University of Mississippi

From her Mississippi roots, Lauren Brown found a natural home at Ole Miss. The Ridgeland native chose interdisciplinary studies to integrate her interests in language and medicine - combining Spanish, chemistry and biological science into what she describes as a "holistic learning experience."

From her first campus visit, Izzy Arthurs felt immediately at home at the University of Mississippi. The Jackson, Tennessee, native was captivated by the Ole Miss campus "at first sight" - a feeling that has guided her entire college experience. A recent UM graduate, who earned a bachelor's in English with an emphasis in creative writing and a minor in French, Arthurs became an integral part of campus life. She studied abroad in France and performed her own music. She worked in the Department of Campus Recreation all four years of college, earned her certification in group fitness instruction, and taught yoga, Pilates, barre and sculpt classes, all experiences she describes as highlights of her university years.

From his first campus tour to leading record-breaking fundraising efforts, Byron Swetman's journey at the University of Mississippi has been defined by a profound dedication to serving others. Swetman, of Vancleave, began his Ole Miss journey as an electrical engineering major before transitioning to computer science. While balancing a full course load as a member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, Swetman immersed himself in the university community from freshman year onward.

Ahmed Orabi's journey to becoming a pharmacist began in Kuwait and ended with a walk across a stage in Oxford. He graduated in May from the University of Mississippi with his Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration degrees.

Caroline Brock, a Greenwood native, graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in public health with the mission of addressing health disparities.

As Gwen Pfrenger prepared to graduate in May with her degree in art history, she reflected on a life surrounded by art and literature. Growing up in Oxford, she found her academic home at the University of Mississippi, where she could fully immerse herself in the humanities she has loved since childhood.

When Ja'Ree Myers walked across the Grove stage in May, he did so with a degree in computer engineering, no student debt and a future he built from the ground up. A Jackson native, Myers first visited the University of Mississippi during his sophomore year of high school to attend a football game, and it made a lasting impression.

From his first visit to campus as a high school junior for a Trent Lott Leadership Institute conference, Jakota White felt the "magnetic atmosphere" of Oxford calling to him. The Gulfport native couldn't shake "how Ole Miss had made me feel, and who they believed I could be" - a feeling that has continued throughout his college career. Majoring in integrated marketing communications with a minor in general business, White became deeply woven into the fabric of campus life.

When Lauren Munnell toured the University of Mississippi for the first time, she didn't just see a campus - she saw possibility. The Franklin, Tennessee, native had never imagined herself at a big Southeastern Conference school, but Oxford offered something special: a close-knit community where she could grow, be challenged and thrive.

For Ransford Kwabena Addae, music has been a lifelong passion, one that has taken him from Ghana to the University of Mississippi, where he has refined his skills and worked toward his dreams.

A member of the Ole Miss women's rifle team, Katelyn Foust graduated in May from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Her focus on homeland security was complemented by a triple minor in law, intelligence and security studies, and global security studies.

When Stephanie Handford's family added the University of Mississippi to their college tour on a whim after a quick Google search, the Waukesha, Wisconsin, native never could have imagined that decision would lead to rocket launches, international research and a perfect 4.0 GPA. A mechanical engineering major, Handford was involved in undergraduate research with the National Center for Physical Acoustics, a cooperative education experience with Apple, study abroad in Sweden and research in Germany through the German Academic Exchange Service's RISE program.

More than 630 students graduated from the University of Mississippi in December 2024. Undergraduate and graduate candidates received degrees from the College of Liberal Arts, General Studies and schools of Law, Journalism and New Media, Engineering, Education, Business Administration, Applied Sciences and Patterson School of Accountancy.

More than 900 students graduated from the University of Mississippi in August 2024. Undergraduate and graduate candidates received degrees from the College of Liberal Arts, General Studies and schools of Law, Pharmacy, Journalism and New Media, Engineering, Education, Business Administration, Applied Sciences and Patterson School of Accountancy.

