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Within Their Reach: McNair Scholarships Help Disadvantaged Students

Posted on: October 16th, 2019 by erabadie

For almost 25 years, UM program has supported, empowered minorities seeking doctoral degrees

Donald Cole (left), former UM mathematics professor and special assistant to the chancellor, attends a research conference with UM McNair Scholars Victoria Robinson and Skylyn Irby, and Sandra Spiroff, an associate professor of mathematics at UM. Submitted photo

OCTOBER 16, 2019 BY EDWIN B. SMITH

Before Victoria Robinson became a student at the University of Mississippi, no one in her family had ever furthered their education beyond a bachelor’s degree. The idea of going to graduate school and pursuing a terminal degree wasn’t even on her radar.

Fortunately for Robinson, among the University of Mississippi community are many caring faculty who go above and beyond to make sure each student is provided the resources and relationships to help them accomplish anything. For the Beaumont native, Donald Cole was that person.

The recently retired mathematics professor and special assistant to the chancellor recognized Robinson’s potential and informed her about the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, which helps high-achieving students from disadvantaged backgrounds and empowers them to pursue doctoral studies.

“I was hesitant at the thought of applying, but the McNair program alleviated most of that stress,” said Robinson, who completed her mathematics degree at UM and is a doctoral student at the University of Alabama. “After talking to several of my classmates who did not participate in the McNair program, I soon realized how much they (McNair) had prepared me and how I could not have succeeded without them.”

By being involved in research and other scholarly activities, 44 McNair Scholars have already attained either their Ph.D. or Ed.D. Thirty-five others are working on doctoral degrees.

Skylynn Irby, another UM mathematics alumna, had never attended scholarly conferences before becoming a McNair Scholar. She is enrolled in the same program as Robinson at Alabama.

“With support from the McNair program, I attended conferences to present my research, and this allowed me to improve my presentation skills and ability to communicate technical material,” the Batesville native said. “I also received many opportunities to participate in conference networking events and visit several schools before deciding on a graduate program.

“Lastly, I received the opportunity to give back by connecting with other students and encouraging them to apply for McNair.”

Another UM McNair Scholar seeking her advanced degree is Stephanie Poiroux, of Pascagoula. The graduate, who is pursuing the master’s degree in sociology at UM, said she felt welcomed into the program that invested in her fulfilling her potential.

“Before I became a McNair Scholar, I had no idea how I was going to be able to attend graduate school, nor the steps I needed to take in order to get there,” Poiroux said. “Along with providing me with research and presentation opportunities, the McNair Program also provided resources and information to help me apply and prepare for graduate school, such as advice on how to talk to and connect with professors and GRE preparatory classes.”

Irby, Poiroux and Robinson are all great students achieving great things, but that is exactly what the program’s administrator wants to see on a campus that strives to recognize need and emphasizes the value of personal connections.

“The McNair Scholars program is a high-achievers program that has met or exceeded its goals and objectives for the past 24 years,” said Demetria Hereford, program director. “What is happening this year is what we think should happen every year.

“Although I am extremely proud of our scholars, I see this as normal phenomena – what we are supposed to do.”

The McNair program could set a new record for the highest percentage of bachelor’s degree recipients being enrolled in a post-baccalaureate program by the fall term of the academic year immediately following the completion of the degree.

Nine McNair scholars graduated from UM, Rust College, Tougaloo College, Mississippi Valley State University and Alcorn State University in May. Eight of those nine students were slated to begin graduate school in August. At 88 percent, this represents the highest percentage of McNair scholars to enroll directly in a graduate program to date, exceeding the 50 percent proposed in the grant.

Along that same trajectory, 86 percent of the McNair scholars have participated in scholarly activities and/or research, again exceeding the 62 percent proposed grant objective.

The U.S. Department of Education measures the program’s success via a yearly data report. While records won’t be official until December, preliminary figures indicate that the program will exceed the proposed grant percentages moreso than in the past.

As Cole and Hereford reached out to UM students and helped them make personal connections that led to lifelong relationships, many McNair alumni are employed as scientists and educators, trickling down and imparting their knowledge to others.

The McNair Scholars Program is a model program that other programs/efforts on campus with similar goals can learn a lot from, said Katrina Caldwell, vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement.

“Demetria and Dr. (Donald) Cole have built a ‘best practice’ program, because they have been dedicated to maintaining excellence in this program,” Caldwell said. “Even though the grant sets expectations for success, it has been their work that has guaranteed that our campus continues to not only reach this significant benchmark, but they have exceeded it.”

