Dr. Michael C. Raines, Instructional Associate Professor of TESOL and Applied Linguistics at the University of Mississippi, embodies the Sullivan Foundation’s ideals of selfless service, mentorship, and community. A Tupelo, Mississippi native, Raines has forged a career bringing together global perspectives and student-centered teaching. In 2020 he was honored with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation Faculty Award for Outstanding Service​. His colleagues note that Raines is “the linchpin” of Ole Miss’s off-campus TESL program, and students praise his generosity – for example, granting a talented Ph.D. student the role of co-instructor in his Modern English Grammar course​. Such stories – of an instructor lifting students into leadership – illustrate why Raines exemplifies Sullivan’s spirit of service and mentoring.

A Global Educator and Ole Miss Leader

Raines’s path has been shaped by a deep commitment to language education and intercultural understanding. After earning his Ph.D. in TESOL from Ole Miss, he taught in Mexico City for years and later directed ESL and foreign-language programs at the University of Alabama​. He even managed federal grants to expand language education. In 2010 he returned to Oxford as a faculty member, teaching Spanish, ESL, and TESL courses. Today he teaches applied linguistics at the graduate level and guides many master’s and doctoral students – serving on numerous thesis committees and co-coordinating Ole Miss’s Ph.D. in Second Language Studies program​. In short, Raines’s classroom and program leadership help shape a close-knit global community on campus.

Students and colleagues frequently remark on Raines’s warmth and dedication. One doctoral candidate from Kazakhstan notes how Raines “highly praised” her work as a teaching assistant – even inviting her to serve as a co-instructor in his grammar course​. Another graduate student (from Venezuela) says she was “granted an opportunity to co-teach” linguistics courses alongside Raines​, a trust he extended to accelerate her professional development. These examples show Raines in action: he generously shares teaching responsibilities to empower students, treats them as collaborators, and helps them build confidence. By mentoring students in the classroom, he lives out the Sullivan value of nurturing others.

Mentoring and Service in Action

Raines’s service to students goes beyond academic instruction. He is deeply involved in the Modern Languages department’s graduate programs, advising international and minority students in particular. He co-teaches classes with graduate instructors, helping students gain pedagogical experience. He also advises student journals and organizations in applied linguistics. His office has become a hub where underrepresented students – including many first-generation Americans and international scholars – find guidance in navigating higher education. One Venezuelan Ph.D. student explains that, by co-teaching with Raines, she learned “making informed decisions to adjust and improve” her teaching​. Raines fosters a collaborative, inclusive classroom where diverse perspectives are valued and every student is encouraged to grow.

Beyond Ole Miss’s campus, Raines serves the broader community. He volunteers with the Mississippi Foreign Language Association as its TESL representative, helping to strengthen language education statewide​. He has organized and led workshops (for example, as chair of regional language conferences) and participated in cultural outreach in northern Mississippi. Whether advising teachers or speaking at local schools, Raines shares his expertise on bilingualism and multiculturalism – areas he has researched and taught for decades. His commitment to civic engagement means translating the skills of language and communication into service: he helps neighbors learn English, connects Ole Miss with community education programs, and promotes understanding across cultural lines.

Legacy of Service at Ole Miss

At Ole Miss, Raines is known as a kind and humble mentor. Colleagues point out that he does “service that goes well beyond his campus responsibilities.” He embodies Sullivan’s ideal of devotion to the welfare of others through everyday acts: spending extra hours with struggling students, nominating students for leadership, and quietly building bridges across campus cultural differences. For instance, he has guided Spanish-speaking and ESL students to succeed in higher education, helping them feel at home in Mississippi.

In all these ways, Dr. Raines has influenced campus culture. He has helped international students form a community in Oxford; he has brought Hispanic cultural events into the classroom; and he has inspired a generation of future language educators by modeling compassion and excellence. As one graduate student aptly put it, Ole Miss faculty like Raines provide “world-class expertise and knowledge” and constantly inspire students “to grow as a professional”​.

Dr. Raines’s story – from teaching abroad and directing ESL programs to earning Ole Miss’s highest service honor – shows how one professor can bridge worlds. His selfless mentoring and steadfast support for underrepresented learners exemplifies the very values the Sullivan Foundation celebrates.

References

University of Mississippi. (2020, May 11). University spotlights service with Sullivan Awards. Ole Miss News. Retrieved from https://news.olemiss.edu/university-spotlights-service-with-sullivan-awards/

University of Mississippi Department of Modern Languages. (n.d.). Michael Raines – Faculty Profile. Retrieved April 24, 2025, from https://modernlanguages.olemiss.edu/michael-raines/

University of Mississippi Graduate School. (2023). Student spotlight: Ainur Sarsenbayeva reflects on co-teaching experience. Retrieved from https://gradschool.olemiss.edu/student-spotlight-ainur-sarsenbayeva/

University of Mississippi Graduate School. (2024). Yulimar Gonzalez: From student to co-instructor. Retrieved from https://gradschool.olemiss.edu/yulimar-gonzalez-co-instructor-profile/

Mississippi Foreign Language Association. (2024). Executive Board Members. Retrieved from https://www.msafla.org/board-members/

University of Mississippi. (2022). Ph.D. in Second Language Studies Program Overview. Retrieved from https://modernlanguages.olemiss.edu/phd-second-language-studies/

Back to all News items.