Joseph ‘Jody’ Holland participated in summer Faculty Fellowship Program

UM professor Joseph Holland treks across the Negev Desert in southern Israel as part of his participation in the Jewish National Fund’s Faculty Fellowship Program. Submitted photo

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022 BY EDWIN B. SMITH

A University of Mississippi professor spent part of his summer getting to know the ins and outs of Israeli politics and culture.

Joseph “Jody” Holland, associate professor of public policy leadership, was among 33 U.S. professors and researchers who traveled to Israel as part of the Jewish National Fund‘s Faculty Fellowship Program.

Joseph Holland (center) interacts with students in Israel this summer as part of the Jewish National Fund’s Faculty Fellowship Program. Submitted photo

“I wanted to get a better understanding of the political and cultural context of the nation,” Holland said. “Israel has such an important role in geopolitics, and having an opportunity to develop a deeper knowledge of the multi-dimensional aspects of the country helped frame my thinking as well as the way I can present information to my students.”

The group met with Israeli professors to develop collaborative research and exchange programs. Meeting and sharing ideas from faculty all over the world was “priceless,” Holland said.

Another highlight was meeting former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

“Listening to his insights, which included his mistakes, was a powerful moment,” Holland said. “I was able to observe a leader who has lived a prominent life, and now is able to reflect on his successes and failures.”

Holland said this experience is already proving beneficial to his work at Ole Miss. In fact, he is coordinating a trip with students for next spring.

“I love the multi-dimensions of Israel, and I know so many students can learn from the history, politics, economy and culture of the nation,” he said. “Also, I am working on building a research project there focusing on examining leadership profiles.

Joseph Holland visits the Western Wall in Jerusalem this summer. Submitted photo

“These activities will continue to build an internationalized presence for Ole Miss in Israel,” Holland said.

Holland brings many strengths to the department and its students, said Weixing “Mark” Chen, chair and professor of public policy leadership.

“Dr. Holland is an excellent teacher with many valuable life experiences, which he shares with his students,” Chen said. “His tour of Israel and the connections he made while there can only enhance what he is already doing here as a professor and a researcher.”

Hundreds of U.S. faculty have taken part in the annual summer Faculty Fellowship Program since its inception. Among the schools represented in this trip were Auburn University, University of Georgia and the University of Wisconsin.

“This is a truly transformative program and I will forever cherish the people I met and the moments I experienced in Israel,” Holland said.

Students who raise awareness about mental health issues and educational access among national finalists

Andy Flores, a junior public policy leadership and philosophy major from Ocean Springs, is a national finalist for a Truman Scholarship. Photo by Logan Kirkland/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services

FEBRUARY 18, 2022 BY MICHAEL NEWSOM

Three University of Mississippi juniors who have worked to improve access to education and to raise awareness about mental health issues have been named finalists for the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship.

National finalists for the honor were announced Friday (Feb. 18). Andy Flores, junior public policy leadership and philosophy major from Ocean Springs; Alex Bush, a junior psychology major from Denver, and Jilkiah Bryant, a junior public health and health sciences major from Macon; are among them. All three are members of the university’s Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College.

They’re vying for up to $30,000 in scholarships each.

Vivian Ibrahim, director of the UM Office of National Scholarship Advisement, has been working with the students on their applications. She is extremely proud of them.

“The students are exceptional this year,” Ibrahim said. “Mississippi has such brain drain with our young talent leaving the state.

“What we have here are young trailblazers who really want to give back to their communities and really want to improve things in the long-term. They are not just looking at right now.”

The two Mississippi students will participate in regional competitions March 18 in Nashville, and Bush will compete March 11 in Denver. No matter what happens there, the students are difference-makers, Ibrahim said. 

“These are young people who are going to clearly change what our state looks like and what Colorado looks like,” Ibrahim said. “They really have already made such inroads.

“At the age of 40, I have not done what they have done. They are amazing.”

The scholarship, which memorializes the nation’s 33rd president, awards merit-based scholarships to college students who plan to pursue careers in government or elsewhere in public service. Truman Scholars receive funds for graduate or professional school, participate in leadership development activities and have special opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government. 

