As an interdisciplinary program, the Southern Studies graduate program focuses on diversity. The new group of graduate students reflects this diversity through their backgrounds and interests, yet they have come together at Ole Miss to learn about the South.

A self-described Air Force brat, William Thomas is from a little bit of everywhere. After completing his undergraduate degree at Stanford, William traveled to Oxford with the intention of studying film. His goal is to create a resource for Mississippi filmmakers and possibly to work in films himself.

Andrew Roesell from Springfield, Virginia, is a graduate of George Mason University. Andrew's undergraduate interests were in geography and land use planning. Those interests transferred to the Southern Agrarian Movement. Andrew's future plans are to teach high school and do freelance writing.

Joe Anoatubby is a Chickasaw Indian from Oklahoma. Joe already holds a master of arts degree in history with an emphasis in Chickasaw history from the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. Joe first learned of the Southern Studies program when he met Bill Ferris at an honor's seminar in Oklahoma City. While here, Joe would like to help draw more in the curriculum on Native American influences in the South. He also feels that his research will be aided by living in Northeast Mississippi, being closer to the original Chickasaw sources.

Although Charlene Dye grew up in Georgia, she moved to Oxford from Santa Fe, New Mexico. After she received her master of arts in English, Charlene spent nearly 20 years teaching community college and high school. Charlene became interested in the Southern Studies program when she attended the Faulkner Conference. Charlene is interested in the connection of music to writing in the South and is currently conducting research on jug bands.

Uta Beckman has traveled the farthest to study in our hallowed halls. Uta is an exchange student from Munich, Germany. Her American culture studies at Ludwig- Maximilians-Universitae prompted her to look into the Southern Studies program. Uta received a scholarship through the German Academic Exchange Service, a group that sponsors postgraduate and some undergraduate research. Uta says that every time she visited the United States, she found herself coming to the South. Although her primary interest is the Gullah Islands, Uta says, "I'm constantly changing my mind. Basically I'm trying to broaden my horizons and take as many different courses as possible."

Jennifer Gilbert is from Rogers, Arkansas. Jennifer's undergraduate work at the University of Arkansas included studies in history and English. Her current interests are the New South and the Arkansas Delta. Jennifer feels that the Southern Studies program has given her a forum to do what she wants to do, and certainly an interdisciplinary perspective. Jennifer plans to pursue a doctorate in history with an emphasis on the South.

Another Arkansas native, Walker Lasiter is from Little Rock, but he's no stranger to Ole Miss. Walker received his undergraduate degree in Southern Studies and his law degree from the University of Mississippi. Walker is primarily interested in blues music and is currently working for Living Blues. In the future, Walker would like to combine his Southern Studies and law degrees by working for blues artists in the entertainment field.

Stan Gray hails from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Stan visited Oxford in the fall of 1994 and attended the welcome back party for Southern Studies graduate students. When asked why he decided to return and join the program, he answers with a grin, Ron (Nurnberg's) cooking! Originally, Stan intended to study religion and politics in the South, but he has turned his attention towards bluegrass. Stan has learned to play the banjo and recently organized a Lafayette County bluegrass performance. Stan's future plans are to go into folklore or cultural tourism.

Kelly Haines is from Florida and he attended the University of Florida where he received a degree in anthropology. Kelly is currently conducting a community study of a town in Florida where circus and carnival people live in their off-season. Kelly is also a musician and a fiction writer.

Carlos Luna attended the University of California at Berkeley and majored in Interdisciplinary Studies. He's focusing his studies here on how cities shape culture, primarily how Memphis and Beale Street have shaped African American culture and the music industry. Carlos intends to remain in Oxford and pursue a doctorate in history.

Matt McMillen is from Washington D.C., but he did his undergraduate work at Loyola University in Chicago. Matt joined the program to study black gospel music. Ultimately, Matt would like to work at the Smithsonian or the Library of Congress. He also has interests in pursuing a doctorate in American Studies or American history.

Kerry Taylor is most recently from Gary, Indiana, where he completed a degree in Labor Studies from Indiana University. Kerry also has a degree in journalism and worked as a reporter for three years for the daily newspaper in Gary. Kerry's interest in the South grew from traveling through the region to visit his mother's family in Savannah, Georgia. Kerry wants to study social change in the South or, as he puts it, How do people without power get power? He plans to look at that question historically and sociologically.

Sarah Sanders is from Knoxville, Tennessee. Her studies at the University of Tennessee included economics and American Studies. Those interests brought her to Oxford where she wants to study history and literature, well, everything!

While working on a history degree from the University of Virginia, Sarah Torian studied a lot of Southern history. Her interest in studying the history of race relations and the psychology of racism in the South drew Sarah to the Southern Studies program. Before coming to Oxford, Sarah worked at the Virginia Museum of Natural History and in the future would like to work in a museum field that pays money. Sarah is from Martinsville, Virginia.

Stacey Cooley is from Chiefland, Florida, and learned of the Southern Studies program from one of her professors at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Stacey is primarily interested in voodoo and is currently studying with a man in Memphis who owns a spiritual supply company. In addition to her research, Stacey is also considering going through voodoo initiation herself.

Originally from Minneapolis, Kate Edwards came to Oxford by way of New York. Prior to entering the program, Kate worked in publishing for various magazines and did freelance research for television. Eventually, Kate intends go into American Studies, but thinks that Southern Studies is a good place to start. She wants to get a different perspective from her Northern background and says, "I'm certainly the Yankee of the program. There are so many things I just don't get. That's part of the reason I came here."

For more information on the master of arts degree, call 232-5993 or write the Center.

Aimee Lewis