A former student-athlete at the University of Mississippi hopes his gift will show current and future Rebels that alumni are fully committed to their success in sports and in life after college.
A four-year UM cheerleader from 1988 to 1992, Robert Collins made a $125,000 gift to the Vaught Society, the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation’s (OMAF) fundraising level that provides financial assistance to student-athletes in the form of scholarships, academic guidance and wellness support.
“My wife, Melissa, and I hope our gift will show the prospective athletes that we are 100% committed to supporting the growth and success of our programs overall and we are 100% committed to supporting those who choose to become part of the Ole Miss family,” said Collins of Brentwood, Tennessee. “We want to reiterate, as the Ole Miss coaches have said, we are all in it to win it … both on and off the field for their current and future success.”
Collins earned a BBA from the UM School of Business Administration in 1992 and an MBA the following year when he took maximum hours while also working in a financial advisor internship at Northwestern Mutual. He later earned his Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) designation from Belmont University. Melissa Collins is a graduate in nursing from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
During his time as a student-athlete, Collins helped Ole Miss Cheerleading place 14th in the nation in 1990; No. 2 nationally in 1991 and No. 8 in 1992 at the Cheerleading Nationals competition.
The donor said competing together with his squad mates shaped his future.
“Some of life’s greatest lessons are learned on the field of play and they help prepare you for the competitive field of life we face afterwards,” said Collins, now CEO of The Wealth Management Group in Brentwood. “I learned what expectations and accountability were all about — performing double duty during football and basketball seasons when they overlap and double duty when Cheerleading Nationals overlap with a missed spring break and basketball playoffs.
“All these things require unwavering dedication, and I realize what those commitments are because I lived them,” he continued. “We want to recognize those commitments and reward them with our donations to promote the University of Mississippi and the student-athletes who choose to become part of our legacy and tradition.”
Matt McLaughlin, internal general manager for Ole Miss Athletics, expressed gratitude for the Collinses’ gift.
“Melissa and Robert have been supporters of Ole Miss Athletics through our Vaught Society since 2022. Their gifts have directly helped our student-athletes by underwriting scholarships and facility improvements, helping to keep the Rebels competitive in their respective sports and high-achieving in their classes,” McLaughlin said.
“We are extremely grateful for their dedication to the success of our student-athletes and programs.”
Collins is also a member of the Grove Society and a Life Member of the Ole Miss Alumni Association. For the Middle Tennessee Ole Miss Alumni Club, he served as Golf Chair from 1994 to 1997 and as president from 1997 to 2006. In college, he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity and a Kappa Delta houseboy.
The donor opened his own financial services firm in 1998, originally called Wealth Management Group of Tennessee. Now, The Wealth Management Group employs eight professionals, including three financial advisors, in Franklin, Tennessee.
He has earned LPL Financial’s distinguished Chairman’s Club and Chairman’s Council awards every year since 2011, and is a Summit Level advisor, awarded to the top 1% of LPL Financial Advisors. He is also a member of the Masters Council with Prudential Financial and holds top advisor designations with many other financial institutions.
“Melissa and I want to support Ole Miss student-athletes by encouraging them to take care of today while also thinking about and planning for tomorrow,” Collins said. “Taking the time to sit down and plan out your future while attending college can reap huge rewards in the future if you pay attention to detail.
“Student-athletes will go on to professional sports careers or to careers in other industries,” he continued. “Either way, taking the time to discuss the future and plan for it will put them a step ahead in life.”
Collins is a recognized public speaker and educator who has provided educational programs and seminars for individuals, organizations and corporations throughout the United States.
Additionally, he is active in his church and community, where he has served on the Board of Directors as Finance Chair and other roles for the Nashville Chapter of Entrepreneur’s Organization, and serves on the board of the Delta-Xi Chapter of Kappa Sigma among others.
The couple has three children: Smith (a 2023 Auburn University graduate), Keller (a UM senior) and Grayson (a UM freshman). All three played sports at Brentwood Academy — further solidifying their parents’ belief in the importance of supporting athletics.
“Brentwood Academy embodies a three-pronged approach to creating the ideal student experience by embracing all three phases of the student-life experience: mind, body and spirit,” Collins said. “Given the emphasis on body through athletics, we saw a profound difference in our kids’ lives through the challenges they faced in athletics as well as in the friendships they developed — friendships that will last a lifetime.”
To join the Vaught Society, contact Denson Hollis at denson@givetoathletics.com or 662-915-7159 or online here.
By Bill Dabney/UM Foundation