Mary Ann Connell
Congratulations to Mary Ann Strong Connell (BA English and history ’59) of Oxford, an inductee into the 2015 Ole Miss Alumni Association Hall of Fame!
She practices law with Mayo Mallette, PLLC. She served as university attorney for the University of Mississippi from 1982 to 2003 and as school board attorney for the Oxford School District from 2003–13.
Connell taught courses in higher education law, school law, legal research and writing, business law and employment law. She is a frequent presenter at national, regional and state conferences on subjects involving higher education and school law.
She is a past president of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, past president of the Mississippi Council of School Board Attorneys, and a fellow of the The Mississippi Bar Foundation. She received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of College and University Attorneys; the Distinguished Service Award from the Lafayette County Bar Association; the Thomas S. Biggs Jr. Award for leadership, integrity, and service in the legal profession and the higher education community from Stetson University Law School; the NAACP Freedom Award for lifelong service in the area of education and civil rights; the Mississippi Women Lawyers Association Outstanding Woman Lawyer in Mississippi Award; the University of Mississippi Chancellor’s Award for outstanding contributions toward increasing diversity; and the Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society Award for outstanding teacher of the year.
Connell is a member of the Vestry of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Oxford. She received her LLM from Harvard Law School. A native of Louisville, Mississippi, she has four daughters: Elizabeth Sessums, Stella Connell, Mary Ann Percy, Jane Lee, and four grandchildren.
The Ole Miss Alumni Association will award seven distinguished alumni with its highest annual honors as part of Homecoming 2015. Created in 1974, the Hall of Fame honors select alumni who have made an outstanding contribution to their country, state or the University of Mississippi through good deeds, services or contributions that have perpetuated the good name of Ole Miss.
Inductees into the Alumni Hall of Fame for 2015 are: Mary Ann Strong Connell (BA 59, MA 71, MLS 73, JD 77) of Oxford; Lee McCarty (BAEd 47) of Merigold; Dr. Alan Partin (BA 83) of Baltimore, Md.; Billy Van Devender (BSCvE 71) of Jackson; and Dr. Thomas D. Wallace Jr. (BAEd 78, MEd 80, PhD 02) of Bakersfield, Calif.