Deborah Hodges could not have gone to college if she hadn’t gotten a centennial scholarship from the Mississippi University for Women Foundation.
Hodges was a first-generation college student, who started her freshman year in 1986 and had to work jobs to pay for all her other expenses. But she never had to worry about her tuition, thanks to the foundation’s “Century of Excellence Fund.”
“You hear about life changing gifts. It was a life-changing gift for me,” Hodges told The Dispatch on Thursday.
Hodges is now a partner at a certified public accountant firm in Mobile, Alabama. She is also a board member and the incoming chairman for the MUW Foundation, having stayed connected to the organization that is now celebrating 60 years of supporting the university’s mission of providing quality, accessible education to students.
“For six decades, the MUW Foundation has made a lasting impact on our students, faculty and campus,” Nora Miller, president of The W, said in a press release from the university. “We are grateful for the vision of those who created the Foundation and for the continued generosity of donors who believe in our mission.”
The foundation began with two gifts of $1,000 each in 1965, holding its first board of directors meeting in August of that year and beginning its work. Since then, the foundation has grown its endowment, which was valued at more than $69 million by the end of Fiscal Year 2024.
“As we celebrate 60 years of the Foundation, we reflect on our enduring commitment to excellence in education at The W,” Jenny Katool, chair of the MUW Foundation Board of Directors, said in a press release from the university. “The Foundation has played a pivotal role in advancing the mission of our university, by supporting countless students and faculty through scholarships and programs. Because of our generous donors, we’ve not only built a legacy of academic achievement but also empowered future generations to dream big and achieve their fullest potential.”
Over the years, the foundation has led campaigns and initiatives to support the university. Besides raising money to support students like Hodges’ goals, the foundation also ran a “Dollars for a Strong Tomorrow” campaign beginning in 1985, with the purpose of providing additional funds to maintain programs at The W. As the university faced potential closure the next year, the campaign raised more than $850,000, according to an online history of the foundation.
Starting in 2017, the MUW Foundation board of directors voted to begin the “Be the Light Campaign” with a recommended goal of raising $15 million over five years. By 2021, the campaign had exceeded its goal.
The university announced it would increase the goal to $25 million, a goal that was met again by 2023, its website said, leading to new scholarships and learning environments for students.
Long Blue Line
Ruth Jones joined the MUW Foundation as a board member in the early 2000s, after attending The W from 1972 to 1976. She said she wanted to give back to the university that gave so much to her, including connections with friends and professors she still cherishes.
Jones said she loves seeing students interact with scholarship coordinators as part of her work with the foundation, as it allows her to hear their plans for the future. She also enjoys getting to meet with MUW alumni during board meetings, whether they were in her class or not.
“You see this continuation of the Long Blue Line, and it really is something that sort of stirs the heart,” Jones said. “You know there are those that have gone before, and they established that foundation and started fundraising, and it continues. And it will continue, I hope, long after I’m gone.”
Hodges also said she loves getting to give back to MUW students, and to give those students some of the same experiences she had at the university – like close connections to friends, professors and MUW alumni.
“Mostly, I love the scholarships we give and getting to come back and interact with the students, and getting to hear where our money goes,” Hodges said. “These students aren’t doing the same things we did while we were at The W, necessarily, but they’re having the same experience. And you just don’t get that anywhere else.”
Hodges attributed the growth of the foundation’s endowment to good stewardship over time, including the work of Andrea Stevens, the group’s executive director of development and alumni.
Jones said she is happy to have watched the foundation’s endowment grow over time, and to think of all the things the organization has accomplished over the past 60 years. She also said she looks forward to the foundation’s future.
“It has been an absolute honor and privilege to serve The W through my work at the foundation,” Jones said. “It’s something I’ll always cherish.”
Hodges felt the same way.
“It’s just a true honor,” she said. “And it’s pretty full circle for me.”
To learn more about the MUW Foundation visit longblueline.muw.edu/.
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