Year in Review: Ole Miss Singing Traffic Officer Brings Positive Light to Students

HottyToddy.com will be releasing two of our top 50 stories of the year each day, and three throughout the weekends until New Year’s Eve! Relive the moments with us as we look back on 2016!

Willie Willingham; Photo: Jayla Whitfield

Willie Willingham is an Oxford native who works as a traffic officer at the University of Mississippi.

Many students may not know Willingham, but some know him as the singing traffic officer, a job he just started. However, Willingham is much more than just the singing officer; Willingham is a man who is working hard to overcome personal obstacles while spreading a positive light on campus.

Willingham first began his career working at a security system in Mississippi and started to like it, and eventually ended up at The University of Mississippi.

“People liked me and my work and they pretty much knew this is where I needed to be,” Willingham said.

As far as singing while directing traffic, Willingham said the singing helps keep his positive energy up.

“I deal with a lot. I don’t act like I deal with a lot but I do. I deal with people that have a lot of different attitudes and every attitude that comes through here is not positive,” Willingham said.

Nevertheless, Willingham lives by a popular golden rule: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; And the wisdom to know the difference.”

Willingham’s positive energy is exactly what the university and Oxford need.

“I like to see people happy and encourage people because I like to see people at their best,” Willingham said.

Producing the Positivity:

Willingham continues to impact the community with his positivity while producing the best image of himself as well.

Willingham went to Lafayette and Highland Park High School back and forth during his youth. However, Willingham did not graduate, but since working at the university, Willingham has taken the initiative to pursue his GED. Willingham believes that a man should make enough income to support his family.

“Why would I invite a female into my life to struggle with me,” Willingham said. “I don’t believe that’s what God intended, for two people to come together and struggle.” Willingham is working to receive an academic scholarship and one-day work in the medical field. Therefore, Willingham knows, “that just passing the GED exam is not enough.”

However, Willingham has a passion for learning and is inspired by, “people that like learning and knowing things, those who enjoy obtaining knowledge.”

Willingham expressed that even if a person is just learning about a rock, it is key to understand how it became a rock, why it is a rock and the purpose of the rock- that is the true definition of learning.

With Willingham’s strong morals, sense of pride and goals he will receive everything he deserves and continue to be benefit to The University of Mississippi.

Jayla Whitfield is an intern at hottytoddy.com and can be reached at jowhitfi@go.olemiss.edu.

Follow HottyToddy.com on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat @hottytoddynews. Like its Facebook page: If You Love Oxford and Ole Miss…