Charles de Gaulle, quotable French statesmen and army officer, once said, “Faced with crisis, the man of character falls back on himself. He imposes his own stamp of action, takes responsibility for it, makes it his own.”
Social media, always abuzz with inspirational quotes like the one from de Gaulle on any given day, has been especially flooded with positivity, well wishes and expressions of love during the global COVID-19 pandemic. There’s a theme of coming together, helping others and focusing on the opportunities that lie in the challenges. The university community has gotten in on spreading the love and finding some silver linings.
UM Marketing and Communications sought comments from the Ole Miss community in hopes of passing on the lessons we’re all learning and also sharing details about what motivates and inspires us as we move forward.
The article included 17 quotes from the UM community to inspire others and strengthen resolve during this time of social distancing and quiet reflection. Quoted in the article were two business school staffers, Lila Neely and Chad Hathcock. Many thanks to you both!
Neely, program coordinator, Master of Business Administration program said, “If someone asked me what is special about Ole Miss or why they should come to Ole Miss, I would tell them without hesitation that the magic of Ole Miss is the relationships that we build. Since the onset of COVID-19, it has become more and more important to reach out and to stay in touch with our students and each other.
“I am responsible for the career efforts and professional development of our MBA’s,” she continued. “Spring 2020 is a particularly uncertain time to be in the job market. I do it for them. I have a new respect for computer programs like Zoom and I am grateful for the many ways that people can connect. Ole Miss alumni and Ole Miss staff have been wonderful to support these efforts.”
“I would encourage all of you to reach out to the people in your circle for support. I am motivated each time one of these relationships impacts the future of one of our graduates. Their success is our success.” –Lila Neely
Hathcock, multimedia specialist, School of Business Administration, said “I know this is a terrible situation we find ourselves in, but if you look around, you will find those happy moments that will bring a smile to your face. Such as working from home and having a video conference and your 1-year-old wants to say ‘Hello!’ to everyone in the meeting or chatting with students from your own front porch via Zoom or watching a talented group of professors change their entire teaching method overnight to help accommodate for this situation.
“I know it seems to look bleak,” Hathock continued,”but it’s not. Beauty and fun are everywhere in this world we live in; you just have to find it.”
By Michael Newsom