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Choosing Ole Miss at the last minute after a series of out-of-state college tours, Anna Owens found her home at the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of Mississippi. It turned out to be a great choice.

The Madison native is graduating in May with two bachelor’s degrees: one in and another in general business.

During her undergraduate career, Owens made the most of her collegiate experience through leadership positions, research opportunities and international service.

Q&A with Anna Owens

What brought you to Ole Miss? Why did you choose your major?

I chose Ole Miss very last-minute after touring campus late in my senior year of high school, my last stop after a series of out-of-state college tours. While I left other campuses feeling entirely indifferent, Ole Miss felt like home immediately.

After realizing Ole Miss offered everything I wanted from other schools with the added benefits of a stunning campus and lively school spirit, I knew I wanted to spend the next four years here.

I always planned to study engineering because of its versatile usefulness and my preference for math and science. I chose biomedical specifically because it seemed like the most interesting discipline with the potential to do a lot of good for the world.

I already knew the chair of BME as the father of a childhood friend, which gave me confidence that the program had good leadership that cared deeply about the students.

I freed up a few classes by using AP credits, so I filled that space with a business minor. Funny enough, this minor completely changed my perspective on biomedical engineering — and I liked it.

I decided to continue taking business classes and ultimately pursue a dual degree. I chose general business as my major because you can take any combination of upper-level electives. This freedom allowed me to customize my curriculum to be the most relevant for my niche interests.

What standout experiences have you had at Ole Miss?

One of my most memorable experiences was joining UM Global Brigades for a weeklong medical mission trip in Panama. Seeing Ole Miss students help an underserved region in such a meaningful way was indescribably rewarding.

That type of service was also really bonding; I love seeing the people I shared that experience with around campus.

This past year, I, along with several of my best friends, served on the executive board for our chapter on campus. I'm so grateful we all got to use this experience to practice leadership together.

Leading a student organization can be difficult but doing it with great people makes it fun.

Who has been your most influential mentor, professor or supporter at Ole Miss?

This is the easiest question for me — Parker Brewster! Parker is a Ph.D. candidate in biomedical engineering, and he was my mentor when I began working in a research lab.

I, along with many other students, can testify that Parker goes far above and beyond typical mentorship responsibilities. He cares enough to become personally invested in students’ journeys and goes out of his way to source opportunities for them.

He introduced me to the Stamps Impact Prize, which I was awarded in 2023. He inspired me to explore venture capital. He specifically encouraged me to apply to graduate programs like the one I'll be joining at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ of California, Berkeley in the fall.

His big dreams inspire those around him to aim higher, and he has truly changed my perspective on my career. I could not possibly be more thankful for the life-changing mentorship Parker has given me.

What are your post-graduation plans?

After graduating, I will attend UC Berkeley to pursue a master’s of translational medicine. Long term, I plan to pursue venture capital and creation in the biomedical space.

How has your Ole Miss education prepared you for your next steps?

My Ole Miss education taught me to be resourceful, and I believe that skill will benefit me in all my future endeavors.

Top: Anna Owens, a biomedical engineering and general business major from Madison, graduates from the university having gained valuable experiences through international service, student organization leadership and mentorship. Submitted photo

See more photos from Anna Owens' Journey to Commencement