44.4 F
Oxford

How A Scholarship Became A Lifelong Bond For A UM Student And Alumnus

Jasmine Turner

Seven years ago, Jasmine Turner was a senior in high school trying to decide what her future held. A self-described, small-town girl from Tippo, Mississippi, Turner was unsure whether she wanted to stay close to home or go a bit further and attend Ole Miss. With dreams of attending pharmacy school, she chose the latter. But only one issue remained… paying for tuition. 
After reading about different scholarship opportunities, Turner applied for the “Ole Miss First” scholarship and was asked to write an essay in an effort to receive the funds. Turner chose to write about her life in her small town as the prom queen, homecoming queen, valedictorian and how she chose to be active in her school and her community. 
Her personality shined through the essay, and it caught the attention of Ole Miss alumni and donor Bill Cossar. Cossar was told about the “Ole Miss First” scholarship by long-time friend Robert Khayat and requested a meeting with the principal of Charleston High School to meet prospective students. After he came across Turner’s essay, the next step was to get to know the person who wrote it. 
“I remember when she walked in and said, ‘I know I’m not in trouble because all I do is go to school and go to church,’” Cossar said. 
After the two met and discussed Tuner’s future plans, Cossar recommended her to receive a $20,000 scholarship to help her in the pursuit of her pharmacy school dreams. Cossar found himself in a position to aid Turner in pursuit of her dreams and didn’t want to see her potential go to waste. 
Bill Cossar, photo courtesy: Clay McFerrin, editor, Sun-Sentinel

“She had two choices: stay close to home and give up her dream or attend Ole Miss and go to pharmacy school, and that’s what I told her. She deserved the chance to go to Ole Miss,” Cossar said. “Here’s a person who’s trying to do better, and she had the grades to show for it. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to meet someone like her, and it couldn’t have turned out any better.”
Seven years later, Turner is set to graduate from the Ole Miss School of Pharmacy on Saturday with a job lined up with Walgreens in Brandon, Mississippi. The scholarship got her started, but the relationship between herself and Cossar is really what helped Turner through her time at Ole Miss. 
“He was a mentor; I didn’t feel like it was a scholarship. It felt like I had friends behind me and supporting me,” Turner said. “He called me almost every month to check up on me. I look at him as a father figure. I don’t have a father in my life, and he is someone I can look up to and count on. He even says, ‘I made a good investment.’”
Turner was faced with a dilemma early on in her time at Ole Miss as she didn’t have a way to get around or get back home. She was able to catch a ride from time to time, but Cossar recognized that she needed her own transportation. 
“Jasmine had no way to get to school, so I took her to Grenada and bought her a car and let her make the payments to me,” Cossar said. “I wanted to teach her how to make payments, and she got a job in order to do so. After a few months, I figured I taught her what she needed to know, and I tore up our note and gave her the title to the car.”
While working to pay the car off, Turner began her job, which she kept throughout her time in Oxford. Balancing her work and her education was enough to show Cossar her dedication and work ethic, which led to the car being placed in her name and paid off completely. 
“When he told me that it was my car, I cried. I didn’t know what to say, and I don’t even think ‘thank you’ came out of my mouth immediately because I couldn’t stop crying. That feeling is indescribable,” Turner said. 
It didn’t take long for Turner to use the opportunity she was given to help others. An employee at the university call center, she was able to talk to future Ole Miss students in search of finical aid to help them find opportunities to allow them to attend school and pursue their own dreams, just as she did. Turner recently contributed to the “Ole Miss Fund” but has her eyes on a much higher form of aid. 
“My experience put it in my heart to give back, even though it was just $100, that was $100 that someone didn’t have, and it can help their scholarships,” Turner said. “Eventually, after I get situated, my goal is to start a scholarship similar to Mr. Cossar’s and help someone like me who didn’t have a lot of financial support but is a very studious person.”
When Turner attended the “White Coat Ceremony” for the pharmacy school, Cossar was right by her side just as any proud parent would be. While Tuner isn’t the first student he has helped and won’t be the last, Cossar will always hold a special place in his heart for the small town girl from Tallahatchie County.
“She has become part of my family,” Cossar said. “I’m almost 80 years old, and I’ve done a lot of things, but one of the things I’m most proud of is helping someone like Jasmine. To see how it ended up really is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and she is the light.”


