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Vassallo: "It Must Be 'Movin' In' Day"
Photo by Steven Gagliano
Saturday morning driving through the parking lot of The Inn at Ole Miss, some 21 different state license plates could be observed. That’s 42% of the nation at just one hotel. States as far away as California and Massachusetts were included in the mix.
Ole Miss has clearly been transformed into a national/international university. The school’s outreach is certainly impressive. It doesn’t seem that long ago when students from Memphis and Alabama were about all we had representing faraway places. What is now attracting students from around the country and around the globe? Here’s my list of the top seven reasons.
#1 – Cost of Education
Ole Miss is definitely a more attractive option than many in-state ones for respective states. Even factoring in the out of state tuition, Ole Miss reflects a positive cash flow.
#2 – Quality of education.
One doesn’t have to look too deep to find prominent Ole Miss alums in almost every profession throughout the private and public sectors.
#3 – Greek Life
With new sorority houses as well as fraternity houses appearing on the horizon, “roughing it” on the campus is no more. And many of the older houses are receiving facelifts.
#4 – Natural beauty of the campus
If we were ranking the reasons in order of priority, this would be number one. The campus resembles a park more than a university campus. All of the national accolades are well placed!
#5 – Proximity to major metropolitan areas
Starting with Jackson; Little Rock; Nashville; Memphis; Birmingham; Atlanta; and St. Louis, the driving time to Oxford is not even an afterthought.
#6 – Safety
Ole Miss, as well as Oxford, are basically safe havens in this world we find ourselves. Certainly, we have our issues, but these are pale in contrast to the nation’s crime centers.
#7 – Last, but not least, the Mississippi hospitality is alive and well.
Remember the society you grew up in where people were friendly, kind and genuinely nice to strangers. Welcome to Ole Miss and Oxford. That spirit still exists today in Lafayette County.
Because of the above, Ole Miss is destined to continue to grow as the “best-kept secret” leaks far greater in comparison than anything going on in our nation’s capital!
Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.
| Sat, Aug 31 |  | vs Furman | W, 76-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Kentucky | L, 20-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs LSU | L, 29-26 (2 OT) |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs Oklahoma | W, 26-14 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Arkansas | W, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Georgia | W, 28-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | @ Florida | L, 24-17 |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | W, 26-14 |
| Thu, Jan 2 |  | vs Duke (Gator Bowl) | W, 52-20 |
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | 11:00 AM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | 8:00 PM ESPN2 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | 3:00 PM TBA |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | 6:00 PM ESPN |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |
Waite Ligon
August 14, 2017 at 5:41 pm
Mississippi hospitality…hear, hear!