THE S O U T H E R N M I S S A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N • FA L L 2 0 1 6
LEGENDARY
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601.268.3220
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For a free quote, call 800-524-9400 or visit libertymutual.com/southernmissalumni Client # 113257 This organization receives financial support for offering this auto and home benefits program. Discounts and savings are available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state. To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify. 2 Based on Liberty Mutual Insurance Company’s 2014 Customer Satisfaction Survey in which more than 81% of policyholders reported their interaction with Liberty Mutual service representatives to be “among the best experiences” and “better than average.” 3 Average annual savings based on countrywide survey of new customers from 01/27/2014 to 01/16/2015 who reported their prior insurers’ premiums when they switched to Liberty Mutual’s group auto and home program. Savings do not apply in MA. 4 For qualifying customers only. Accident Forgiveness is subject to terms and conditions of Liberty Mutual’s underwriting guidelines. Not available in CA and may vary by state. 5 With the purchase of optional Towing & Labor coverage. Applies to mechanical breakdowns and disablements only. Towing related to accidents would be covered under your Collision or Other Than Collision coverage. 6 Optional coverage. Applies to a covered total loss. Deductible applies. Does not apply to leased vehicles and motorcycles. Not available in NC.
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THE S O U T H E R N M I S S A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N • FA L L 2 0 1 6
“I wouldn’t trade my four years at Southern Miss for anything.” – Brett Favre
DEPARTMENTS
COVER STORY
7 Notes from Home
32 Legendary 4
8 News Around Campus
15 Calendar of Events 16 Association News
Brett Favre, legendary Southern Miss quarterback, was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot and became the second Golden Eagle inducted in the past three years. A sports hero in every right, Favre was the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 70,000 yards, 500 touchdowns and 6,000 completions.
28 Foundation News
FEATURES
44 The Arts
38 SGA President Aims to Give Back
48 Greek
55 Snapshots 56 Class Notes cover :
Favre was named Most Valuable Player for three consecutive seasons with the Green Bay Packers. Photo courtesy of the Green Bay Packers.
above: Favre lettered in all four of his seasons at Southern Miss and ranked first in passing yards, touchdown passes and total offensive yards in 1990. Photo courtesy of USM Image Center.
University of Southern Mississippi Student Government President Caroline Bradley has taken her experiences in student leadership roles, the Honors College and USM Greek Life to a new level as she leads the student body toward excellence. A native of Lucedale, Bradley balances academics and campus involvement with ease and leaves a lasting impression on everyone she meets.
50 A Look into Southern Miss Football: A 2016 Season Preview
Despite staging one of the more remarkable rags-to-riches sagas in a storied football history last season, the University of Southern Mississippi football team is ready to embrace new heights under first-year Head Coach Jay Hopson.
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ALUMNI STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JERRY DEFATTA ’00, ‘10 ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR INTERNAL OPERATIONS DANE REITER ‘06, ‘07, ‘10 ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS JENNY BOUDREAUX ’08, ‘14 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNICATIONS NICOLE RUHNKE ‘08 MANAGER OF CONSTITUENT RELATIONS LAUREN RICHARDS ‘11 MANAGER OF PROGRAMS BAYLEE LONG COORDINATOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES MELISSA MCDANIEL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT RENÉ TRIGG DATA ENTRY SPECIALIST SHARON ANDERSON RECEPTIONIST RENÉ KENT MAIL CLERK EDWARD WALLACE
••••• CONTRIBUTING WRITERS VAN ARNOLD ‘79, JIM COLL ’99, ‘06, TIM DOHERTY, ARLICIA JORDAN ‘10, AUDREY KELLY, MIKE LOPINTO ’91, ’93, ‘02, ASHLEA MADDOX ‘97, JAMES SKRMETTA ‘13, DAVID TISDALE ’90, ‘01 CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS KELLY DUNN, PATRICK LOWERY ’08 / SOUTHERN MISS ATHLETICS, TIM ISBELL ‘83, EVAN SIEGLE/GREEN BAY PACKERS PR DEPARTMENT, STARLING AND SAGE, DANNY RAWLS ’69, ‘80
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS PRESIDENT BECKY MONTAGUE PRESIDENT ELECT TRACY POWELL VICE PRESIDENT KIM BRADLEY PAST PRESIDENT SEAN MCGEE FINANCE COMMITTEE BRETT CASSELL
DO YOU THROW
The Best
TAILGATE PARTY? Do you love your Golden Eagles? Show your best black and gold and Southern Miss spirit at your Homecoming Tailgate location. The competition will be steep, so be prepared to wow the Alumni Association with creative decoration, food, atmosphere and, of course, your passion for USM!
SECRETARY/TREASURER JERRY DEFATTA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS VICKI ADKISON, EMBER AHUA, MARY DAYNE GREGG, LANCE LEFAN, DAVID LEIVA, J.R. ROBINSON, GENE SMITH, ALAN BLAKENEY, SHONNA BROWN, BRADLEY CHARLESWORTH, CARLEN CHESTANG JR., RICHARD HAARALA, BRANDI HOUGH,
Homecoming 2016 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29
SAM SACKLER, LORI BRECHTEL, BRYAN CALDWELL, REGGIE COLLIER, BRENT GREENWALD, RICKEY JONES, CHRISTY MYERS, TOM PEARSON EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS: RODNEY D. BENNETT, CHAD DRISKELL, SHANE LOPER, STACE MERCIER, GRANT DYESS, BILL MCGILLIS, AUTUMN SOBEL For advertising information, contact Jenny Boudreaux by phone at 601.266.5761 or email jenny.boudreaux@usm.edu. The Talon (USPS 652-240) is published quarterly by The University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Association, 118 College Drive #5013, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001 Active membership dues of $45 (single membership) or $55 (couple) includes subscription
The tailgate contest is open to all members of the Alumni Association. Send high-resolution pictures of your tailgate spread to alumni@usm.edu following the Homecoming game. Winners will be featured in the winter edition of The Talon and receive a Southern Miss prize package filled with lots of Golden Eagle goodies.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Hederman Brothers Printing in Ridgeland, Miss., and the staff of the Southern Miss Alumni Association. Periodical postage paid at Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001 and at additional mailing offices (Approved January 20, 1955)
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 118 College Drive #5013, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5013 PHONE: 601.266.5013 | EMAIL: alumni@usm.edu WEBSITE: www.SouthernMissAlumni.com
Proud Member of
www.conferenceusa.com AA/EOE/ADAI
THEN
Prove It.
NOTES FROM HOME Welcome to fall semester, fellow alumni. Already, The University of Southern Mississippi has much to celebrate, as you will see throughout this edition of The Talon. CLASS NOTES As the school year begins, we welcome the most academically talented incoming freshman class the institution has ever seen, evidence that the future of Southern Miss is bright. Did you know Southern Miss is among only a handful of institutions of higher learning in the SNAPSHOTS country fully accredited in all of the arts disciplines? Rehearsals have begun for a variety of arts offerings in music, theatre, dance and the visual arts. In June, Dr. Jay Dean, director of Orchestral Activities, announced the launch of the Arts Institute of Mississippi. This important initiative will be a key component in our efforts to expand arts programming and share with others what we know toALUMNI AUTHORS be true: The University of Southern Mississippi is the flagship university for the arts in the region. I’m also pleased to report that enthusiasm for our athletics program has reached an all-time high. While we’ve been cheering Brett Favre’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, former ALUMNI ALMANAC Southern Miss track star Tori Bowie’s incredible performance at the Rio 2016 Olympics, and Brian Dozier’s 100th career home run, the Southern Miss football program has been making final preparations for what is expected to be an outstanding 2016 campaign. Throughout the summer, our alumni turned out in terrific numbers to support first-year Head Football Coach Jay Hopson, and as this issue of the magazine lands in mailboxes, the Alumni Association will be leading a group of more than 70 alumni to our season-opener against the University of Kentucky and our first ever Bottles and Barrels Bourbon Tour. To date, our Alumni Association is 14,000 strong, a number in line with the national average; however, Southern Miss is not an average institution, and this is no average year. In 2017, our Association will commemorate its 100th anniversary of service to Southern Miss, and we’d like to do that with a record number of active Alumni Association members. The volunteer leadership will do our part, working with the Association’s excellent staff to develop new membership opportunities, while increasing the benefits associated with your involvement. Your suite of benefits, you might have noticed, has already been enhanced through a new national discount service. Download the Abenity app on your mobile device for more details, and expect to see additional perks listed throughout the year. As we prepare to commemorate our 100th anniversary of service to Southern Miss, we are making plans to mark this significant milestone in many ways. Two of the primary initiatives will be to present a special Centennial gift to our alma mater and to markedly increase our number of active Alumni Association members. Can we count on your assistance in our efforts to increase membership in the Association? Would you, when you’ve finished enjoying the articles in this issue, please share the magazine with a Southern Miss co-worker, neighbor, friend or relative who might not currently be engaged with our Association? Would you encourage a former classmate to join? With your help, we’ll celebrate our Centennial 2,017 members stronger. Please continue to share photos of your friends and family celebrating all things Southern Miss, inform the Association on the progress of your career and ensure your contact information remains updated with our office. Stay in touch so that as we share our good news, we can share yours, too! Southern Miss to the Top!
Becky Montague ‘94 President
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THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS Pictured left to right: Jamie Miller, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources executive director; Read Hendon, associate director of Gulf Coast Research Laboratory; Jill Hendon, sponsor; Jim Franks, senior research scientist; Rodney D. Bennett, president of The University of Southern Mississippi; Monty Graham, director of School of Science and Technology; and Gordon Cannon, vice president for research.
EAGLE CLUB
ATHLETIC NEWS
NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES
SNAPSHOTS
ALUMNI AUTHORS
ALUMNI ALMANAC
Longtime Scientist’s Legacy Immortalized with Commissioning of New Research Vessel
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THE
The legacy of James “Jim” S. Franks, senior research scientist at The University of Southern Mississippi, was honored June 18 as guests gathered at the Point Cadet Marina in Biloxi to celebrate the commissioning of the University’s newest research vessel. Naval flags danced in the breeze along the R/V Jim Franks as Southern Miss faculty, local and state officials, and marine science experts took the stage to honor the newest vessel and its namesake. Franks first came to the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) in Ocean Springs during the summer of 1963. Some 53 years later, he has become one of the most recognizable scientists at the laboratory, representing GCRL at coastal fishing tournaments and other public events. The fisheries biologist’s research has focused on large pelagic fishes, such
as billfishes and tunas, with a recent interest in changing the global perception of pelagic sargassum, an offshore essential habitat for various fish species. Expanding the high-quality education and research opportunities the University provides, the 60-foot research vessel is equipped for both day and overnight trips. For day cruises, the R/V Jim Franks has a maximum capacity of 40 passengers, and it sports a cruising speed of 18 knots and a top speed of 24 knots. The R/V Jim Franks features both wet and dry laboratories and will allow University researchers to conduct projects such as water testing, trawling, long lining, surveying and research trips to the Mississippi barrier islands. The vessel offers advantages to partnering agencies like the Mississippi Department of Marine
Resources (MDMR). MDMR Director Jamie Miller said information from GCRL scientists is imperative to the development of the revitalization of the Gulf Coast seafood industry. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the vessel was christened by sponsor Jill Hendon, assistant director of the Center for Fisheries Research and Development at Southern Miss. Afterwards, visitors were able to tour the vessel. Southern Miss School of Ocean Science and Technology Director Monty Graham was also aboard the R/V Jim Franks as onlookers got a first-hand look at the new vessel. According to Graham, the addition of the R/V Jim Franks will help enhance the science and research being done in the Gulf Coast and will also help scientists bridge scientific gaps.
THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
Students Perform More Than 97,500 Community Service Hours Students at The University of Southern Mississippi performed more than 97,500 service hours in the previous fiscal year (July 2015-June 2016) according to statistics compiled by the University’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE). Approximately 55,650 hours were performed by individuals who served at one location throughout the year. A total of 28 Hattiesburg-area agencies/organizations were served by Southern Miss students with a calculated economic value of $1,904,371. Hours served specifically with CCCE’s programs had an estimated value of $798,232. Christy Arrazattee serves as the director of the CCCE and points out that many students participate in service-learning programs where they work with a nonprofit throughout the semester to utilize skills learned in the classroom. The University has developed particularly close partnerships with the Edwards Street Fellowship Center, Oseola McCarty Youth Development Center, Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club, Hawkins Elementary School and Habitat for Humanity. Many students also volunteer with Christian Services and Fieldhouse for the Homeless.
Southern Miss Alumna Competes in “MasterChef” Cooking Competition
University of Southern Mississippi alumna Katie Dixon is competing on the FOX reality cooking show “MasterChef.”
EAGLE CLUB
ATHLETIC NEWS
NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES Volunteers with the Center for Community and Civic Engagement held a work day to assist in cleanup along the Okatoma River.
SNAPSHOTS
The center uses a variety of methods to recruit and train students for community service work. CCCE staffers meet one-onALUMNI AUTHORS one with students to ascertain their particular interests and help match them with the appropriate community organization. Each fall, a volunteer fair is held on the Hattiesburg campus that allows ALUMNI community organizations to interact withALMANAC potential volunteers. To learn more about the Center for Community and Civic Engagement, call 601.266.5074 or visit www.USM.edu/center-community-and-civic-engagement.
Whether facing a hot stove or a bank of TV cameras, Katie Dixon feels right at home in the kitchen. Any kitchen. Dixon, a 2005 University of Southern Mississippi graduate, has parlayed her love of cooking into a spot among the final contestants of the current season of Fox TV’s hit series “MasterChef.” The winner receives a cookbook deal and the $250,000 grand prize. A Brookhaven native, Dixon earned one of the coveted aprons from renowned chef and “MasterChef” judge Gordon Ramsey. Christina Tosi serves as the show’s other primary judge with guest judges scheduled to appear throughout the season. Dixon earned her undergraduate degree in business and marketing
from Southern Miss. A former Southern Miss cheerleader, she also captured the Mississippi Miss Hospitality crown in 2001. Today, she works as a personal trainer, nutritional planner and food creator at Shine Café in Hattiesburg. To prepare for her “MasterChef” audition, Dixon spent many hours in the kitchen working with a variety of cooking experts. Dixon says her specialty is Indian food, and she enjoys cooking healthy, organic meals that include fresh produce, herbs and spices. Dixon is vying to become the second Southern Miss alum to win the “MasterChef” competition. Whitney Miller, who was a Southern Miss senior at the time, captured the inaugural title in 2010.
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THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
Southern Miss EAGLE CLUB Receives MDOT GrantATHLETIC for Gulf NEWS Park Campus Improvements
NOTES FROM HOME
10
THE
The University of Southern Mississippi recently received a grant check from the Mississippi CLASS NOTES Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) totaling $160,000.SNAPSHOTS On June 21, MDOT Transportation Commissioner Tom King presented the check to ALUMNI AUTHORS Dr. Steve Miller, vice president for the Gulf Park campus, in Hardy Hall on the Gulf Park campus in ALUMNI ALMANAC Long Beach. The $160,000 grant will provide the majority of funds that will be used to enhance the area surrounding Bear Point Bayou, near the heart of the Gulf Park campus, and will consist of a redesign and construction of sidewalks, gathering areas, a pedestrian bridge, seating, landscaping and lighting. The project will also include the installation of a seventh Code Blue emergency phone on the Gulf Park campus, providing added safety and security access. The project’s funding is administered by MDOT with funds from FHWA as part of the Transportation Alternative Grant Program (TAP). The 80/20 grant breakdown results in MDOT providing $160,000 toward construction of the project with Southern Miss providing $32,000. Managed and designed by Tice Engineering, Inc., the project is expected to begin in September 2016 and be completed in April 2017.
Alumni perform at the annual Homecoming concert.
Choral Activities to Host Homecoming Reunion and Concert Southern Miss Choral Activities is hosting a Homecoming reunion and concert in conjunction with the University’s homecoming activities Oct. 28-29 on the Hattiesburg campus. All alumni who have participated in any Southern Miss choral ensemble are invited to attend the gathering and sing in the alumni choir, directed by former and current conductors, which include Drs. Rolland Shaw, William Weinert, Timothy Koch, John Flanery, Gregory Fuller and Jonathan Kilgore. “This is a great time for all of us to get together and revisit our time at Southern Miss,” said new Assistant Director of Choral Activities Dr. Jonathan Kilgore. “As an alum myself, Homecoming is such a great time to be on campus, and being able to enjoy that with friends and colleagues, making music, is a wonderful opportunity.” Festivities will include events from different eras on Friday evening along with rehearsals. The alumni mass choir concert will be at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, at Main Street Baptist Church. The concert is free and open to the public. These events are also scheduled conveniently for attendees to enjoy the full schedule of Homecoming activities on campus. Registration is $45 per participating alum and includes music and breakfast on Saturday. Additional attendees, including spouses, are also invited. To learn more or register for these events, visit USM.edu/choirs or call 601.266.4892.
THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
New College of Nursing Building Nears Completion Asbury Hall, future home of the College of Nursing at The University of Southern Mississippi, is growing ever closer to completion on the Hattiesburg campus. According to University officials, the project is on track to be substantially finished by October, with classes scheduled to begin for the 2017 spring semester. Groundbreaking on the $31 million, state-of-the-art facility was held in September 2014. Furniture and equipment installations in Asbury Hall are set to begin in mid-October and continue through November with an anticipated completion date by early December. College of Nursing personnel will begin to move in and occupy offices during the first week of November. The project received an immediate kick-start with a $4 million commitment from the Asbury Foundation of Hattiesburg – a gift that led to the naming of Asbury Hall. The new building, located on the western edge of the Hattiesburg campus, increases the square footage dedicated to the College of Nursing by 135 percent.
EAGLE CLUB
ATHLETIC NEWS
NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES
SNAPSHOTS Asbury Hall will house the College of Nursing at The University of Southern Mississippi. The $31 million facility is scheduled to open for classes when the spring 2017 semester begins.
It will provide much-needed space for faculty and students and will replace a facility that can no longer meet the requirements of nursing education. For years, Dr. Katherine Nugent, dean of the College of Nursing, lobbied for a new building to house and expand the nursing program at Southern Miss. Now, her long-held dream sits almost finished just a short distance away from her current office. The new building will allow for an increase in nursing enrollment from the current 550 students to more than 800
ALUMNI AUTHORS
and expand new programs in the College of Nursing through student interactive areas, an enlarged and enhanced ALUMNI ALMANAC clinical simulation lab, computer labs and classrooms that will promote the acquisition of knowledge in a positive and interactive learning environment. Nugent points out that Asbury Hall will serve as a shining symbol of the value placed on nursing education and healthcare in the entire Gulf South region. For more information about the College of Nursing, call 601.266.5454 or visit www.USM.edu/nursing.
Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families Receives Gift from Alumnus The Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families at The University of Southern Mississippi recently received a gift from USM alumnus Robert Ingram and his wife, Barbara, of a painting by acclaimed Mississippi artist Allan Hammons of Greenwood. The painting depicts the U.S. Army air base in Clarksdale in operation during World War II.
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THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
Six Alumnae Claim Spots on NFL Cheerleading Team
EAGLE CLUB
ATHLETIC NEWS
This football season, New Orleans Saints fans from across the Gulf South can expect to see a familiar face or two as six University of Southern Mississippi alumnae have joined the NFL organization as new members of the Saintsations. Same colors, different teams, the following alumnae (pictured left to right) have traded in their black and gold Southern Miss attire for cheerleading uniforms embellished with the Saints fleur-de-lis logo: Andre’El Brown ’16, journalism; Brandy Jarvis ’15, business administration with an emphasis in marketing; Alexis Barbaresi Weeks ’15, dance performance and choreography; Tasia Poyadou Lamb ’10, biological sciences; Elizabeth Kiehn ’13, international business with a minor in fashion merchandising; Summer Rials ’15, healthcare marketing.
NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES
SNAPSHOTS
ALUMNI AUTHORS
ALUMNI ALMANAC
Patel Serving as President for ACUA
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A veteran University of Southern Mississippi administrator is leading an international organization advancing best practices and procedures for auditing services in higher education. Vijay Patel, director of the Office of Internal Audit for The University of Southern Mississippi since 2000, is Vijay Patel president of the Association of College and University Auditors (ACUA). The ACUA president serves as executive officer of the organization, with duties that include enforcement of its bylaws and policies; execution of all resolutions and proceedings of ACUA and the board; and execution of all contracts other than those delegated to the executive director for the day-to-day operation of the association.
Founded in 1958, ACUA’s mission is to facilitate ways to address mutual professional issues and generate new ideas and methods in the profession, while also providing resources to expand the knowledge base of its members. Patel has been involved with ACUA since 2006, beginning as a board member and later serving as its secretary/treasurer and vice president. A native of England, Patel holds bachelor’s degrees in computer science and statistics and accountancy from USM. Before taking the top post with the Office of Internal Audit, he served Southern Miss as a system design and information systems analyst from 1993-96 and as senior internal and information systems auditor from 1996-2000. Patel holds certifications in public accountancy (CPA), fraud examiner (CFE) and information and systems auditing (CISA). He has served on the University’s Staff Council and is an honoree of the Gold Leaf Society. For more information about the Southern Miss Office of Internal Audit, visit www.USM.edu/internal-audit.
THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
Southern Miss Receives $3 Million Federal Grant to Develop EAGLE CLUB Pilot Programs for Technology Transfer, Economic Development The University of Southern Mississippi has been awarded a $3 million grant by the United States Department of Defense’s Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) to develop three pilot programs to aid regions whose economic health is dependent upon defense initiatives. Mississippi was selected for the $3 million pilot program development due to USM’s expertise in economic development and the state’s dependence on Department of Defense spending with $5.5 billion per year spent in the state. “This grant will allow our USM research team to expand our technical services to communities interested in increasing commercial opportunities through innovation and technology transfer,” said Shannon Campbell, director of USM’s Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship. Military bases and defense contractors, along with their supply chain, are a major part of many local economies. As the Department of Defense makes adjustments in its spending, many communities’ wellbeing will depend on the ability to diversify and transform their economies. To assist these communities, the Southern Miss College of Business and
Trent Lott Center will collaborate on the development of three primary initiatives: • Provide economic diversification technical assistance for communities • Create a defense community specialization for the Masters of Science in Economic Development program • Create a platform for technology transfer related to defense intellectual property into new economic opportunities These programs will be piloted in Mississippi and then refined to assist communities across the nation. In addition to numerous military bases, the defense industry is a major Mississippi employment sector, including aerospace, shipbuilding, weapon systems, armored vehicles and other equipment. Shipbuilding is Mississippi’s largest civilian employer, accounting for 13,063 jobs and more than $1.3 billion in earnings for the state. An example of a potential transition is Camp Shelby’s changing from the National Guard’s largest mobilization center to a diversified training site for more than 100,000 personnel annually. Technical assistance for communities will include cataloging and analyzing existing assets in Mississippi that can be
relied upon to support implementation of a statewide comprehensive ATHLETIC NEWSstrategy (market, supply chain, workforce analyses, etc.). USM will assist communities and regions in planning short-term and long-term economic strategies NOTES FROM HOMEdesigned to minimize defense industry adjustments through data-driven, resiliency-focused action planning. CLASS NOTES The Master of Economic Development degree program will include an online option for working professionals and for military personnel SNAPSHOTS seeking to transition into civilian employment. Professional economic developers are in high demand, and the ALUMNI AUTHORS degree program will be expanded to include an emphasis in defense sector economic diversification. ALUMNI ALMANAC The University will support the expansion of the Department of Defense’s National Security Technology Accelerator as a means of encouraging a greater number of entrepreneurs and small businesses to transfer technology and innovations into commercial opportunities. USM recognizes NSTA initiatives as a unique opportunity to mitigate defense spending reductions through economic diversification and enhanced economic capacity for Mississippi’s struggling economy.
Tori Bowie Brings Home Three Olympic Medals Former Golden Eagle Track Star Tori Bowie ’12 won three medals in her first Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 25-year old sprinter took home the bronze in the women’s 200-meter, the silver in the 100-meter and the gold in the women’s 4x100 meter relay.
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WE’RE TAKING TAILGATING
TO THE TOP! EAGLE LANDING TAILGATE EVENTS
Sept. 3
Oct. 8
Oct. 15
Nov. 19
University of Kentucky Lexington, KY
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! Jason Wesley (601) 264-1117
LSU Baton Rouge, LA
UTSA San Antonio, TX
North Texas Denton, TX
Members of the Southern Miss Alumni Association and Eagle Club receive complimentary admission to all Eagle Landing tailgates! Events begin two-andhalf hours prior to kickoff, unless otherwise noted. For more information and to register, visit SouthernMissAlumni.com/UpcomingEvents.
AA/EOE/ADAI UC 74603.5013 6.16
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Upcoming Events Calendar All events are subject to change and should be confirmed. Visit SouthernMissAlumni.com/UpcomingEvents for a full list of events hosted by the Alumni Association. Athletic schedules can be found at SouthernMiss.com. Registration is required for all Eagle Landing tailgate events.
September 9 Honors College 40th Anniversary Gala The Venue in Downtown Hattiesburg | 7 p.m.
18TH ANNUAL SOUTHERN MISS ALUMNI HOMECOMING GOLF TOURNAMENT
10 USM vs. Savannah State The Rock | 6 p.m. 13 Pine Belt Legacies and Scholars Reception: High School Juniors and Seniors in the Pinebelt Giannini Touchdown Terrace | 6:30 – 8 p.m. Visit Choose.USM.edu for more information. 17 Membership Appreciation Tailgate Ogletree House | 3 – 5 p.m. Members of the Southern Miss Alumni Association are invited to a membership appreciation tailgate prior to the Southern Miss vs. Troy football game.
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GO GOLD INFORMATION NIGHTS will be held in Brookhaven and on the Gulf Coast in September for high school juniors and seniors. For information on these events, visit Choose.USM.edu.
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October
PRESENTED BY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28 Registration is now open at SouthernMissAlumni.com/HomecomingGolf2016
1 Black and Gold Day: High School Seniors Thad Cochran Center | 1 – 4 p.m. Visit Choose.USM.edu for more information.
BUY A BRICK
7 DuBard School Speakeasy Visit DuBardSchoolSpeakeasy.com for details.
LEAVE A
8 Eagle Landing Tailgate: USM vs. UTSA Alamodome | 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
LEGACY
15 Eagle Landing Tailgate: USM vs LSU Louisiana State University | Time TBA 28–30 Homecoming Weekend 2016
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GO GOLD INFORMATION NIGHTS will be held in Tupelo and Meridian in October for high school juniors and seniors. Additional events will be held for high school counselors in these cities, as well. For information on these events, visit Choose.USM.edu.
November 4 Honors Day: Prospective Honors College Students Thad Cochran Center | 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Visit Choose.USM.edu for more information.
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your personalizeD brick
no later than
september 30,
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5 Black and Gold Day: High School Seniors Thad Cochran Center | 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Visit Choose.USM.edu for more information. 19 Eagle Landing Tailgate: USM vs. University of North Texas Location: Apogee Stadium | 2 – 4 p.m.
SouthernMissAlumni.com/LeaveALegacy • 601.266.5013
Fall 2016
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
Executive Committee FOUNDATION NEWS
Becky Montague ‘94
Tracy Powell ‘86
PRESIDENT FROM THE ARCHIVES
PRESIDENT ELECT
Becky Montague is an honor graduate of the National Center for Paralegal Training. She graduated summa cum laude from Southern THE ARTS Miss and earned a master’s degree in fiction writing at Johns Hopkins University. She served on the faculty of Jones County Junior College, is the author of Bringing the World to Mississippi: The NEWS AROUND CAMPUS University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra and is founding president of the Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art. A Life Member of the Alumni Association, Montague has previously served on the boards of both the Alumni Association EAGLE CLUB and USM Foundation. She is a member of the Southern Miss Alumni Association Hall of Fame; a former chair of Partners for the Arts, which she continues to serve as a long-time advisory ATHLETIC board member; and aNEWS former arts chair of the Southern Miss Centennial Committee. Montague has also served on the advisory board of the College of Arts and Letters, co-chairing the college’s annual arts gala, and has been a member of numerous NOTES FROM HOME search committees across campus. Montague has served on many community boards, including the Hattiesburg Arts Council, Hattiesburg Concert Association and HistoricCLASS Hattiesburg Downtown Association (HHDA). Her dedication, NOTES through the Hattiesburg Alliance for Public Art, to purchasing and exhibiting large sculptural works in downtown Hattiesburg earned her the HHDA Promotion of the Arts Award in 2015. SNAPSHOTS Montague and her husband, Doug, are the parents of three adult children, all Southern Miss graduates, and are members of the Honor Club and Eagle Club.
Originally from Petal, Tracy Powell graduated from Southern Miss with a Bachelor of Science in accounting. In 1989, he graduated from Vanderbilt Law School, where he was a member of the Vanderbilt Law Review and Order of the Coif. At Southern Miss, he was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. Today, Powell is a partner at the law firm of Sherrard, Roe, Voigt & Harbison in Nashville, Tenn., with a practice that involves health care and corporate matters. He is actively involved in the ABA Health Law Section and is a regular author and speaker on health care legal matters. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America and recognized by Chambers USA. This Life Member of the Alumni Association is a member of the Eagle Club and Hardwood Club and a season ticket holder in football and basketball. He was on the Association’s board of directors from 2001-03 and served on the USM Foundation board of directors from 2011-13. He received the Alumni Association’s Outstanding Service Award in 1993 and the Continuous Outstanding Service Award in 1997. He was inducted into the Petal High School Academic Hall of Fame in 2011. Powell is married to Deana Dreary and is the proud father of three children, Alisha Powell Lay, Drew Powell and Patrick Powell.
ALUMNI AUTHORS
ALUMNI ALMANAC
Montague Appointed to Lead Alumni Association Executive Committee On July 1, 2016, the Southern Miss Alumni Association installed its newest executive committee for the 2016-17 fiscal year. Committee members include alumni who are accomplished leaders in their communities and demonstrate a strong commitment to the betterment of the University.
Kim Bradley ‘86
VICE PRESIDENT
Kim Bradley owns Taylor Rental in Hattiesburg and is a lifelong Golden Eagles fan. In addition to being a business owner, he is serving his third term on the City Council as the representative of Ward 1, which includes the northwestern part of Hattiesburg and The University of Southern Mississippi. He served as president of the City Council from 2007-16. Bradley was born and raised in Hattiesburg, is a graduate of Hattiesburg High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Southern Miss in 1985. While at USM, he was a member of the golf team and president of Kappa Alpha Fraternity. His commitment to the University has continued over the years: he is a season ticket holder for every sport, has served on numerous committees and sponsored the legislation that created Go Gold Fridays in Hattiesburg. Bradley is a Life Member of the Alumni Association, a member of the Circle of Champions and the 2013 recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Service Award. He is a member and former president of the board of directors of the Hattiesburg Country Club and attends Venture Church. He and his wife, Erin Pittman Bradley, have two daughters, Alex and Abby.
Sean McGee ‘90
PAST PRESIDENT While a student at The University of Southern Mississippi, Sean McGee was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and employed with The Student Printz. As an alumnus, McGee has served as a member of the USM Foundation’s board of directors, the Southern Miss Alumni Association board of directors and as president of the South Central Mississippi Alumni Chapter. McGee and his wife, Missy Warren ’88, ’93, are both members of the Alumni Association and parents of Patrick, a Luckyday Scholar at the University, and Jackson, a freshman at Presbyterian Christian School. Missy is the daughter of Lawrence Warren and stepmother Bonnie Warren, who is a member of the Alumni Hall of Fame. McGee has worked for BancorpSouth in Hattiesburg since 2003 and is currently serving as senior vice president and manager of the Premier Banking Department. In his community, he and his family are members of Main Street United Methodist Church, where he serves as the chairman of the administrative council.
ASSOCIATION NEWS
PRESIDENT FOUNDATION NEWS
Becky Montague, Hattiesburg, MS
PRESIDENT ELECT Tracy Powell, Nashville, TN
FROM THE ARCHIVES
VICE PRESIDENT Kim Bradley, Hattiesburg, MS
PAST PRESIDENT THE ARTS Sean McGee, Hattiesburg, MS FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR Brett Cassell, Metairie, LA
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS SECRETARY/TREASURER
Jerry DeFatta, Petal, MS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS EAGLE CLUB
Vicki Adkison, Moss Point, MS Ember Ahua, Hattiesburg, MS Mary Dayne Gregg, Hattiesburg, MS Lance LeFan, Hattiesburg, MS ATHLETIC NEWS Davie Leiva, Hattiesburg, MS J.R. Robinson, Hattiesburg, MS Gene Smith, Petal, MS Alan Blakeney, Laurel, MS NOTES FROM HOME Shonna Brown, Boston, MA Bradley Charlesworth, New Orleans, LA Carlen Chestag Jr., Gurley, AL Richard Haarala, Frisco, Texas Brandi Hough, Byram, MS CLASS NOTES Sam Sackler, Hattiesburg, MS Lori Brechtel, Brandon, MS Bryan Caldwell, Gulfport, MS Reggie Collier, Hattiesburg, MS SNAPSHOTS Brent Greenwald, Mobile, AL Rickey Jones, Jackson, MS Christy Myers, Mandeville, LA Tom Pearson,AUTHORS North Palm Beach, FL ALUMNI
Ex-Officio Board Members (by virtue of office) ALUMNI ALMANAC
Brett Cassell ’00, ‘04 FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR
PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY Rodney D. Bennett, Hattiesburg, MS
Brett Cassell graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science in accounting in December 2000 and a Master of Business Administration in 2004. While at Southern Miss, Cassell was a member of the Leadership Team at the Baptist Student Union, a SGA Senator, an officer in Beta Alpha Psi Accounting Honor Society and a member of the Southern Miss Rugby Club team. Cassell grew up in Taylorsville where he attended Taylorsville High School. He then attended Jones County Junior College before transferring to The University of Southern Mississippi to complete his degrees. He worked at Southern Miss for nine years, including three years as the associate director for internal operations at the Southern Miss Alumni Association. Cassell resides in Metairie, La., with his wife, Heather ’01, ’06. Cassell has served as the bursar at the University of New Orleans since 2010.
