What are you most excited, and maybe most nervous about, as you start college?
I'm most excited about building relationships and finding my place within the Ole Miss community. Orientation gave me a glimpse of what that could look like, and it made me even more excited for Welcome Week and everything that comes after. I can't wait to meet new people, get involved and create the friendships that will make Ole Miss feel even more like home.
As for being nervous, I don't really feel much anxiety about college. The only uncertainty is not knowing exactly what the next four years will hold, but I see that as part of the excitement. I'm ready for what's ahead.
I'm most excited about building relationships and finding my place within the Ole Miss community. Orientation gave me a glimpse of what that could look like, and it made me even more excited for Welcome Week and everything that comes after. I can't wait to meet new people, get involved and create the friendships that will make Ole Miss feel even more like home.
As for being nervous, I don't really feel much anxiety about college. The only uncertainty is not knowing exactly what the next four years will hold, but I see that as part of the excitement. I'm ready for what's ahead.
What do you remember most about your first Ole Miss campus tour? What made Ole Miss feel different?
Before Ole Miss, I visited several other SEC schools. While those campuses were impressive, I often felt like just another visitor. At Ole Miss, that changed immediately.
I remember being greeted by my tour guide, Jack Turrentine, with a big smile and a genuine interest in getting to know me. For the first time, I felt like people cared to know who I was, not just that I was another prospective student walking through campus.
That experience stayed with me because it showed me how much one person can impact someone else's college decision. It made me realize that even at a university with thousands of students, you can still make people feel seen and valued. That's the kind of impact I hope to have on others someday.
Before Ole Miss, I visited several other SEC schools. While those campuses were impressive, I often felt like just another visitor. At Ole Miss, that changed immediately.
I remember being greeted by my tour guide, Jack Turrentine, with a big smile and a genuine interest in getting to know me. For the first time, I felt like people cared to know who I was, not just that I was another prospective student walking through campus.
That experience stayed with me because it showed me how much one person can impact someone else's college decision. It made me realize that even at a university with thousands of students, you can still make people feel seen and valued. That's the kind of impact I hope to have on others someday.
As a Sally McDonnell Barsdale Honors College student, what stood out to you about the SMBHC community?
What stood out most about the Honors College was how personal everything felt.
I was drawn to the smaller class sizes and the opportunity to build relationships with professors and other students. During a mock class with Dr. Parsons, there were a lot of students in the room, but she still managed to make it feel intimate and conversation-driven.
I also enjoyed talking with Honors College Ambassadors and hearing about their experiences. One memory that sticks with me is sitting outside the Honors College near the koi pond during Chancellor's Scholars Weekend and talking with other students. I remember thinking, "This is it." It felt like I had found a community where I belonged.
What stood out most about the Honors College was how personal everything felt.
I was drawn to the smaller class sizes and the opportunity to build relationships with professors and other students. During a mock class with Dr. Parsons, there were a lot of students in the room, but she still managed to make it feel intimate and conversation-driven.
I also enjoyed talking with Honors College Ambassadors and hearing about their experiences. One memory that sticks with me is sitting outside the Honors College near the koi pond during Chancellor's Scholars Weekend and talking with other students. I remember thinking, "This is it." It felt like I had found a community where I belonged.
Being Mississippi's only Coca-Cola Scholar this year is an incredible accomplishment. What did that recognition mean to you personally?
Receiving the Coca-Cola scholarship was an incredible honor, but I don't view it as something I achieved by myself.
I'm the first student from my high school to receive the scholarship, and I see it as an accomplishment of my community. There are so many people who invested in me and encouraged me along the way.
Meeting scholars from across the country reassured me that I was on the right path in serving my community. As Mississippi's only recipient this year, I'm also proud to stay in my home state for college. It's an opportunity to represent Mississippi and show pride in the place that helped shape who I am.
Receiving the Coca-Cola scholarship was an incredible honor, but I don't view it as something I achieved by myself.
I'm the first student from my high school to receive the scholarship, and I see it as an accomplishment of my community. There are so many people who invested in me and encouraged me along the way.
Meeting scholars from across the country reassured me that I was on the right path in serving my community. As Mississippi's only recipient this year, I'm also proud to stay in my home state for college. It's an opportunity to represent Mississippi and show pride in the place that helped shape who I am.
Why did you decide to double major in biology and public policy leadership? What first sparked your interest in cardiology and healthcare policy?
Like many students, I went through a lot of different career interests growing up. Everything changed when I joined my high school's Health Science Academy and had the opportunity to shadow physicians.
Watching cardiologists and vascular surgeons work opened my eyes to a field I hadn't seriously considered before. I was fascinated by both the science and the relationships physicians build with their patients.
At the same time, my experience serving as a page for Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann introduced me to public policy and showed me how policy decisions affect healthcare access and outcomes.
Today, I'm excited about the possibility of combining those interests. As someone who hopes to become a cardiologist, I'm drawn to helping people care for their hearts. In many ways, that passion mirrors what first drew me to Ole Miss: the belief that people thrive when they feel connected, supported and at home.
Like many students, I went through a lot of different career interests growing up. Everything changed when I joined my high school's Health Science Academy and had the opportunity to shadow physicians.
Watching cardiologists and vascular surgeons work opened my eyes to a field I hadn't seriously considered before. I was fascinated by both the science and the relationships physicians build with their patients.
At the same time, my experience serving as a page for Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann introduced me to public policy and showed me how policy decisions affect healthcare access and outcomes.
Today, I'm excited about the possibility of combining those interests. As someone who hopes to become a cardiologist, I'm drawn to helping people care for their hearts. In many ways, that passion mirrors what first drew me to Ole Miss: the belief that people thrive when they feel connected, supported and at home.
What kind of legacy do you hope to leave at Ole Miss?
I think a legacy is made through kindness.
When people think about my time at Ole Miss, I don't necessarily want them to remember awards or accomplishments. I hope they remember the way I treated people and the positive impact I had on those around me.
The reason Ole Miss became home for me was because people took the time to make me feel welcome. If I can do that for someone else—especially for a prospective student who's trying to find where they belong—that would mean the world to me.
If I'm able to impact students the way Jack impacted me during my campus tour, then I'll know I left the kind of legacy I hoped for.
I think a legacy is made through kindness.
When people think about my time at Ole Miss, I don't necessarily want them to remember awards or accomplishments. I hope they remember the way I treated people and the positive impact I had on those around me.
The reason Ole Miss became home for me was because people took the time to make me feel welcome. If I can do that for someone else—especially for a prospective student who's trying to find where they belong—that would mean the world to me.
If I'm able to impact students the way Jack impacted me during my campus tour, then I'll know I left the kind of legacy I hoped for.