JTC 25: Unexpected Visit Leads to Engineering Excellence

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.

“We were touring schools in the South and had an extra day,” Handford said. “We found Ole Miss online and saw that they offered a full tuition scholarship for my ACT score, so we figured, let’s take a look.”

That one unexpected visit turned into a life-changing decision.

“The campus was gorgeous, even in the middle of summer, and everyone was just so kind,” she said. “When I visited again that spring, I changed my major from math to engineering after meeting with faculty like Dr. (Ramanarayanan) Viswanathan and Al D’Jock. I knew I could be a top student here.”

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.

She held leadership roles with the engineering school’s Rocket Team, served as president of the Engineering Student Body, worked as a resident assistant and served as a teaching assistant.

But after all that, Handford said she still felt something was missing. So she added a minor in art.

“I realized I needed a creative outlet,” she said.

Diving into sculpture, welding and woodworking was a way to stretch herself beyond the bounds of engineering, she said. The creative work did not just balance her technical side; it expanded it, giving her new ways to approach tough problems and imagine creative solutions.

As she prepares for graduation in May, Handford has piled up a remarkable resume of accomplishments.

She earned a Taylor Medal, the university’s highest academic honor; was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi and Tau Beta Pi honor societies; was named to both the Chancellor’s Honor Roll and Who’s Who Among Students at the University of Mississippi; maintained a perfect 4.0 grade-point average; and will serve as class marshal for the School of Engineering at Commencement.

Next, Handford plans to begin a doctorate in aerospace engineering, with a focus on computational fluid mechanics, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. As she leaves Oxford, she carries not only a curriculum vitae full of remarkable accomplishments, but a deep sense of gratitude for the place that empowered her to pursue them.

Many of the opportunities that made an impact on her, such as her first internship with SpaceX, came through connections with faculty in the engineering school.

“From the moment I met Stephanie as a freshman on the Rocket Team, her high upside was immediately clear,” said Darin Van Pelt, director of general engineering and professor of practice. “I was happy to connect her with SpaceX — frankly, she’s someone I would’ve tried to hire during my nine years there.

“She’s not just a high-potential individual; she’s the kind of person who lifts every team she’s part of.”

At Ole Miss, Handford found she could pursue both technical excellence and creative expression, developing a well-rounded skill set that prepared her for future challenges in aerospace engineering.

“Ole Miss gave me the space to grow in every direction,” Handford said. “I didn’t have to limit myself.”

Top: The natural beauty of the Ole Miss campus first caught Stephanie Handford’s attention when she visited on a college tour, but the opportunities to excel in the classroom, laboratory and in creative pursuits have helped her prepare for a career in aerospace engineering. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services

See more photos from Stephanie Handford’s Journey to Commencement