VICE PRESIDENT FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Chad Driskell, Hattiesburg, MS PRESIDENT OF THE USM FOUNDATION Shane Loper, Gulfport, MS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FOUNDATION Stace Mercier, Hattiesburg, MS PRESIDENT OF THE ATHLETIC FOUNDATION Grant Dyess, Hattiesburg, MS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR/CEO OF THE ATHLETIC FOUNDATION Bill McGillis, Hattiesburg, MS PRESIDENT OF THE STUDENT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Autumn Sobel, Chicago, IL
Incoming Board Members Alan Blakeney ‘89
Reggie Collier ‘04
Originally from Waynesboro, Alan Blakeney graduated from Southern Miss with a Bachelor of Science in accounting. He is active in the Southeast Central Alumni Chapter and is a member of the Eagle Club. Blakeney is a CPA and has worked for Camellia Healthcare since 2007 where he currently serves as the chief financial officer. He is a member of various professional organizations and was selected to serve as a member of Enterprise Fleet’s National Customer Advisory Board in 2015. He is married to Angela Merritt Blakeney ’91 and they are the proud parents of two current Golden Eagles, Mason and Ashley. Alan attends Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Laurel where he serves as a deacon.
From 1979 to 1982, Reggie Collier dazzled Southern Miss fans as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks. During his time as the Golden Eagles’ signal-caller, Collier led the Golden Eagles to several victories over nationally ranked opponents and six victories over instate rivals Mississippi State and Ole Miss. In 1980, Collier led the Golden Eagles to an Independence Bowl victory. During his junior year, Collier finished ninth in the balloting for the Heisman Trophy, given annually to the nation’s top player. In 1983, he was drafted in the first round by the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL. He later played with the Washington Federals and the Orlando Renegades before making the jump to the NFL. There, Collier was a member of the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers. Collier was one of two quarterbacks selected for the Southern Miss Football Team of the Century, and he was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. In addition, he is one of only three Golden Eagles football players to have his jersey number retired. Serving as a role model for younger athletes, Collier returned to the University to earn his degree in 2004. After several years serving the University in the Eagle Club, Collier has recently joined First Bank as a business development officer. Additional honors for Collier include Southern Miss Alumni Hall of Fame, M-Club Hall of Fame, Independence Bowl Hall of Fame and membership in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. A Life Member of the Alumni Association, Collier resides in Hattiesburg with his wife, Beverly.
Lori Brechtel ‘89 Lori Brechtel graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi in 1989 with a degree in art. While at Southern Miss, she was a Dixie Darling and a member of Delta Gamma Sorority, serving two terms as rush chairman. After graduation, Brechtel worked as a graphic designer in Hammond, La., for the Gagliano Group, and in Jackson at Mitcham Strategic Partners and Broderick Bates Advertising. In 1996, she was hired as art director for Mississippi Magazine and has been employed with the publication ever since. She currently serves as a special projects director, where her duties include event planning, website and digital issue design, social media engagement and new project development. Brechtel is a life member of the Junior Auxiliary of Rankin County and has served on the Southern Miss Alumni Association’s publications board, as well as the boards of the Flowood YMCA and Actor’s Playhouse. She and her husband, Michael, met as students at Southern Miss, were engaged beside the AllAmerican Rose Garden in 1989 and currently reside in Brandon, where they are active parishioners of St. Paul Catholic Church. The Brechtels are Life Members of the Southern Miss Alumni Association, as well as Eagle Club members. They have two children – Evan, a recent graduate of Fordham University in New York, and Julia, who began her own Southern Miss journey this fall as a freshman.
Brent Greenwald ’99, ‘02 Brent Greenwald is a business development specialist for Thermo Fisher Scientific and has over 12 years of professional sales and marketing experience. He received a Bachelor of Science in business administration and a Master of Education at The University of Southern Mississippi. Greenwald has served on the board of the Mobile Bay Chapter of the Alumni Association and Eagle Club for the past seven years. He was awarded the Scott Caldwell Award as the top chapter president in 2014. He and his wife, Kelly ’02, are Life Members of the Southern Miss Alumni Association, members of the USM Foundation’s Honor Club and are Eagle Club supporters. They have two daughters, Lauren and Addie, and reside in Mobile, Ala.
Dr. Tom Pearson ‘76
Rickey Jones ‘92
Dr. Tom Pearson is the executive director/CEO of the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach, Fla. He is a native of Hattiesburg and a graduate of Hattiesburg High School. Following his graduation from The University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music education, Pearson taught in Mississippi for 12 years. He also served as the president of the Mississippi Bandmasters Association and was a director with the international championship Mississippi Lion’s All State Band. In 1989, Pearson moved to Palm Beach, Fla., and opened two new high schools before becoming the marketing and recruiting specialist for Magnet and Choice Programs, the director of Magnet and Choice Programs and the arts education administrator for the Palm Beach County School District. Pearson returned to Mississippi in 2013 to take the helm of the Mississippi Arts Commission and recently returned to West Palm Beach to become the executive director/CEO of the Armory Art Center. Pearson received his specialist’s degree in educational leadership and a doctorate in education from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., after additional study at Berklee College of Music and the University of Miami’s executive management program. He has two adult children, Thomas Pearson III, of Hattiesburg, and Rebekah Francisco, who resides in Orlando, Fla. He has one granddaughter, Jaelyn Francisco and is married to Kathy Acerra.
As a basketball forward, Rickey Jones was a part of some of the most impressive Golden Eagle teams to ever run up and down the hardwood. As an alumnus, he has played an important role on many of the teams that helped contribute to Southern Miss’ success, including the USM Foundation Board of Directors, M-Club Board of Directors and a member of the the Eagle and Hardwood Clubs. In 2006, he served as a member of the Alumni Association Presidential Transition Team, as well as the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning’s Search Advisory Committee, that assisted the IHL Board in its search for the ninth president of the University that ended in the selection of Dr. Martha Saunders. In 2007, the Alumni Association honored Jones for his service to his alma mater with the Outstanding Service Award, and he was inducted into the Southern Miss Alumni Hall of Fame in 2010. Jones earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management from Southern Miss, and currently resides in Jackson where he works as a business consultant with Front Court Development.
Christy Sanders Myers, Ph.D. ’92 Dr. Christy Sanders Myers is the human resources administrator for STARC of Louisiana, which is a private, nonprofit organization that serves individuals with developmental disabilities in St. Tammany Parish. Her career began as an admissions counselor at The University of Southern Mississippi. She served in multiple administrative roles at the University and also Louisiana State University and Tulane University, which included first year experience, admissions, orientation and Greek life. She received her undergraduate degree in finance and master’s degree in counseling with an emphasis in student personnel from USM. She received her doctorate from Louisiana State University in educational leadership, research and counseling. Christy is originally from Slidell, La., and has lived in Mandeville for the past 10 years with her husband, Ryan Myers, president of F. H. Myers Construction, and their son Brady, 9. Christy is a past president of the Northshore Pi Beta Phi Alumnae organization.
Bryan Caldwell ’83, ’86, ’00 Bryan Caldwell is the director of athletics for the Gulfport School District. A Gulfport native, he has served as athletic director since 2013. An educator for 32 years, Caldwell has served as a U.S. History teacher, head boys’ basketball coach at Gulfport High School from 1993-2004 and as principal for Bayou View Middle School from 2008-13. He has also coached and taught at Harrison Central High School, St. Paul’s High School in Covington, La., and at Southern Miss. Caldwell holds three degrees from The University of Southern Mississippi – bachelor’s in athletic administration, an M.Ed. in secondary education and a specialist degree in educational leadership. Caldwell has been named Coach of the Year by the Sun Herald, Clarion-Ledger and the Mississippi Association of Coaches. In 2002, Caldwell’s Gulfport High School basketball team won the 5A State Championship with a record of 37-1, ending the season ranked #1 in Mississippi. He was the recipient of the Gulfport Kiwanis Club Service and Leadership Award in 2003 and was named Gulfport School District Administrator of the Year in 2012. He is a 2016 graduate of Leadership Gulf Coast, serves on the legislative committee for the Mississippi High School Activities Association and is a member of the Mississippi Association of Coaches Board of Directors. He and his wife, Kellee ’86, ’90, have two children, Claire ’13, ’15 and Reid, a senior at Southern Miss.
ASSOCIATION NEWS
FOUNDATION NEWS
BEACH BASH
FROM THE ARCHIVES
THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
EAGLE CLUB
ATHLETIC NEWS
NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES
SNAPSHOTS
Golden Eagle Fans Enjoy Annual Summer Parties
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Following a successful spring event season, the Southern ALUMNI AUTHORS Miss spirit grew even stronger with the Alumni Association’s annual summer parties. More than 1,000 Southern Miss alumni and fans attended events held in Jackson, Long Beach ALUMNI ALMANAC and Hattiesburg and celebrated the upcoming 2016 Golden Eagle football season. Headlining each event was the Southern Miss football team, coaching staff, cheerleaders and Seymour. “The excitement surrounding the University and Southern Miss Athletics is contagious,” said Lauren Richards, manager of constituent relations. “These summer parties provided alumni, fans and community leaders the opportunity to rally together in support of the Golden Eagles as we all look ahead with great anticipation for a successful football season!” Each event was hosted by the local alumni chapter in conjunction with the Southern Miss Alumni Association and the Department of Athletics. Keesler Federal Credit Union served as the title sponsor for all three events, and local businesses contributed to the success of each party. “This is the first year Keesler Federal Credit Union has sponsored the Alumni Association’s summer
parties,” said Sharon Kellar, vice president of marketing for KFCU. “We’re thrilled to be given the opportunity. We’re also excited to now offer Keesler Federal membership benefits to Southern Miss alumni and fans. Keesler Federal is proud to serve the students, alumni and the community of Southern Miss.” Complete with activities for children, live music and photos with Seymour, guests were able to participate in auctions to raise money for the local alumni chapters’ scholarship funds for local students attending Southern Miss. “The alumni and fan base in Jackson, Hattiesburg and along the Gulf Coast continues to take their support for Southern Miss to the next level,” said Jerry DeFatta, executive director. “From these three summer parties, a total of more than $25,000 was raised for scholarships. As Southern Miss alumni generously invest in future generations of Golden Eagles, we will truly see greatness achieved on our campus and throughout our communities. Thank you to each family, individual and business who partnered with us to host these top-notch and memorable events.”
