Hagedorn says research on Jewish life at the University of Mississippi is historically and culturally important. "It also tells us a lot about Ole Miss. David Sansing, the university historian, recently told a group that of all the universities in the country, the only one that might have alumni more dedicated than this one is Yale." And, smiles Hagedorn, the only university in the country where there has been a scholarly study of the role of Jewish students and faculty is Yale. The history of higher education has neglected ethnicity and religion generally, says Hagedorn.

The study of ethnicity is essentially modern, stresses Hagedorn. "The term came into usage in the 1950s. It takes confidence, both as a nation and a university, to undertake the study of what some perceive as difference." She adds that while the study of ethnicity has produced and inspired some of the best work in American history, scholars have paid comparatively little attention to ethnicity in the American South. Hagedorn says the project offers an excellent example of how new research on campus leads to new courses that enhance university curricula. "This is an important opportunity to expand and update the curriculum at the university. We have the best Southern Studies Program in the world at the university, and having the opportunity to add ethnicity and immigration to the ways we already examine identity and religion makes sense."

Hagedorn is studying Jewish students and faculty at the professional schools as well as the undergraduate population. She is using university records, student publications, and oral history, among other tools, to explore the role of religion and identity in student life at university.

Center director Charles Reagan Wilson, a cultural historian whose specialty is religion in the South, is pleased about the project. This is an area that needs to be studied, he says, noting that both the funder and the director are ideal for the undertaking.

Burson, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, and a graduate of the University of Mississippi, also holds an honorary doctorate from Boston University, awarded for his pioneering work in the study of perception and the business of public relations. Inducted into the University of Mississippi Hall of Fame in 1980, he has won numerous professional awards. He has twice been named Public Relations Professional of the Year and has received Gold Anvil, Horatio Alger, Arthur Page, and Life Achievement awards. He is the founder and chair of Burson-Marsteller, a global public relations firm.