University of Mississippi

Paola "Sofia" Euyoque, who graduated from the University of Mississippi in May with a music education degree, had auditioned for only one university music program - Ole Miss just felt like home to the Philadelphia native. Experiencing a Pride of the South show and a Rebels football game solidified her plan to attend the university.

As most students embark on their collegiate journey and their search for identity, a burning question occupies their minds: What will I do next? Beginning a journey of discovery is daunting, but for Caroline McCutchen, the road ahead was filled with opportunity. McCutchen graduated in May from the University of Mississippi with bachelor's degrees in English with an emphasis in creative writing and in political science with an emphasis in law and courts.

Ask Caitlin Parker to name a grade schoolteacher who changed her life, and she may pause longer than expected. It's not a bitter complaint. For her, it became a call to action. "I had good teachers, but none that made me feel like they really saw me," said Parker, who graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor's degree in math education in May. "I want to be that teacher that no one forgets."

Warm, flaky, tender buttermilk biscuits are the inspiration for Bay Merrell's undergraduate thesis, as well as the reason for her grandmother's internet fame. Merrell, who graduated with a B.A. in Southern studies at the University of Mississippi in May, completed her capstone project and honors thesis about food traditions within her own family.

Shaelen Hudson arrived at the University of Mississippi from Marion, Illinois, with a love for science and crowns from hometown pageants. Graduating in May with degrees in biochemistry and business, Hudson has spent her time at Ole Miss blending rigorous academics with leadership, service and grace.

Finding mentors and guidance is an integral part of having a successful college career. Merritt Tompkins found both at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, as well as all over campus at the University of Mississippi. Tompkins, who is set to graduate in May with a bachelor's in Southern studies and a double minor in intelligence and security studies and global security studies, found her niche by studying the South through an interdisciplinary lens.

Jesse Gordon, who graduated from the University of Mississippi in May, has loved being a part of the Ole Miss family ever since he was a kid. When he was growing up in Lucedale, his family had ties to the University of Mississippi, and as an elementary and middle schooler, he participated in Rebel baseball camps each summer at Swayze Field. "I kept coming to baseball camp every year until they finally kicked me out," Gordon said. "I did eventually age out of kids camp, but the fantastic experiences I had visiting campus and Oxford made me want to keep coming back."

Pressure, fire and force don't just describe the grueling welding process Rory Randle mastered as she constructed an 11-foot-tall steel house for her thesis project. They are a perfect description of the Olive Branch student's four-year journey at the University of Mississippi. She did not quite see the sparks of her talent until the second semester of her freshman year.

Stacey Spiehler never thought she'd be back in a college classroom - certainly not at 44, not as a journalism major and definitely not as the recipient of one of the University of Mississippi's most prestigious transfer scholarships. Reflecting on a rocky academic start in 1998 at the University of New Orleans and a personal history marked by addiction to drugs and alcohol, Spiehler was not sure if she was cut out for college. "I know better now," said Spiehler, who graduated from UM in May.

There is an angel among us, and she is from Marion, Arkansas. A recipient of the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program scholarship, a Taylor medalist, Phi Kappa Phi inductee and a member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, Meredith Whited is leaving a legacy of servant leadership, empathetic teaching and a deep belief in doing good at the University of Mississippi.

In more than four decades of teaching, Anne Swift heard plenty of students say they wanted to become teachers. But few showed the early signs Laura Grace Brothers did. She seemed destined for the front of a classroom. "Laura Grace wanted to be a teacher from day one," said Swift, who taught Brothers in kindergarten. "She took every opportunity to work with students, even when there wasn't a formal program."

Samantha "Sam" Hendrix graduated in May with confidence and leadership skills nurtured by the University of Mississippi and instilled by her mother, a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. "If I've ever doubted myself, she's made sure that I know that I can do anything I set my mind to because that's how she was," Hendrix said. "An obstacle is just an obstacle."

Lifelong Oxonian, Stamps scholar and member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi, Janelle Minor is ready to stay home a while longer. After graduating in May with a multidisciplinary studies degree that includes minors in public policy leadership, African American studies and journalism, Minor will begin her master's degree in Southern studies at the university this fall.

Starting his academic path by following in his sister's footsteps, Dallas Ford graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor's degree in biochemistry in May. The Jackson native's Ole Miss experience has been enhanced by scientific research and meaningful connections.