A physicist and astronaut, McNair graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina A&T State University with a bachelor’s degree in physics. At age 26, he earned his doctorate in laser physics from M.I.T. McNair soon became a recognized expert in laser physics while working as a staff physicist with Hughes Research Laboratory. He was selected by NASA for the space shuttle program in 1978 and was a mission specialist aboard the 1984 flight of the shuttle Challenger.

After his death in the Challenger explosion in January 1986, Congress provided funding for the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program to encourage college students with backgrounds similar to McNair’s to enroll in graduate studies. This program is dedicated to the high standards of achievement inspired by his life.

For more information on the UM McNair Scholars Program, visit https://www.olemiss.edu/programs/McNair.

Alumni Association Names Top Alumni of 2019

Posted on: July 11th, 2019 by erabadie

Eight alumni will receive the Ole Miss Alumni Association’s highest annual honors as part of Homecoming 2019. Inductees into the Alumni Hall of Fame for 2019 are: Kimsey O’Neal Bailey (BSPh 94), Donald R. Cole (PhD 85), Jake Gibbs (BSPHE 61), Duncan M. Gray III (BA 71) and Richard C. Howorth (BA 72). David Orris McCormick (BA 77, JD 80) will receive the Alumni Service Award and Sly Lee (BSPSC 10, MS 12) will receive the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Vaughn L. Grisham will receive the Honorary Alumni Award.

Alumni Association to Honor Eight at Homecoming for Achievement, Service

JULY 9, 2019

The Ole Miss Alumni Association is honoring eight recipients for its Distinguished Alumni Awards in 2019 in recognition of their service and accomplishments.

Inductees into the Alumni Hall of Fame are: Kimsey O’Neal Bailey (BSPh 94) of Aberdeen; Donald R. Cole (PhD 85) of Oxford; Jake Gibbs (BSPHE 61) of Oxford; Duncan M. Gray III (BA 71) of Oxford; and Richard C. Howorth (BA 72) of Oxford.

Created in 1974, the Hall of Fame honors select alumni who have made an outstanding contribution to their country, state or the University of Mississippi through good deeds, services or contributions that have perpetuated the good name of Ole Miss.

David Orris McCormick (BA 77, JD 80) of Pascagoula will receive the Alumni Service Award for service to the university and the Alumni Association over an extended period.

Sly Lee (BSPSC 10, MS 12) of Los Angeles, California, will receive the Outstanding Young Alumni Award, which recognizes alumni who have shown exemplary leadership throughout their first 15 years of alumni status in both their careers and dedication to Ole Miss.

Vaughn L. Grisham of Oxford will receive the Honorary Alumni Award, which honors individuals who, though not graduates of the University of Mississippi, have consistently demonstrated extraordinary commitment, support, dedication, loyalty, leadership or service that has enriched the substance of and contributed to the advancement of the university’s or Alumni Association’s missions, reputation or prestige.

The Alumni Association will host a reception for the honorees on Friday, Oct. 4, at 6 p.m. in the Gertrude C. Ford Ballroom at The Inn at Ole Miss. A ticketed dinner for the award recipients will follow the reception at 7 p.m. Those interested in attending the dinner should register in advance by calling the Alumni Association office at 662-915-7375. Individual seats are $100 per person while space is available. Reserved tables of 10 are available for $1,200. $25 from the sale of each individual seat, and $250 from the sale of each reserved table will go toward the Herb Dewees Alumni Association Scholarship.

Hall of Fame Awards

Kimsey O’Neal Bailey is a 1994 graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy and has been practicing for more than 25 years. She is a past president of the Mississippi Pharmacist Association and past and ex officio member of the Ole Miss Pharmacy Board of Directors. She has been a pharmacy supervisor for two Fortune 50 retail chains for over 16 years, overseeing pharmacy operations from 18 to 36 stores.

At Ole Miss, she was a standout basketball player, achieving All-Southeastern Conference for four years, Freshman of the Year of the SEC and SEC Great. She also is listed in the university athletic record books with 1,480 points scored and 692 rebounds. She was voted Miss Ole Miss and was the first African-American female to hold the title at the university.

Bailey was voted to the Ole Miss Women’s program’s Mt. Rushmore along with other recipients including Peggie Gillom-Granderson (BSW 80), Jennifer Gillom (BAR 87) and Jackie Martin-Glass (BSHPE 92). She is a 2003 inductee into the University of Mississippi Athletic Hall of Fame. Bailey has served on the Ole Miss Mississippi Alumni Association Board of Directors including roles with both the Executive and Athletics Committees.

