A family foundation with ties to the University of Mississippi and a belief in education as a solution to breaking cycles of poverty will provide textbook and learning-material stipends to students attending the university.
With its $500,000 gift establishing the Ramoo and Radhakrishnan Family Endowment, the foundation became a marquee donor for Giving Day 2025, which continues today.
The April 8-9 online, social media-driven Giving Day brings together students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends to match their passions with compelling projects all over campus, enhancing the student experience, academic programs and community offerings.
The major gift from the Ramoo and Radhakrishnan Family Foundation, represented by Regu Ramoo of Ashburn, Virginia, is designated to support the Let’s Book It: Ole Miss Opportunity Book Fund.
“From online resources to software subscriptions and specialized materials, these expenses can quickly become overwhelming — especially for students from low-income backgrounds,” said Ramoo, a 1984 UM mechanical engineering graduate. “By contributing to the Let’s Book It Fund, we hope to ease that financial burden and ensure that students can focus on their education without having to worry about how they’ll afford the essential tools for learning.”
The average cost of textbooks per student per academic year is $1,200. But stipends for textbooks will now be included with Ole Miss Opportunity (OMO) scholarships, which fill the crucial gap in funding after all other financial aid resources have been considered. Those eligible for the assistance are full-time, degree-seeking freshmen from Mississippi with a family income of $40,000 or less.
“We see this gift as more than just a financial contribution to deserving individuals; it’s a way to empower students to build brighter futures for themselves and those around them, while hopefully instilling a pay-it-forward mentality in others,” Ramoo said. “Our family firmly believes that education is not just an individual asset — it has the power to uplift entire families and communities.”
Two other donors have offered challenge gifts for the Let’s Book It Fund: The Madison Charitable Foundation of Port Gibson, Mississippi, committed to donate a two-to-one match for gifts of any size up to $50,000, and an anonymous donor pledged $10,000 for every 15 donors who make a gift of any size up to $100,000.
“By addressing textbook and course material costs through the Let’s Book It fund, we’re allowing our students to focus
on what matters most – their education,” said UM Chancellor Glenn Boyce. “We are extremely grateful to Regu Ramoo and his family’s foundation for their remarkable commitment to this effort. We encourage everyone who values educational opportunities to join them in creating pathways for Mississippi students.”
According to Inside Higher Ed, a study conducted by Bay View Analytics indicated that “course materials are one charge students can’t opt out of and are often excluded from financial aid, unlike tuition and housing.” Students also say high-priced course materials have resulted in them earning a poor grade (41%) and dropping (35%), withdrawing from (34%) or failing a course (31%).
The OMO program has 376 students (181 of which are freshmen) from 70 of the 82 counties in Mississippi. The university has moved the program to the Division of Access, Opportunity and Community Engagement, and Ole Miss plans to recruit more students who qualify for the assistance.
The division also has hired two new staff members to help OMO scholars successfully transition to college.
“We hope this gift makes a meaningful difference in OMO students’ lives by reducing one of the many financial stressors they face. By alleviating some of these costs, they can fully engage in their studies, stay in their programs and ultimately graduate with the confidence that they have a strong support system behind them,” Ramoo said. “More than anything, we want them to know that their success matters — that there are people who believe in their potential and want to see them thrive.”
His family’s gift is a testament to the education Ramoo received at Ole Miss — “This university gave me opportunities that changed my life …” — and extends a philanthropy legacy that began decades ago.
“Radhakrishnan is my wife’s maiden name, and our foundation is named in honor of both of our fathers. They were born in British-occupied Singapore in the 1920s and, despite not being formally trained educators, devoted their lives to teaching and uplifting those with limited access to education —especially local children in underserved communities,” Ramoo said.
“Their dedication instilled in us a deep respect for education as a force for good,” he continued. “This foundation, and this gift to Ole Miss, are part of that legacy.”
To make a gift to the Let’s Book It Fund or to learn about other initiatives and opportunities, visit the Giving Day website at https://givingday.olemiss.edu.
For more information on how to support the textbook fund, contact Brett Barefoot, executive director for central development, at bmbarefo@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2711.
By Bill Dabney/UM Foundation