(OXFORD, Miss.) – Anne and John Frame of Brentwood, Tenn., first became devoted to each other and to the University of Mississippi as college students more than five decades ago. Those affections have remained steadfast, and the couple recently committed $1 million to fund scholarships for deserving students to attend their alma mater.
“John and I attended Ole Miss at a magical time,” said Anne Frame, who was awarded one of UM’s prestigious Carrier Scholarships as a freshman. “We enjoyed great professors who cared about us and helped broaden our views of the world. We want to be good stewards of the blessings we have received in our lives, and that led to supporting a scholarship fund.”
John Frame agreed, saying, “Ole Miss opened doors to leadership and other opportunities that have carried us throughout our lives. Professors, such as Dr. [Huey] Howerton, nurtured us but encouraged us to try our wings. Ole Miss gave me the confidence to do whatever I decided to do. We have remained active alumni, and I think the Ole Miss of today is magnificent. Although we earned a great education, what’s here now for students is so much more. There’s been such good stewardship of resources.”
For those reasons, the Frames have created the John T. and Anne E. Frame Scholarship Endowment to award assistance based on need and merit. First preference for the scholarship will be given to those students from southeast Missouri, where John Frame grew up. Otherwise, the funds will be made available to Ole Miss Opportunity, a fund created to help Mississippi students from low-income families pursue college degrees in light of statewide tuition increases.
“We are profoundly grateful to Anne and John Frame for their long-term commitment to the University of Mississippi and for their generosity that will impact many lives,” said UM Chancellor Dan Jones. “When I first met the Frames, I immediately sensed their deep love for Ole Miss and their desire to help strengthen it for future generations. Providing scholarships for deserving students to pursue their degrees is one of the best investments imaginable, and we thank Anne and John for both their vision and for their trust in us.”
Deborah Vaughn, senior executive director of development, echoed that sentiment. “Anne and John Frame are warm, genuine people who truly care about people, education and their alma mater. Their thoughtful generosity will help so many young people benefit from tremendous college experiences that prepare them for meaningful lives and careers. We are truly grateful to this extraordinary couple,” she said.
Different journeys brought Anne and John Frame to UM. A native of Meridian, Anne said she remembers listening with her father to Ole Miss football games on the radio. When the call came announcing her selection for a Carrier Scholarship to Ole Miss, her family was ecstatic, she said.
“I loved it here on the Oxford campus,” Anne said. “The night I pledged Chi Omega, Mary Ann Mobley crowned Lynda Lee Mead ‘Miss America’ – both were Chi Omegas from our chapter. The student body was smaller, and everyone knew each other. Our sorority house was filled with people. The whole campus was excited!”
After earning an undergraduate degree in liberal arts and a graduate degree in education, Anne taught in middle schools and high schools for several years.
On the other hand, John Frame visited the Oxford campus from his Steele, Mo., home to try out for the basketball team. He didn’t make the team but liked what he saw in the school so much that he stayed. John was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha, serving as president of that fraternity. He earned an undergraduate degree in history, joined the ROTC program and was commissioned as a second lietenant by the U.S. Army upon graduation. He served in the Army Reserves for 22 years, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
John furthered his education by earning a Master of Divinity from Emory University and has taught not only classes in Emory’s continuing education program but also has taught stewardship throughout the United States and internationally. He made his career in the financial services industry for 40 years. The last 14 years of that time he was with Invesco AIM, a leading independent global investment management firm, where he retired as a senior vice president. After his retirement, he founded Frame Financial Services and continues to work in the financial field from his office in Brentwood.
The Frames met as sophomores at Ole Miss, and like some other couples of the time, they were married while students – for them toward the end of their junior years. They kept the marriage a secret until their graduation and have been married for 50 years. They are the parents of three grown children: Steven, Sharon and John, and the grandparents of two: Jessica and Spence.
The Frames established their endowment with a cash gift and will complete the scholarship fund through future gifts and their estates. With this endowment, they become members of UM’s 1848 Society, which recognizes alumni and friends who fund or plan a deferred gift in support of the university. Advance knowledge of bequest plans enables the university to fully understand and follow donors’ wishes, in addition to enabling the university to thank and recognize donors for their generosity.
For more information on the 1848 Society, call the UM Foundation at 800-340-9542 or go to www.umfoundation.com and click on “planning a gift.”
Tina Hahn