Bailey is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., she was on the Board of Directors for Leake County Boys and Girls Club and was an East Central Community College Board of Trustees member for over 15 years. She is married to Ronald Bailey and has two children, Kobe and Kimsey.

Donald R. Cole a Jackson native, graduated from the then-segregated Brinkley High School and entered the University of Mississippi in 1968, six years after it had been integrated. Within a year, he found himself protesting vestiges of discrimination still lingering within the university, and within another year, he, along with seven other students, was suspended for their continued protest by participating in a demonstration on campus.

Cole completed his bachelor’s degree at Tougaloo College, and obtained master’s degrees from the University of Michigan and the State University of New York at Buffalo before returning to UM to complete his Ph.D. in mathematics.

After several years of working in the aerospace industry and teaching, he was invited back to UM to be an associate professor of mathematics and assistant dean of the Graduate School. He advanced to assistant provost and assistant to the chancellor for multicultural affairs, where he spent 25 years working under three chancellors and two interim chancellors to distinguish his alma mater as a national leader in race relations.

Cole is known for his unique approach in reconciling voices of dissent and promoting diversity and inclusion among faculty, staff, students and the community. As a national spokesman for the institution, he helped transition the university into a well-respected 21st-century institution.

Cole and his wife, Marcia (Cert 82, BA 88, MSS 00), a minister of the gospel, have three children: Donald (03), Mariah (BA 08) and William (BS 10).

Jake Gibbs was a two-sport All-American at Ole Miss and was selected by Sports Illustrated in 1991 as the 8th best collegiate quarterback in history. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

In 1960, as co-captain and quarterback, he finished third in the Heisman Trophy race when he led the Rebels to the Football Writers’ national championship while earning All-American and All-Southeastern Conference honors.

Gibbs was voted SEC Back of the Year and SEC Player of the Year in 1960. He was selected the Most Outstanding Player of the 1961 Sugar Bowl.

Following his senior football season, Gibbs was drafted by the NFL Cleveland Browns and the AFL Houston Oilers, but chose to concentrate full time on baseball and signed with the New York Yankees.

As a third baseman at Ole Miss, Gibbs also helped the Rebels claim SEC baseball titles in 1959 and 1960. He was All-America in 1960 and 1961. His .384 career batting average still rates as the third best in Ole Miss baseball history. A member of Omicron Delta Kappa, Gibbs was selected by the student body as Colonel Rebel in 1961 and was also named to the Ole Miss student Hall of Fame.

Gibbs’ major league career with the Yankees spanned 10 years. He retired from baseball following the 1971 season and returned to Ole Miss as head baseball coach in 1972. He compiled a 486-389-9 overall record in 19 seasons, which made him the all-time winningest coach in Rebel baseball history, a record which stood until 2013. He led his squads to a pair of SEC titles, three SEC Western Division pennants and two appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including the 1972 NCAA College World Series.

Gibbs returned to major league baseball in 1993 as catching coach in the New York Yankees’ bullpen. He then served as manager of New York’s Class A Tampa team in the Florida State League during the 1994 and 1995 seasons.

Gibbs was inducted into the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame in 1995, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1976 and the Ole Miss M-Club Athletics Hall of Fame in 1989. Additional honors came in 2006 when he was named a SEC Football Legend and in 2014 when he was selected a SEC Baseball Legend. He was also selected to the Chick-Fil-A Southeastern Conference Football Players of the Millennium team.

Gibbs was recognized in 2017 with the ribbon cutting ceremony of the Jake Gibbs Letterwinners Walk at Ole Miss, which serves as the culmination of the Walk of Champions as well as the front door to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

A native of Grenada, Gibbs was married 51 years to the late Patricia Monteith of Oakland. They have three children, Dean (BPA 85), Monte (BBA 88) and Frank, and seven grandchildren.

Duncan M. Gray III was born in Canton, Mississippi. He enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts at Ole Miss in 1967 and finished with a degree in English and political science in 1971. As an undergraduate, Gray was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and was selected for membership in both Phi Kappa Psi and Omicron Delta Kappa honoraries. He was listed in the Who’s Who of American Colleges and Universities, served as president of the campus senate and was chosen as a member of the Ole Miss Hall of Fame in 1971.

After graduation, he enrolled in Virginia Theological Seminary in 1971, spent 18 months on the staff of Senator Mark Hatfield and graduated with a Master of Divinity degree in 1975. After his ordination as deacon and priest in the Episcopal Church, he served congregations in Greenville, New Orleans, Memphis and Oxford.

