The University of Mississippi, nicknamed Ole Miss, in Oxford, Mississippi was founded in 1848 with 80 students. It now has an enrollment of 14,307 students in nine academic divisions. Branch campuses are located in Tupelo and Southaven as well as the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
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2 University Facts 3 History 4 Athletics 5 Difference between Ole Miss and the University of Mississippi 6 Famous Rebels 7 More Information |
Schools and Colleges of Ole Miss
The colleges in the University Medical Center in Jackson are:
University Facts
The University is the home of a number of research centers.
Ole Miss is among the top 30 public institutions with largest endowments per student.
Ole Miss ranks 8th nationally for its production of 24 Rhodes Scholars and has produced three Truman and three Goldwater scholars since 1998.
History
The Lyceum is the oldest building on campus, built in 1848. It was used as a hospital during the Civil War for both Union and Confederate soldiers. It was also the site of the riots at Ole Miss during integration. Today, the building is used to house the administration of the school.
The school session was interrupted briefly during the Civil War, when every student and most faculty from Ole Miss enlisted in the Confederate Army. They were nicknamed the 'University Greys', and by war's end they suffered a 100% casualty rate.
The school was integrated in 1962 when 29-year-old James Meredith matriculated there. JFK called in 20,000 National Guard to protect Meredith. Two died and 300 were wounded in the resulting rioting. Today, approximately 13% of the student population is African-American.
William Faulkner's estate, Rowan Oak, is owned by the University. The town surrounding the campus is said to have inspired Faulkner and his imaginary "Yoknapatawpha County".
Athletics
Ole Miss' sports teams are called the Rebels. Ole Miss' athletic programs compete in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) of the NCAA. In 2003, the administration eliminated the Colonel Reb mascot in an attempt to rid the university of the negative connotations still associated with the university. (Until the early 90's the fans waved Confederate flags and the band played "Dixie" at all sporting events.) The Rebels' rivals are the Mississippi State University Bulldogs. The two teams clash every year during the "Egg Bowl" on Thanksgiving Night.
The University is buildings, trees and people. Ole Miss is mood, emotion and personality. One is physical, and the other is spiritual. One is tangible and the other intangible.
The University is respected, but Ole Miss is loved. The University gives a diploma and regretfully terminates tenure, but one never graduates from Ole Miss."
Frank E. Everett, Jr., B.A.'32 LL.B.'34
Further reading regarding the integration of the University and the role that incident played in the US civil rights movement:
Difference between Ole Miss and the University of Mississippi
"There is a valid distinction between The University and Ole Miss even though the separate threads are closely interwoven.Famous Rebels
More Information
Ole Miss Web Site
Official Ole Miss athletics site
University of MS Medical Center