Five Former UM Administrators Share Leadership Experience

The panel featured:

• Donald R. Cole, assistant provost emeritus and associate professor emeritus of mathematics
• Gloria D. Kellum, vice chancellor emerita for university relations and professor
• Thomas J. "Sparky" Reardon, dean emeritus of students
• Leslie Wright Showalter, assistant vice chancellor emerita for student affairs
• Judith D. Trott, dean emerita of students and assistant professor emerita of leadership and counselor education.

Their camaraderie, built over decades and shaped by shared challenges and triumphs, was evident as they shared stories of their time as students, faculty and members of the Ole Miss administration. They also provided observations on important ways the university has changed.

"I think our doors opened because we were willing to discuss race and racial reconciliation, and other people were not," Kellum said. "The pendulum has swung, and it's to the point where I think we are recognized as a very open university that provides opportunities for people to achieve."

Reardon said one of his proudest moments was helping create the University of Mississippi Creed.

"It's a statement of aspirations, not a set of rules," Reardon said. "I was big on saying I believe in being a good steward and taking care of what we have."

Another key to the university's growth is that the faculty and administration encourage imagination, Showalter said.

"The collaborative nature of the work here, and that affords us, each of us, all of you, opportunities to do things that are bigger than your specific job description, and that's a lot of fun," she said. "This place has been here a really long time, and it's going to continue if we show up every day and do the best we can."

The group was featured as part of the Dean of Students Community of Practice monthly professional development series in March. The session was held in the Ole Miss Student Union, Room 124.

"These individuals are true legends in the university's history, and it's imperative we learn everything we can from them as we seek to carry their legacies of dedicated service forward," said Brent Marsh, assistant vice chancellor and dean of students, who moderated the discussion.

Kellum said she hopes that everyone at Ole Miss experiences the reward of knowing they've made a positive impact on someone's life.

"It's a very important time in their lives, as we all know, and no matter what your job is, it impacts these opportunities for lifelong learning, and opportunities for success," Kellum said. "I hope that you will continue to do the great job you all are doing and really feel inside of yourself that there is a purpose, because you're helping people about the future of their lives."

Cole encouraged the next generation of campus leaders to recognize the importance of helping students feel that they belong. Although the university excels in teaching history and mathematics, it sometimes neglects teaching social skills that students need to thrive.

"You're not sitting in a job, you're sitting in a profession, and you have to do something with that profession," he said. "It's not, 'Let me see how I can get to the next position to make more money.' That's not the essence of it. The essence is service."

Trott closed the panel with a message about resilience and impact.

"When Sparky and I started in the Dean of Students office, it was just the two of us, a secretary, and no budget – but a lot of determination," she said. "We built student programming from the ground up, often relying on passionate graduate assistants who went on to become university vice chancellors and college presidents.

"Before the funding arrived, we found creative ways to serve students – and I'm proud of the impact we had on their careers and on campus life."

Top: A group of retired UM leaders – (from left) Donald Cole, Leslie Wright Showalter, Judith Trott, Gloria Kellum and Thomas 'Sparky' Reardon – gather to share insights and challenges from their time in the Ole Miss administration. Student Affairs Emeritus Admin Panel. Photo by Kevin Bain/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services