The Ole Miss Family Leadership Council invested more than $400,000 in the University of Mississippi this year to strengthen the student experience, bringing the FLC’s total commitment to $2.2 million from 266 families over more than a decade.
“Ole Miss is extremely fortunate to have remarkable parents who clearly want to be involved and use their resources to enhance the Ole Miss experience for all students. We are deeply grateful to have such dynamic, engaged parents who are entrusting us with the educational foundations of their children,” said Brett Barefoot, executive director for central development.
Included in the 19 projects recently selected for allocations are:
- $51,000 to purchase three Piccolo lab analyzers — two for Student Health and one for Employee Health — to run common blood tests on-site with results in about 12 minutes. This allows patients to be diagnosed and treated in a single visit, reducing anxiety and preventing complications.
- $50,000 to create the Family Leadership Council Scholarship Endowment. The scholarship will support first-generation students, reflecting the university’s strong commitment to expanding access to higher education for students who are the first in their families to attend college.
- $48,550 to cover startup costs and purchase a passenger van for the Center for Community Engagement. This investment will increase student participation, strengthen leadership development and remove challenges to meaningful community-based learning opportunities.
- $30,000 to purchase a transit van for Grove Grocery, the food pantry at Ole Miss. Community partnerships allow volunteers to pick up free food weekly, but transportation and storage limit these efforts. A transit van will expand capacity, ensure reliable pickups and make initiatives sustainable.
- $26,000 to purchase a WriteSea software platform. WriteSea is an AI-powered career platform that helps students create resumes, optimize cover letters, prepare for interviews and navigate salary negotiations. Available 24/7, it extends career services beyond regular office hours.
- $15,000 to the Hotty Toddy Tech Pass: Laptop Voucher Program. The Hotty Toddy Tech Pass launched in 2025, lending all 25 laptops within two weeks and placing many students on a waitlist, showing high demand and financial need. This funding will create a program providing $500 vouchers for students to buy their own laptops.
- $14,000 to fund uniforms for the Columns Society, ensuring these official student ambassadors represent the university with professionalism at key campus and community events. The Columns Society members play a vital role in welcoming guests, supporting major events and promoting UM’s image and traditions.
Lisa and Greg Canzano of Atlanta, Georgia, joined the FLC when their daughter, Gianna, achieved her goal of obtaining a spot on the Ole Miss Cheer Team.
“We have really enjoyed being part of the Ole Miss Family Leadership Council. The benefits are amazing, including meeting and befriending other extraordinary Ole Miss parents and their students, being invited to a group talk by a Rebel head coach and getting a ‘behind the scenes’ tour of the sports facilities,” said Greg Canzano, adding that he also enjoyed hearing from UM Chancellor Glenn Boyce and Oxford Mayor Robyn Tannehill.
“While those benefits alone are well worth the membership, probably the most rewarding aspect is knowing the collective contributions of the council are genuinely impacting the university via specific impressive programs and initiatives,” he continued. “Our membership in the council has given us a much deeper appreciation for the university’s state and national impact and for its exciting future.”
Lori and Dave Althoff of Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, had no prior connection to Mississippi when their son, Digby, enrolled, leading them to join the FLC to experience being part of the Ole Miss Family.
“While we have thoroughly enjoyed every FLC meeting so far, the fact that our collective donations fund such important student-facing projects is by far the most rewarding,” said Lori Althoff. “During our tenure, projects related to student mental and physical health needs, food insecurity and other student support services have been funded.
“This year the council also funded projects related directly to supporting first-gen students and other students with additional financial needs. It is personally uplifting to know that we are directly improving the experience of specific students in real time. That feeling is a different sort of warm and fuzzy,” she said.
Twenty-one states are represented in the FLC, which meets once per semester. Additionally, its members gather in the Grove each fall for tailgates before two football games.
To become council members, parents of Ole Miss students donate a minimum of $5,000 annually. To learn more about the Family Leadership Council, contact Brett Barefoot at bmbarefo@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2711.
By Tina H. Hahn/UM Development