The Velvet Ditch, or Gateway of Opportunity?

By: Margaret Savoie and Sandra Spiroff

“The Velvet Ditch” is a term coined in the 1950s to describe Oxford and its surrounding areas, implying that it is easy to fall into its comforts, but hard to leave. When attending or working at the University of Mississippi (UM), people find it easy to make the region their new home. The students who enroll in graduate programs at the University of Mississippi come from all over the state, nation, and world. We have individuals from Madison, Iuka, Southaven, South Carolina, Idaho, South America, Sudan, Italy, Pakistan, Palestine, and India, to name just a few.

Though many students move away from the University and the region after graduation, others find opportunities nearby, making these environs their permanent home. A sense of community and familiarity keeps alumni rooted in the area. Some of them agreed to offer insights into life after graduate studies.

Kathryn Early, M.B.A. in 2022, values the community she found at the University and appreciates the opportunity to connect with others in her field. She said, “My favorite part of the grad school at UM was being able to form connections with not only the people in the program but also our teachers and alumni.”

Early, originally from the Woodlands, Texas, is a credit analyst at FNB here in Oxford. Moreover, she is not alone in being a local alum at FNB. Many of the employees have also completed graduate degrees and undergraduate degrees from the University.

Eli Bryant, of Walnut, Mississippi, decided to continue his academic career at the University not only because of the opportunities and programs, but also because of the community and familiarity of it. Bryant is a recent 2023 graduate of the residential M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications program. He is staying in Oxford as a project engineer at J.P. Corp General Contractors working on commercial construction projects around Oxford and campus.

Similarly, Wesley Henry stayed local.  He earned an M.S. in Mathematics in 2013 while also working at Shaw Ace Hardware on University Avenue (formerly known as Sneed’s).  He is now a store manager.

He said, “Even though my career path did not follow my area of study, the skills and knowledge I learned during this time have made a significant impact on the success I have had in my career.”

Community and relationships were important for Henry during and after his time at the University. He said that they were an integral and favorite part while studying.

Some alumni do leave Oxford, but stay in the vicinity, such as Memphis, Tennessee.

Megan Garner Jones, originally from Oxford, completed her undergraduate studies at the University and then stayed for an additional year to complete her M.B.A. in 2018. Jones currently works for FedEx as a Product Management Advisor on the Transformation Marketing Team.

Jones reflected on her time in the M.B.A. program, “My time at the University was a wonderful experience and something I think of often.”

Like Jones, Chathurika Abeykoon, has found employment in Memphis.  Originally from Kurunegala, Sri Lanka, Abeykoon will join the faculty of Rhodes College this Fall. This May (2023), she earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics with emphasis in Statistics.

She said, “To pursue my Ph.D. in Mathematics at the University of Mississippi five years ago, I flew 9000 miles.  My time here has been wonderful, and I believe that it prepared me to be a strong candidate in the course of my recent job search.  Ultimately, I am pleased and proud to be chosen to join Rhodes College as a tenure-track faculty member.”

These alumni have important insight to life after completing a graduate or professional degree. Some say the benefit of a graduate degree is that the course work becomes more interactive and in depth.

Jordan Watson (M.B.A. 2013), originally from Jackson, Mississippi, believes that the benefit of graduate studies is the chance to connect with peers on a personal level. He emphasizes that the people one meets in graduate school may become valuable professional contacts.

He said, “Don’t just enroll into a program for the designation or education. Meet your classmates and get to know them on a personal level, it can be an incredible professional network for you. A lot of these students will go on and do amazing things – far and wide.”  Watson’s current position is with FedEx as an Alliance Manager.

Many students believe that they must leave their hometowns and look for opportunities in larger cities; but that is not necessarily the case.

Dr. Patrick Washington, who received his masters and doctorate from the University, is a testament to the potential for greatness in the community. Originally from Ashland, Mississippi, he earned a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction in 1999 and a Doctorate in Education in 2015.  He was elected superintendent in Mississippi from 2008-2012 and is founding principal of Promise Academy-Springhill. He is also the founder and CEO of Man Up Teacher Fellowship.

Washington said, “I believe that all of us are born with the potential to change the world….our first opportunity to positively impact our world begins in the community where we are from or where we currently live. It doesn’t matter if it’s New York or New Albany, when we give ourselves to a mission or calling then that work will have a far-reaching impact that oftentimes will extend beyond state boundaries.”

He continued, “I am beyond appreciative of the knowledge, experiences, and life-long friendships that I acquired while being at [the University of Mississippi]. I often recommend my staff and educators to enroll there because of the great opportunities that have been afforded to me because I made the decision to attend there.”

Students of the UM Graduate School do indeed have the potential to change the world. We are excited to see what each student accomplishes with their degree and the different paths they take, and we welcome our graduate alumni, both near and far, to remain part of the extended Graduate School family and community.

 

If you’d like to be featured in an alumni story or have a suggestion for one, then please email gschool@olemiss.edu.

 

2023 Spring Newsletter

1. Welcome
2. Celebrating the Doctoral Class of 2023
3. Meet our Elite Scholars!
4. Portrait of a Business Woman and Lifelong Learner
5. On Current Research Related to Race and Ethnicity
6. The Velvet Ditch, or Gateway of Opportunity?

 

2022 Winter Newsletter

Link to Winter Newsletter 2022