Students selected as Truman Scholars are invited to participate in the Truman Washington Summer Institute following their junior year to deepen their understanding of the national policymaking process. 

Andy Flores

Flores is a first-generation college student from a low-income household. Flores is keenly aware of the importance of quality access to education for all Mississippians. He said his Mexican and Panamanian heritage shapes his commitment to public service.

Flores has found himself at UM in a way, thanks to the small, intimate class settings and close connections with other students he’s experienced through the Honors College and the Trent Lott Leadership Institute.

“It was all about learning and understanding myself in relationship to the world and finding some form of compassion, some form of love I didn’t get when I was younger,” Flores said. “It was just a really transformative experience.” 

“I never realized how much I cared until then and it turned into a mode of self-reflection. It just saved my life there in the classroom.” 

He is active in the Mississippi College Access Project and inaugural president of the university’s First Generation Network. He was also chosen as the youngest fellow of the UnidosUS Afro-Latinx Avanzando program where he will travel to Miami and Washington, D.C., to lobby for federal grants for school-based mental health programs.

Flores’ leadership is best illustrated with his creation of HelpSaveHELP. In fall 2021, the state of Mississippi announced the “One Grant” proposal, which would dissolve three state financial aid programs: MTAG, MSEG and the HELP Grant. This would affect many students and make the university much less accessible for the poorest Mississippians.

In response, Flores lobbied, traveled across the state and has given interviews to local and state media and educated state legislators on the impact of the Post-Secondary Board’s proposal. The HELP grant is still in place.

Flores hopes to pursue a law degree so he can continue to make local, state and national change and to provide access to and opportunities for success in education for all Mississippi residents. He said the funding from the scholarship would be an enormous help and he’s proud to represent UM.

“Frankly, it is important to showcase Mississippi in excellence,” Flores said. “People need to understand our identity here is compassion and we each have an active desire to make our world better. That has been our goal. 

Three UM juniors, (from left) Jilkiah Bryant, Alex Bush and Andy Flores, are national finalists for a Truman Scholarship. Passionate about mental health issues and access to education, the students will compete in March against other Truman finalists for as much as $30,000 in scholarships each. Photo by Logan Kirkland/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services

“Us three being Truman finalists is great, but there are a million people behind that effort. This accomplishment is the university’s accomplishment.” 

Alex Bush 

Bush experienced a tragic loss of a parent and also a close friend as a young teen. Since then, Bush has been a passionate spokesperson for mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

“We are resilient,” Bush said of her fellow Ole Miss Truman finalists. “There have been hard things that we have been overcoming and turning into new opportunities.

“You can’t choose what happens to you, but you can choose what happens to you after the fact.”

She has reached more than 6,000 middle school, high school and college students in eight states and worked with media outlets to spread awareness about the issue. She has also worked on a “Teens2Colorado” public service announcement, which was nominated for an Emmy.

Bush also works as co-director of outreach Active Minds, which works to fight the negative stigmas surrounding mental health through creating awareness on college campuses.

She hopes to complete a graduate degree in clinical psychology and promote awareness about national, state and local education policy around mental health issues. 

Coming from a small high school in Denver, Bush said she found comfort at the Honors College in its intimate class settings. She credits the environment with helping her get where she stands today.

“I am coming from a graduating class in Colorado of 50 girls,” Bush said. “The Honors College has been a really great experience for me, being in a small world. That has been one of the most beneficial things for me at Ole Miss.” 

Jilkiah Bryant

Bryant has a passion for public service. She created Project Powerful her junior year of high school at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. Project Powerful is a nonprofit aimed at improving community engagement of high school students in Mississippi.

Since beginning Project Powerful, Bryant has helped host more than 25 service projects in eight locations throughout the state. She is also a Catalyzing Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Innovation Scholar for the McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement, Luckyday Scholar and a McDonnell Barksdale Honors Scholar in the Honors College.

“I think the university has played an important role in my self-development,” Bryant said. “The people here have become my family and they support me. Academically, the Honors College has challenged me the most.

“I have learned to be open and transparent and amplify my voice. I have met so many different people and have been challenged to become my best self.” 