In 2000, Gray was elected Bishop of the Episcopal Dioceses of Mississippi, a position he held until his retirement in 2015. His tenure as bishop was marked by an emphasis on leadership development, initiatives in racial reconciliation, rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina and navigating the cultural shifts in sexual norms. He was involved in overseas work in Honduras and Panama, established new models of partnerships in Uganda and South Sudan and served in numerous national and international leadership positions.

He and his wife, Kathy, have been married for 45 years. They have three children, Duncan IV (MA 04), Peter, Tabitha, and eight grandchildren. In retirement, he lives in Oxford and continues to work on clergy leadership development world-wide, while serving in a variety of roles locally at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.

Richard C. Howorth was born in Marks, Mississippi, and majored in English and sociology at the University of Mississippi. His family moved to Oxford, his mother’s home, in 1963, where his father practiced surgery. Forebears on both sides of the family were connected to the University of Mississippi, the earliest being William Barksdale, class of 1855. Richard’s grandfather taught Shakespeare for 50 years; a great-grandfather was chancellor; a great-great-grandfather was dean of the law school; and Howorth is named for an uncle who was UM’s second Rhodes Scholar.

After years of considering the feasibility of an Oxford bookstore, Richard and his wife, Lisa (BA 76, MA 84), learned the business by working in one in a Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., returning home two years later to open Square Books in 1979.

Square Books gradually expanded to become today four stores on five floors in three buildings one hundred feet apart on the historic town square of Oxford, Mississippi. In 1989 Howorth joined the board of directors of the American Booksellers Association, serving two years as president and board chairman, an experience that helped him decide to run for mayor of Oxford and serve two terms from 2001 to 2009. In 2011 and again in 2015 he was appointed to the board of directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority, including two years as board chair.

In 2008 Howorth received the Authors Guild Award for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community, one of only two booksellers to receive the designation. Square Books was named Publishers Weekly Bookstore of the Year in 2013, and recently Square Books was recognized with a Citation of Merit from the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters.
The Howorths have three children, Claire, Beckett and Bebe, and two grandchildren.

Alumni Service Award

David Orris McCormick was born at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and currently lives in Pascagoula. He grew up in Long Beach and attended Ole Miss where he received his Bachelor of Business Administration in 1977 and his Juris Doctor degree in 1980. That same year he was admitted to practice law. He joined Cumbest, Cumbest, Hunter & McCormick in 1980 as an associate.

In 1991, McCormick became managing partner of the firm, which was established in 1970. He is a member of the Mississippi Bar Foundation and was inducted as a Fellow in 2007; the Mississippi Bar Association where he served as a Bar commissioner from 2007 to 2010; and, the Jackson County Bar Association, where he served as president from 1988 to 1989.

McCormick’s practice is primarily in civil litigation representing plaintiffs with an emphasis on personal injury and asbestos-related diseases. McCormick, along with other attorneys, assisted Attorney General Mike Moore in pursuit of the historic tobacco lawsuit and settlement on behalf of the State of Mississippi.

McCormick has served in numerous positions on behalf of Ole Miss including the Jackson-George County Ole Miss Alumni Club (president, 1992-94); Ole Miss Law Alumni (president, 2003-04); The Inn at Ole Miss Steering Committee (2004-08); member of the Momentum Financial Campaign for Ole Miss (2006-08); member of the UM Foundation Board (2006-09); and the Ole Miss Alumni Association (president, 2007-08).

He and his wife, Susan Cumbest McCormick (MM 80), attend Eastlawn United Methodist Church where he serves on the administrative board, Staff-Parish Relations Committee and also leads an adult Sunday School class. The McCormick’s have two children, Sarah Kathryn Hickman (BBA 03, MBA 05) and Caroline L. (James) Stevens (BAccy 11, MAccy 12), and have one grandson, William McCormick Hickman.

Outstanding Young Alumni Award

Sly Lee is a first-generation American entrepreneur and scientist who is passionate about creating positive global impact leveraging exponential technologies. He is co-founder and CEO of Emerge, who is redefining the concept of “teleportation”, with a first product that transmits our sense of touch from a distance through immersive computing (AR/VR). Emerge’s vision is to connect people’s emotions and feelings, on the path to ultimately “teleporting” our presence.

Lee is also advisor to the board/former co-founder of The Hydrous, a 501(c)3 nonprofit on a mission to create open access oceans. Their team pioneered a method to 3D capture coral reefs in high resolution using photogrammetry for scientific monitoring, data visualization and educational experiences. Their work has been featured at the Skoll World Forum, WIRED Magazine, Fast Company and TED.

