(Photo from Ole Miss)
Ole Miss announced recently that Diane and J.L. Holloway of Nashville, Tennessee, recently made a $5 million gift to the Vaught Society, the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation’s fundraising level that provides assistance to University of Mississippi student-athletes through scholarships, academic guidance and wellness support.
“Diane and I felt the desire to make this gift at this time in support of all the special athletes who contribute to Ole Miss’ success,” J.L. Holloway said. “We were inspired by Coach (Chris) Beard and Coach (Pete) Golding’s passion to encourage the players to be their best on and off the court and the field.
Ole Miss said the Holloways’ support of Ole Miss athletics is the latest of a lineage of major gifts the couple has made to the university.
“In 2017, their gift of $1 million to OMAF’s Forward Together campaign helped strengthen UM sports programs, facilities and equipment. The university recognized the gift by naming the south entrance of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in their honor,” Ole Miss stated. “In 2024, they gave $200,000 to renovate the Green Room at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. Other Holloway gifts to various campus entities, including the Ole Miss Alumni Association, Ole Miss Women’s Council for Philanthropy and University Libraries bring their total giving to more than $8.4 million.”