ASSOCIATION NEWS
FOUNDATION NEWS
ALL-STAR PARTY
FROM THE ARCHIVES
THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
EAGLE CLUB
ATHLETIC NEWS
NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES
SNAPSHOTS
ALUMNI AUTHORS
ALUMNI ALMANAC
Fall 2016
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
FOUNDATION NEWS
FANFARE FROM THE ARCHIVES
THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
EAGLE CLUB
ATHLETIC NEWS
NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES
SNAPSHOTS
ALUMNI AUTHORS
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ALUMNI ALMANAC
ASSOCIATION NEWS
FOUNDATION NEWS
FROM THE ARCHIVES
THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
EAGLE CLUB
ATHLETIC NEWS
NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES
SNAPSHOTS
ALUMNI AUTHORS
ALUMNI ALMANAC
Fall 2016
23
ASSOCIATION NEWS
2016 Scholarship Recipients FOUNDATION NEWS Congratlations to the following students who received scholarships from their local Southern Miss alumni chapter:
FROM THE ARCHIVES
BATON ROUGE ALUMNI CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIP Courtney King
THE ARTS
GULF COAST METRO ALUMNI CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIP Tiffany Alsbury NEWS AROUND CAMPUS Cailyn Espey Peyton Stubbs
EAGLE CLUBBAY ALUMNI CHAPTER MOBILE MICKEY MARSHALL SCHOLARSHIP Kori Harrell Kate Phelps ATHLETIC NEWS SOUTH CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI ALUMNI CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIP Alese James Abigail Anderson NOTES FROM HOME Elizabeth Magee Ana Claire Brewer Bayley Peoples Lauren Broom Molly Schraeder Rachel Farmer
CLASS NOTES
SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI ALUMNI CHAPTER SCHOLARSHIP Brandon Jenkins SNAPSHOTS Emily Stansbury
Tradition Continues for the Student Chapter of the Southern Miss Alumni Association Following several months of research and leadership input, the student chapter of the Alumni Association has been renamed as the Student Alumni Association, or SAA. Formerly known as The Legacy, this student organization serves as the campus leader in promoting spirit and enthusiasm and proudly considers themselves the “keepers of tradition” at Southern Miss. Led by Lauren Richards, manager of constituent relations, the SAA is comprised of more than 1,000 student-members. “I am very proud of the final product of our rebranding process for the Student Alumni Association,” Richards said. “From the initial discussions until now, the student leadership of this organization has rallied around the rebranding process and worked very hard to bring about a successful campaign for recruiting new members for the 2016-17 year.” The new logo and graphics for the SAA were created by Rise Creative, a graphic design student agency at the University.
ALUMNI AUTHORS
ALUMNI ALMANAC
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WELCOME NEW LIFE MEMBERS
Roderick and Omeka Agee
Bradley and Vickie Hinman
Heather Bellanger
Amber Holmbeck
Sherea Robinson
Darcy Blair
Jarred King
Stephen Ruegger
Joe Brewer
David Leiva
Fred Schwan III
Marty Carrell
Lucy Logan
Ashleigh Selbach
Charles and Jacqueline Davis
Phillip Mangrum
Rebecca Sims
Kimberely Drews
Darryl and Amy Martin
Donald Taylor
Mary Drissel
Janet Mobley
Jennifer Walker
Ethel Felton
Mary Elizabeth Moore
Thomas Williams
Tom and Dixie Fouche
Ronald and Rosemarie Nettles
Edward Williamson
Todd and Kimberly Gibson
Stephanie Page
Karen Wyderski
Jaqueline Granberry
Michael Phillips
Sam and Annette Herrin
Eva Purcell
James Reid
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W
hether you come back each year, or you are making a special trip to visit your alma mater in 2016, Homecoming is a time to celebrate all things Southern Miss! Beginning Monday, Oct. 24, and concluding Sunday, Oct. 30, the entire week is packed with events to stir up Golden Eagle pride. Join fellow alumni for a memorable weekend with something for everyone!
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24 – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28
Numerous Homecoming Events throughout the week are scheduled for the student body.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
School of Mass Communication and Journalism Panel Discussion THAD COCHRAN CENTER
11:45 a.m.
School of Mass Communication and Journalism Hall of Fame Luncheon THAD COCHRAN CENTER For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.USM.edu/mcj.
6:30 p.m.
Dixie Darling Social HILTON GARDEN INN
7 – 9 p.m.
Dixie Darling Alumnae Reunion Dinner SOUTHERN OAKS
7 – 10 p.m.
8:30 a.m.
Alumni Association Homecoming Golf Tournament HATTIESBURG COUNTRY CLUB
10 a.m.
Dixie Darling Alumnae Refresher Practice* PAYNE CENTER | Basketball Court Four
1 – 1:30 p.m.
Dixie Darling Alumnae Registration PAYNE CENTER | Basketball Court Four
1 – 3 p.m.
Dixie Darling Alumnae Practice PAYNE CENTER | Basketball Court Four
2:30 p.m.
8:30 p.m.
3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Southern Miss Choral Activities Homecoming Reunion Era-Specific Social Gatherings For more information, email Ellen.Wise@usm.edu
8 – 9:15 a.m.
Southern Miss Choral Activities Homecoming Reunion Breakfast MAIN STREET BAPTIST CHURCH Registration is required.
8:30 a.m.
21st Annual Homecoming 5K Eagle Run hosted by the Athletic Training Club and School of Kinesiology SOUTHERN MISS CAMPUS For more information and registration, visit www.USM.edu/homecoming/5keaglerun.
11 a.m.
Homecoming Parade
Noon
2 – 3:15 p.m.
Southern Miss Choral Activities Homecoming Reunion/Rehearsal**
Alumni Association Awards Lunch and Business Meeting THAD COCHRAN CENTER Registration is required. Please call Rene’ Trigg at 601.266.5691.
3:15 – 5 p.m.
1 p.m.
Dixie Darling Alumnae and Current Dixie Darlings Practice PRIDE FIELD
3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Spirit of Southern and BelleTones Reunion/Rehearsal
6:30 p.m.
Southern Miss Alumni Hall of Fame THAD COCHRAN CENTER Registration is required. Please call Rene’ Trigg at 601.266.5691.
Jr. Eagle Funland Free admission for Seymour’s Sidekicks $5 for non-members
Friday Night at the Fountain hosted by the Southern Miss Activities Council (SMAC) CENTENNIAL GREEN
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28
2 p.m.
Dixie Darling Scholarship Presentation STOUT HALL
Dixie Darling Alumnae and Current Dixie Darlings Group Picture COLLEGE HALL Honors College Tailgate Party HONOR HOUSE All Honors College alumni, faculty, friends and current students are invited.
3:30 – 5 p.m.
Alumni Authors BARNES & NOBLE BOOKSTORE Select alumni will be on-site to autograph and distribute copies of their published books.
4 p.m.
Eagle Walk
4:15 p.m.
WUSM Concert Series featuring The Devil Music Co. CENTENNIAL GREEN
6 p.m.
Golden Eagles vs. C-USA rival Marshall THE ROCK
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30 10:30 a.m.
African-American Alumni Brunch THAD COCHRAN CENTER Homecoming events are being added daily! Visit USM.edu/Homecoming for an up-to-date list of all Homecoming 2016 events.
1:30 p.m.
Southern Miss Choral Activities Homecoming Reunion Concert Presentation MAIN STREET BAPTIST CHURCH Open to the public with free admission.
*For more information on any of the Dixie Darlings events listed above, contact Melissa Lyman at usmddalum@yahoo.com.
2 p.m.
**For more information or to register for the Southern Miss Choral Activities Homecoming Reunion, please visit www.usm.edu/music/choirs or call 601.266.4892.
College of Nursing Tailgate BENNETT AUDITORIUM All nursing alumni and friends are invited to attend.
ASSOCIATION NEWS
FOUNDATION NEWS
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Tolosa Honors Parents’ Service and Sacrifice THE ARTS Through Student Veterans Scholarship NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
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To honor and memorialize her parents’ many sacrifices for their family and country, while her father served in the Unites States Air Force EAGLE CLUB and completed his college degree, Judy Tolosa established the Milton and Ruth Gussow Veterans Scholarship Endowment with a gift of $142,000. ATHLETIC Judy’s mother, Ruth,NEWS was one of five sisters born and raised in Biloxi, just south of Keesler Air Force Base. In the evenings, Ruth’s mother enjoyed watching skaters at an outdoor rink adjacent to their NOTES FROM HOME house, and it was there a young serviceman caught her attention as he gracefully skated by. In hopes of finding suitable husbands for her daughters, Mrs. Clark invited MiltonNOTES Gussow over for Sunday dinner. CLASS Milton was an A-20 Havoc aircraft mechanic and crew chief fromNew York stationed at Keesler AFB. His kind demeanor and good manners SNAPSHOTS kept Ruth’s attention, and over time he won her affection. Friendship blossomed into romance during their time in Biloxi, and Ruth married Milton at the age of 17. ALUMNI AUTHORS During his military career, Milton was stationed at more than 11 bases worldwide, from MississippiALUMNI to England, France and Japan. Always ALMANAC looking forward to a time when he would be able to earn his college degree, Milton was finally able to begin classes while stationed at Biggs Air Force Base in El Paso, Texas. With the assistance of the G.I. Bill, Milton started night classes at Texas Western College of the University of Texas, now known as the University of Texas at El Paso. Following his retirement from the Air Force as a master sergeant in 1962, after 20 years of proud and honorable service to his nation, the Gussows returned to Biloxi, and Milton decided to return to school. He commuted from the coast to Hattiesburg weekly to pursue his education at The University of Southern Mississippi and worked as a reporter and photographer for the student newspaper, the Student Printz. With a family of five and no job, the Gussows lived frugally and made Milton’s studies a priority.
Milton Gussow
Milton and Ruth Gussow
ASSOCIATION NEWS
FOUNDATION NEWS
FROM THE ARCHIVES
THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
EAGLE CLUB
ATHLETIC NEWS Gussow family in Japan on Easter Sunday 1954.
Gussow family at a 410th Bomb Group reunion in 2004.