Bryant has also completed an internship with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Undergraduate Public Health Scholars Program, which involved a 10-week summer training program on public health coursework and immersive experiences at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

She aims to complete her master’s degree in public health and work to improve access to health care for Mississippi’s rural areas. She is excited about the potential of using the funds for graduate school.

“Because I come from a low-income background, the Truman Scholarship could help make graduate school more of a reality for me,” Bryant said. “Having that community, as well as the opportunity to strengthen my abilities in a community that emphasizes both academic excellence and social responsibility, is something I am looking forward to.” 

Those who are interested in applying for a national scholarship should contact UM’s Office of National Scholarship Advisement by emailing onsa@olemiss.edu or check out the website.

Bobby Hudson III, a public policy major from Gulfport, makes list of ‘a generation creating change’

Bobby Hudson III, a senior public policy leadership major, has been named among Time magazine’s ’30 in 2030: A Generation Creating Change.’ Hudson’s grassroots organization efforts in his hometown of Gulfport were cited by the publication in the announcement. Photo by Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services

JANUARY 10, 2022 BY MICHAEL NEWSOM

For his advocacy work in the north Gulfport community where he grew up, a standout University of Mississippi senior has made Time magazine’s list of “A Generation Creating Change.”

Bobby Hudson III, a public policy leadership major, is featured in Time as one of its “30 in 2030: A Generation Creating Change.” Hudson said his passion for community engagement and public policy was ignited at Ole Miss.

“I believe you don’t have to have a formal education; you don’t have to be of a certain age,” Hudson said. “There is no blueprint for this.

“I believe no matter the constraints of traditional society standards, or whatever the obstacle might be before you, if you put your mind to it, nothing can stop you.”

Though still a student, he established the North Gulfport Advocacy Coalition, a grassroots organization dedicated to educating the public about politics, social advocacy and voter awareness. Hudson has a conviction to reinvest what he has learned at the university back into his community.

He said his work has been influenced greatly by the ideas of W.E.B. Du Bois, a 20th century essayist and leader on African American education issues, and one of the founders of the NAACP.

Time reports, “mental health was the collateral damage of the pandemic, with illness, loss and financial hardship weighing heavily on billions around the world. Those in Generation Z have been greatly impacted, since they are more likely to be in insecure work and disproportionately affected by nationwide lockdowns and restrictions at a time when many are only just entering adulthood.”

The magazine interviewed Hudson, along with two students at other universities, for its section on how young change-makers are applying creative solutions to mental health challenges.

Hudson said he became interested in advocacy work as a student liaison on the Campus Climate Survey working group, which ultimately resulted in the universitywide Pathways to Equity strategic plan. He has also been involved with the Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement.

His North Gulfport Advocacy Coalition focuses on topics of concern in primarily Black communities within Gulfport through events, programs and resources for the communities it serves. The group moderated a town hall between municipal candidates and hosted anti-gun violence block parties.

In 2020, Hudson founded and served as lead organizer of the Gulfport Citywide Juneteenth Celebration Committee.

He also was one of the UM students honored with the first-ever Diversity Innovator Awards in April 2021.

“Ole Miss has shaped me to be more focused on community engagement,” Hudson said. “I have brought to light my passion for community engagement and know what the outcomes of those programs were.

“There are many transferable skills that I have gained. I really grateful for it. Ole Miss has pushed me to be the best I can be.”

At UM, Hudson said he’s been influenced and inspired by Shawnboda Mead, vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement, and Jody Holland, associate professor of public policy leadership.

Mead got to know Hudson when she was co-chair of the Campus Climate Study working group. Hudson was the only freshman in the group, which worked on the project for two years together.

“From the beginning, he was never afraid to use his voice,” Mead said.

She isn’t surprised by the recognition from Time.

“Bobby has been blazing trails since his first year at the university,” Mead said. “He has proven to be a collaborative leader and role model for his peers. Bobby is also highly determined and cares deeply about engaging and improving his community.

Therefore, this special recognition comes as no surprise.

“He is more than deserving and I’m so proud of the difference he’s made here on campus and back home in Gulfport.”

Holland said Hudson is an exceptional student and person.

