University of Mississippi

Six years after joining the University of Mississippi as the first in her family to attend college, Victoria Amari has earned one of the nation's most competitive graduate research awards. Amari, a first-year doctoral student in biomedical engineering from Hayden, Alabama, has been awarded the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

A University of Mississippi graduate is among the inaugural winners of the Lafayette Fellowship, a new scholarship created in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Amber Cecil, a 2025 engineering graduate from Hernando, will spend the next year studying at University Grenoble Alpes in France through the fellowship. The award will provide education, airfare and living expenses during her master's program alongside mentorship and training opportunities.

As of May, the smiling face that students see when they stop by the dean's office in the University of Mississippi School of Engineering is not just a staff member behind a desk; she is a fellow graduate. Debbie Shelby, the school's administrative secretary, joined in the university's 2026 Commencement ceremonies as she completed a lifelong goal of earning her college degree.

For Keiran Lencheski, sports have always been more than a game; they've been a lifelong passion that turned into purpose. That passion led Lencheski, a University of Mississippi journalism graduate who completed her degree in December 2025, to opportunities many young broadcasters only dream of, including working behind the scenes on NBC Sports' Olympic coverage.

Canaday Baker, of Madison, graduated from the University of Mississippi in May as a Taylor Medalist with a degree in special education. She will head into a classroom of her own, carrying a unique perspective. "I have a disability myself, and I have always loved helping people with disabilities," Baker said."

For Esraa Al Shawakri, the journey to Commencement has been defined not by a single decision, but by a series of shifts in perspective. What began as a practical decision shaped by family influence has evolved into a career defined by purpose, adaptability and scientific curiosity. Al Shawakri, a Ph.D. graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, focuses on pharmaceutics and drug delivery. It's an area she discovered not at the start of her journey, but along the way.

Emily Davis, of Benton, Louisiana, graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor's degree in exercise science in May. She will continue her education at LSU Health Sciences in Shreveport, Louisiana, pursuing a master's in occupational therapy, a goal she has held since seventh grade.

A girl named Kendria becomes a refugee after the invasion of Diolon, a once-great civilization and her former home. She must choose whether to fight the invaders or try for something much harder: peace. That sums up the draft of a high-fantasy novel Olivia Bacon wrote before she arrived at the University of Mississippi four years ago, and she is grateful for the English professors who taught her how to hone it and keep reaching for new plateaus in her writing.

Kesler Smith, of Oxford, graduated with honors from the University of Mississippi in May, earning degrees in psychology and Southern studies. To Smith, both majors consider the same fundamental question: Why do people become who they are? Her coursework has ranged from cultural anthropology to a seminar on Bob Dylan, each sharpening her lens.

Joseph Page, of Ashton, Maryland, a sport management major at the University of Mississippi, won the JoAnn Edwards Speech Award, which recognizes UM undergraduate students who demonstrate the highest ability and overall effectiveness in public speaking.

Ashish Shrestha's interest in documentary filmmaking originated from his love of travel. After learning about the University of Mississippi's Master of Fine Arts in Documentary Expression program through a friend, he realized he wanted to sharpen his storytelling skills.

When Daniza Ivazova moved from Russia to the United States, the 18-year-old stepped into a completely unfamiliar world: a new language, culture and academic system. Once Ivazova found her place, there was no stopping her. She will graduate in August with her second Ole Miss degree, a Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics, and is launching her career with the "Big Four" firm Deloitte.

For Antonella Rescigno, an integrated marketing communications major from Caracas, Venezuela, photography has never just been about capturing images; it's about documenting truth. "I just kind of grew up in that world," Rescigno said. "I grew up going to protests. I've been taking photos back home and documenting everything that's been going on for 10 years."

Ariane Angel Sanchez arrived at the University of Mississippi as a Luckyday Scholar with a passion for service and left in May as someone who has spent four years putting that passion to work. The communication sciences and disorders major from the Philippines has spent her undergraduate career conducting research, providing clinical care to children and leading organizations across campus as a member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and the Luckyday Scholars Program.

Sydney Guntharp walked across the University of Mississippi campus in the late summer heat of August 2022 with her tenor saxophone strapped to her back, an uncertain young person trying to discover more about herself and her place in the world. Four years later, the political science and English major walked across the Grove stage in May as a Stamps Impact Prize winner, a Fulbright Scholar and the university's sixth finalist in three years for the Rhodes Scholarship.

Alexandra James, a senior social work major from Horn Lake, will graduate in August after a path that began far from a traditional classroom. She dropped out of high school in 10th grade and earned her GED in her mid-20s. For years, she carried the belief that college wasn't for her.

"Okish Atahli." That is what University of Mississippi senior and Mississippi Band of Choctaw tribal member Sydney Ben is on her way to becoming - a pharmacist. When all is said and done, she will be the first tribe member to become a licensed pharmacist. As an early-entry pharmacy student from Choctaw, Ben will graduate in August with her bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical sciences and a minor in chemistry, all while having completed her first year of pharmacy school during her senior year.

After completing her undergraduate degree, Alice Cofield Collins did not have to go far to continue her education, and she would not have had it any other way. The Oxford native earned her bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders from the University of Mississippi in 2024, then jumped right in the graduate program. In May, she completed her master's degree with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.

Sitting in front of a crowd of first graders at Bramlett Elementary School with a book in hand, Sydney Dodd had a realization: This was where she was meant to be. Dodd, an elementary education major from Brandon, graduated from the University of Mississippi in May as a Provost Scholar, a member of the Kindness Club and Teachers for Tomorrow, and with a host of memories of her time at Ole Miss.

Krystyna Burenok, a native of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in finance on a pre-law track. Her path to this moment began long before she ever stepped foot in Oxford.

Andrew McDonough traveled nearly 1,000 miles from Palm Beach Gardens in southeast Florida to attend the University of Mississippi, drawn by what he saw as unmatched leadership opportunities and hands-on experiences. The decision paid off.

Suezette Salazar's journey to earning a marketing degree from the University of Mississippi has been anything but ordinary, shaped by risk, loss and resilience. But the challenges she overcame have made it that much more rewarding and point toward a bright future.

For Connor Callahan, who graduated with Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of Mississippi in May, the journey to Commencement has been defined by saying yes - to new experiences, new challenges and opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom.

Tooth extractions, cavity fillings, cleanings. In Guatemala's highlands, University of Mississippi student Capri Lobotzke stood ready to assist dentists caring for the people of Tecpan. For Lobotzke, who graduated in May, the experience was as personal as it was professional. The year before, she had double jaw surgery, an intense procedure that ignited her interest in dentistry.

Heath Stevens arrived at the University of Mississippi with a scholarship and left with a calling: to practice medicine in Mississippi and confront the state's cancer mortality rate, which is the nation's highest. Stevens, of Oxford, a biomedical engineering major and member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, aims to enroll at the University of Mississippi Medical Center this fall.

Brooke Jankowsky has always been driven by a go-big-or-go-home mentality. From an early age, the University of Mississippi graduating senior threw herself into every organization she joined, determined to contribute as much as possible.

Jackelyn Facio, of Pascagoula, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies and Arabic this year, was selected as a Boren Scholar by the National Security Education Program. She will study in Morocco.

Lily Schauwecker, of Starkville, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in international studies and Arabic this year, was selected as a Boren Scholar by the National Security Education Program. She will study in Morocco.

Mikayla Kazmierkoski, a junior Chinese and finance major from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, was selected as a Boren Scholar by the National Security Education Program.

Leah Siemon, a junior international studies and Chinese major from Bloomington, Indiana, was selected as a Boren Scholar by the National Security Education Program.