While he focused on completing his degree, Ruth helped on the home front by caring for their three daughters, Carol, Cindy and Judy. In 1963, Milton graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from USM, and Ruth was able to use money she saved from sewing numbers and names on youth baseball jerseys to purchase a class ring for him. Milton’s degree allowed him to experience a fulfilling and productive second career in journalism following his retirement from the Air Force. His talent and passion for photography and writing earned him positions as a reporter for Fairchild Publications in Milwaukee, Wis., and Midwest editor for Mart Magazine in Chicago, Ill. His background in electronics, ongoing training in journalism, and interest in computer programming later secured for him a telecommunications position at Johnson Controls, where he worked until retirement in 1983. “Although my parents had to make considerable sacrifices so dad could finish his degree, the positive impact of their commitment was transformative for the Gussow family,” Tolosa said. “His education improved our family’s standard of living and provided the opportunity for my sister, Carol, and me to attend college. Dad used to tell us, ‘If you can get into college, I’ll send you wherever you want to go for as long as you want to go.’ His degree from Southern Miss was truly life-changing for all of us.” Although Tolosa’s mother, Ruth, never attended college, she strongly supported Milton’s educational pursuit, and they both valued the opportunity higher education provided for bettering their lives. In honor of the sacrifices her parents made serving their nation and their dedication to completing her father’s degree, Tolosa was inspired to provide much-needed scholarship support for other student-veterans at Southern Miss. With the understanding that the G.I. Bill may not cover all necessary educational expenditures, she hopes the Milton
Milton Gussow with family at his graduation from USM in 1963.
and Ruth Gussow Veterans Scholarship will help studentNOTES FROM HOME veterans raising families to remain in school and successfully complete their degrees. “I want to pay it forward to enable other veterans and their families to have the same life-changing opportunity that my CLASS NOTES family benefited from,” Tolosa said. “My parents would be proud to know that they are helping veterans achieve their educational dreams.” SNAPSHOTS Tolosa’s generous gift will greatly enhance the University’s offerings for student veterans. “Southern Miss is dedicated to meeting the educational needs of veterans and their families, and with the help of donors ALUMNI AUTHORS like Judy, the University is able to continue recognizing the significant sacrifices of student-veterans and remain committed to providing the support they need to excelALMANAC in the classroom and ALUMNI succeed in civilian life,” said General Jeff Hammond, director of the Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families. More than 1,200 military veterans, service members and family members were enrolled at Southern Miss for the fall 2015 semester, representing 8.4 percent of the University’s overall enrollment. In 2015, Southern Miss was recognized as a Top University by Military Advanced Education and designated by Victory Media as one of the Top 50 Colleges and Universities in the United States with outstanding diversified services for veterans in 2016. In addition to privately funded scholarships for student-veterans, the University is also home to the Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families to ensure these students have every resource to succeed and graduate. The Center offers a comfortable environment with meeting space, a computer lab and student lounge. For more information about the Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families at USM, visit USM.edu/military-veterans. Fall 2016
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
FOUNDATION NEWS
FROM THE ARCHIVES
THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
EAGLE CLUB
ATHLETIC NEWS
NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES
From left: Dominick Jones, Mylon Labat, Nicholas Trotter and Cory Horton pictured in front of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building in Washington, D.C. SNAPSHOTS
Four Alumni Invest in Tradition, Honor, ALUMNI AUTHORS Integrity and Nobility of USM College of Business
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It was the overwhelmingly positive impact TheALUMNI University of Southern ALMANAC Mississippi had on four alumni that ignited a philanthropic spirit and motivated their investment in the future of their alma mater. Cory Horton ’07, Dominick Jones ’08, Mylon Labat ’05 and Nicholas Trotter ’06 came together to establish the T.H.I.N. College of Business Scholarship Endowment with a joint pledge of $65,000. “Southern Miss provided us with a valuable and marketable education that offered opportunities to learn from professors with real-world experience,” Trotter said. “Our education from Southern Miss set us up for success, and now it’s time to help future scholars achieve their dreams.” Although their fields of study differed, spanning from architectural engineering
and information technology to marketing and finance, it was their involvement in student organizations which led to a meaningful bond between the four. Middle school friends, Horton and Jones, met cousins, Labat and Trotter, when they each joined the Southern Miss Residence Hall Association (RHA). Further involvement in the Afro-American Student Organization (AASO) and Men of Excellence (M.O.X.) developed them into campus leaders through academic programs, community service and leadership workshops. Their time invested in RHA, AASO and M.O.X. sparked a friendship that continues well beyond their college years. “We learned how to build relationships with people from varying backgrounds through our active
participation in student organizations at USM,” Horton said. “We worked with students from the Gulf Coast, Mississippi Delta, Louisiana, panhandle of Florida, and everywhere in-between. It taught us how to overcome our differences, which is a skill set I use each day on Capitol Hill.” Inspired by the opportunity to give students from their respective hometowns a chance to realize the benefits of attending Southern Miss, the friends pledged to create an endowed scholarship for freshman from the Mississippi Gulf Coast or Jackson Public School District studying in the College of Business. “Our motivation to start the endowment was simple; we wanted to pay it forward to help future Golden Eagles
ASSOCIATION NEWS
FOUNDATION NEWS
FROM THE ARCHIVES soar,” Jones said. “We had a lot of great experiences while at Southern Miss and wanted to provide deserving students with the same awesome opportunities we benefitted from. Studying at Southern Miss was one of the best times of our lives, and we want to share the traditions of the University with others.” The T.H.I.N. scholarship aims to develop students from Mississippi into leaders who will drive economic, civic and social advancements. The donors trust the scholarship recipients will
come to appreciate the four tenets for which the scholarship was established – Tradition, Honor, Integrity and Nobility (T.H.I.N.), while engaging in community service, leadership development and other extra-curricular activities at USM. “Big things can come from small towns, as is evident in the achievements of three of my best friends with whom I joined in starting the T.H.I.N. endowment,” Labat said. “We want to encourage each scholarship recipient to never be afraid
to change the world, and when they do, to always pay it forward and help the next generation of rising leaders.” THE ARTS After graduation, career successes have relocated the friends far and away from the hallowed halls of Southern AROUND CAMPUS Miss;NEWS however, they gather annually to attend Golden Eagle football games at home in The Rock and even on the road. Miles are merely an obstacle in keeping EAGLE CLUB the friends away from each other and the place that brought them together – Southern Miss.
ATHLETIC NEWS
G O L D E N E A G L E I M PA C T
NOTES FROM HOME
F A L L 2 016
SU PPORT I NG ST U DEN T SUCCE SS
CLASS NOTES
DR. HYLER BRACEY AND CASS FLAGG ’77 • $48,000 JACK AND LIZ ‘58 JOACHIM • $25,000
SNAPSHOTS
CARLOS ‘73 AND JUDY TOLOSA • $142,000 THE CULTURED MARBLE ASSOCIATION OF THE SOUTH, INC. • $52,139
ALUMNI AUTHORS
LARRY PAYNE THROUGH THE LARRY PAYNE FOUNDATION • $51,328
I N V E S T I N G I N F A C U LT Y
ALUMNI ALMANAC
SECRETARY OF STATE DELBERT HOSEMANN AND LYNN HOSEMANN • $25,000 THE GERTRUDE C. FORD FOUNDATION, INC. • $25,000 (MATCHING GIFT)
S U PP ORT I NG V I TA L PRO GR A M M I NG LOUIS MAPP THROUGH THE MAPP FAMILY FOUNDATION • $35,000
For more information about the impact of these gifts, please visit usmfoundation.com/goldeneagleimpact.
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Brett Favre. Photo courtesy of the Green Bay Packers.
LEGENDARY By Jim Coll ’99, ’06
H
eroes are different. Whether it is superior intellect or strength, courage or bravery, the qualities and characteristics of heroes
separate them from others. In this regard, Brett Favre, legendary Southern Miss quarterback and newest member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, qualifies as a sports hero. He defined toughness, starting an NFL-record 297 straight games, 321 including playoff contests. And his right arm was a rocket. “I heard the ball humming about five yards away from me,” former Golden Eagle receiver Alfred Williams said about one Favre pass, “I swear I’m not joking.” When Favre’s career ended in 2010, he had thrown for more touchdowns, yards and completions than any NFL quarterback in history. A Super Bowl winner following the 1996 season with the Green Bay Packers, Favre also won three straight Most Valuable Player awards. And he did it all without missing a game for nearly two decades.
Favre led the Golden Eagles to victories over rivals such as Mississippi State University, Florida State University, University of Nebraska and others. Photo courtesy of USM Image Center.
“Brett was a guy that could make you believe you could overcome and achieve anything,” said Tony Smith, a first-round draft choice of the Atlanta Falcons who shared a Southern Miss backfield with Favre. From 1987 to 1990, Favre’s Golden Eagle football teams beat Alabama, Auburn, Mississippi State and many others, advancing to two bowl games. His USM and NFL careers were spectacular. Some would say heroic. He made come-from-behind victories routine, and with the flick of a wrist made impossible throws look perplexingly easy. “We will never have another one like him,” longtime Southern Miss radio commentator Vic Purvis said.
THE LAST SCHOLARSHIP While today there is no denying Favre’s talent, the opportunity for him to display it almost did not occur – at least initially. After playing high school football for his father, Irv Favre, at Hancock North Central in Kiln, Brett Favre earned the last scholarship offered by the University of Southern Mississippi in 1987 – it was the only Division I offer Favre received. While his high school teams were successful, Brett Favre rarely passed the football, and even the Golden Eagles had him originally slated as a defensive back. But after a 1987 season opening loss and the offense sputtering in the second game against Tulane, Coach Curly Hallman called on Favre, a 17-year-old freshman. Favre led Southern Miss to the win and never looked back. He lettered in all four of his seasons and ranked first in passing yards (7,695), touchdown passes (52) and total offensive yards (7,606) in 1990, when he was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the NFL Draft. But again, Favre seemed destined for obscurity. He failed to fit into Coach Jerry Glanville’s plans in Atlanta, attempted only four passes, and after one season was traded to the Green Bay Packers. It was the break Favre needed, and during the Hall of Fame induction ceremony Favre expressed his gratitude to Packer executive Ron Wolf for Wolf’s belief in him, then a young and inexperienced quarterback. “Ron made it cool to come to Green Bay,” Favre said during his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech. “So I thank you, Ron, for believing in me, seeing something in me that others didn’t see, probably including myself, and sticking your neck out there for one of the riskiest and craziest trades in NFL history when you decided to trade a firstround pick for me with Atlanta.” In Green Bay, Favre became one of the all-time legends, and the Packers became a fixture in the NFL playoffs. While the Super Bowl victory over New England after the 1996 season was the highlight of his career, Favre was named NFL MVP and first-team All-Pro three straight seasons from 1995 through 1997. He was also named All-NFC six times and earned 11 Pro Bowl invitations and a spot on the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s. Favre retired as the NFL’s all-time leading passer with 6,300 completions, 10,169 attempts, 71,838 yards, 508 TDs, and now is one of only two quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for more than 70,000 yards, 500 touchdowns and 6,000 completions. His subsequent NFL stops included one year with the New York Jets and two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, which he led to the 2009 NFC Championship Game.
Favre was presented by his wife, Deanna, a Southern Miss alumna. Photos courtesy of Evan Siegle, team photographer for the Green Bay Packers.
“I WOULDN’T TRADE MY FOUR YEARS AT SOUTHERN MISS FOR ANYTHING.” Favre was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot and became the second Golden Eagle inducted in the past three years – a fact Favre referenced during his induction speech. “I’m also extremely honored to follow in the footsteps of one of the greatest NFL players of all time and certainly one of the greatest Southern Miss players of all time, and that’s Ray Guy,” Favre said. Favre’s 35-minute speech centered on the support he received from his family, including his wife, Deanna, also a Southern Miss alumna, as well as the University. “First I want to thank The University of Southern Mississippi,” Favre said from the podium. “For those of you who don’t know, I was offered one scholarship, and that was Southern Miss. And I was happy to take it, and I was determined to prove them right. Jim Carmody, Curley Hallman, Jack White, Rodney Allison, Jeff Bower, Steven Maples were coaches that made an impact on my college life. I wouldn’t trade my four years at Southern Miss for anything.” Favre also specifically recognized Mark McHale and Thamas Coleman for their role in his career. “Mark was the recruiter in the area of the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” Favre said, “and he fought tooth and nail to get me a scholarship and it came down to the last hour.” Coleman helped convince Wolf of the young quarterback’s ability. “After he (Wolf) watched this film of my senior year, upon leaving the building, Thamas Coleman said, ‘Ron, what do you
think?’ Favre recalled. “And Ron Wolf said, ‘Not that impressed.’ And he (Coleman) said, ‘I’m not sure if you know, Brett had a really bad car wreck right before the start of this season and he lost 34 inches of his intestines, he fractured a vertebrae in his back. Not only was he not supposed to play, we didn’t think he would. And he suffered other injuries as well. But he did start four years for us and I encourage you to go back in and watch the three previous years.’” Wolf did, and later made the trade that would return the Packers to heights they had not reached since the Vince Lombardi days by bringing Favre to Green Bay. Today, Favre continues to live in the Hattiesburg area and served as a volunteer coach at Oak Grove High School in west Hattiesburg for two seasons. With Favre running the offense and current Golden Eagle baseball pitcher Kirk McCarty at quarterback, Oak Grove won the Mississippi Class 6A state championship in 2013. The Favre family continues to provide support and services to disadvantaged and disabled children in Mississippi and Wisconsin through charity work. In 2005, the Favres extended their mission statement to include supporting organizations providing financial aid for breast cancer patients. Since the inception of the Favre 4 Hope Foundation, more than $7 million dollars has been donated to charities, including The Children’s Center for Communication and Development at Southern Miss.