“He is a multi-dimensional leader who strives to produce positive outcomes in our department, in the university and in his community,” he said.

Hudson’s passion for creating change is contagious, he said.

“Bobby is authentic and transformative, seeking to develop a better world,” Holland said. “I have observed Bobby grow as a change-maker who influences others through his value system and integrity. This honor is awarded to a very deserving person.”

Daniel Roberts (BA public policy leadership 14) aims at top-notch, varied career opportunities and has already gained experience at the White House, Capitol Hill, Lyft, and now Facebook. Photo by Reese Bland

Daniel Roberts

Head of Communications, BrightDrop 

Hometown: Moss Point, MS
BA in Public Policy Leadership (2014)
Minor in Political Science
LinkedIn Profile  

 Daniel Roberts has worked in the White House, on Capitol Hill, for a national non-profit, major public relations firm, mass media and social media corporations, and in the high tech and manufacturing industries. Throughout his career trajectory, analysis and communications skills, an intimate knowledge of the policy and legislative processes, and solid network of connections have made him a highly-sought-after leader and communicator. 

His prominent positions began before graduation and continued evolve and grow his skills. 

• Social Office Intern, Office of First Lady Michelle Obama, The White House 
• Legislative Correspondent, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings and Committee on Oversight 
• Legislative Coordinator, National Governors Association 
• Legislative Analyst, Communications and Legislative Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, The White House 
• Corporate and Public Affairs Account Executive, Edelman 
• International Communications Manager, Viacom 
• Head of East Coast Communications, Lyft 
• Head of State Policy Communications, Facebook 
• Global Innovation and Growth Communications, General Motors 

Daniel is currently Head of Communications at BrightDrop, a General Motor’s start-up focused on decarbonizing last-mile deliveries through electric vehicles, software, and e-pallets for customers such as FedEx, Walmart, and Verizon. 

Read more about Daniel Roberts’ legacy at UM and his professional journey in an article written for Ole Miss Alumni Review in Winter 2021. 

Young Alumnus Finds Success in Pursuit of Big Dreams
By Annie Rhoade

Welcoming Queen Latifah to the White House, working on Capitol Hill as a legislative correspondent and interning in the social office of former first lady Michelle Obama are just a few of the highlights alumnus Daniel Roberts (BA public policy leadership 14), policy communications manager for Facebook, can boast on his resumé — all before graduating from UM.

“I went up to D.C. my junior year and was supposed to go for three months and come back to campus to finish out my senior year,” Roberts recalls. “But I just fell in love with D.C. so much that I ended up never coming back to campus. I found a way to graduate from afar and finish my honors thesis while working full time for [the late]Congressman [Elijah] Cummings.”

A self-described “army brat” from Moss Point, Roberts was the epitome of an “overachieving” high school student with dreams much bigger than his Mississippi Gulf Coast roots.

“I was very determined to not only go to college but to get all of my college paid for,” Roberts says. “During my time at Moss Point High, I applied to so many scholarships, I received about $900,000 in scholarship offers — which is crazy.”

Despite the outpouring of offers from across the country, Roberts knew if he stayed in Mississippi for college, it was Ole Miss or nothing.

After organizing a nonviolence walk in his hometown in light of a recent murder, Roberts gained attention in the press and caught the eye of Sen. Trent Lott (BPA 63, JD 67).

“I applied to Ole Miss and the Trent Lott Leadership Institute, and I was fortunate enough to receive the Trent Lott Leadership Scholarship,” he says. “I went to lunch with [Sen. Lott] later on, and he told me how he saw the article and that was one of the things that really helped him realize how involved I was and how I would be a great person to come to Ole Miss and benefit from the scholarship.”

STELLAR STUDENT

Roberts’ achievements continued at Ole Miss, where he was enrolled in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, named to the Student Hall of Fame, a member of the Chancellor’s Leadership Class and Columns Society, and president pro tempore of the Associated Student Body. He also participated in the study abroad program, spending time in Ecuador, Germany and South Africa.

“I was a huge overachiever in college, but I think the culmination of my Ole Miss experience was my time interning at the White House for first lady Michelle Obama,” he says. “I really attribute Ole Miss to so many of the opportunities I had through studying abroad and through the Washington Internship Experience. It was what set the groundwork and allowed me to get a full-time job in Congress before I graduated.”

