Women’s Council Scholarship Provides Transformational Experience

OMWC gives Ole Miss junior support for Amazon internship

UM junior Alexandria Seals, of Laurel, credits the Ole Miss Women’s Council’s Global Leadership Fund for providing access to an internship that led to a job offer at Amazon in Seattle. Submitted photo

OXFORD, Miss. – When University of Mississippi junior Alexandria Seals, of Laurel, wanted an internship, her Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthropy mentor suggested a life-changing experience and funding through the council’s Global Leadership Circle.

“I applied for an Amazon internship because my mentor, the late Jacqueline Certion, recommended it,” said Seals, a student in the Patterson School of Accountancy and recipient of the Marion Mullin Kelly Gordon Council and the Christine Hickonbottom Council scholarships, both OMWC programs.

Certion’s guidance resulted in Seals completing a recent internship at Amazon’s headquarters and being offered a full-time position with the Seattle-based company following graduation.

“During my internship, I worked with the intercompany funding team where I helped manage a loan portfolio,” Seals said. “The most interesting part of my experience was my visibility into international business relations as it relates to financing activities.”

She credits the OMWC and its Global Leadership Circle for her success.

“For me, the GLC support reminded me that I have the support of the Ole Miss Women’s Council no matter how far I go,” Seals said. “It is amazing to know that the council is invested in my future beyond what I do on campus.”

The GLC enables students to expand their horizons by covering expenses for study abroad or internships on the national and international level.

“Alexandria is the perfect example of why the GLC was formed,” said Karen Moore, of Nashville, Tennessee, a member and former chair of the OMWC. “The Women’s Council wants our students and all students at the university to have enriching experiences beyond the borders of the state – to grasp other opinions and be exposed to other cultures or ways of life.

“Because Alexandria secured this amazing internship, she wisely used her GLC monies and discovered Seattle, Washington, where she will begin her Amazon career. We are overjoyed for her and this new opportunity.”

Edith Kelly Green, OWMC’s founding chair, established the Marion Mullin Kelly Gordon and the Christine Hickonbottom Council scholarships and is also a mentor to Seals.

“I’ve seen Alexandria grow from being uncertain about exactly what she wants to being confident in what the future holds for her,” said Kelly Green, of Memphis, Tennessee. “I was so proud that she received the Amazon internship, that she took off to Seattle alone and that she was not disappointed nor did she disappoint.

“Receiving an immediate job offer after completing the fellowship is proof that this young lady has it together and is the ideal representative of the Ole Miss Women’s Council as well as the University of Mississippi.”

Seals is grateful for the support and guidance of both the late Certion, who was a tireless champion for students and assistant director of the Foundations for Academic Success Track program in the College of Liberal Arts, and Kelly Green, a retired executive with FedEx Express and founder of the KGR Group.

“Ms. Edith has been a beacon of wisdom and guidance as I’ve completed my tenure here at the University of Mississippi,” she said. “I have learned so much from her about fighting adversity, being persistent and working as a Black professional.

“Without the OMWC scholarships, I would not be able to have afforded so many of the opportunities I’ve been blessed with, such as attending this amazing university and finding a sense of community amongst peers, networking opportunities and mentors.”

Each OMWC scholar meets weekly with staff mentors and is assigned life and career mentors from the Ole Miss and Oxford communities. Many mentors are members of the council who guide the student in developing a career path, as well as helping them network with alumni and other professionals.

Besides receiving a $40,000 scholarship, OMWC scholars benefit from leadership training, monthly gatherings for intellectual enrichment, and cultural and travel opportunities.

A gift to an OMWC scholarship or to the Global Leadership Circle will be part of Now & Ever: The Campaign for Ole Miss, a historic campaign to raise $1.5 billion. Funds raised through the campaign will support the campaign’s four pillars: building leadership, empowering academic excellence, fueling research and innovation, and creating economic opportunity.

For more information about establishing a scholarship or joining the Global Leadership Circle, Rose Society or Rosebud Society to support students, contact Suzanne Helveston at shelveston@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2956 or visit https://omwc.olemiss.edu.