Kathy Tidwell Is the Calm During the Storm and Through the Decades

Tidwell, the university's manager of contractual services, began her Ole Miss career as a records clerk for men's housing in January 1969, shortly after graduating from Lafayette High School. After 30 years working her way up through the ranks in the student housing office, she became manager of contractual services in 1997, and she's been there since.

Her role encompasses many things, but one critical unit under her leadership is Ole Miss Dining Services, which recently accomplished a herculean feat by helping feed the community during winter storm "Fern" and its aftermath.

Tidwell has seen many changes, as well as lots of constants, across campus, including periodic ice storms. And she brings to everything her experience, wisdom and calmness.

"Kathy is a compendium of Ole Miss wisdom and is very thorough when it comes to preparation and execution," said Chip Burr, Ole Miss Dining resident district manager. "She leaves nothing to chance."

During the 1994 ice storm, the campus did not lose electricity, but Tidwell learned lessons from that storm event that she and applied to "Fern."

Even though the Paul B. Johnson Commons, home of Rebel Market, did not lose power in the 1994 storm, Tidwell knew she needed a number of people on hand to feed students. She also made sure workers stayed close to campus as the storm moved in.

"We know if Oxford gets ice with the terrain here, travel is impacted," Tidwell said. "So, we made sure to have supplies, workers close by to work and ready to cook with gas should the electricity go out.

"Power was an issue this time, but we knew we have things that operate with gas and pilot lights and planned the menu around this."

Advances in technology made communication with her team, students and the community easier this go-round.

"We had Zoom this time, so communication is one of the biggest things that we had going for us that we didn't have in '94," she said. "We could communicate to the outside world and let students know what was being served and when."

A parent herself, Tidwell made sure to keep parents informed about how the university was caring for students.

"I meet a lot of parents at orientation, and they have my contact information," she said.

"I'm actually working with the grandchildren of the students that I knew years ago. I'm always happy to talk with students and parents and give them information and reassurance."

During the recent storm, the Dining Services team was able to comfort parents and the community via social media, the website and call center.

Across those channels the message was clear: No one will be turned away; everyone will be fed, regardless of if they are students or not.

"At a time like this, these are the people that are coming to eat," she said. "We don't know their situation. You can't turn people away for a meal in an emergency like this."

Tidwell's caring nature touches not only students, but also those with whom she works.

"Kathy is both inspiring and reassuring," said Monika Rudd, ID Center coordinator. "She leads with a calm, steady presence that makes even the busiest or most stressful days feel manageable.

"She truly cares about her team, not just as employees but as people."

Flora Jones, contractual services operations specialist, agrees.

"She always offers to help in any way that she possibly can, no matter the circumstance," Jones said. "She doesn't just talk about being a help; she actually cares and acts on it, sometimes without even asking."

Her love for helping people is also exhibited through her encouragement to seek higher education.

When she arrived at Ole Miss in 1969, Tidwell began her undergraduate degree in accounting while working full time. After earning that degree, she went on to earn a master's in higher education and a master's in counseling.

She challenges her coworkers to do the same – advance their education.

Micah Bowen, ID Center coordinator II, has worked with Tidwell for 21 years and has taken college courses off and on.

"I'm finally set to graduate this May, and Kathy has been a huge motivator in that journey," Bowen said. "She consistently encouraged me to keep going, even when life, work and school altogether felt so overwhelming. She truly leads by example and believed in me even when I doubted my own abilities."

Tidwell does not doubt her coworkers or Ole Miss students.

"The students that come to Ole Miss come here and participate in life and in what they learn here," she said. "There is a basic thirst for knowledge and many have the philosophy: 'I want to change. I want things to be better.'"

From her efforts to constantly improve the university's dining options to her work overseeing the university's contractual services and licensing operations, Tidwell's love of Ole Miss and her people is evident. Put simply, she is an icon.

"Not just because of her tenure, though that alone is remarkable, but she's shaped this university, and you can see her impact everywhere," said Amy Greenwood Anderson, Ole Miss Dining marketing manager. "The university is undeniably better because of her leadership and legacy."

Top: Kathy Tidwell, manager of contractual services, has served the university since 1969. She is one of the few employees who was with Ole Miss during the 1994 ice storm, and her calmness, experience and leadership was critical in enabling Dining Services to feed the campus and community during the January winter storm and its aftermath. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services