Ole Miss Grove Scholar Soars to Success

by Delila Nakaidinae, MA in Journalism

Corbin Cadigan had big dreams when leaving the Mississippi Gulf Coast for college. Traveling from the beaches of Biloxi, Mississippi all the way to Hotty Toddy land, the lifelong Ole Miss fan is now only a few months away from graduating.

“It has definitely been a long, bumpy road along the way, just because you have to get used to the transition from high school to college,” said the mechanical engineering major.

In his years at the University of Mississippi, Cadigan has mastered the art of balancing not only school and fun, but also his duties in a number of campus organizations. He is a member of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, the University of Mississippi Rocket Team, the National Society of Leadership and Success, the Student Accessibility Coalition, Gamma Beta Phi and Phi Sigma Theta Honor Societies.

“The things I do vary during the semester depending on how much free time I have between classes,” said the 21-year-old Cadigan. “I like playing basketball and hanging out with friends and with my fraternity brothers.”

After graduation, Cadigan plans to work in the profession of his dreams as an aerospace manufacturing engineer at Northrop Grumman’s Northeast Mississippi location.

“I’ve always been interested in aerospace and NASA,” he said. “When I was in high school, I toured the Stennis Space Center facility back home and being able to go there a few times to kind of get an understanding of what aerospace and NASA is about really got me interested in being part of that.”

While reflecting on his years as a Grove Scholar, Cadigan’s best advice for incoming students is to get in on the action right away.

“Start out early over the summer by taking some classes to get your college experience going. It’s a great way to make friends and be part of the Grove Scholars for the rest of your four years,” he said, “being around these people means that you have a really close, core group and you start out with friends already.”