Emily Wikle is an Elementary Education and Special Education double major running for the title of Miss Ole Miss with her campaign “Life is Good”.               

Emily isn’t running for this prestigious title to gain popularity or to enhance her already stellar resume. She truly believes in the concept of philanthropy and giving back to her community and hopes to continue to serve her last year at Ole Miss with the title of Miss Ole Miss.               

When asked why she chose to run for Miss Ole Miss, Wikle had this to say, “I want to give back to the university because they have invested so much in me, I would love to give back, because these have truly been the best four years of my life.”             

Wikle’s philanthropic career began in her hometown in Indiana, when one of her mother’s preschool students was diagnosed with leukemia. Luke became very special to the Wikle family as they helped through his chemotherapy treatments and through the family’s everyday struggles. During every chemo treatment, Luke wore a Life is Good t-shirt, teaching Emily that no matter how bad you think your day is going, someone out there is going through something much worse.             

Anyone that knows Wikle knows that she lives this motto through her everyday life and always has a smile on her face, even when she is running marathons in Luke’s name. Wikle hopes to be able to continue spreading the Life is Good” message through campus because “life really is good here at the university” and every student would agree with that.             

During her time at Ole Miss, Wikle has served as Alpha Omicron Pi’s national philanthropy chair for two years, an orientation leader, an ambassador, is a member of the columns society, special needs cheerleading coach at NMRC, Big Event volunteer, among many other awards and honors.             

Wikle serves as the philanthropy chair for the columns society and has created a legacy called the “Rhythm Pax” that allows for the columns society to fundraise for bags that include therapeutic instruments to be delivered to the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson. This is one philanthropy event Wikle hopes to bring more awareness to on campus with Mr. Ole Miss, if she wins the title.             

Looking back on her years at Ole Miss, Wikle says that her favorite experience was hands down being an orientation leader for two years: 

"Being an orientation leader was one of the first organizations that I really got involved in. I wouldn’t even be able to put it in to words. It’s amazing to be able to welcome in the entire freshman class and be their first welcome to the university. Knowing that I got to welcome in two freshman classes is so special to me, and it’s incredible knowing that I impacted their lives. I [also] loved giving out free hugs. I still have the free hugs sign they gave me hanging up in my room. It was one of my favorite parts of any orientation session."               

Emily Wikle is one of three girls running for the title of Miss Ole Miss. Voting can be done on your MyOleMiss account on October 7th.