Caroline Bradley
SIGHTING SOUTHERN STARS
SGA PRESIDENT
Give Back
AIMS TO
Bradley speaks to students, faculty, staff and alumni at the 2016 Founders’ Day Ceremony.
T
By Audrey Kelly
“
Karis Hill and Bradley
Officers: Autumn Sobel, Southern Miss SGA Executive z, treasurer; Caroline Bradley, attorney general; Franky Lope ite, president; and Christen Wh vice n, inso president; Jesse Rob election commissioner.
he best experience of my life,” revels the new University of Southern Mississippi Student Government Association President Caroline Bradley on her first two years as a Golden Eagle. The junior English major from Lucedale has always felt drawn toward leadership, and Southern Miss gave her the chance to explore opportunities and ultimately achieve the highest student leadership role on campus. In high school, Bradley was involved in two varsity sports, one of which was soccer. When she was offered the opportunity to play soccer in college, her decision to attend USM became very difficult. Although she would be a second-generation student, following her mother, she was unsure whether it was the right decision. But her mind was changed when she set foot on the University’s Hattiesburg campus. “I got a taste of the Southern Miss family that everyone talked about. And I saw that I could make my own story here.” The most important thing about her decision to attend USM, she feels, was realizing she could not only be impacted by the students, faculty and staff at Southern Miss, but she could also be impactful to others. When she attended USM in the fall of 2014, Bradley felt she was able to identify her true passion – giving back to the students and the University. Bradley aims at upholding her primary faculty mentor, Dr. Joe Paul’s, motto to “leave it better than you found it.” And through her work thus far, she is doing just that. As a junior in high school, she began looking heavily into the Honors College at Southern Miss. Bradley knew she wanted to become involved, and USM’s program did not fall short of her expectations. The Honors College has enhanced her degree plan and has allowed her to continue her dream of attending law school upon graduation. She believes that relationships with faculty, such as Dr. Ellen Weinaur, dean of the Southern Miss Honors College, and Dr. Amy Miller, associate provost for academic excellence, along with the small learning environment, led to a unique experience in itself. Weinauer admires Bradley’s addition to Southern Miss and the Honors College, stating, “Caroline Bradley embodies the true spirit of the Honors College, balancing academic excellence and commitment to the campus community. I am not sure how she does it, and I doubt she gets any sleep, but she exemplifies the highest ideals of the College and we are proud to call her our own!” Aside from academics, Bradley remains involved on campus. She is dedicated to her work as a student recruiter for the University, holding positions on Southern Style, Eagle Connection, Eagle Ambassadors and GEWW Crew. She is a member of Chi Omega Fraternity – where she believes that her participation in the University’s Greek Life is credited with Fall 2016
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Bradley threw out the first pitch at a South ern Miss baseball game earlier this year.
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ball Team. uthern Miss Base ymour and the So Bradley with Se
much of her success – and has been heavily involved with the Student Government Association since her freshman year at USM. As Miller has seen Bradley grow as a leader at Southern Miss, she has witnessed her transformation from an incoming freshman, to now, an influential voice for the entire campus. “It has been a pleasure to watch her speak to incoming Southern Miss students and their families at Orientation, and I very much appreciate her positive attitude and willingness to step in however needed.” Bradley’s strong campus involvement has become a support system throughout her college career. When SGA interviews were conducted in 2014, Bradley eagerly participated. She ran for Freshman Associates and was elected president of Freshman Forum, a smaller version of the SGA Senate, where students draw, present and vote on ideas to be sent to the Senate. As a sophomore, Bradley was elected co-director of Freshman Forum, where she, alongside junior James Valentine, was able to work with all branches of Forum and learn from the students that she worked with. Her favorite memory at Southern Miss stems from her time as co-director. Bradley was able to teach the Forum; however, she believes the students she worked with taught her so much more. She recalls that she “had never seen a group of students work so hard” and felt she grew from watching them become better leaders and versions of themselves throughout the year, and even now as they continue to grow into campus leaders. It wasn’t until March of 2016 that Bradley began her work as SGA president. Her involvement and her credentials allowed Bradley to stand out as a candidate, and her platform was popular with students. As president, Bradley declares to better the Southern Miss experience for all. She hopes to improve student IDs, maintain a relationship with Cook Library while working for 24-hour midterm hours, along with an expanded dead and final week schedule, further the Student Initiative SGA Cabinet Branch, improve parking on USM’s Hattiesburg campus and encourage economically savvy textbook alternatives. When asked what legacy she hopes to leave behind as president, Bradley jokes, “I hope as I graduate, the Student Government Association is still as awesome as it was when Jeffery George and Ann Marie Chilcutt [former SGA presidents] left it in my hands.” Bradley recalls her own experience when she offers advice to prospective and current students, both those looking to become involved or looking for a strong education, “Get out of your comfort zone, she said. “Step out of your dorm room. Walk down the hall. Meet people.” If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t be able to leave her legacy, and she wouldn’t be able to leave Southern Miss better than she found it.
We know Golden Eagle fans love to “Go Gold” at the game. So when it’s time to gear up, we’re right where you are with the Southern Miss MasterCard® debit card from BancorpSouth. Every swipe is proof of your Golden Eagle pride. Learn more at: BancorpSouth.com/SouthernMiss
PROUD PARTNER OF SOUTHERN MISS ATHLETICS The University of Southern Mississippi Affinity Debit Card has a $5.00 annual fee.
© 2016 BancorpSouth. All Rights Reserved. 07/16
FOUNDATION NEWS
FROM THE ARCHIVES
THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
EAGLE CLUB
ATHLETIC NEWS
NOTES FROM HOME
STUDENT HEALTH SERVICES CLASS NOTES
SNAPSHOTS
ALUMNI AUTHORS
ALUMNI ALMANAC
at Southern Miss
Beedie Smith Health Clinic.
B
eedie Smith, affectionately known as “Granny,” served as the campus nurse at The University of Southern Mississippi for more than 20 years, including during World War II when officers in the Army Administration Training School moved into the Campus Hospital under her supervision. Smith’s commitment to health care was memorialized with the Beedie Smith Health Clinic, which opened as a free-standing building in 1962. In March 2015, Student Health Services relocated to the state-of-the-art Moffitt Health Center, located on the first floor of Scott Hall in the Century Park South residential complex on the Hattiesburg campus. The new facility increased the square footage dedicated to Student Health Services by 30 percent, providing much-needed space for more efficient laboratory and X-ray activity, larger health care provider work areas, a more accessible pharmacy and a dental care area. Moffitt Health Center also features classroom space, which allows the staff to provide a broader range of health education opportunities. A plaque in Smith’s honor has also been placed in the new Center. A campaign launched by the USM Foundation raised more than $1.08 million to help pay for the construction of the new health center, which is named in honor of former Student Health Services director Dr. Virginia Moffitt Crawford’s family.
Clinic nurse examines student, circa 1970.
Moffitt Health Center on the Hattiesburg campus.
. Hospital, circa 1940 outside the Campus Nurse Beedie Smith
Inside the Campus Ho spital, circa 1920.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
THE ARTS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
EAGLE CLUB
ATHLETIC NEWS
NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES
SNAPSHOTS
ALUMNI AUTHORS
ALUMNI ALMANAC
The Gallery of Art and Design, located in the George Hurst Building, regularly features the work of students, faculty and guest artists.
Arts Institute of Mississippi at Southern Miss Will Advocate for the Arts
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Jay Dean travels the great state of Mississippi meeting and talking with everyone from professional artists and art teachers to leaders in government and business. The ultimate goal of his travel? To spread the word about The University of Southern Mississippi – the flagship university for the arts in the state. The arts are vitally important to Jay Dean Southern Miss, which stands as an institution that attracts talented students in the areas of art and design, creative writing, dance, music and theatre.
With a mission to support the arts at Southern Miss, the new Arts Institute of Mississippi (AIM) premiered to a capacity crowd of arts supporters at the 2016 FestivalSouth finale event. Dean, executive director of AIM, made the announcement to a full house, which had gathered to enjoy a concert by internationally acclaimed vocal artist Sandi Patty. “The mission of the Arts Institute of Mississippi is to be a catalyst that allows and invites our arts departments to work together more closely, to promote arts programs at Southern Miss and to engage in global outreach,” said Dean. Working with the School of Music and the Departments of Art and Design, Dance, English, Theatre and the entertainment industry program, AIM unifies the arts
FROM THE ARCHIVES
THE ARTS at Southern Miss under one umbrella, making a strong statement about the importance of the arts at the University. The message is one that will surely resonate with high school graduates considering an education and a career in the arts. Every year, Southern Miss presents meaningful arts events that highlight student-artists, many of whom go on to achieve national and international success in their respective fields. Most importantly, students are nurtured by accomplished, creative faculty who will also – along with eager audiences – be supported by AIM. Dean, in collaboration with arts department leaders, will coordinate special projects, outreach activities and strategic initiatives in the arts. “Through AIM, I will have the opportunity to work with all arts departments on various projects, while also working on marketing opportunities and strategies for these departments,” said Dean. “Sometimes the departments may work separately, and sometimes they may work together on joint projects. It is important to invite all departments to participate
and collaborate on projects that benefit the students, each NEWS department and the University as aAROUND whole.” CAMPUS This model is not new to higher education institutions, as many universities have the arts coordinated under one umbrella to facilitate the development and execution EAGLE CLUB of creatively diverse projects that enhance student experiences and faculty development. AIM, serving this goal at Southern Miss, NEWS will also seek toATHLETIC develop projects involving more students, faculty, staff and community members to significantly improve the impact of arts programs in the entire city, NOTES FROM HOME region and state. “AIM is the result of a series of discussions about the importance of increased arts awareness at NOTES The University CLASS of Southern Mississippi. AIM will work tirelessly to serve as a voice of advocacy and promoter of arts SNAPSHOTS projects. Mississippi, and Southern Miss in particular, is rich in artistic talent, and we are ready to continue showcasing this talent to the world,” said Dean. For more information aboutALUMNI the Arts Institute of AUTHORS Mississippi, call 601.266.5922.
ALUMNI ALMANAC
The University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra is a study in international relations as students from across the globe come together for one purpose — music.
