Successful alumni couple
give back to MBA students
Although John and Sha Toohig grew up within 10 miles of each other and had many common friends, the DeSoto County natives didn’t meet until they were both graduate students at the University of Mississippi.
“I was in the Master of Accountancy program while John was in the MBA program,” said Sha Toohig, a Patterson School of Accountancy alumna who works as a finance and accounting recruiter for Vaco in Memphis. “My roommate, Whitney Harris Haney, was also in the MBA program, and I met John one day while visiting her in the MBA classroom.”
After that introduction, John Toohig said he was motivated to study at Harris' place whenever asked.
“The rest is history,” said Toohig, a trader on the mortgage finance desk at Morgan Keegan in Memphis.
Since the couple’s completion of their respective degrees, the Toohigs continue to help MBA students prepare for successful careers before graduation.
“I’ve spent countless hours preparing them for interviews, to utilize various career-planning exercises that the program offers, judging Speaker’s Edge competitions and participating in the Executive Speaker program,” said John Toohig, outgoing president of the MBA alumni board he helped establish. “I’ve continued to enjoy working with the students mainly because it’s something I wish I’d had more exposure to when I was a student here. We are in very tough economic times. Jobs are hard to come by, and our students need every advantage they can get.”
Like her husband, Sha Toohig offers career advice to MBA classes, performs mock interviews and participates in panel discussions on such topics as resume writing. She has served as an active adviser to Ole Miss’ Delta Gamma sorority chapter since 2006.
“Our mutual love for our alma mater and our desire for its graduates to succeed has kept us plugged into the university and involved in giving back to its students,” she said. “We share a wide range of business experiences and skills due to our training at Ole Miss.”
Besides working with students a couple of times each semester, the Toohigs partner with students and mentor them in different industries.
“Those skills enable us to mentor students as they begin a new phase in their professional journey. It is exciting to be part of their supportive network,” Sha Toohig said.
The pair’s devotion has been noticed and appreciated by both administrators and students alike.
“John and Sha Toohig have been wonderful supporters of Ole Miss and the business school,” said Dean Ken Cyree. “In addition to their generosity with financial gifts, both of them have been advocates for the MBA program and the school, and we are indebted to their commitment and service.”
John Toohig’s main passion has been to develop strong career support within the program, said Bethany Cooper, director of corporate relations and MBA services.
“Not only does he care about the students and the program, but he often checks in with me to see how things are going on the administrative side—truly going above and beyond,” she said.
“Sha has donated her time to participate in mock interview days with our students, sharing her extensive business and recruiting knowledge. She has also participated on our Career Forum panels, sharing information about the accounting and finance industry, as well as the HR perspective,” Cooper added.
“Mr. Toohig has been a great mentor and helped me immensely,” said Sean Nichols, an MBA student from Bastrop, La. “Not only has he given me information about his particular industry, but he has also helped to guide me into finding out what type of industry or job best correlates with my particular interests and talents. He has also helped me personally by calling and emailing others on my behalf in my search for a job.”
Both the Toohigs praised their respective degree programs for their rigorous curriculum and excellent faculty.
“The experience in the MBA program was very challenging,” John Toohig said. “The two-year program offered great camaraderie amongst my fellow candidates. We spent many an hour in Conner 110, working on projects, papers and preparing for exams. [It was] definitely an experience that has stuck with me.”
“The Patterson School consumed a good bit of my time and attention as I reached my higher level accounting classes,” Sha Toohig said. “But I was able to maintain a healthy balance of focusing on my classes and also serving Ole Miss in leadership roles, such as ASB treasurer and Delta Gamma vice president of finance. It certainly taught me a 'real-world' lesson on time management and prioritization.”
At Morgan Keegan, John Toohig is responsible for buying and selling whole loans from banks, credit unions and thrifts across the country. Product types consist of mortgages, automobiles and commercial loans. Sha Toohig helps experienced professionals find the next move in their career path at Vaco.
Both Toohigs know from experience that—if students take full advantage of their opportunities— Ole Miss provides students with not only an amazing educational experience but also the social skills sure to make them stand out in a crowded field of job applicants.
“Ole Miss business school graduates are sure to impress with their social graces as they are polite and professional, put you quickly at ease and can make a connection to someone you know within the first minute of conversation,” Sha Toohig said. “They also understand the value of networking to find an internship or job and lean on the relationships [they have] developed with their professors and alumni.”
