Sometimes the difference between staying in college and leaving comes down to a single expense.
For University of Mississippi Foundation CEO Wendell Weakley, that reality prompted a $50,000 gift designed to ease one of the most common — and often overlooked — barriers faced by students with financial need: the cost of textbooks.
Weakley’s contribution establishes the Weakley Family Ole Miss Opportunity Book Endowment, which supplements the Let’s Book It: Ole Miss Opportunity Book Fund. The fund expands support for students in Ole Miss Opportunity (OMO), a scholarship program that fills critical funding gaps for Mississippi students with limited financial resources.
Textbook costs average about $1,200 per year, an amount that can strain already tight budgets. Through the book fund, stipends for course materials are added to OMO scholarships, which already cover remaining educational costs after other financial aid resources are applied.
Weakley believes investing in students is essential to shaping Mississippi’s future.
“For many students, textbook costs are the deciding factor in whether they can stay in school,” Weakley said. “By easing that burden, we can create opportunities for more Mississippians to receive an Ole Miss education — one that gives every student, no matter their financial situation, a real chance to succeed.”
A study conducted by Bay View Analytics underscores that challenge, noting that “course materials are one charge students can’t opt out of and are often excluded from financial aid, unlike tuition and housing.” The study found that high textbook costs led about one-third of surveyed students to drop, withdraw from or fail a course.
“Ole Miss is committed to leading among higher education institutions in serving students who face barriers to attend college, including first-generation college students and those who encounter major financial hurdles,” said Chancellor Glenn Boyce. “Thanks to the Ole Miss Opportunity scholarship program and other resources, we are making the path to higher education more accessible for more Mississippi students.”
Ole Miss Opportunity guarantees that eligible Mississippi residents receive financial support covering the average cost of tuition, housing and meals. Since its inception in 2017, the program initially served students with family incomes of $32,500 or below. Beginning with the 2022–23 academic year, the income threshold increased to $40,000, allowing more students to qualify.
The program also covers additional housing costs for students who participate in FASTrack and live in its Living Learning Community rather than a traditional residence hall. Available to all new OMO students, FASTrack supports first-year retention by promoting academic success and easing the transition to college.
In addition, OMO eliminates income thresholds for upperclassmen renewal. As long as students remain Pell Grant eligible and meet enrollment requirements, they can continue receiving support even if family income increases.
Laura Diven-Brown, director of Financial Aid, described Ole Miss Opportunity as “a hidden gem that other schools don’t have,” noting that it fills funding gaps after all federal, state, institutional and private aid has been applied.
Students must be full-time, degree-seeking freshman Mississippi residents to qualify. Applicants must also be eligible for a federal Pell Grant and have at least a 3.0 high school grade-point average. Funding is available for up to eight regular semesters or until the student earns a first baccalaureate degree.
Each year, about 400 UM students benefit from Ole Miss Opportunity.
For more information about program benefits, eligibility and application requirements, visit https://finaid.olemiss.edu/omo, email finaid@olemiss.edu or call (800) 891-4596.
To make a gift to the Let’s Book It Fund, click here.
To make a gift in support of Ole Miss Opportunity, donors may mail a check to the University of Mississippi Foundation, 406 University Ave., Oxford, MS 38655, noting the fund in the memo line, or visit https://give.olemiss.edu. For additional information, contact Eloise Tyner, annual giving officer, at ewtyner@olemiss.edu or 662-915-1311.
By Bill Dabney/UM Foundation