Levi Sides was determined to chart his own course at the University of Mississippi when he transferred after successfully completing two years at Northeast Mississippi Community College.
As the first member of his family to attend college, he is a pioneer in the halls of higher education. His unique journey also comes with a soundtrack because Sides, a senior, is pursuing a degree in music education at Ole Miss.
While the exceptional education and experiences offered in the UM Department of Music played a big part in Sides’ decision to attend the university, he said the generous financial resources he received from the various scholarships he was offered clinched the deal. Sides was awarded the Luckyday Success Scholarship, the Chancellor’s Leadership Scholarship, Phi Theta Kappa, Music Major Advantage, and marching band and choir scholarships.
Each scholarship plays a crucial role in his ability to thrive in his college career.
“These scholarships are providing me with the financial support needed to pursue my degree,” said Sides of Walnut, Mississippi. “In many ways, these scholarships are just as impressive as the educational experiences I’ve enjoyed at Ole Miss.”
He praises UM’s vibrant and esteemed Music Department, which aligns with his passion for music and education. Since arriving at the university, Sides said he has thrived academically and personally.
“The Music Department has provided me with a rich and diverse curriculum that I am excited to carry into my future as a music educator, inspiring the next generation of musicians,” he said.
Sides was faced with financial obstacles related to enrolling in college, but he was determined to further his education.
“I come from a single-income household, so attending college without these scholarships was out of the question for me,” he said. “I am thankful for the opportunity to pave a new path for my life.
“This degree will help me break the generational poverty that so many others do not get the chance to escape,” Sides said.
As a transfer student, the Luckyday Scholars Program has proven invaluable to Sides.
This scholarship program provides 80 Luckyday Success Scholarships to incoming freshmen for $24,000 ($6,000 annually for four years), and 25 community college transfer students, like Sides, each receive a scholarship for $12,000 ($6,000 annually for two years).
Since the program’s inception in 2000, the Luckyday Foundation of Jackson, Mississippi, has awarded more than 2,000 students — all Mississippi residents with a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher — Luckyday Success Scholarships.
As a Luckyday Scholar, students are engaged in four areas: scholarship, community, service and leadership. Luckyday Scholars also participate in rich programming, personal and professional development opportunities, and career planning through the program.
Scholars continue to receive support if they meet the requirements, which include maintaining a minimum GPA, participating in Luckyday programming and living their first year in the Luckyday Residential College — a living-learning community that includes a resident faculty fellow, dining hall, library and an exercise facility among other amenities.
Sides credits the Luckyday program and his many other scholarships for giving him so many life-changing opportunities.
“Those who support these scholarships provide so many students with the chance to better their lives,” he said. “I know for a fact that if it weren’t for people investing in me and my education, I would not be on the positive journey that I’m on today.”
For more information on establishing a student scholarship at Ole Miss, contact Brett Barefoot, executive director of central development, at bmbarefo@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2711.
By Georgia Kate Daniels/UM Development