Valleri Templeton (Liberal Arts/Humanities)

My grandmother, Dianne Callaway Killough, first influenced me to come to MUW. As a child, I was enthralled by the entertaining stories she shared about her time spent at MSCW. As a high school student, I was looking for a small four year university because, like my grandmother, I wanted to be an individual on a campus where academic rigor and quality is valued.

I have always known that I wanted to study History. During junior high school, my seventh grade teacher, Ms. Mary Dee Kemp, allowed me the opportunity to travel with her to Washington D.C. and Boston to visit some of the most famous American historical sites. On that trip and in Ms. Kemp’s classroom I felt our unique history come alive. It was the start of a journey in which I started to gain the confidence to view myself as a future historian.

My grandmother’s fond memories and the guidance of enthusiastic teachers like Ms. Kemp brought me to Scholars’ Day at MUW one freezing December day during my senior year of high school. I was immediately impressed by the campus and the people of our university community who are genuine in their willingness to help others find success.

I remember, soon after Scholars’ Day, eagerly waiting to see if I had a received a scholarship. I knew that a scholarship would allow me to make my number one choice of universities a reality. On December 21st, coincidentally my birthday, I received the scholarship letter that I had been hoping for. I ran to my house, slipped in the cold mud, and went screaming into my house to my Dad that I had received a scholarship to attend MUW. It was a dream come true!

The day I received that letter I did not understand that my scholarship was the direct result of generous alumni like you who had made a gift to the Annual Fund, but I have since become thankful each day for having the privilege of being a student of the Humanities at our University. Higher education has already shaped the way I look at the world. It has taught me to look critically at the world around me and made me a more thoughtful student, person, and world citizen.

When you invest in our University, you not only help students like me discover the rewards of higher education, you also show your pride in being a part of the Long Blue Line. Your annual gift counts you as someone who wants to see the value of an MUW degree grow in the years to come.

Please support the MUW Annual Fund today with the knowledge that it is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,


Valleri Templeton
Class of 2006

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1100 College Street W-1618
Columbus, MS 39701. 

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