Friend and fellow Honors College alumna Kendra Redding (BSN 15, MSN 18), critical care registered nurse at Mississippi Baptist Health Systems in Jackson, is not at all surprised by the achievements of her “biggest supporter” and “personal adviser.”

“Daniel and I first met freshman year of college,” Redding says. “I chuckle to myself when I think back to college when I frequently used to think to myself, ‘Daniel is going to be the president one day!’ I laugh because it just goes to show how much confidence I had in him, his abilities and his future. While the presidency isn’t on Daniel’s radar these days, I wholeheartedly believe that if that was a goal he wanted, it was Roberts with his parents, Ruben and Debra, at Commencement a goal he could have achieved. For [him], the sky is the limit.”

In 2013, Roberts accepted an internship in the social office of Michelle Obama, helping to coordinate all the major events attended by the first family at the White House.

“Events ranged from a governor’s ball one evening to a Medal of Freedom Award [ceremony] the next day,” he says. “My favorite memory was the Memphis Soul concert with PBS. Justin Timberlake and Queen Latifah came, and I was assigned to escort Queen Latifah around the White House for two days — that was crazy!”

Besides all the fun moments he enjoyed, the significance of the internship was not lost on him.

“Getting that internship was one of the happiest moments of my life,” Roberts says. “Being an African American from Mississippi and seeing a person that looks like you in the White House — which had never happened in history — and then having the opportunity to go and work for them … the gravity of that moment felt so heavy and so pure. I get tingles thinking about it.”

CAPITOL HILL CALLING

While completing his internship, he was offered an opportunity to work as a legislative correspondent on Capitol Hill. A member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Roberts made the difficult decision to accept the position and forgo his senior year at Ole Miss.

“One of my fraternity brothers said, ‘You can’t do this. Do you really want to miss all of the football games? This is your last chance to really be free and have fun,’” Roberts laughs. “Thankfully, I had people in my life who were sounding boards and just told me to take a breath and pause and realize that [my] career will always be there, but this moment won’t be. I finally made the decision to stay in D.C., and I tell people that’s the best decision I could have ever made.”

A mentor and advocate, U.S. Rep. Cummings asked Roberts to make a promise.

“He was the person who took a chance on me,” Roberts reflects. “Giving a senior in college a full-time role on Capitol Hill as a legislative correspondent is rare. A lot of people who graduate would kill for those jobs.

“I’ll never forget, he looked me in my eyes and said, ‘Look Daniel, I have faith in you. I’ll give you this job, but the one thing you have to promise me is that you will graduate.’I get teary eyed even thinking about it because he saw more in me than I saw in myself. That was the foundation that really allowed me to do a lot of things that I’ve been able to do in my life.”

After a year in that role, Roberts worked as legislative correspondent for federal relations for the National Governors Association. Eager to return to the White House, he began serving as legislative analyst in communications and legislative affairs for the Office of Management and Budget in 2015.

“In this role, I was able to learn the ins and outs of how to talk to the press and how to develop messaging,” Roberts says. “At the end of it, I was promoted to pretty much draft President Obama’s statements on policy. Anytime a bill was going to be passed for Congress, I was the person that would write his opinion on the bill, and then issue his veto threat.

“If you can imagine, a young 24-year-old at the time doing such a crazy role. I was up all night grinding my teeth and constantly stressed, but it was the coolest, most fascinating job I’ve ever had. Being able to walk into the White House every day and know that the work you’re doing is actually moving the needle in policy — not just in the U.S., but the globe — was incredible.”

BIG APPLE BOUND

With the Obama Administration drawing to a close in 2016, Roberts knew his time at the White House was likely coming to an end. On the advice of mentor Ashley Etienne, communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris, he made the leap from public to private sector and accepted a position in crisis communications with Edelman, a public relations and marketing firm in New York City.

“That was a really tough transition,” he says. “It was hard to explain to the private sector how your skills are transferrable. [Ashley] told me the best way to really get communications (particularly public relations) experience is to go to an agency. When you’re at a firm like that, you’re dealing with multiple clients at a time, trying to land stories and building relationships with reporters.”

