OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi Foundation
president Wendell Weakley and his wife, Sue, have honored
their three daughters with a bequest that will create an
Ole Miss Women’s Council scholarship endowment.
“You cannot imagine how much this means to the members of
the council,” said Jan Farrington, chair of the Ole Miss
Women’s Council. “Wendell has been most supportive of our
program since becoming president of the foundation. This
bequest to set up a Women’s Council scholarship to honor
his three daughters is a confirmation that our mission is
important and that our work is appreciated. We are deeply
grateful to Wendell and Sue not only for the gift, but also
for setting the example for others.”
Weakley said one reason he was inspired to make the gift is
because of his role on the new Deferred and Planned Giving
Society Committee. This committee promotes the 1848
Society, which recognizes alumni and friends of the
university who have either funded or planned a deferred
gift, such as a bequest or a life income plan.
“Planned giving has such a tremendous impact on our
university and its endowment,” Weakley said. “Our mission
is to inform as many of our alumni and friends as possible.
We want to educate them on the endless possibilities of
crafting a tax-wise gift to the university and encourage
them to step forward during the Momentum campaign.”
The Sloan, Allison and Elizabeth Weakley Women’s Council
Scholarship Endowment is also a gift that holds special
meaning to the entire Weakley family, he said. Both Weakley
and his wife are UM alumni and have deep love for the
university.
“Ole Miss is where my heart is, and Sue and I have our
roots here,” he said. “There is something positively
different about the Ole Miss-Oxford experience. I know my
daughters, two of whom are also UM graduates, feel the same
way.”
Allison Weakley Sutherland, who works as an auditor at KPMG
in Memphis, Tenn., earned both her bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in accountancy from UM, in 2002 and 2003. Her
husband, Ashley Sutherland, earned a bachelor’s degree in
business from UM in 2002.
“Growing up in a female-dominated household and having a
daughter of my own, it is important to me to support other
women and personify the support women can provide to this
great university,” Allison said. “My parents set such a
wonderful example of how important education is. It was
always understood that we would not only go to college but
that we would all obtain master’s degrees. I am so thankful
that my parents set up this scholarship in our honor so
that other students can pursue an education and become
leaders.”
Sloan Weakley Galloway, who works as learning specialist
with Audio Visual Innovations in Atlanta, also earned two
degrees from UM, in 2000 and 2001. She holds a bachelor’s
degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in
curriculum and instruction.
“I am extremely honored. I can’t think of a higher tribute
to our family than to have a scholarship in our names at
Ole Miss,” Sloan said. “I am so proud of my dad for doing
this. Ole Miss is probably my favorite place to visit, not
only because of the memories and friendships I made while I
attended there but also because I think of Ole Miss as part
of my family. The scholarships will allow future
generations of students to experience the Ole Miss family
and the guidance and mentoring I experienced in growing up
in that environment.”
Elizabeth Knox Weakley is a student at the University of
Colorado but still feels a strong connection to Ole Miss
because of her family’s history with the school. She said
she has been coming to Ole Miss games with her older
sisters since she was born. She also attends Ole Miss each
summer when she returns home from Boulder.
Weakley said he and his wife chose to support the Ole Miss
Women’s Council because they believe in its mission to
identify and nurture outstanding young men and women of
today, in hopes of creating future leaders of a more caring
and ethical society.
“I have a very strong belief in the Women’s Council because
of the leadership/mentorship program aspects,” Weakley
said. “This program goes well beyond financial needs; it
meets the needs of maturing students who will lead us
tomorrow. It’s our duty to provide a little guidance along
the way to ensure the future success of our alumni.”
Weakley’s gift is part of the university’s MomentUM
campaign, a four-year initiative to raise $200 million. The
campaign, which ends in December 2008, already has raised
more than $180 million for scholarships, graduate
fellowships, faculty support, a basketball practice
facility, residential colleges and a new law school on the
Oxford campus. Also in the plans is a cancer center at the
UM Medical Center in Jackson.
For more information on planning a gift to the University
of Mississippi, go to
http://www.umf.olemiss.edu/planning/plannedgifts.php