Elly Weller credits ‘Ole Miss family’ and sense of community with her academic success
The first time Elly Weller felt totally at home at the University of Mississippi was during her freshman year when she experienced that opening football weekend.
“The Grove is an incredible sight on game day and always has a fun atmosphere, but the sense of camaraderie is what really impressed me,” said the St. Louis native of the 13-acre green space that hosts legendary tailgating before games.
“People whom I had never met welcomed me into their tents and treated me like an old friend, teaching me what it meant to be part of the Ole Miss family.”
That feeling of belonging is what attracted Elly to Ole Miss the moment she stepped foot on to the Oxford campus.
“With such a beautiful campus, storybook Southern town and kind-hearted people, I immediately fell in love,” she said. “Academically, I was attracted to the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College for small, discussion-based classes.”
Being an Ole Miss First Scholarship recipient expanded that feeling of family support for Elly. Besides the financial award, the program provides mentors and peer-to-peer interactions to help students fully embrace academic and other college experiences.
Weller attends an Ole Miss baseball game as a fan. 
Weller working with Ole Miss Athletics Marketing and Fan Experience team during a basketball game. 
Weller with her parents, Randy and Gail, on bid day. 
Weller in Barcelona, Spain, during her study abroad trip.
Weller credits Ole Miss First director Rosie McDavid as a guiding force in her academic career.
“Rosie has been an incredible mentor to me, as well as one of my biggest supporters,” she said. “As the director of a smaller scholarship program, she invests in every one of her students, making herself available for anything that we may need.”
While the atmosphere of a football game made her feel at home at Ole Miss, Weller’s true sports devotion is directed to baseball. Following Commencement, she plans to pursue a career in baseball operations.
“My love of baseball came from my grandfather, who was one of the biggest St. Louis Cardinals fans that I have ever known,” she said. “I grew up watching games with him and developed a passion for the sport.
“In high school, I managed the boys’ varsity team and continued to work in baseball when I got to Ole Miss. Through my two internships with the Cape Cod Baseball League and conversations with my mentors, I discovered I could make my passion for the game into a career in baseball operations.”
A member of the Honors College, Elly double majored in management and marketing with an emphasis in human resources and a minor in entrepreneurship, all from the School of Business Administration, to pursue the career she envisions.
Weller with her sorority sisters during a football game weekend. 
Weller in front of the St. Louis Cardinals logo. 
Weller at a national convention for her sorority, where she was served as vice president of academic excellence.
“While this is somewhat of an unconventional path and does not fit directly into my major, being in the business school has given me a well-rounded education that is applicable to a variety of fields,” she said.
“In addition, I have spent the past four years working for the Ole Miss baseball program and the past year with the Ole Miss athletics marketing and fan experience department. These experiences out of the classroom have prepared me for a future in the sports industry.”
Weller also spent time on the field as an Ole Miss Diamond Girl, a position that, along with working with the coaches, helped her find her voice and gain yet another perspective on baseball program operations. After graduation, she plans to continue her career in amateur scouting of baseball players.
“The thing that I will remember and cherish the most about Ole Miss is the sense of community,” Weller said. “Whether in our stadiums, on the Square or around campus, our university family is unlike any other, and I am proud to be a part of it today and always.”
By Mary Stanton Knight/ Office of Development
