Ole Miss formals are normally exclusive and only for certain groups of students to attend, but Everybody’s Formal is the first formal at Ole Miss that is open to everyone.
Everybody’s Formal will be held from 9 to 11:30 p.m. on Friday night, the day before the Ole Miss homecoming football game against the University of Memphis. Tickets are free and can be picked up at the Student Union Box Office.
Associated Student Body President Austin Powell said his mother actually played a part in the inspiration for the event.
“She wasn’t a part of any type of Greek organization or anything like that (and) never had the experience,” Powell said. “Just from that conversation, I started thinking about what ASB could do to contribute to homecoming week. What can we do for the entire campus that is safe and welcoming?”
About 41 percent of Ole Miss students participate in Greek life, which used to exclude roughly 59 percent of the student body from participating in formals, according to the Ole Miss office of admissions.
“We went through all the possible places where we could have the most amount of students come,” Powell said. “They knew the Jefferson was new so they thought this would be a perfect opportunity to get people interested in the Jefferson, particularly at the university.”
The formal will be held at the Jefferson Oxford, an elegant 18,000-square-foot venue roughly 5 miles from the Square. Buses will run from the Jackson Avenue Center to take students to the venue. Students will be able to park in the commuter or park-n-ride spots. Attire for the event is semi-formal.
“It’s the first event of this nature. It’s really exciting,” Powell said. “The demand seems great. Students are receiving it well.”
Powell said the international student community and freshman class seem to be especially excited about the event.
“The idea of a formal brings a group of people a sense of community,” Daniel Reed, senior public policy leadership major said. “However, Ole Miss formals typically consist of the same group of friends that are involved in Greek life or run in the same circle.”
Reed said he thinks Everybody’s Formal will help to forward ASB’s idea of “one Ole Miss” by giving all students the opportunity to experience the sense of community that a formal can offer.
“I’m excited to see all perspectives on this campus come together Friday night for a good time and soon to be good memories,” Reed said.
John Chappell, a sophomore double major in international studies and Arabic, said he is looking forward to event after a politically intense couple of weeks. Chappell is a member of the ASB Academics Board in the executive branch, among other duties.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to have fun and come together as a community regardless of background, and I think that it’s especially important to do so now,” Chappell said. “Overall, I think that having an event that welcomes everyone is a great step in creating a more inclusive environment at the university.”
Entertainment for the event will be provided by Ebenezer Goodman, a local college cover band that performs classic rock and Southern alternative music, and Fountain City Players, self-advertised as “the ultimate soundtrack to your event.” The Players perform blended styles of soul, jazz, pop, blues and other genres.
“At the end of the day, the event is made for students to feel safe and welcome,” Powell said. “We want to give students the opportunity to thrive and succeed here at Ole Miss, and that goes well beyond just the classroom.”