Lee is an Oxford native of Singaporean immigrants and a second generation Ole Miss alumnus who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a Master of Science degree in environmental toxicology at the University of Mississippi. He hopes to inspire the next generation of southern entrepreneurs and investors towards technology focused endeavors, which he believes is necessary to spur innovation in his home state.

Lee is a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient, alumnus of Singularity University Global Solutions Program 2015, World Economic Forum Global Shaper and avid surfer and scuba diver. He is very close to his two brothers, Dexter and Nicholas, and their loving parents, Maria and Peng. Lee resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Britney Spencer Lee.

Honorary Alumni Award

Vaughn L. Grisham joined the Ole Miss faculty in 1961. Four years later, he enrolled in doctoral studies in sociology and history at the University of North Carolina. While taking his coursework at UNC, Grisham was hired to teach full time at North Carolina State University, where he was identified as a Master Teacher.

Armed with his Ph.D., Grisham returned to UM between 1968 and 2016, where he taught over 20,000 students in the Department of Sociology and the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College. Ole Miss selected him as the Outstanding Teacher in the university, and later presented him with the Frist Award for service to the university and the state. The American Sociological Association named Vaughn one of the top 25 outstanding sociology professors in higher education. He was president of the Ole Miss Faculty Senate for two terms. In addition, faculty from the eight Mississippi universities elected him as State Faculty Senate president for two terms. He has authored six books.

Grisham served as the Scholar-in-Residence at the Southern Growth Policies Board; Associate: Kettering Foundation; Associate: Annie E. Casey Foundation; Associate: Winthrop Rockefeller Institute; and Associate: Brushy Fork Institute, Berea College.

Vaughn established the McLean Institute for Community Development at UM in 1984 and its work continues to this day. He has assisted communities in 33 states, two Canadian provinces and his work has been taken to both Siberia and South Africa.

He has been married to Sandy Hopper Grisham for 37 years. They have four children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

UM Faculty Travel Across Southeast for Collaborations

Posted on: April 10th, 2019 by erabadie

Ten faculty members participate in SEC Faculty Travel Program

DECEMBER 13, 2018 BY SHEA STEWART

Ten University of Mississippi faculty members are taking part in the SEC Faculty Travel Program this academic year, joining more than 100 fellow faculty members from other Southeastern Conference institutions.

Established in 2012 by the SEC provosts, the program provides financial assistance from the SEC office that bolters intra-SEC collaboration. Participants travel to other SEC universities to exchange ideas, develop grant proposals, conduct research and deliver lectures or performances. Areas of interest for this year’s Ole Miss class include music, engineering, anthropology and African American studies.

Travel of the UM faculty is made possible partly through a $10,000 award from the SEC.

“Being a member of the SEC means more than being in an athletic conference,” UM Provost Noel Wilkin said. “This faculty travel program brings together faculty from across the SEC to explore collaborative projects that might otherwise be difficult to initiate or fund.

“We value our SEC partners and our collaborations with other SEC universities.”

Participants from UM for the 2018-19 academic year are:

Graham Bodie, professor of integrated marketing communication, visiting Auburn University
Elizabeth Ervin, associate professor of civil engineering, visiting the University of Arkansas
Micah Everett, associate professor of music, visiting the University of South Carolina
Selim Giray, assistant professor of music and orchestra director, visiting the University of Tennessee
Samuel Lisi, assistant professor of mathematics, visiting the University of Arkansas
Maureen Meyers, assistant professor of anthropology, visiting the University of Tennessee
Adrienne Park, instructor in music, visiting the University of Tennessee
Charles Ross, director of African American studies and professor of history, visiting the University of Alabama
Michael Rowlett, associate professor of music, visiting the University of Tennessee
Hakan Yasarer, assistant professor of civil engineering, visiting Auburn University

The SEC Faculty Travel Program is one of several academic endeavors designed to support the teaching, research, service and economic development focus of the SEC’s 14 member universities. Past program participants have been invited to present their research at conferences, been awarded competitive grants and secured publications in leading journals.

“The SEC Faculty Travel Program provides faculty at all SEC universities the opportunity to broaden their network of scholars and professionals,” UM Associate Provost Donna Strum said. “This opportunity often leads to collaboration on intercollegiate teaching and research projects, which advance our mission. We appreciate the SECs support and look forward to the 2018-19 program.”

