I am graduating.
Yes, in just a few short days I will be another job-searching Ole Miss alumnus who cannot help but constantly reminisce about my "good ole days" as an undergrad. And, as a soon-to-be alumnus of our beloved university, I feel obligated to write the rather clichéd "parting words of advice" column. I am not sure if I am one for giving good advice, nor am I sure if anyone would heed it in the first place, but here it goes.
Eat breakfast at the Beacon. That's it. That's my advice.
Superficially it does not seem like much, but sitting in the diner-style booths and watching the constant influx of dedicated, regular customers conjures up images of a past which Ole Miss has recently been attempting to distance itself from. While I do not support much if any of the characteristics this dark, southern history, I welcome its memory as a way of reminding us that who we are hinges greatly on what we once were. Seeing a room wallpapered with confederate flags and eating off a menu that likely has not changed since the place opened gives one the feeling that they are dining in a Mississippian time capsule. It is this steadfast cling the Beacon has on its past allows me to appreciate it as a reminder of the rocky road over which Ole Miss has traveled to become an increasingly progressive institution.
The segregationist history of Mississippi, the importance of our campus in the Civil Rights Movement, and the South's long-standing economic disparity have, whether we are willing to admit it or not, shaped our community and our university to what it is today. This means that if we are to appreciate our alma mater, we should most certainly appreciate its past.
No, we should not at all love it, but it should be respectfully recognized.
My undergrad years have been rife with changes. Everything from football head coaches to university conduct policies have changed greatly in the last few years, keeping me well aware that Ole Miss is ever evolving in its goal to maintain the ideals of "a great American public university." While many of these changes are necessary, good and welcomed, I continually worry they serve to eliminate both the good and the bad memories of what we once were. Many of us quickly hang our heads in shame over the events of the past, but I feel we should optimistically look at them as lessons learned. Without these events, we would not be the resilient, hopeful people that we are.
Along with the changes to our university, Oxford is slowly, but rather steadily, becoming a cookie-cutter college town. Increasing insurance rates and liability risks have killed far too many of the uniquely Oxonian establishments and allowed bland chain businesses and overpriced condominiums to fill in the unused space. While it is true that the market forces at hand dictate such changes, we are not completely out of control.
The Beacon is uniquely Oxonian and does an excellent job of reminding its patrons of places such as the Gin, the Hoka and a multitude of other establishments that made Oxford what it was. Keeping this memory of the Oxford of the past in mind, we can be more careful as to what we allow it to become in the years to come.
When I sit down for breakfast at the Beacon, all of the whirlwind forces of change seem to subside, if only for a few minutes, allowing me - and everyone else there - to observe what we once were while looking forward to what we will become. Change is, for the most part, good. We need it; however, we should never even dare to omit the discussion and even slight regard of why change is necessary. The Beacon does a greater job of any other place in Oxford of keeping us keenly aware of this past and optimistic toward the future.
Oh, and one final suggestion. Get the hash browns.
By Matthew Archer
Staff Reporter
Ole Miss will be well represented this year as 2008 Hall of Fame recipient Shad White takes a spot on the USA Today All-Academic Third Team.
The program, comprised of three teams of twenty students from around the country, is fiercely competitive and has an intense application process with an interesting essay portion.
"The prompt is to write an essay on the most challenging academic experience of your college career," said White, a senior engineering and political science major from Sandersville, Miss. "I went to a moderately-sized public school in South Mississippi, and I've had an interest in public education, so I wrote my paper on things I've done over four years to be involved in public education."
White's path to success has been an interesting one, involving countless hours of volunteering and public service.
"In the summer of 2006, I lived in El Salvador and worked in an orphanage from May to August," he said. "The change in my perspective of the term 'need' was substantial. I met a family of three sisters, all younger than ten years old, who were rummaging through a dumpster for food when they were found by nuns.
"To see the repercussions of the absence of economic development and a suitable public education system both disturbed me and inspired me to redouble my efforts to effecting change via public service."
"I had a great time," White said. "I saw firsthand how common every human on this planet is, regardless of where you are from or your station in life."
White also played a significant role in the last year's state auditor's race.
"In the summer of 2007, I served as head campaign coordinator for Stacey Pickering for State Auditor," he said. "This was one of the most demanding summers of my life, but it showed me how an intelligent, motivated public servant can be successful in electoral politics as long as they have something to say.
"I learned more about the nature of Mississippi's political process in two months than in twenty-one years previous."
But White's personal successes are not the only impressive aspects of his personality. His friendly, approachable persona and unparalleled integrity also have people talking.
"Ever since I have known him, I have been continually impressed by his drive to overcome obstacles and succeed at whatever he sets his mind upon," said senior international studies major and long-time friend Anthony Yuen. "Extremely active both on campus and off, he spends his time tiring over ways to improve the world around him, while excelling in his studies, which, for most of us, is all we have time for."
"His determination and diligence is well complimented by an expansive scope of knowledge on what he cares so much about," Yuen said. "He, like many other politically-inclined college students, knows the issues that our country and our state face today, but what distinguishes him is his grasp of both sides of the issues."
As for his future plans, White hopes to continue his education and apply to graduate school.
"I finish up in May and I'm going to work for a year in Washington, probably in the Department of Education," he said. "Then maybe grad school - I wouldn't mind going abroad for grad school.
"I've also thought about Princeton's grad program which is heavily geared toward public service."
According to Yuen, Shad is " one of those people that after you meet, the first thing that comes to mind is, 'he's going places.'"
