{"id":142613,"date":"2024-09-11T08:27:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-11T13:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=142613"},"modified":"2024-09-10T15:48:38","modified_gmt":"2024-09-10T20:48:38","slug":"program-celebrates-10-years-of-mississippi-community-partnerships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/program-celebrates-10-years-of-mississippi-community-partnerships\/","title":{"rendered":"Program Celebrates 10 Years of Mississippi Community Partnerships"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Grisham-McLean Institute partners with the Office of Economic Development and Insight Park<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Clara Turnage<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Over the last decade, more than 100 University of Mississippi<\/strong> students have interned in communities across the state, thanks to a Grisham-McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement<\/strong> program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2014, the\u00a0institute began planning for the first summer interns<\/a>\u00a0as part of the\u00a0Catalyzing Entrepreneurship and Economic Development<\/strong> initiative<\/a>. The initiative is the result of a $2.4 million investment from the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation<\/strong> to the institute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This program allows our students to experience opportunities right here in Mississippi while supporting the community they get to explore,” said Albert Nylander<\/strong>, director of the Grisham-McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement and professor of sociology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I am thankful to the Hearin Foundation for providing financial support to have university students work alongside our community partners to advance community and economic development across the state.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Omobola Obasanjo<\/strong>, a senior from Greenwood<\/strong> majoring in business and finance, is among the students participating in this year’s summer program. Obasanjo spent his summer interning in Tupelo<\/strong> with the Community Development Foundation<\/strong> and the CREATE Foundation under the supervision of Stewart McMillan<\/strong>, project manager for CREATE and Toyota WellSpring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The only thing I knew about Tupelo was Elvis,” Obasanjo said. “Being from the Mississippi Delta and from a small town, Tupelo is a lot of the dreams people have for their town realized. I did not realize it was thriving, or that the businesses here are all working together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“A lot of people leave Mississippi because they think they’ll have better opportunities elsewhere. But having an experience like this shows me that there are people who want to contribute to the future of this state and make it better.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the organizations that have hosted Ole Miss students as summer interns through the Grisham-McLean Institute’s initiative are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n