University of Mississippi

The Stamps Impact Prize, a competitive award program at the University of Mississippi to support undergraduate-initiated, faculty-mentored research and creative achievement projects, has announced its second cohort of recipients. Abigail Hogue, of Brandon, a junior mechanical engineering major at UM, was named one of the Stamps Impact Prize winners. Hogue will pursue the project "Exploration of Graph Neural Networks for Enhanced Materials Design" with faculty mentor Samrat Choudhury, associate professor of mechanical engineering.

The Stamps Impact Prize, a competitive award program at the University of Mississippi to support undergraduate-initiated, faculty-mentored research and creative achievement projects, has announced its second cohort of recipients. Ross Cohen, of Oxford, a junior accounting and public policy leadership double major at UM, was named one of the Stamps Impact Prize winners. Cohen will pursue the project "Connecting the Dots: Exploring the Interdisciplinary Nature of the Arts Through Community Events" with his faculty mentor Michael Barnett, chair of the Department of Theatre & Film and professor of lighting design.

Gregory Silas Nelson, a graduate of the Patterson School of Accountancy at the University of Mississippi, was awarded a 2023 CPA exam medal by the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants. MSCPA medals are given annually to first-time CPA exam candidates who earn the highest cumulative scores in the state. Nelson received the Silas M. Simmons Bronze Medal.

Drew Easley, a graduate of the Patterson School of Accountancy at the University of Mississippi, was awarded a 2023 CPA exam medal by the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants. MSCPA medals are given annually to first-time CPA exam candidates who earn the highest cumulative scores in the state. Easley received the T.E. Lott Silver Medal.

Sarah Deano, a graduate of the Patterson School of Accountancy at the University of Mississippi, was awarded a 2023 CPA exam medal by the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants. MSCPA medals are given annually to first-time CPA exam candidates who earn the highest cumulative scores in the state. Deano received the T.E. Lott Silver Medal.

Matthew Travers, of Chesterfield, Missouri, is the recipient of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Taiwan. Travers graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2021 with a double degree in international studies and Chinese. He has previously been awarded the Yenching scholarship in 2021 and the Boren in 2019.

Paola Leon, of Corinth, an international studies major at the University of Mississippi, is the recipient of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to South Korea.

Abney Brewer, a graduate of the Patterson School of Accountancy at the University of Mississippi, was awarded a 2023 CPA exam medal by the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants. MSCPA medals are given annually to first-time CPA exam candidates who earn the highest cumulative scores in the state. Brewer received the Fred T. Neely Gold Medal.

Samantha Fabian, of Omaha, Nebraska, slated to graduate in December from the University of Mississippi's School of Business Administration, is a recipient of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to South Korea. Fabian also was named a Boren scholar in 2023.

Samantha Anne Sepe was designated banner bearer for the School of Education at the University of Mississippi. Sepe was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

After more than 18 months of building a business, Alexandra Santiago made the decision to close her popular "Tex-Mex-ississippi" restaurant, Sleepy Cactus, in order to return to school. In December 2023, she announced on Instagram that her breakfast tacos - with their distinctive gold foil wrappers - would be available at Heartbreak Coffee on the Oxford Square. Meanwhile, she would be busy a half-mile away, completing her Bachelor of University Studies at the University of Mississippi. It was a big shift for Santiago, who moved from San Antonio, Texas, to Oxford in 2009 to study early childhood education. But she soon left school to pursue her passion in the kitchens of some of Oxford's most famous restaurants.

Kellygrace Abla Loko was designated class marshal for General Studies at the University of Mississippi. Loko was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Theodore Wyatt Lampton was designated banner bearer for the School of Applied Sciences at the University of Mississippi. Lampton was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Elizabeth Grace Johns was designated class marshal for the School of Applied Sciences at the University of Mississippi. Johns was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Lauren Leanne Biando was designated class marshal for the School of Education at the University of Mississippi. Biando was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Leah Kathryn Franks was designated class marshal for the School of Pharmacy at the University of Mississippi. Franks was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Nicholas Tyler Dean was designated class marshal for the School of Pharmacy at the University of Mississippi. Dean was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Shane Houston Stephens was designated class marshal for the Patterson School of Accountancy at the University of Mississippi. Stephens was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Joy Faith Jennings was designated class marshal for the School of Business Administration at the University of Mississippi. Jennings was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Chelsea Reyes was designated class marshal for the School of Law at the University of Mississippi. Reyes was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Zachary Scott Partin was designated class marshal for the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Mississippi. Partin was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Phoebe Gates Goodwin was designated class marshal for the School of Journalism and New Media at the University of Mississippi. Goodwin was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Jake Edward Akins was designated class marshal for the School of Engineering at the University of Mississippi. Akins was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Macey Jewell Ross was designated class marshal for the School of Engineering at the University of Mississippi. Ross was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Keely Lauren May was designated banner bearer for the School of Journalism and New Media at the University of Mississippi. May was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Veronica Jean Cunitz was designated class marshal for the School of Engineering at the University of Mississippi. Cunitz was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Joseph Ethan Crain, of Forest, was designated class marshal for the School of Engineering at the University of Mississippi. Crain, who received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Brett Patterson was designated class marshal for the Graduate School at the University of Mississippi. Patterson was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Lorena Magana Zertuche was designated class marshal for the Graduate School at the University of Mississippi. Magana Zertuche was among the 19 UM students who were named class marshal or banner bearer for their respective college or school during the 2024 Commencement ceremonies.

Ten University of Mississippi Arabic Language Flagship seniors are headed abroad to hone their language skills after being accepted for the Arabic capstone year program.