Ole Miss Opportunity Scholarship Expands to Cover Textbook Funds

Chancellor Glenn Boyce announced the Let's Book It: Ole Miss Opportunity Book Fund on Tuesday (April 8) as part of the institution's annual Giving Day. The program is an expansion of Ole Miss Opportunity, a scholarship program that fills crucial funding gaps for Mississippi students with financial need.

The fund will cover some of the estimated $1,200 average annual cost of textbooks, which represents a significant financial barrier for many students. Unlike previous years, stipends for textbooks will be included with OMO scholarships, which cover remaining costs after all other financial aid resources have been considered.

"Ole Miss is committed to leading among higher education institutions in serving students who face barriers to attend college, including first-generation college students and those who encounter major financial hurdles," Boyce said. "Thanks to the Ole Miss Opportunity scholarship program and other resources, we are making the path to higher education more accessible for more Mississippi students."

Two donors have offered challenge gifts for the campaign: The Madison Charitable Foundation, of Port Gibson, committed $50,000 for a two-to-one match for gifts of any size, and an anonymous donor pledged $10,000 for every 15 donors who make a gift of any size up to $100,000. The Paul and Sherry Broadhead Foundation, of Meridian, has committed $75,000 to the OMO book fund.

Students eligible for the assistance are full-time, degree-seeking freshmen from Mississippi with a family income of $40,000 or less.

"The Let's Book It Fund is vital because required textbooks are essential purchases for all students," the chancellor said. "We are grateful to challenge-gift donors for their remarkable commitments.

"Our university community values educational opportunities, and we invite everyone to join these generous donors in supporting this transformational program."

Joc Carpenter, a UM alumnus and board member of the Madison Charitable Foundation said the Let's Book It fund appealed to the foundation because it helps Mississippians.

"The foundation is deeply committed to helping people in need," Carpenter said. "The availability of funds to purchase textbooks is vitally important to these scholarship recipients.

"We want to support whatever helps these students arrive at the finish line of their higher education pursuits. That will enhance their futures personally as well as strengthen the economic outlook for Mississippi."

The campaign's goal is to raise a minimum of $275,000 by June 30 – and each year afterward – to be used for the subsequent academic year.

UM alumni and friends are encouraged to make investments in these young people who will be integral to changing the trajectory of Mississippi's future, said Shawnboda Mead, vice chancellor for the Division of Access, Opportunity and Community Engagement.

"For some students, the cost of textbooks can be the tipping point that determines whether they continue pursuing their education," Mead said. "Removing this barrier allows us to foster a more accessible learning environment, one in which all students, regardless of financial circumstances, have an opportunity to succeed and persist in their education."

According to a study conducted by Bay View Analytics, "course materials are one charge students can't opt out of and are often excluded from financial aid, unlike tuition and housing." The study reports that high-priced course materials resulted in about a third of surveyed students dropping, withdrawing from or failing a course.

The OMO program has 376 students – 181 of whom are freshmen – from 70 of the state's 82 counties. The university has moved the program to the Division of Access, Opportunity and Community Engagement, and Ole Miss plans to recruit more students who qualify for the assistance.

The division also has hired two new staff members to help OMO scholars successfully transition to college.

The April 8-9 online, social media-driven Giving Day brings together students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends to match their passions with compelling projects across campus, enhancing student experience, academic programs and community offerings.

To make a gift to the Let's Book It campaign or to learn about other initiatives and opportunities, visit the Giving Day website.

For more information on supporting the OMO textbook fund, contact Brett Barefoot at bmbarefo@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2711.

Top: Ole Miss Opportunity scholarship recipients will get stipends to purchase textbooks and learning materials beginning this fall. Covering the cost of textbooks can be a challenge for some college students. Photo by Amy Howell/University Development