Steven Gagliano is a writer for HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at steven.gagliano@hottytoddy.com
Follow HottyToddy.com on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat @hottytoddynews. Like its Facebook page: If You Love Oxford and Ole Miss…

Most Popular

Recent Comments

scamasdscamith on News Watch Ole Miss
Frances Phillips on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Grace Hudditon on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Millie Johnston on A Bigger, Better Student Union
Binary options + Bitcoin = $ 1643 per week: https://8000-usd-per-day.blogspot.com.tr?b=46 on Beta Upsilon Chi: A Christian Brotherhood
Jay Mitchell on Reflections: The Square
Terry Wilcox SFCV USA RET on Oxford's Five Guys Announces Opening Date
Stephanie on Throwback Summer
organized religion is mans downfall on VP of Palmer Home Devotes Life to Finding Homes for Children
Paige Williams on Boyer: Best 10 Books of 2018
Keith mansel on Cleveland On Medgar Evans
Debbie Nader McManus on Cofield on Oxford — Lest We Forget
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: The Last of His Kind
Richard Burns on A William Faulkner Sighting
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Bettye H. Galloway on Galloway: Faulkner's Small World
Ruby Begonia on Family Catching Rebel Fever
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
Greg Millar on The Hoka
jeff the busy eater on Cooking With Kimme: Baked Brie
Travis Yarborough on Reflections: The Square
BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH on Oxford is About to Receive a Sweet Treat
baby travel systems australia on Heaton: 8 Southern Ways to Heckle in SEC Baseball
Rajka Radenkovich on Eating Oxford: Restaurant Watch
Richard Burns on Reflections: The Square
Guillermo Perez Arguello on Mississippi Quote Of The Day
A Friend with a Heavy Heart on Remembering Dr. Stacy Davidson
Harold M. "Hal" Frost, Ph.D. on UM Physical Acoustics Research Center Turns 30
Educated Citizen on Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving
Debbie Crenshaw on Trump’s Tough Road Ahead
Treadway Strickland on Wicker Looks Ahead to New Congress
Tony Ryals on parking
Heather Lee Hitchcock on ‘Pray for Oxford’ by Shane Brown
Heather Lee Hitchcock on ‘Pray for Oxford’ by Shane Brown
Dr Donald and Priscilla Powell on Deadly Plane Crash Leaves Eleven Children Behind
Dr Donald and Priscilla Powell on Deadly Plane Crash Leaves Eleven Children Behind
C. Scott Fischer on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Sylvia Williams on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Will Patterson on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
Rick Henderson on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
George L Price on I Stand With Coach Hugh Freeze
on
Morgan Shands on Cleveland: On Ed Reed
Richard McGraw on Cleveland: On Cissye Gallagher
Branan Southerland on Gameday RV Parking at HottyToddy.com
Tom and Randa Baddley on Vassallo: Ole Miss Alum Finds His Niche
26 years and continuously learning on Ole Miss Puts History In Context With Plaque
a Paterson on Beyond Barton v. Barnett
Phil Higginbotham on ‘Unpublished’ by Shane Brown
Bettina Willie@www.yahoo.com.102Martinez St.Batesville,Ms.38606 on Bomb Threat: South Panola High School Evacuated This Morning
Anita M Fellenz, (Emilly Hoffman's CA grandmother on Ole Miss Spirit Groups Rank High in National Finals
Marilyn Moore Hughes on Vassallo: Ole Miss Alum Finds His Niche
Jaqundacotten@gmail williams on HottyToddy Hometown: Hollandale, Mississippi
Finney moore on Can Ole Miss Grow Too Big?
diane faulkner cawlley on Oxford’s Olden Days: Miss Annie’s Yard
Phil Higginbotham on ‘November 24’ by Shane Brown
Maralyn Bullion on Neely-Dorsey: Hog Killing Time
Beth Carr on A Letter To Mom
Becky on A Letter To Mom
Marilyn Tinnnin on A Letter To Mom
Roger ulmer on UM Takes Down State Flag
Chris Pool on UM Takes Down State Flag
TampaRebel on UM Takes Down State Flag
david smith on UM Takes Down State Flag
Boyd Harris on UM Takes Down State Flag
