CHANCELLOR’S 3 THINGS TO KNOW
- ENROLLMENT ON THE RISE. The official numbers are in: Our total enrollment grew 5.1% this year, and we welcomed our largest freshman class ever this fall! The numbers buck national trends, and we were the only university in the state to experience growth. Thanks to a community-wide commitment, these great proof points illustrate our success in recruiting, retaining, and — most importantly — supporting our students on their journey of self-discovery. The word is out that Ole Miss offers academic excellence, dynamic experiences, and value. See the special section below for more exciting details.
- WE HELP MISSISSIPPI COMPETE. More than 60 government and industry leaders gathered on our campus Nov. 8 for the second annual Mississippi Competes Vision Session, a conference focused on strengthening the state’s economic competitiveness. Bill Cook, venture partner at Columbia Capital, president of Cook Consulting LLC and an Ole Miss alum, pioneered the event to explore opportunities for the state’s advancement. We were grateful to be joined by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson, state Sen. Nicole Boyd, and state Rep. Clay Deweese. Panelists included representatives from Black Sea Technologies, Butler Snow, Digital Infrastructure, Energize Colorado, Kodiak Robotics, Microsoft, Prysmian Group, Raytheon Technologies, Standvast, and TuSimple. We know this event sparked new ideas and opportunities while expressing our commitment to partner in Mississippi’s growth.
- FIRST-GEN STUDENTS MATTER. Our first-generation students took center stage during First-Generation College Week (Nov. 7-10), which coincided with the national First-Generation College Celebration. Events included a keynote from author Jennifer Morton, a panel discussion featuring students, staff, and faculty, and more. I’m so grateful for our StudentsFIRST program, which gives first-generation students the academic and social support needed to be successful. Our first-gen students bring an important dynamic to our classrooms with their life experiences, and they are to be commended for their pursuit of life-changing opportunities.