2010 LEGENDS AWARD RECIPIENT

Dr. Robert C. Khayat served as the 15th Chancellor of The University of Mississippi from 1995 until 2009. As Chief Executive Officer he was responsible for the operation and management of a four campus comprehensive university. The university includes nine schools at Oxford, five at the Medical Center in Jackson, an Advanced Education Center in Tupelo and the DeSoto County Center in Southaven. Through these four campuses, the university provides extraordinary educational opportunities for 17,300 students.

Under his leadership, the university experienced a renaissance. Enrollment increased, the campuses were revitalized, compensation for faculty and staff became more competitive and private support soared.

Innovative and meaningful programs such as the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, the Croft Institute for International Studies, the Trent Lott Leadership Institute, the Jackson Heart Study and others pumped new life into the university. The university was selected to shelter a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and was named 23rd among the nation’s public universities.

On September 26, 2008, Ole Miss hosted the first Presidential Debate between Senators Obama and McCain. Recently, the university was ranked in the top ten places to work in higher education.

An Academic All-American football and baseball player at Ole Miss, Dr. Khayat has degrees from Ole Miss and Yale. He has received the NFL Lifetime Achievement Award and the National Football Foundation Distinguished American Award.

Dr. Khayat serves on the Sanderson Farms Board of Directors, the Freedom Forum Diversity Institute Board of Directors and the Mississippi Children’s Museum Board. He and his wife, Margaret, live in Oxford.