Determined to make a difference, Barron Mayfield never quit on hope of ASB involvement, service
Coming to campus as a University of Mississippi freshman, Barron Mayfield knew no one. In hopes of making some new friends and serving his peers, the Lubbock, Texas, native applied to be a member of the Associate Student Body’s Freshman Council.
“At the time, only about 50 freshmen were being accepted into the program every year, and it was something I really wanted to do,” said Mayfield, a public policy leadership major with a minor in political science. “I took a lot of time on my application, being careful to outline my ideas and goals, and I waited in anticipation.”
When Mayfield was informed that he wasn’t admitted, his disappointment was palpable.
“It was incredibly discouraging and I felt like I should give up on it altogether,” he said. “At the same time, I knew that I could make a difference in ASB and I made the decision to not quit.”
About a year later, Mayfield decided to run for ASB Senate. From a field of 15 candidates vying for eight spots, he came in eighth and got in. A year-and-a-half later, Mayfield was elected ASB president.
“The setback freshman year hurt, but I used it as motivation,” he said. “In the long run, I was able to make an even bigger difference than had I gotten in freshman year.”
Not bad for someone who came to Ole Miss “sort of on a whim.”
“I didn’t know a single person in the entire state of Mississippi, much less at Ole Miss, but I saw an opportunity for growth and I took it,” Mayfield said. “I chose Ole Miss because I learned it had a stellar reputation for academic rigor, scholarship opportunities and leadership development, and I wanted to be a part of those things.”
Mayfield credited many Ole Miss faculty and staff with having a profound impact on his life and helping define him as an individual. ASB advisers Will Takewell and Kendrick Wallace rank among the highest.
“When I was ASB president, they cared about me as a student and as an individual more than they ever cared about something I did or a title I held,” he said. “These two saw me through the good times and the bad times, supporting me through it all.”
Two other major influences were Christian Sellar, associate professor of public policy leadership, and Jody Holland, assistant professor of public policy leadership, Mayfield said.
“I had Dr. Sellar as a professor for several courses and he not only invested in me as a student in the classroom, but went out of his way to encourage me and help me on the outside as well,” he said.
“Dr. Holland is someone who was constantly pushing me to be better, challenging me to grow and making sure I was doing well through it all. His leadership, guidance, advice and mentorship has left a lasting impact on me and has been pivotal in making me the man I am today.”
As former president, Mayfield said he was most proud of the way the ASB has built relationships over the last year.
“It was a tumultuous year and it felt like we had to respond to a lot of crisis situations,” he said. “In these situations, our goal was to bring people together, build relationships and seek out solutions and ways to improve that serve to benefit the entirety of the university community.
“Building those relationships with administrators, staff and faculty members, student organizations, and outside actors proved to be integral in delivering policies and initiatives that directly benefit students.”
For all his achievements and successes, Mayfield said his most treasured memory will always be his first day on campus.
“I was scared,” he recalled. “I was doing something I had never done in my life: moving to a new place, 13 hours away from home, with new people, none of whom I knew.
“After I moved in, my parents took me to Walmart to pick up a couple of things. As we were walking down the aisle, this girl behind me yelled my name.”
Having no idea who it could be, Mayfield turned around to see a young woman standing there, smiling from cheek to cheek with her arms wide open. She gave him a hug.
“Her name was Anna Catherine, and she had heard about me from one of her friends she went to camp with and wanted to make sure that I felt known in this new place,” he said. “That was my first introduction to the ‘Ole Miss family’ and I have never looked back.
“This place, this school, these people – they are incredible. And this story, from day one, is a terrific reminder.”
By Edwin Smith/University Marketing & Communications