Several additional Ole Miss faculty members also completed trips to SEC institutions earlier this year:

Shennette Monique Garrett-Scott, assistant professor of history and African American studies, visited the University of Tennessee
Robert Cummings, executive director of academic innovation and associate professor of writing and rhetoric, visited the University of Georgia
Dinorah Sapp, lecturer in intensive English, visited the University of Kentucky.

Ten Seniors Inducted into UM Hall of Fame

Posted on: April 8th, 2019 by erabadie

Recipients honored for service, achievement and potential for success

APRIL 6, 2019 BY EDWIN B. SMITH

The 2019 University of Mississippi Hall of Fame. Pictured are (front row, from left) Blair Wortsmith, of Little Rock, Arkansas; Makala McNeil, of Grenada; Mallie Imbler, of Tupelo; Jaz Brisack, of Oxford; Skylyn Irby, of Batesville; Randon Hill, of Oxford; (top row from left) UM Provost Noel Wilkin; UM Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Brandi Hephner LaBanc; Jarvis Benson, of Grenada; Levi Bevis, of Florence, Alabama; Elam Miller, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee; Jacob Ferguson, of Randolph; UM Interim Chancellor Larry Sparks and UM Assistant Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students Melinda Sutton Noss. Photo by Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services.

Ten University of Mississippi seniors have been inducted into the university’s 2018-19 Hall of Fame, one of the highest honors afforded students at UM.

The inductees were honored Friday (April 5) in a ceremony at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. Chosen by a committee in accordance with policy developed by the Associated Student Body, selections are based on outstanding contributions in all aspects of campus life.

This year’s Hall of Fame members are Jarvis Benson, of Grenada; Levi Bevis, of Florence, Alabama; Jaz Brisack, of Oxford; Jacob Ferguson, of Randolph; Randon Hill, of Oxford; Mallie Imbler, of Tupelo; Skylyn Irby, of Batesville; Makala McNeil, of Grenada; Elam Miller, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee; and Blair Wortsmith, of Little Rock, Arkansas.

“Hall of Fame is a fitting way to recognize the legacy that each of these students leaves at the University of Mississippi,” said Mindy Sutton Noss, assistant vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of students. “Each of those selected for Hall of Fame has a record of scholarship and service to the university community and has had a positive impact while on the Ole Miss campus.”

The 10 students were among more than 200 Ole Miss seniors recognized for inclusion in Who’s Who Among Students at the University of Mississippi.

Jarvis Benson

Majoring in international studies and Spanish, Benson is a member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and the Croft Institute for International Studies. A former president of the Black Student Union, he was an Associated Student Body senator, mentor for the Mississippi Outreach for Scholastic Talent, or MOST, program and an orientation leader. Benson served as a community organizer for Mississippi Votes and oversaw the largest voter registration effort in the state since the Freedom Summer of 1964.

Levi Bevis

Bevis, pursuing a public policy major, is a member of the Honors College. He served in several roles over the course of his education, including president of the Columns Society and Forward Mississippi, an organization he helped found. A member of UM College Democrats, Bevis served as a legislative intern in Washington, D.C., last summer with U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California. He has held several positions with the Associated Student Body and been involved with many bipartisan efforts on campus.

Jaz Brisack

A general studies major with minors in public policy leadership, journalism and English, Brisack was named a Truman Scholar and a Rhodes Scholar in 2018. She served as president of the College Democrats, competed on the UM Debate Team and co-taught an Honors College course on labor history. Brisack is also a member of the Industrial Workers of the World, a labor organizer who worked on the United Auto Workers’ campaign to unionize Nissan and a volunteer at the Pinkhouse, Mississippi’s only abortion clinic.

Jacob Ferguson

Ferguson is a double English and history major. An Honors College student and member of the Columns Society, he has served on the executive committee for the Honors College Student Ambassadors. Ferguson also was an orientation leader and served on the planning committee for the university’s TEDx event.

Randon Hill

An English and Spanish double major, Hill is particularly involved in campus fraternity and sorority life. She served as president of the Tau Eta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., as well as the National Pan-Hellenic Council at UM. Hill has led and participated in dozens of service projects, both on campus and in the community. She also has been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.

Mallie Imbler

Imbler is completing a double major in public policy leadership and political science. A member of the Honors College and a Trent Lott Leadership Institute scholar, she is a Taylor Medal recipient and Phi Beta Kappa inductee. Imbler also completed an internship in the Office of Presidential Personnel at the White House last summer. She helped start and facilitate the growth of the new Future Alumni Network, and ultimately served as its president. Imbler also served as an Ole Miss Ambassador and a member of the Undergraduate Council and held leadership roles with Kappa Delta Sorority.

