According to census data, a majority of women over the age of 16 are in the workforce across the state, but a higher percentage of women in Oxford work compared to Mississippi as a whole.
Millicent Haggard, 27, from Memphis, is a server at Saint Leo and a small business owner herself. She believes that Oxford has more women in the workforce because “we are a progressive town in our state.”
“It doesn’t surprise me,” Haggard said. “Oxford is a very cultured place, and people are just drawn to it versus other places in Mississippi.”
She credits the university and the local business climate with providing fertile ground for job seekers.
“There are tons of students in and out of here,” Haggard noted. “The Square and local restaurants also bring a ton of business to the city, therefore offering more positions.”
Emily Moquin, 21, is a junior from Texas who finds herself working part-time at Cups and Espresso to make ends meet. She agrees it may be easier to find work in Oxford than other parts of the state.
“Oxford appears to be a financially prosperous town with lots of opportunities,” Moquin says, “whereas other parts of Mississippi may not have that as a viable option.”
The number of women eligible to work may be another factor. More than 24,000 students attend Ole Miss, with 55 percent of those students being women.
Haggard used to work at The Shelter, too, and when asked if she ever felt that she had to work harder as a woman, Haggard said no.
“All the men I work with treat me as an equal. The only time that them being men comes into play is when an item is very heavy or high up and I need assistance.”
Kristian Taylor Selby, 20, retail manager at Oxford T-Shirt Company and Oxford native, feels that the women are attracted to work here for the “office type jobs” that are offered.
“Most of the positions in town don’t ask you to have much experience before you start out,” Selby said. “There’s just many more opportunities for women to find a desk job in this town. Oxford is forever growing and expanding. It’s not surprising that more and more women are starting to find jobs here.”
Story contributed by Meek School of Journalism & New Media student Heitzmann (cpheitzm@go.olemiss.edu).