More than 3,100 students graduated from the University of Mississippi in May 2024. Undergraduate and graduate candidates received degrees from the College of Liberal Arts, General Studies and schools of Accountancy, Applied Sciences, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Journalism and New Media, Law and Pharmacy.

For Ryan Cummings, the journey from Corinth to London was a path illuminated by unexpected turns and pursuit of opportunity. Cummings graduates in August with a bachelor's degree from the Patterson School of Accountancy, but initially, a career in accountancy was not his goal. He enrolled at the University of Mississippi as a public policy leadership major with plans of going on to law school, but he unexpectedly found himself drawn to the accounting program and decided to pair his PPL major with an accountancy degree.

Pharmacy student Nicholas Dean has not come by his academic success easily, although he often makes it look that way. Despite being diagnosed with two conditions that make completing a rigorous academic program difficult, the University of Mississippi senior has excelled.

Born in Kansas and raised in Arkansas, Ben Oliver did not have the University of Mississippi on his college consideration list. The standout student at the Arkansas School of Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts visited Oxford with his family out of curiosity. After that visit, Ole Miss became a serious contender.

In high school, music was the one subject Will Nelson truly loved. He was a member of the Northwest Rankin High School band program for six years. Looking to fully focus on his passion for music, Nelson's path to the University of Mississippi was cemented when the university's woodwind quintet came to visit his high school.

As a first-generation college student, Harrison "Graham" Gustafson knew enrolling at the University of Mississippi would be challenging for him. But that did not stop him, and now that he's graduated with a bachelor's degree in social work, he's aiming even higher, at graduate school.

It was an unconventional entry into computational chemistry, but Michael Neal took it in stride. When the COVID-19 pandemic upended many graduate student researchers' plans, the University of Mississippi doctoral student agreed to shift his research focus away from the lab - embracing a new world of molecular modeling and simulations.

When Dylan Barker arrived as a freshman at the University of Mississippi five years ago, his only priority was to earn his degree. Things were going as planned for the Madison native until a global pandemic interrupted everything.

She knows what a goniometer is, and she knows how to use it. Madison Cotten, a first-generation college student who anticipated attending medical school until she took a class required for a minor in recreational therapy at the University of Mississippi, will get plenty of chances to use one.

No one seems to know when Nya Thompson sleeps. A Stamps scholar, Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program scholar and citizen scholar, the Ridgeland native has certainly maximized her opportunities at the University of Mississippi.

When Susan Walls became a mother her freshman year at the University of Mississippi, she knew the odds were stacked against her. Student mothers face many hurdles to complete their degrees. Walls was also quite familiar with defying the odds: The Houlka native was a first-generation student from a single-parent household in rural Mississippi, and she was attending the state's flagship university.

Kellygrace Loko grew up in the West African country of Togo but came to the U.S. at the start of 2020 to fulfill a dream of helping others. The first part of her journey to pursue a career in medicine was fulfilled as she received her diploma at the University of Mississippi's 171st Commencement ceremonies. Loko was honored as this year's class marshal for the Bachelor of Multi-Disciplinary Studies degree program.

Jacob Fennell came to the Southern studies master's program at the University of Mississippi with an interest in literary studies, and during his two years here, he has flourished into a real scholar.

Neyda Martinez, who received her law degree from the University of Mississippi in May, is the perfect example of a generational pursuit of the American Dream. She was born in California, but her parents, Jose and Maria Solis, moved to Pontotoc County in 2000, when she was 5 years old.

Misa Fujinuma likes distinctive cultures: That is how she came to pursue a master's in higher education at the University of Mississippi, almost 7,000 miles from her hometown in Nagoya, Japan.

Alexandria "Ally" Watrous was sure about being a chemistry major and joining a research group before she even graduated high school. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Watrous was interested in attending college out of state if she found the right program. Intent on majoring in chemistry, finding a program where she could begin research as a freshman was her top priority. She found just that at the University of Mississippi, where she graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and Bachelor of Arts in physics and German, with minors in French and mathematics. She also has received a Goldwater Scholarship, one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious scholarships in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.