Skylyn Irby

Irby is a mathematics major in the Honors College. She has served as vice president of the UM Gospel Choir, and held several leadership positions in the Black Student Union and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. A Ronald E. McNair Scholar, Irby has been involved in the Associated Student Body, MOST Program and Bridge STEM Program through the Louis Stokes Mississippi Alliance for Minority Participation.

Makala McNeil

A sociology and integrated marketing communications double major, McNeil served as an Associated Student Body senator. She also was an executive board member of Students Against Social Injustice and the campus chapter of the NAACP. McNeil has held several leadership positions in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., served as a mentor for the MOST Program and worked with the Office of Sustainability as an intern.

Elam Miller

Miller, a public policy leadership major, served as president of the Associated Student Body in his senior year and as vice president in his junior year, among other roles. An Honors College student, he has served on a number of university committees, including the Chancellor’s Standing Committee on Accessibility, the Strategic Planning Council and the Council of Academic Administrators.

Blair Wortsmith

Wortsmith is a managerial finance major and a member of the Honors College. She is also one of only eight women to be named both Most Beautiful and Miss University, and is the first out-of-state student to do so. Besides her pageant titles, Wortsmith has held leadership positions within Delta Delta Delta Sorority, Associated Student Body and MoneyThink. She is also a member of several honor societies.

College of Liberal Arts Honors Faculty Members for Excellence

Posted on: May 13th, 2016 by erabadie

Three professors noted for inspiring students and peers with their passion for teaching

MAY 13, 2016 | BY CHRISTINA STEUBE

College of Liberal Arts Dean Lee M. Cohen second from left) with award recipients Gerard Buskes, Matthew Murray and Joshua Brinlee. Photo by Thomas Graning/ UM Communications

Dean Lee M. Cohen (second from left) congratulates recipients of the 2016 College of Liberal Arts teaching awards: Gerard Buskes, Matthew Murray, and Joshua Brinlee. Photo by Thomas Graning/ UM Communications

The University of Mississippi College of Liberal Arts recognized three faculty members Friday (May 13) for their outstanding work in educating students.

Joshua Brinlee, an assistant professor of art and art history, received the Cora Lee Graham Award for Outstanding Teaching of Freshmen. Gerard Buskes, professor of mathematics, was named the Liberal Arts Outstanding Teacher of the Year. The Liberal Arts Outstanding Instructor of the Year award went to Matthew L. Murray, instructional associate professor of sociology and anthropology.

“The College of Liberal Arts has a strong commitment to excellence in teaching,” said Lee M. Cohen, dean of liberal arts. “As such, it is an honor and a privilege to recognize Mr. Brinlee, Dr. Buskes and Dr. Murray as this year’s award recipients. I am certain that our students appreciate these outstanding educators.”

Brinlee was awarded the Cora Lee Graham Award because of his commitment to excellence in freshman education, intellectual stimulation of students and concern for students’ welfare. Brinlee earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts at the Memphis College of Art. He arrived at UM in 2012 as an adjunct professor and in 2014 accepted the position of assistant professor and foundations coordinator.

Brinlee said he is humbled and honored to receive this award.

“This award of recognition was totally unexpected,” he said. “To be given the opportunity to teach students how art enriches and informs their daily lives is an award all by itself. The students are the reason I chose to be an arts educator, and why I will always commit myself to helping them achieve their educational goals.

“Every year I see my former freshmen students graduating and moving on with their lives. My hope is that one day they will look back on their college experience and know that there was a teacher that cared, encouraged, challenged and supported them.”

“He has made a terrific and excellent difference in our department in a short time,” Sheri Reith, associate professor of art and art history, said in a letter of nomination. “The students he is teaching are attentive and interested in the information he is giving. Josh teaches hands-on problems and calls on his students to produce written work as well.

“At the end of his classes, I see his students talking with him, and he is smiling and so are they. He cares for them.”

Buskes has been at UM since 1985, after receiving advanced degrees in mathematics from Radboud University in the Netherlands. He received the Outstanding Teacher of the Year award for his excellence in teaching and dedication to his students.

“He truly cares about his students understanding the material in his class, a trait which unfortunately is a rare find in mathematics,” UM student Maegan Easley said in a nomination letter. “His 50-minute lectures often seem like 10 minutes because he makes his class so fun and engaging! He creates a rapport with his students that is unique in the mathematics department.”

