Austin stays busy at Ole Miss

Accounting major Jessie Austin is an accomplished person.

The 21-year-old senior is the director of student involvement in the Associated Student Body, a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and president of the Rebels for United Way organization.

He was also recently inducted into the Hall of Fame.

“It’s still kind of surreal, even though it is a couple of days after the fact,” Austin said.

“I’ve been getting a lot congratulations, and a lot of people are very proud of me and the accomplishments I have.

“I feel very honored and of course I feel very humbled. I feel like I achieved something that I wasn’t necessarily aiming for, but I achieved something that a lot of people reach toward.”  

He is the son of Jessie Austin, Sr., and Doris Austin, and he has three sisters.

“Growing up with three sisters taught me lots of responsibility,” Austin said.

“My parents made sure I looked after my sisters, and they usually held me to a higher standard.”

Austin went to Murrah High School in Jackson, where he was heavily involved.

He participated in student government, sang in the choir and also made time for many other extracurricular activities. 

 
Austin said he likes to hang out with his friends at the bowling alley or the mall for fun.   

“I like to travel as well,” Austin said. “I plan on traveling some more this year, and I am hopefully doing my first international trip.

“I also love music. I sing, play piano and have written songs before.”

Austin said he enjoys helping young people, especially when his fraternity mentors at the Boys and Girls Club.   

In Austin’s job as director of student involvement, he tries to get students involved in ASB. He has helped coordinate and publicize events such as the Legacy gift campaign, where students are encouraged to donate $50 each semester for the betterment of Ole Miss.

He also helped coordinate Rock the Vote last week to encourage students to vote in the ASB election.  

As president of Rebels for United Way, he helps organize events for the organization.

“We recently have been brainstorming an alternate spring break project that would entail doing volunteer work here in Oxford or somewhere in Mississippi during spring break,” he said.   

Austin said he picked accounting as his major because he likes math and numbers.

“I didn’t want to become a math teacher, so I wanted to choose a major that incorporated those math skills and techniques,” Austin said.

“Accounting was a way I could do that. Also, I wanted to go into law and having an accounting and finance background is pretty beneficial for a lawyer.”

Austin advises anyone who aspires to be part of the hall of fame.

“Find an interest here at the University,” Austin said. “Mine is reaching out to younger people, mentoring.

“Use it for all four years and develop on that skill or talent.”