At the Flagship, March 2020 - Office of the Chancellor

CHANCELLOR’S 3 THINGS TO KNOW

Welcome to the March edition of @ The Flagship. Hope you enjoyed the inaugural issue last month! We’ve been busy, and I’m pleased to share the three things you need to know:

Stellar Students: Here at the Flagship, we set the bar high, and our students like Joshua Mannery, a junior political science major from Jackson, are continually pushing that bar even higher. Joshua was named a finalist for the prestigious Truman Scholarship, the premier graduate fellowship in the country for those pursuing careers as public service leaders. Congrats, Joshua — we commend your leadership and drive to help others! And how about our students who just raised more than $250K for Blair E. Batson’s Children’s Hospital during our annual RebelTHON dance marathon fundraiser? We’re so proud of how our students contribute to our prominent and established track record of leading and serving in powerful ways.

Black History Month: During February, we celebrated Black History Month observances, including the 7^th annual Black History Month Gala sponsored by our Black Student Union, and a moving and powerful keynote address by Dr. Yusef Salaam. Beyond February, we have the “All In. All Year.” yearlong initiative that includes guest speakers, workshops and other programs to expand cultural awareness, challenge bias attitudes and behaviors and increase support for diversity, equity and inclusion. Check out all the events and make plans to attend.

Meaningful Research: Across all of our campuses, our faculty and researchers are engaged in discoveries that make a difference in everyday life. John Green, professor of sociology and director of the Center for Population Studies, is working on a $1.6 million grant to address health care issues of rural Americans. These funds will put a spotlight on aging Americans and work to improve their lives. And be sure to check out the story (and video) about three of our graduate students who traveled to the Gulf Coast to study environmental stressors and gather data for oyster reef restoration. The Gulf Coast is such a vital region of our state, and their powerful research is important to marine life throughout the Mississippi Sound.

BONUS ITEM

For this month, we actually have a bonus item! You could call it the shot heard ‘round social media when Ole Miss fan Mary Ann Wakefield put on a perfect putting performance at halftime of an Ole Miss basketball game. Not only did she win a new car after sinking a 94-foot putt, Mary Ann, 84, became an overnight sensation and won the Internet. Enjoy your new ride, Mary Ann!

See you around the Flagship! Hotty Toddy!

Glenn F. Boyce

Chancellor

We recognize that there is a lot of uncertainty and anxiety in our country and around the world right now with the evolving situation of COVID-19 (coronavirus). We have established a COVID-19 update page, and we encourage you to visit it for the latest information from the university.