalist. A four-year member of the Mississippi Lions All-State Band and an Eagle Scout, he was also named a Mississippi Economic Council All-Star Scholastic Scholar. Pate, who is the son of Mike and Nita Pate, plans to major in music education. He also plans to pursue performance opportunities playing the trumpet while teaching choir and band and hopes to go on to graduate school.
Will Pate
“I’m eager to dive into the honors program along with others who share my love for scholarship,” said Pate, who was attracted to the rigorous program offered by the university’s Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College.
Smith, a graduate of St. Joseph High School and the daughter of Sam and Kate Smith, was drawn to Ole Miss for its rich literary history. An aspiring writer and English major, Smith was a recipient of the Scholastic Art & Writers Awards’ Gold Key and an American Voice Nominee, a member of the National Honor Society and mathematics honor society Mu Alpha Theta, as well as chapter president of the National English Honor Society. She was also a member of the high school swim team, theater and chorus group, and a lifeguard.
Like the Carrier Scholarships, the Sally Vick Hill Scholarship is designed to bring some of the state’s most accomplished students to the university.
Alison Turbeville
Turbeville is a graduate of Jackson Academy and the daughter of Karlen and Ben Turbeville of Jackson. A member of the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta and Chi Alpha Mu mathematics honor societies, she received the President’s Award for Educational Excellence and the Scott Branning Scholarship for personal integrity, respect for and sensitivity to others, and tenacity in dealing with circumstances in life.
Besides her sister and other family members attending the university, Turbeville cited the Honors College as a major reason for attending Ole Miss.
“I love Oxford and its people,” she said. “Ole Miss is a great school and environment, and I look forward to being independent and meeting new people in the fall.”
For more information about the Robert M. Carrier and the Sally Vick Hill scholarships at UM, visit http://finaid.olemiss.edu/scholarships.