Dear faculty and staff,
Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor
Dear faculty and staff,
Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor
Dear students, faculty, and staff,
This coming fall, our beloved university will hit a landmark in our trajectory. The University of Mississippi opened its doors to its first students on November 6, 1848, making this fall our 175th anniversary. This milestone represents 175 years of delivering education, research, healthcare, and service to the people and the state of Mississippi. It demonstrates the tremendous staying power of our mission to prepare graduates for meaningful careers, provide access to higher education, and offer great value to our students and their families across generations.
Our university has achieved much since its founding, and we are even more excited about our future. A committee is already hard at work planning the celebration and commemoration, and we want to thank the members for their service in what will be an important and highly visible event for the university. The members of the committee are listed below, and additional details of the celebration will be shared in the coming months.
The theme for the anniversary celebration, “A Legacy of Calling,” is reinforced by the title of next fall’s Common Reading Experience selection, “Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work” by Dave Isay, a celebrated radio broadcaster and creator of the StoryCorps oral history project.
For 175 years, our university has empowered students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other stakeholders to define and pursue their personal callings and lead lives of purpose. That essence of our university is what we want to celebrate, and we want to learn more about your experiences.
In support of the 175th anniversary campaign, we invite you to share your stories, experiences, and reflections in response to one or more of the following prompts:
We’re excited for the university’s anniversary this fall and all the ways we will celebrate our legacy, highlight our future, and put on full display our talents and passions to make a difference in the world. Stay tuned for exciting things planned for this significant event.
Sincerely,
Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor
Noel Wilkin
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
175th Anniversary Planning Committee
Noel Wilkin, Committee Chair, Office of the Provost
John Adrian, Administration and Finance
Premalatha Balachandran, Staff Council
Nikki Neely Davis, University Development
Dan Durkin, Faculty Senate
Emily Ferris, Division of Outreach and Continuing Education
Phillis George, School of Education
Julie Glasco, Office of the Provost
Stefanie Goodwiller, University Marketing & Communications
Jason Hale, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
Andrea Hickerson, School of Journalism and New Media
Paul Johnson, School of Business
Annette Kluck, Graduate School
Jiwon Lee, Graduate Student Council
Amy Lowe Lewis, Federal Relations
Adrienne McDill, Admissions
Neal Mead, Ole Miss Athletics
Shawnboda Mead, Division of Diversity and Community Engagement
Charlotte Pegues, Division of Student Affairs
Rebecca Phillips, Special Events
Kirk Purdom, Ole Miss Alumni Association
Joy Schideler, Administration and Finance
Doug Sullivan-Gonzalez, College of Liberal Arts
Sara Austin Welch, Associated Student Body
Jim Zook, University Marketing & Communications
Dear faculty and staff,
Sincerely,
Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor
Memorial Day is an incredibly important time to remember our military heroes who have laid down their lives in sacrifice for our nation. They were selfless and brave with an enduring love of country. We are grateful for their noble dedication to protecting freedom and securing a world with greater peace and safety for all. Today is certainly an opportunity to reflect on the many blessings we share as Americans because of their sacrifices.
As a university community with more than 1,700 military-connected students, Memorial Day is also a time to extend our profound appreciation to the dedicated members of the Ole Miss military family — those who have served, those who continue to serve, and those who have answered the call to serve. These individuals risk their lives for this great nation and its citizens, and we are grateful for their heroic courage and commitment.
One way to remember those who died in service to our nation is to participate in the National Moment of Remembrance, a minute of silence observed at 3 p.m. local time each year on Memorial Day. To all those who have lost a service member, please know that our thoughts are with you.
Sincerely,
Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor
Dear students, faculty and staff,
I’m thrilled that the culmination of the academic year is approaching — our 170th Commencement! We’re excited to celebrate our graduates and welcome their families and friends to campus May 10-14. I extend my deepest gratitude to the faculty and staff who helped our graduates reach this moment, and I hope all graduates will take a moment to express their gratitude as well.
We’re honored to welcome alumna Stephanie Hickman (JD 91), president and CEO of Trice Construction Co. in Chicago, as our Commencement speaker during Convocation on Saturday, May 13 at 8 a.m. in the Grove. Stephanie has a fascinating story of transitioning from an attorney to buying and transforming her construction company that now serves Fortune 500 companies, public entities, and more. Our graduates will learn a lot from her story and the legacy she has built with her life. We look forward to her address, and we’re excited to welcome Stephanie home to Ole Miss.
As we welcome the families and loved ones of our students to Oxford next week, we want to make sure everyone enjoys a wonderful celebration. To prepare for the ceremonies, please read this article about Commencement with lots of information, including:
Most of this year’s ceremonies will be hosted in the Sandy and John Black Pavilion and the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. Parking will be available in lots around the SJB Pavilion and the Ford Center, and shuttles will run to and from these venues and to Convocation in the Grove. More information about parking is available on the Commencement website, including information about ADA-accessible parking and shuttles.
Learn more about some of our extraordinary graduates by reading their stories in the 2023 Journey to Commencement series featuring profiles of members of the graduating class that showcase their tremendous accomplishments and plans for the future.
Congrats to all our graduating students! We’re excited to honor and celebrate you, and we can’t wait to see your bright, smiling faces at Commencement!
Sincerely,
Glenn F. Boyce
Chancellor
Dear students,
Can you believe it? We’ve completed the last day of classes and reached the end of another exciting, incredible, fun-filled year at Ole Miss. Let me be the first to say, “Well done!” Because of you, we’ve seen outstanding accomplishments, enjoyed a lively campus life, and continued to make an impact on those around us. I applaud your drive and your zeal to grow and learn.
So, what’s next?
Exams
Commencement
The pinnacle of our year is almost here: Commencement celebrations are May 10–14. Congrats to our 5,000-plus outstanding graduates! We’re excited to welcome your families and friends to our campus and the best college town in America. And, we can’t wait to cheer on all your successes as you take the world by storm. Reaching major milestones is an important time to reflect, and now is a great opportunity to thank the faculty and staff who invested in your path to a bright future.
For our graduates, I want to share these words of wisdom from Ole Miss alumnus and award-winning writer and journalist Jesse J. Holland (BA 94):
“Right now, you think you love Ole Miss. You think you love the Grove and the Walk of Champions. You don’t know yet how you’ll yearn to be back home, to the place where you became an adult, to the place where you spent some of the happiest times of your life. That’s when you’ll realize that your body may have left Ole Miss, but your heart never will.”
Summer
First and foremost, safe travels to wherever your destination(s) might be this summer. To our returning students, take time to tackle something new, go on a grand adventure, or gain invaluable experiences. We’ll be here to welcome you back next fall for another sensational year at Ole Miss. And, we’ll be ready to support and encourage you in everything you do.
As always, Hotty Toddy!