Lucille Daniels has established the Lucille and Motee Daniels Endowment Fund in honor of her and her late husband's friendship with Bill Ferris, founding director of the Center. The purpose of the fund is to provide support for the Southern Studies graduate program, specifically through its provision for an annual award in honor of an outstanding Southern Studies graduate student paper. Teresa Parker, who will receive her master's in Southern Studies this May, is the first recipient of the $250 award. Parker received the award at a September 1997 reception in the home of Marcie and Bill Ferris at which Daniels and her family were in attendance.

Friends of Lucille and Motee Daniels, Bill Ferris, and the Center are invited to make contributions to the endowment fund. Checks should be made payable to the University of Mississippi Foundation and sent to the Center with a note that the funds are for the Daniels Award.