Kyle Wakefield came to the University of Mississippi to study journalism, but he graduated this spring not only as a promising storyteller but also as a viral sensation and a beloved figure within the Ole Miss basketball program. Wakefield, from Katy, Texas, made headlines in February 2024 when a video of him enthusiastically cleaning up a wet spot on the Pavilion court during the second half of the Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State men's basketball game exploded across social media.

Sydney Rush attended band tryouts on a whim in sixth grade. The Jonesboro, Arkansas, native didn't come from a musical family, but her best friend encouraged her to join the band. That decision set her on a path that would lead her to the University of Mississippi and its Master of Music program.

Living her middle school years in Turkey, Hannah Watts not only learned to speak the language, but also learned the value and importance of education. Fast forward to high school in Columbia on a field trip to the Mississippi Capitol, she learned something else - she liked policy. She has been able to combine these two interests at the University of Mississippi by majoring in public policy leadership and secondary English education.

In the case of Samantha Saraceno, the University of Mississippi did indeed prove to be the "spot that ever calls." And in Saraceno's case, it called all the way to Scarborough, Maine, where she grew up. Her father hails from Alabama, so Saraceno always envisioned attending a big school in the South. Ole Miss was the last of the Southern schools she applied to, but visiting campus to check out the School of Pharmacy's Early Entry program sealed the deal.

For Angela Roberts, the path to becoming a pharmacist has been anything but typical, but service has always been at the heart of her journey. A military veteran, devoted mother and soon-to-be University of Mississippi graduate, Roberts desires to spend her life giving back. A native of Los Angeles, Roberts and her husband followed his family to Mississippi after they both got out of the military. Her husband's family is teeming with Ole Miss graduates, and Roberts decided to follow suit. She is graduating with a bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical sciences this year.

When Tupelo native Abigail Moeller was exploring college options, she was not looking for just one program. She was looking for a place that would let her combine many - engineering, Chinese language and culture, and manufacturing. To her surprise, she found that place at the University of Mississippi.

If you asked Bre'Anna Coleman as a high school student whether she was looking forward to attending a university, she would have said that was impossible. In May, the first-generation college student graduated with a degree in political science with an emphasis in law and courts, along with minors in African American studies, journalism and creative writing. Plus, she proved that you should never count yourself out or tell yourself no.

Jo'Anna Thompson, a Yazoo City native who earned a bachelor's degree in dietetics and nutrition in May, always dreamed of becoming an Ole Miss Rebel after watching her older sister graduate from the University of Mississippi. The university was a familiar, yet fresh, place to start a new chapter.

Sydney Lynch has never backed down from a challenge - whether it was going to a university she had never seen or taking on an international security project as an undergraduate. Originally from Long Island, New York, Lynch double majored in classics and political science at the University of Mississippi. She also pursued three minors in museum studies, art history, and intelligence and security studies, and graduated in May.

When it came time to make a change, all paths led Emma Stough to the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy. Earning a bachelor's degree in biotechnology from Auburn University, the Gadsden, Alabama, native thought she wanted to go into research. After working in several laboratories, however, Stough realized that she needed more social interaction.

At 44, Hattie Truly achieved a milestone she once thought was out of reach: earning her bachelor's degree in social work at the University of Mississippi.

The path to graduation is not always a straight line. For Eric Harper, an aspiring music educator from Southaven, the journey took him through financial strain, a career shift and self-discovery that ultimately led him to the University of Mississippi, where he graduated in May.

When Oxford native Eva Reynolds graduated in May with a degree in accounting and minors in Spanish and intelligence and security studies, she concluded a college experience marked by leadership, academic excellence and global perspective.

For most young students, leaving for college usually entails a long car ride and an emotional drop-off by their parents, signifying the beginning of a new stage in life. For Mahdia Yari, that journey took her across the world, thousands of miles from her home in Kabul, Afghanistan. "Destiny chose me," said Yari, who graduated this May with a degree in political science from the University of Mississippi.

After earning both a bachelor's degree in accountancy and a Master of Accountancy and Data Analytics from the University of Mississippi, Shane Houston Stephens will prepare for a new challenge: medical school. The Greenwood native, who graduated in May, has been accepted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center to begin classes this fall. Though his path may be viewed as untraditional, Stephens said the experiences and education he received at Ole Miss have prepared him well for the road ahead.

Putting others first has been Brandi Williams' standard operating procedure for many years. But in May, Williams and her family celebrated the endurance and hard work it has taken her to accomplish one of her own goals that was over 20 years in the making: earning her college degree in social work.