After spending a year with Edelman, Roberts became interested in the entertainment industry and made the move to Viacom to serve as international communications manager.

“I got to go to the BET Awards, the Kids’ Choice Awards and the MTV VMAs,” he says. “We would do publicity and organize interviews with the celebrities, influencers and the press. That was really fun.”

With a love of policy and the urge to shift into an industry that could see regulation and political implications, Roberts decided to break into the technology industry.

He worked as head of East Coast communications for Lyft for less than a year before landing his current role of policy communications manager at Facebook.

FRIENDING FACEBOOK

“I was so excited that Facebook offered to move me back to Washington, D.C., because New York is a terror,” Roberts laughs. “It is nonstop stressful every single day, so I was happy to get the offer to come back.”

In his current role, Roberts serves as a spokesperson for tech policy and diversity issues of interest to officials at all levels of the U.S. government, including the administration, Congress and state and local governments.

“The people I work with at Facebook are some of the most brilliant people I’ve ever met,” he says. “They’re so smart, so savvy, and their work ethic is infectious. It makes me want to do more and be more creative. I also really enjoy working with reporters to shape and frame stories and put out the facts.”

While he attributes a large portion of his career to taking “calculated” risks, Roberts also stresses the importance of having not only mentors but advocates in your life.

“One of the things I admire the most about Daniel is his optimism, his unwavering faith in God and the strength he has through him,” Redding says. “I think one of

the main reasons for Daniel’s success is that he has no expectations for failure. From the day I met him, his only option was success. His only trajectory was up. He knew what he wanted, visualized it daily and had no fear of going after his vision. Daniel is the type of person that easily inspires others to dream big and go after the life they want.”

For Roberts, the relationships he’s built over time, as well as having people speak up on his behalf when he’s not in the room, have been critical to his success.

“Take those calculated risks, and have those people in your life that are mentors,” he says. “Build a board of advocates that are there to not only guide you through your decision making, but also fight for you and elevate you when you’re not in the room.

“It’s not about networking, it’s about true relationship building. When people hear the word networking, they think of casual encounters and exchanges, while for me it’s been people who’ve actually helped me get to the next part of my career. People that have seen my work and are willing to put their name on the line.”

Roberts hopes to continue his work in communications and public relations with some of the world’s largest organizations and, one day, be at the helm of the communications team as a chief communications officer for a Fortune 500 company.

“My parents always told me: ‘Aim for the moon, and if you miss, you’ll be amongst the stars,’” he says. “Throughout my life, I’ve shot for the biggest, boldest, wildest opportunities in the world and was able to reach a lot of them because of my parents and God. I had that support at home that really pushed me to believe that I can honestly do anything.”

This article was reprinted with permission from the Ole Miss Alumni Review, which is published quarterly for members of the Ole Miss Alumni Association. Join or renew your membership with the Alumni Association today, and don’t miss an issue

Bobby Hudson III in a TIME video featuring him as one three young changemakers during the COVID-19 crisis.

NOVEMBER 2, 2021

University of Mississippi public policy leadership major Bobby Hudson III is featured as One of 30 in 2030: A Generation Creating Change.

Eloise Berry wrote for TIME:

It’s no secret that mental health was the collateral damage of the pandemic, with illness, loss and financial hardship weighing heavily on billions around the world. Those in Generation Z have been greatly impacted, since they are more likely to be in insecure work and disproportionately affected by nationwide lockdowns and restrictions at a time when many are only just entering adulthood.

This is taking a toll on mental health. Around 40% of people aged 18-29 surveyed by the U.S. Census Bureau reported symptoms of anxiety or depression in October, higher than any other adult age group.

TIME spoke to three young changemakers who have taken a creative approach to addressing mental health amid the crisis.

“March 2020 changed everybody’s lives, most definitely,” says Mississippi college student Bobby Hudson III. “But I never imagined how it would … influence me to get involved a little bit more in my community.”

