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Documenting a Changed Campus

Ole Miss responds to storm with chicken dinners and hardy new oaks, proving that even a fractured skyline can't dampen a constant spirit

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The Grove Stage obscured behind a web of shattered limbs and fallen debris

OXFORD, Miss. — Four weeks ago, winter storm “Fern” brought more than just a freeze; it left the University of Mississippi fractured. As the ice slowly thawed, it revealed an estimated 100,000 cubic yards of debris across campus.

While recovery efforts have removed approximately 57,400 cubic yards of material to date, the university still mourns the loss of several storied trees that served as living landmarks for more than a century.

University photographers stepped onto campus to document the recovery process. Their images highlight the university’s dedication and determination to overcome the odds, restoring the place many call home while also assisting the Oxford community. 

Silhouette of the Peddle Bell Tower visible through the jagged, broken branches of a storm-damaged oak tree against a clear sky.
The Peddle Bell Tower stands framed by the fractured branches of a fractured oak following the historic January freeze. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay 
A student walking on a sidewalk past a massive, towering pile of brown crepe myrtle branches and debris stacked higher than a person's height.
A student walks past a massive pile of crepe myrtle debris outside the Trent Lott Leadership Institute as the university begins its first day of classes following winter storm “Fern” on Feb. 9. The university landscape was significantly altered by the freeze, which left behind an estimated 100,000 cubic yards of debris and forced a two-week campus closure. Photo by Hunt Mercier 
A commemorative stone bench in the Grove partially buried under a thick layer of ice and a tangle of fallen tree limbs and twigs.
A stone bench at the Grove remains covered in ice and fallen limbs a week after the storm. The university lost several older trees, including two willow oaks planted in 1932 near the Paul B. Johnson Commons in honor of George and Martha Washington by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The trees were weakened by age and disease and had to be cut after the storm. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay 
A long line of cars queuing at dusk in front of Oxford Middle School, with staff visible in the distance distributing meal boxes.
Cars queue during a drive-through dinner hosted by Ole Miss Dining Services outside Oxford Middle School on Feb. 6. The dining team distributed more than 2,000 free chicken tender meals to members of the LOU community affected by the ice storm. The outreach effort was supported by donations of 50 gallons of sweet tea by McAlister's Deli, 25 cases of bottled water from Ole Miss Facilities Management and 1,088 cases of product by the Cajun Navy. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay 
Sous chef Josephine Toliver wearing a mask and apron, focused on packing fried chicken and sides into Styrofoam containers inside a commercial kitchen.
Josephine Toliver (right) a sous chef for Ole Miss Dining Services, prepares boxed chicken dinners for the drive through at Oxford Middle School on Feb. 6. Drawing on experience from Hurricane Katrina and the COVID-19 pandemic, Ole Miss Dining Services management provided free meals to students and local residents at both the Rebel Market and satellite distribution points following the storm. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay 
A wide shot of the historic red-brick Ventress Hall with a large, shattered tree trunk and debris laying heavily in the grassy foreground.
A shattered trunk lies in the Circle near Ventress Hall. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay 
Two workers standing in a white cherry picker bucket high in the air, using tools to prune broken limbs from the upper canopy of a tall campus tree.
Workers from contractor Looks Great Services, of Columbia, dangle from a bucket as they inspect and prune damaged branches on campus. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay 
Bright yellow caution tape stretched across the frame in front of several damaged cedar trees at the historic William Faulkner estate.
Yellow caution tape cordons off a stand of damaged cedar trees in front of Rowan Oak, home of William Faulkner. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay 
Workers in high-visibility vests moving metal shelving and office furniture out of a clinical room with X-ray equipment.
Contract workers with NorthStar Recovery Services relocate furniture from the Student Health Center X-ray lab to facilitate repairs. While pre-storm preventative measures limited overall interior damage, frozen domestic water lines and fire suppression systems caused flooding in the facility. The health center was one of 10 campus buildings that sustained varying degrees of water damage during the freeze. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay 
Zyla Hanie, Ryan Starnes, and Mark Fanis in work gear standing at the back of a truck, loading heavy chainsaws and landscaping equipment.
UM Landscape Services arborists (left to right) Zyla Hanie, Ryan Starnes and Mark Fanis load equipment as they prepare for another day of campus restoration. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay 
A close-up view of a massive, century-old oak tree trunk that has been cut into thick, clean circular sections, resting on the grass at the Circle.
A century-old oak lies sectioned at the Circle on Feb. 4. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay 
Landscape workers using shovels to stabilize a young, slender tree in a freshly dug hole in the grassy Grove area.
Contract workers with the Department of Landscape Services plant new trees in the Grove on Feb. 13 as students return to the rhythm of the semester. While most trees will be replaced with the same species, arborists are occasionally opting for sturdier willow oaks to replace more 'finicky' water oaks to ensure a resilient future for the campus canopy. Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay 
A scenic view of the white-columned Lyceum building at dawn, bathed in soft golden light with the surrounding trees casting long shadows across the grass.
Golden morning light grazes the Circle and the Lyceum just as it has for generations, signaling a return to the university's familiar rhythms following the winter storm. While the landscape remains altered and recovery continues, the resilience of the community mirrors the enduring spirit of the university's alma mater: “Where the trees lift high their branches, To the whisp'ring Southern breeze.” Photo by Srijita Chattopadhyay 

Top: The Grove Stage sits obscured behind a web of shattered limbs and fallen debris. Photo by Kevin Bain

By

Kevin Bain, Srijita Chattopadhyay, Hunt Mercier

Campus

Published

February 23, 2026

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