OXFORD, Miss. – Athletes may have their all-star teams to
showcase the best in their sport, but in the academic
world, there is also an all-star team for those who are
superior in the classroom.
University of Mississippi senior Shad White of Sandersville
has been named to such a team. He is among 60 students
nationwide chosen for USA Today’s All-USA College Academic
teams.
Enrolled in Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and a
Truman Scholar, White made the competition’s Third Team.
Selection criteria include grades, academic rigor,
leadership, activities and, most importantly, how students
extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom.
“Being named to the Third Team is a stellar
accomplishment,” said USA Today’s Education, Religion and
Behavior Editor Leslie Miller in a news release. “There
were hundreds of nominees from four-year colleges
nationwide, and the judges selected only 20 students each
for the first, second and third teams.”
“I was excited to be named; I didn’t hold any
expectations,” said White, an economics and political
science major with a 4.0 GPA. “It’s a nice way to cap off
your college experience after working hard for four years.”
According to the USA Today Web site, the All-USA College
Academic Team honors full-time undergraduates who not only
excel in scholarship but also extend their intellectual
abilities beyond the classroom to benefit society.
White was chosen for the team due in part to his interest
in education, specifically his work to put on the “65%
Solution” symposium, showcasing a plan to address school
funding disparities in Mississippi.
In spring 2006, White and other campus leaders developed
the symposium with local leaders and Tim Mooney, national
proponent of the 65-percent solution idea, which promotes
spending 65 percent of every dollar of education funds on
in-classroom instruction. Their efforts attracted local,
state and national attention.
In his application, White wrote, “Although I have dedicated
my energy to shaping public education in many ways, the
policy symposium of my sophomore year stands as a symbol
for the core motivations behind my passion. For me, this
endeavor is inspired by more than curiosity. It is inspired
by obstacles witnessed firsthand.”
Following the symposium, White and others presented their
findings at two national conferences, and the proposal
gained significant attention in statewide elections. He
also published a paper proposing similar solutions with a
national student policy think-tank.
“We started a dialogue and gained notice in the press and
among the political elite,” White said. “Before the
symposium, it wasn’t even remotely talked about.”
Additionally, White helped with the campaign to elect State
Auditor Stacy Pickering.
“That campaign was important to me because the state
auditor calculates attendance for schools, which determines
school district funding,” White said.
White’s awards and honors at Ole Miss include a prestigious
Taylor Medal recognizing academic scholarship and
membership in Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi academic
honoraries. Following May graduation, he hopes to work for
the Department of Education.
He is the son of Charles and Emily White of Sandersville.
White becomes the second Honors College student to receive
the USA Today honor, following Catherine Carter of Jackson
who made the team in 2006. Carter’s highlighted
accomplishment was a children’s book she wrote to address
childhood obesity.
For more information about this year’s All-USA College
Academic Team, visit
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-02-13-college-allstars-second?N.htm
To learn more about the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors
College, go to