Jim (Herc @ UM) on Cleveland: Fall Vacations
Robert Hollingsworth on Rebels on the Road: Memphis Eateries
David McCullough on Shepard Leaves Ole Miss Football
Gayle G. Henry on Meet Your 2015 Miss Ole Miss
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on Neely-Dorsey: Elvis Presley’s Big Homecoming
Jennifer Mooneyham on ESPN: Ole Miss No. 1 in Nation
Wes McIngvale on Ole Miss Defeats Alabama
BARRY MCCAMMON on Ole Miss Defeats Alabama
Laughing out Loud on ESPN: Ole Miss No. 1 in Nation
Dr.Bill Priester on Cleveland: On Bob Priester
A woman who has no WHITE PRIVILEGE on Oxford Removes Mississippi Flag from City Property
A woman who has no WHITE PRIVILEGE on Oxford Removes Mississippi Flag from City Property
paulette holmes langbecker on Cofield on Oxford – Rising Ole Miss Rookie
Ruth Shipp Yarbrough on Cofield on Oxford — Lest We Forget
Karllen Smith on ‘Rilee’ by Shane Brown
Jean Baker Pinion on ‘The Cool Pad’ by Shane Brown
Janet Hollingsworth (Cavanaugh) on John Cofield on Oxford: A Beacon
Proud Mississippi Voter on Gunn Calls for Change in Mississippi Flag
Deloris Brown-Thompson on Bebe’s Letters: A WWII Love Story
Sue Ellen Parker Stubbs on Bebe’s Letters: A WWII Love Story
Tim Heaton on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Tim Heaton on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Karen fowler on Heaton: Who is Southern?
Don't Go to Law School on Four Legal Rebels Rising in the Real World
bernadette on Feeding the Blues
bernadette on Feeding the Blues
Joanne and Mark Wilkinson on Ron Vernon: a Fellowship of Music
Mary Ellen (Dring) Gamble on Ron Vernon: a Fellowship of Music
Cyndy Carroll on Filming it Up in Mississippi
Dottie Dewberry on Top 10 Secret Southern Sayings
Brother Everett Childers on ‘The Shack’ by Shane Brown
Mark McElreath on ‘The Shack’ by Shane Brown
Bill Wilkes, UM '57, '58, '63 on A Letter from Chancellor Dan Jones
Sandra Caffey Neal on Mississippi Has Proud Irish Heritage
Teresa Enyeart, and Terry Enyeat on Death of Ole Miss Grad, U.S. Vet Stuns Rebel Nation
P. D. Fyke on Wells: Steelhead Run
Johnny Neumann on Freeze Staying with Rebels
Maralyn Bullion on On Cooking Southern: Chess Pie
Kaye Bryant on Henry: E. for Congress
charles Eichorn on Hotty Tamales, Gosh Almighty
Jack of All Trades on Roll Over Bear Bryant
w nadler on Roll Over Bear Bryant
Stacey Berryhill on Oxford Man Dies in Crash
John Appleton on Grovin' Gameday Memories
Charlotte Lamb on Grovin' Gameday Memories
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on Two True Mississippi Icons
Morgan Williamson on A College Education is a MUST
Morgan Williamson on A College Education is a MUST
Jeanette Berryhill Wells on HottyToddy Hometown: Senatobia, Mississippi
Tire of the same ole news on 3 "Must Eat" Breakfast Spots in Oxford
gonna be a rebelution on Walking Rebel Fans Back Off the Ledge
Nora Jaccaud on Rickshaws in Oxford
Martha Marshall on Educating the Delta — Or Not
Nita McVeigh on 'I'm So Oxford' Goes Viral
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello on How a Visit to the Magnolia State Can Inspire You
Charlie Fowler Jr. on Prawns? In the Mississippi Delta?
Martha Marshall on A Salute to 37 Years of Sparky
Sylvia Hartness Williams on Oxford Approves Diversity Resolution
Jerry Greenfield on Wine Tip: Problem Corks
Cheryl Obrentz on I Won the Lottery! Now What?
Bnogas on Food for the Soul
Barbeque Memphis on History of Tennessee Barbecue
Josephine Bass on The Delta and the Civil War
Nicolas Morrison on The Walking Man
Pete Williams on Blog: MPACT’s Future
Laurie Triplette on On Cooking Southern: Fall Veggies
Harvey Faust on The Kream Kup of the Krop
StarReb on The Hoka
Scott Whodatty Keetereaux Keet on Hip Hop — Yo or No, What’s Your Call
Johnathan Doeman on Oxford Man Dies in Crash
Andy McWilliams on The Warden & The Chief
Kathryn McElroy on Think Like A Writer
Claire Duff Sullivan on Alert Dogs Give Diabetics Peace of Mind
Jesse Yancy on The Hoka
Jennifer Thompson Walker on Ole Miss, Gameday From The Eyes of a Freshman
HottyToddy.com