It is that time of the year again — schools across the nation are beginning another academic year.
For months, high school graduates and junior college transfer students have gone through the
arduous process of deciding where they will take their next steps. This process can be
overwhelming for some, but others have always had a clear idea of which school they will
attend.

For Hailey Beard, a transfer student from Northeast Community College in Booneville, Miss.,
continuing her education at the University of Mississippi was an easy choice.

“There was no better option for my education as an integrated marketing communications major
on the pre-law track than Ole Miss,” Beard said. “My family has always come to Ole Miss
events, so I have always been very comfortable with the campus. When I visited the School of
Journalism and New Media, the decision just felt so right and easy.”

Beard explained that the SJNM’s caring faculty and successful alumni were instrumental in her
decision to attend Ole Miss.

“The faculty is always willing to help the students get involved with internships or clubs. They
have such an amazing reputation for helping their students after college and where they end up
working that this seemed to be the obvious choice for me,” Beard said.

Freshman student and Southaven, Miss., native Samuel Quon shared sentiments similar to
Beard’s.

“The faculty here is very encouraging, exciting and helpful. The staff and students at visit days
and orientation felt genuinely excited to be there and help, and my professors want to teach and
make an impact on us,” Quon said.

Quon added that feeling comfortable after leaving home for the first time was another huge
factor in his choice to attend UM.

As with most students, tuition and scholarships also played a role in Quon’s college decision.
“The tuition is not outrageous, especially being in-state, and the scholarships that I was awarded
allowed me to not consider financials hardly at all,” Quon said.

The university’s accounting school is ranked as one of the best programs in the country for its
classes and for job placement after graduation. This greatly influenced Quon when he was
choosing where to attend school.

“As an accounting major, the strength of the Patterson School of Accounting heavily influenced
my decision to come to Ole Miss. They heavily advertise themselves as one of the best
accounting programs in the nation, and at my orientation, my advisers and teachers I met there
proved that by being very well-spoken and eager to help us,” Quon said.

Sophomore hospitality management major Lauren Bachmann said that both her freshman and
sophomore years at UM offered her new experiences and personal growth.

While Bachmann has enjoyed her time as a student and has already visited the Lyric for a
concert, she initially found some aspects of campus life puzzling.

“I thought the meal plan was a bit confusing,” Bachmann said. “And there should probably be a
Blackboard crash course.”

Meanwhile, Northwest Community College transfer student Kaleb Parish offered his perspective
on adjusting to Ole Miss.

“It’s definitely been a change of pace and scenery from what I was used to,” Parish said.
As a finance major, Parish has been successful in finding organizations that suit his needs and
area of expertise.

“I’ve definitely found a few organizations that I’ve been interested in, such as the financier’s
club,” Parish said. “It’s honestly a little intimidating because you hear all these people say how
hard a university is, but so far I’ve enjoyed my experience.”

While not without their fair share of criticism, students seem overwhelmingly positive about the
past few weeks on campus as well as optimistic for what the future holds. This fall semester
looks to be a promising one.