After visiting the University of Mississippi and falling in love with the campus and the city of Oxford, Mississippi, senior Henri Long of Madison, Mississippi, decided that attending was the right choice for her.
“I’ve loved my time here at Ole Miss,” said Long, who will graduate this month with an undergraduate degree from the Patterson School of Accountancy.
“My mentors, peers, accounting professors and advisors at Ole Miss have made choosing my career path so easy by giving me clear guidelines, growth opportunities and support,” said Long, the recipient of the Claude Thompson Ole Miss First Scholarship. “They have challenged me to do my best in so many aspects of my life including academics, involvement and community service.”
The Ole Miss First Scholar’s academic career has been one of quiet achievement, said Ole Miss First Program Director Rosie McDavid.
“Henri is steadfast and does incredible work with a kind and gentle heart,” said McDavid. “You’d never know all that she’s been able to accomplish because she is very humble and doesn’t expect accolades to happen.”
Those achievements include receiving various other scholarships as well as academic awards including a Taylor Medal, the university’s highest academic award; and being named to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, an honor program for students who excel academically and demonstrate leadership and community service on and off campus.
“The scholarships motivated me each semester to continue to work hard in college through academics and involvement because I have seen and lived the benefits that hard work can bring,” Long said.
The senior has accepted a job at KPMG in Dallas, Texas, which she will begin in the fall of 2024 after she completes a master’s degree in accountancy and data analytics and earns her CPA license.
The Ole Miss First program provides valuable mentoring and leadership development to its scholarship recipients. Freshmen are selected for the scholarships based on outstanding high school records of academic excellence, leadership and a commitment to service. For more information on the Ole Miss First Scholarship program, visit https://omf.olemiss.edu. For information on supporting an Ole Miss First Scholarship, contact Catherine Adkins, development associate for university initiatives and special projects, at ceadkins@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2384.
By Sara Mahmound and Mary Knight/UM Development