Who We Are
The Office of National Scholarship Advisement (ONSA) supports the University of Mississippi’s mission to engage minds, transform lives, and serve others by helping students become effective citizen-scholars. ONSA helps eligible students, including University of Mississippi undergraduates and graduate students, find and apply for national competitive scholarships and fellowships that fund research, international study, professional development, or post-baccalaureate study. We provide advice and professional guidance throughout the application process and offer information and writing workshops as well as individual advising throughout the year.
Diversity Statement: ONSA serves ALL students and alumni of the University of Mississippi, including all majors and areas of study. Many awards we promote specifically support underrepresented students in higher education. We highly encourage students of ALL backgrounds to explore opportunities with us!
What We Do
ONSA serves all undergraduate, graduate, and alumni students at the University of Mississippi and helps eligible students find and apply for nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships. If you are applying for any of our National Scholarships, we can help by providing
- Guidance on the application process
- Institutional endorsements (most prestigious scholarships require a support letter from ONSA)
- Writing consultations and feedback for application essays and statements
- Information sessions on our list of national scholarships and application processes
- Writing workshops
- Interview practice and preparation sessions
Students and alumni who are interested in applying for nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships should first explore our Getting Started page, then schedule an appointment with an ONSA staff member using our Appointment Scheduler.
Meet the Staff in ONSA
Dr. Vivian Ibrahim
Director
Office of National Scholarship Advisement
Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College
128 Barksdale Honors College
vibrahim@olemiss.edu
Dr. Whitney Woods
Assistant Director
Office of National Scholarship Advisement
Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College
127 Barksdale Honors College
wdwoods@olemiss.edu
Colin Mathison
Graduate Assistant
Office of National Scholarship Advisement
Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College
004 Barksdale Honors College
onsa@olemiss.edu
There are many things you can do to become competitive for such awards. It all starts with becoming engaged with your classes, your professors, and your community–starting your freshman year!
The key to a strong application is…START EARLY! Follow these steps to schedule your appointment!
STEP 1: Look through the Handbook or Website to identify potential awards.
- Each award description in the handbook or website includes eligibility, a description, application procedures, and links to videos/webinars.
- Some awards identify “institutional endorsement required” or “institutional endorsement recommended”. In order to be endorsed by ONSA and the university of Mississippi you must have a complete application by the campus deadline.
STEP 2: Complete the Fellowship Interest Form (required)
STEP 3: Make an appointment with a Fellowship Advisor (strongly recommended)
STEP 4: If you apply for a national fellowship, you will need to complete the Nomination Permission Form and Waiver (required)
