The University of Mississippi is located in North Mississippi, within the Mississippi River watershed that drains into the Gulf of Mexico. This location provides meaningful opportunities to ground student learning in a place-based approach that emphasizes civic engagement, community partnership, and individual responsibility for environmental health.
The Gulf Scholars Program builds on Ole Miss’s strong foundation in interdisciplinary research, teaching, and outreach. The program connects students with existing initiatives that advance place-based learning across Mississippi and the Gulf South, including the Environmental Studies major; the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Research; the Center for the Study of Southern Culture; the Center for Community Engagement; the Grisham-McLean Institute for Public Service and Community Engagement; and the Community First Research Center for Wellbeing and Creative Achievement.
Together, these programs and centers create an institutional environment that supports collaboration across disciplines and helps students engage thoughtfully with the environmental, cultural, and community challenges shaping the Gulf region.