Buskes has also inspired other faculty members. David Fragoso Gonzalez, Croft instructional assistant professor of economics and international studies, co-taught a calculus course with Buskes for the last three fall semesters.

“To ensure a seamless transition between our classes, we have sat in each other’s lectures many times, which has allowed me to observe the impact that Dr. Buskes has over his students,” Gonzalez said in a letter of nomination. “By example and by mentorship, my experience with Dr. Buskes has also shaped the way that I try to teach my own classes, and the way that I develop a relationship with students.”

However, Buskes said other faculty members continue to inspire him as well.

“I am so honored by this award and the affirming statements of my colleagues and students,” Buskes said. “I certainly had teachers who inspired and guided me, and to be seen in that light is such a thrill.”

Murray arrived at UM as an assistant professor in 2003. He studied at the University of Connecticut and the University of Salzburg in Austria, and was awarded a doctorate from Harvard University in 1995.

“I am delighted to accept the award as Outstanding Instructor of the Year,” Murray said. “In all of my classes, I encourage students to engage personally and collectively with complex ideas and difficult problems, which I hope prepares them to become informed and involved global citizens.”

Kirsten Dellinger, professor and chair of sociology and anthropology, nominated Murray for the award based on his method of teaching and care for students.

“Dr. Murray’s student evaluations and peer observations have consistently ranked him as an excellent or superior teacher,” Dellinger said in a nomination letter.

“The sheer number of written comments for all courses indicates an enthusiasm and engagement in Matthew’s courses rarely seen when reviewing faculty who have been nominated for teaching awards.”

Dellinger said Murray encourages students to “learn by doing” and gives students the resources they need to do that.

“We are fortunate to have such a well-rounded, research-active faculty member in the department introducing students to anthropology and geography as well as providing advanced training for students who will move on in the field of archaeology,” she said. “I am thrilled that he has received this well-deserved honor.”

All three recipients were recognized at the spring faculty meeting and will be honored Saturday during the college’s commencement ceremonies. Each received a commemorative plaque and $1,000.

Professors, Staff Receive Lift Every Voice Awards at UM Black History Month Kickoff

Posted on: February 9th, 2015 by erabadie

FEBRUARY 8, 2015 | BY EDWIN SMITH

Shawnboda Mead (center) congratulates 2015 Lift Every Voice Award honorees Brandi Hephner LaBanc (left) and Jennifer Stollman. | Photo by Mary Knight.

“Lift Every Voice” is traditionally known as the Negro national anthem, but the song title is also the name of an annual award presented at the University of Mississippi.

Four UM employees received this year’s “Lift Every Voice” award Feb. 3 during UM’s Black History Month kickoff celebration in the Ole Miss Student Union. Honored were Joseph Ward, professor and chair of history; Brandi Hephner LaBanc, vice chancellor for student affairs; Jennifer Stollman, academic director for the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation; and Kirk Johnson, associate professor of sociology and anthropology and African-American Studies.

Kirk Johnson

“The Black Faculty and Staff Organization of the University of Mississippi founded the ‘Lift Every Voice’ award to recognize an individual, group or entity that has contributed to the betterment of human relationships on our campus,” said Shawnboda Mead, director of UM’s Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement. “Particular emphasis is given to the areas of diversity, multiculturalism and inclusion. Recipients of this award have worked beyond their normal employment boundaries and performed the ‘extra mile’ of service to their fellow man for the university.”

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Previous recipients include Thomas Wallace, former vice chancellor for student affairs; Johnnie Williams, former vice chancellor for administration and finance; Leroy Wadlington, former pastor of Second Baptist Church in Oxford; Glenn Hopkins, dean emeritus of the College of Liberal Arts and professor emeritus of mathematics; Gloria Kellum, vice chancellor emeritus for university relations; Maurice Eftink, dean emeritus of the Graduate School and professor of chemistry and biochemistry; Chancellor Emeritus Robert Khayat; Donald Cole, assistant to the chancellor for multicultural affairs and associate professor of mathematics; Warner Alford, alumni director emeritus and former athletics director; Kirsten Dellinger, professor and chair of sociology and anthropology; Jackie Certion, senior academic adviser; Patrick Perry, director of the LuckyDay Program; Curtis Wilke, associate professor of journalism; Aileen Ajootian, professor of classics; Susan Glisson, director of the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation; Jeff Jackson, associate professor of sociology; Charles Ross, associate professor of history and director of African-American studies program; Susan Grayzel, professor of history and director of the Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies; Morris Stocks, provost and professor of accountancy; and Chancellor Dan Jones.