Over two weeks in September, candidates campaigned for the titles of Mr. and Miss Ole Miss. After all the stickers were handed out, signs were created and votes were tallied, only two remained.
For William Kneip and Mary Elizabeth Kakales, the work has just begun.
“The process of running and being elected as Miss Ole Miss has been the most humbling experience,” Kakales said. “I have the best and most selfless team in the world.”
Kakales and Kneip said they want to use their talents and gifts to give back and help grow the position into more than just a personality election with a philanthropy background.
This year, Mr. and Miss Ole Miss will raise money for the Ole Miss Family Emergency Fund. The first project launched Friday.
“We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to raise money to give financial support to our Rebel family,” Kneip said.
Kakales and Kneip wanted to do something that strengthens the community and helps fellow students during difficult times.
“The Ole Miss Family Fund has a special place in my heart because it helps members of the Ole Miss family immediately when it is most needed,” Kakales said.
Lyda Philips, graduate assistant for the Columns Society and co-director of student affairs, helped establish the fund and said she knows Kneip and Kakales to be effective leaders from their time on Columns.
“I have been able to work with them all of last year while they were juniors, and seeing both of them mature and seeing their leadership grow, they’re both so deserving to be Mr. and Miss Ole Miss,” Philips said. “We’re incredibly proud and honored to be able to work with them.”
The fund originally came about as a result of an initiative from vice chancellor for Student Affairs Brandi Hephner Labanc in 2012.
Initially, the fund was endowed by various gifts for $25,000. Because of the endowment’s structure, only the interest accrued from that $25,000 principle could be spent. The fund is seeking to increase their capacity to help students and hopes to collect an additional $10,000 by Nov. 11.
In addition to working with the Ole Miss Family Fund, Kneip and Kakales will dedicate the spring 2016 semester to listening to organizations on campus to best assist different developments.
“I think William (Kneip) and I are in a unique position because we have the potential to listen to the student body and make differences that the students want,” Kakales said.
