About Lott Leadership Institute
We identify talented young people and prepare them for leadership positions in our state and nation.
Set your sights high.
We fully expect that the names of today’s Public Policy Leadership graduates will be heard through all places that serve the public good.
Named after a University of Mississippi alumnus, the Institute offers a wide range of leadership and outreach programs that work to enrich the lives and enhance the abilities of students and faculty, as well as high school students, students from other colleges and universities, and the community.
Although named for a prominent politician, the Lott Leadership Institute’s mission is strictly focused on education and leadership development. Partisan politics do not play a part in the Institute’s programs or policies. The Institute is not involved in advocacy for any ideology or position and will not be used as a platform or venue by the Institute or its affiliates for anything inconsistent with its mission.
We want to get to know you
We reach out to young people before they enter college through the Lott Leadership Institute for Rising 12th Graders, the Lott Leadership Institute for Rising 9th Graders, the Emerging Leaders Conference, and the Pathways for Leadership workshop. We continue with our Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Leadership degree at The University of Mississippi. In PPL we work with promising and talented young people to develop global leaders for the future. We engage students, faculty, and community in thought-provoking conversation and debate through our ongoing Lott Leadership Institute Lecture Series.
By merging comprehensive leadership techniques with global consciousness, we produce informed leaders for the future.
Explore the Lott Leadership Institute
The Department of Public Policy Leadership provides a challenging undergraduate major that prepares high-performing students for positions of leadership in an increasingly complex world. The interdisciplinary curriculum for the major incorporates economics, geography, history, philosophy, political science, and public administration. The program emphasizes the global nature of responsible decision-making, the ethical imperatives of leadership, critical thinking, communication skills, and the conceptual and methodological skills necessary for careful policy analysis.
Our students lead the way
The Lott Student Advisory Board assists in the Institute’s recruiting efforts, offers peer mentoring services for incoming students, coordinates alumni interaction events, and puts on special events.
The Lott peer mentor program supports first-year students in their transition to the University, offering professional development opportunities, support services, and a friendly face.
If you have questions about the Lott experience or the Board’s work, feel free to reach us at lottadvisoryboard@go.olemiss.edu.
We are here to help
Are you interested in combining subjects like economics, geography, history, philosophy, and political science to improve your leadership skills? Get in touch.
Melissa Lynn Jones
Associate Director Trent Lott Leadership Institute and Director of Leadership Endorsement Programming
Diversity and Community Engagement
The University of Mississippi and the Lott Leadership Institute are committed to embracing the broadest definition of diversity, including race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religious choice, ethnicity, economic status, age, and geographic affiliation. This commitment stems from our mission as a flagship institution in the state’s higher education system, with the obligation to serve a diverse population through teaching, research, and service. Moreover, as an institution with a marked history of struggle with racial diversity, The University of Mississippi today realizes its unique obligation to educate and lead the state with unquestionable and unwavering commitment toward the goal of embracing all aspects of diversity.
The presence of a diverse mix of students, faculty and staff, with their individual intellectual perspectives and contributions, enriches the university community. Therefore, we are an institution that seeks to instill in its students and employees a lifelong appreciation for the value of diversity and community engagement.