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Anne Louise Phillips is a sophomore English major who enjoys being involved with campus life.

Raised on a homestead in Attala County, Phillips earned a prestigious G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Presidential Scholarship in 2022 and is using �㽶ֱ��opportunities to hone her skills and prepare for a fulfilling career.

“When I found out that I had been awarded the Presidential Scholarship, it really was a no-brainer to attend MSU—the opportunity to come to a school close to home, in a city I already loved, with a once-in-a-lifetime scholarship? Of course I was excited,” she said.

In addition to her studies, she is a student worker, sharpening her photography in MSU’s Office of Public Affairs and writing and social media in the Office of Agricultural Communications.

“My student work has taught me skills outside of the classroom that have helped me both in my creative work and my professional development,” she said.

Double-minoring in film and creative writing has given Phillips an extra push to lean into creativity.

“Thanks to the Presidential Scholars program, I was able to take an Oxbridge Tutorial with Dr. Tommy Anderson, studying Shakespeare adaptations during my first semester. From there, I developed a research paper I presented at the Undergraduate Research Symposium. I also was able to do summer research with the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, working to make 18th-century documents more accessible,” she said.

“I’d like to stay in the South and continue my academic and creative pursuits. I love living here and being near my family," Phillips added. "I plan to pursue creative writing in graduate school, but I’m very flexible when it comes to my future career. I currently have experience in photography, social media and journalism, so I’d love to continue working in the media sphere.”

Using her creative talents to help make �㽶ֱ��shine, Phillips also works at MSU’s student newspaper, The Reflector, as a staff writer and photographer, and serves as a reader for The Jabberwock Review, an English department literary journal published semi-annually by students and faculty. She is an officer for Bully’s Bards, a university organization open to English majors and minors, and she devotes time to Light Bearers, an organization that promotes religious study and mission work.

A fan of Old Main Music Festival and MSU’s International Fiesta, Phillips said, “I love the atmosphere here and the chance to enjoy arts and culture with so many other people.”