Hudson established the North Gulfport Advocacy Coalition, a grassroots group dedicated to educating the public on topics such as politics, social advocacy and voter awareness. He believes in reinvesting the knowledge he gained at college back into his community. “One thing I always tell people: it’s important that we go back into our communities and make the changes that we want to see.”

Watch the TIME video and read the story.

Gift Honors a Father’s Memory While Supporting Students

UM senior Alyssa Moncrief (right), the 2021 Brick Muller scholar, and Meggy Muller, great-granddaughter of the gift’s namesake, get to know each other on the Ole Miss campus. Photo by Bill Dabney/UM Foundation

November 6, 2021 by Bill Dabney

Both in-person and virtual events scheduled for campus observance

University of Mississippi administrators and first-generation students greet one another at a breakfast honoring first-gen students in the Grove in November 2020. Photo by Logan Kirkland/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services

November 5, 2021 by Edwin B. Smith
The academic achievements of first-generation students are being celebrated at the University of Mississippi with a series of in-person and virtual activities planned for Nov. 8-11.

First-Generation Celebration Week is co-sponsored by the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College‘s First-Generation Student Network and the Center for Student Success and First-Year Experience‘s StudentsFIRST program, with additional support from the Office of the Provost. The week coincides with the annual National First-Generation College Celebration on Monday (Nov. 8).

“This year, we have incredible cross-campus ‘buy-in’ to celebrate our first-generation students and the contributions they make to our community,” said Ashleen Williams, instructional assistant professor, senior Barksdale fellow and adviser to the First-Generation Student Network. “Unlike in previous years, we will have individual units across campus hosting events and also a major social media campaign.”

Scheduled events include:

• Nov. 8, 3-5 p.m. – “First-Generation Student Celebration” on the Student Union Plaza. Chancellor Glenn Boyce – a first-gen student himself – is scheduled to deliver a brief address at 4 p.m. Snacks and outdoor games will be available.
• Nov. 9, 5 p.m. – Keynote address by Eduardo Prieto, vice chancellor for enrollment management, followed by a reception in the Honors College great room.
• Nov. 10, 12 p.m. – A virtual student panel discussion about first-generation student life on campus. Topics of discussion include perspectives on first-gen identity, life as a first-gen student and how to grow the first-gen community.
• Nov. 11 – 12:30 p.m. – “Grad School is For You” seminar hosted by the Graduate School in Lamar Hall, Room 129.
• Nov. 11-12, All-day – Members of the First-Generation Student Network will collaborate with departments and organizations on campus to spotlight first-gen students and their work around the university. Social media takeovers, student spotlights and videos of first-gen students discussing their life/work at the university are planned.

“I hope to reach staff, faculty and other adults who are/were first-generation college-goers themselves,” said Andy Flores, a senior public policy leadership major from Ocean Springs and president of the First-Generation Student Network.

“Recent data from our campus climate survey show that nearly a third of our campus is composed of first-generation college students, yet the population has remained largely invisible, as the first-generation students tend to be hard to identify.”

Flores and Prieto worked together on the university’s task force for first-generation students this past summer.

“His dedication to making the first-gen population more visible from the point of enrollment made him a wonderful choice for this speech,” Flores said.

Ainsley Ash, a 2020 public policy leadership alumna from Meridian, founded the First-Generation Student Network in 2019.

First-generation students often come from families and environments where higher education might not be a priority or have family members who did not attend college themselves and simply aren’t able to provide needed guidance. The aim of the StudentsFIRST program is give first-generation students the academic and social support they need to be successful.

This is the third year Ole Miss has observed the national celebration.

“Being the first people from their families to attend college, many of our students are great examples of resiliency,” said Michael Smith, academic adviser at the Center for Student Success and First-Year Experience and StudentsFIRST program coordinator. “They have to be highly motivated to face the challenges ahead of them.”

More than 80 students make up the First-Generation Student Network. Around 15 students are participating in Smith’s StudentsFIRST section of EDHE 105: Freshman Year Experience, a course that aims to get more students connected to one other and to various campus resources.

There is also campuswide support. For example, peer mentors are available to assist first-generation college students in coordination with the Center for Inclusion and Cross-Cultural Engagement.

To participate in First-Generation Celebration Week virtual panel discussion, visit https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/4126317601.