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e c r u o s 1 # r u o Y G N I H T Y R E V for E ! s s i M n r e h t Sou
www.campusbookmart.com
• One Stop Shopping for Students • New and Used Textbooks • School Supplies Located on Hardy Street across from the main entrance to Campus by IHOP
Call:
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MY SOUTHERN MISS STORY
“
By looking for opportunities, there are a lot of things that you can do to
RISE AND BECOME A BETTER PERSON.
From my thinking to my interactions with other people, Southern Miss has really helped me grow.”
AA/EOE/ADAI UC 75129.5016 8.16
- Johnny Brumfield
Choose.USM.edu
Chapter Highlights SIGHTING SOUTHERN STARS At CHI OMEGA’S 2016 National Convention in Orlando, Fla., the EPSILON DELTA chapter won a prestigious award ASSOCIATION NEWS recognizing their Pictured left to right: Ginny Graham, primary advisory board as advisor; Ellen Suss, chapter president; Terrie Advisory Board of the Jackson, chapter secretary; and Amy Smith, secretary advisor Year. This award was only FOUNDATION NEWS given to one out of 167 chapters, affirming the strength and solidity of the Epsilon Delta advisory board, which is led by Chairwoman Ginny Graham and 17 other women. Epsilon Delta was also FROM THE ARCHIVES recognized as a Chapter of Excellence.
ARTS AND LETTERS
NEWS AROUND CAMPUS
EAGLE CLUB
Phi Epsilon Chapter of Delta Delta Delta
The DELTA PI CHAPTER of DELTA GAMMA was awarded two national awards this summer at the organization’s national convention. Delta Pi placed first out of every chapter nationwide in collecting Campbell’s Soup Labels, which are used to raise money for the fraternity’s philanthropy, Service for Sight. The money from Delta Gamma Chapter President the labels directly impacts the St. Caroline Luckie. Louis School for the Blind. Delta Pi also received the Excellence in Recruitment Innovation Award for the Southeastern Region.
For the sixth year, the PHI EPSILON CHAPTER of DELTA DELTA DELTA was recognized for their fundraising efforts for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, raising more than $105,000 this year alone. The ladies were specifically recognized for raising the most money for their chapter’s size division at their Biennial National Convention in Phoenix, Ariz., in July. This award comes on the heels of being named “St. Jude Chapter of the Year” earlier this year by St. Jude/ALSAC.
ATHLETIC NEWS
Greek Life Academic Achievement Records Set at Southern Miss NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES
SNAPSHOTS
ALUMNI AUTHORS
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ALUMNI ALMANAC
The more than 1,600 students that comprise Greek Life at The University of Southern Mississippi continue succeeding in the classroom. Members of the University’s fraternity and sorority chapters increased their overall grade point average (GPA) to 3.21 in the spring semester, an all-time record. Of the 25 fraternity and sorority chapters at USM, 20 increased their GPAs in the spring, with the sororities raising their overall average to 3.26, their highest ever, and the fraternities raising theirs to 3.02, also a record. All 12 sororities and eight of the 13 fraternities are above the allUniversity GPA.
THE SOUTHERN MISS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
invites you to take the trip of a lifetime! As a benefit of membership, the Southern Miss Alumni Travel Program offers a variety of tours to destinations in the United States and around the world. With our diverse alumni base, we are pleased to now offer Golden Eagles of all ages and interests a variety of land and cruise-based opportunities through our partnerships with Go Next, Collette and Contiki. All alumni and friends of Southern Miss are invited to participate in the Alumni Travel Program. Stay tuned for travel opportunities made available to graduating Southern Miss seniors and young alumni ages 18-35 to be released in September.
SHADES OF IRELAND MARCH 18 - 27, 2017 For more information, call 800.581.8942. Refer to booking #766719.
EUROPEAN COLLAGE OCEANIA CRUISES MAY 27 - JUNE 4, 2017
AWE-INSPIRING ALASKA - OCEANIA CRUISES JULY 14 - 21, 2017 For more information, call 800.581.8942. Refer to booking #766719.
BALTIC & SCANDINAVIAN TREASURES - OCEANIA CRUISES AUGUST 17 - 28, 2017 For more information, call 800.842.9023 or visit GoNext.com.
ISLANDS OF NEW ENGLAND SEPTEMBER 25 OCTOBER 2, 2017 For more information, call 800.581.8942. Refer to booking #766724.
MEDIEVAL MASTERPIECE OCEANIA CRUISES NOVEMBER 5 - 14, 2017
For more information, call 800.842.9023 or visit GoNext.com.
For more information, call 800.842.9023 or visit GoNext.com.
AMERICA’S COWBOY COUNTRY
SPOTLIGHT ON TUSCANY
JUNE 24 - JULY 4, 2017 For more information, call 800.581.8942. Please refer to booking #766726.
APRIL 5 - 13, 2018 For more information, call 800.581.8942. Refer to booking #766723.
For full details on each opportunity, visit SouthernMissAlumni.com/Travel.
A LOOK INTO
SOUTHERN MISS FOOTBALL A 2 0 16 S E A S O N P R E V I E W By Tim Doherty for Southern Miss Athletic Communications
Some say forget the past And some say don’t look back But for every breath you take You leave a track “THE PRICE YOU PAY” BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
D
espite staging one of the more remarkable rags-to-riches sagas in a storied football history last season, don’t expect The University of Southern Mississippi to take the next act for granted. After three seasons spent wandering college football’s wilderness, Southern Miss delighted its faithful with nine wins in 2015. Recovering from a dark journey that saw the once-proud program manage just four victories from 201214, the Golden Eagles earned a first-ever division championship in Conference USA’s West and a return to December’s bowl calendar. But for Southern Miss, the past is just that, and the Golden Eagles appear poised to embrace a new year with the curtain set to rise on the 2016 football season. “One of the things that I’m real proud of with this team is that we don’t think about last year,” senior linebacker C.J. Perry said. “We’re trying to write our own season and do the best we can.” Much is expected of Perry and a team that returns 16 starters and 54 lettermen, with Southern Miss the preseason favorite to defend its West Division crown. But Jay Hopson, who made his debut as a Football Bowl Subdivision head coach when the Golden Eagles opened the season at Kentucky on Sept. 3, said the present, not past results or future expectations, are what matter most. “The same guy that says something bad when you win zero is the same guy who says something good when you win nine,” Hopson said. “So, the reality is, it’s not real.” “The one thing I’ve learned in life, and I think even these players have learned when you go through zero, one, three and nine (victories), you start to realize you have to go out every year. You’ve got to go to work. Every year is a different year. We’re different. Every opponent we play is going to be different from last year or two years ago or a year down the road. The reality is that it’s a different year, a
Photo courtesy of Tim Isbell ’83, senior photographer for the Sun Herald and winner of Mississippi Press Association’s 2015 Photo of the Year.
different team, and we’re mature enough to understand that. We know that it’s a different year, and we need to go to work and earn everything we get out there.” The differences start at the top. After three seasons at the helm, Todd Monken left Hattiesburg for a position as offensive coordinator with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. Enter Hopson, a long-time assistant in the collegiate ranks, including two separate stints at Southern Miss under Jeff Bower, who had spent the previous four years fashioning a moribund Alcorn State program in the Football Championship Subdivision into a championship in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Hopson reshaped the coaching staff at Southern Miss, with receivers coach John Wozniak and running backs coach Lytrel Pollard the lone holdovers. Offensively, the Golden Eagles will continue to run a spread scheme under firstyear coordinator Shannon Dawson, though the unit will have to replace both starting tackles (Rashod Hill, Norman Price), one of two 1,000yard rushers (Jalen Richard, 1,113 yards/14 touchdowns) and two receivers (Michael Thomas, Casey Martin), who combined for 44.7 percent of the receptions, 50.2 percent of the receiving yardage and 50.2 percent of the receiving touchdowns. Defensively, Southern Miss will JAY align in a 4-2-5 scheme under first-year coordinator Tony Pecoraro, featuring HEAD COACH a hybrid safety/linebacker position. The unit will have to replace five of its top 11 tacklers, including two starting linebackers (Brian Anderson, Anthony Swain), two starting defensive linemen (Michael Smith, Andrew Bolton) and an All-C-USA cornerback (Kalan Reed). “But that’s football,” Hopson said. “That’s the beautiful thing about football. It’s always another guy’s time. Each year’s a new year, and it’s another guy’s time to step up.” And Southern Miss has plenty of pop returning as well, starting with senior quarterback Nick Mullens. Mullens, a 6-foot-1, 196-pound native
of Hoover, Ala., became the only Golden Eagle to reach the 4,000-yard passing plateau, throwing for 4,476 yards and a single-season-record 38 touchdowns. Conference USA’s 2015 Offensive Player of the Year, Mullens passed for at least 300 yards in 10 of Southern Miss’ 14 games, including a career-high 447 yards at Nebraska. It was the second 400-yard-plus passing game of his career for a program that only has posted four such games in its history. Mullens, who in 2013 became just the fifth true freshman to start at quarterback for the Golden Eagles, threw at least four touchdowns in five games last fall, and will enter the upcoming season on a streak with at least one scoring pass in his last 15 games. He has been named to a slew of preseason watch lists and was voted the 2016 Conference USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. “We can sit here for two hours, and I can sing his praises,” Hopson said. “Nick’s a great player, and it’s great to have a senior quarterback. That’s always a big plus.” The offense also returns junior running back Ito Smith, who was a first-team allconference preseason selection after leading Southern Miss with 1,128 yards rushing and ranking second in the league with an average 134.0 all-purpose yards per game. The Golden Eagles also return the interior of their offensive line, including All-C-USA center Cameron Tom, senior guard Brandon Farmer and junior guard Devon Farrior. Senior Jacob Fleming and redshirt freshman Ty Pollard came
HOPson
about the photographer Isbell took the award-winning photo of LaDarius Harris as he ran through pre-game fireworks in 2015. Isbell is a member of the USM School of Mass Communication and Journalism Hall of Fame, and has won three Mississippi Press Association Photo of the Year awards — in 1989, 1991 and 2015.
out of the spring at starting tackles, with senior Oliver Bates offering interior depth and defensive lineman Will Freeman sliding over to offense at tackle. Beyond Smith, the backfield depth chart is fluid heading into preseason camp. Redshirt freshman Patrick Brooks stepped forward in the spring, but a chronic hip problem required season-ending surgery. His absence will put even more emphasis on the return of junior George Payne and sophomore Tez Parks, both of whom are coming off knee injuries. Senior D.J. Thompson leads a pack of veteran receivers (Korey Robertson, Tyre’oune Holmes, Jordan Mitchell, Marcel Richard), as well as early junior college transfers Isaiah Jones and Allenzae Staggers, who will be asked to step up their play and production. “It’s a new day, a fresh start, every day,” said Thompson, who ranked third on the team with 55 catches for 779 yards and six touchdowns. “First and foremost, I just want to say that I think our receiving corps is every bit as good as last year’s. We have just as many good guys at every position who can handle it and step up to the plate. I trust everybody who’s out there right now.” Defensively, Southern Miss welcomes back senior safety D’Nerius Antoine, who led the Golden Eagles with 103 stops, and junior safety Picasso Nelson Jr. Both were named Preseason All-CUSA. Junior college transfer Tarvarius Moore could start alongside Antoine at safety, with Nelson Jr. at the hybrid slot.
Starting junior cornerback Cornell Armstrong returns, with junior Trae Collins stepping in for Reed on the other side. Juniors Curtis Mikell and Jomez Applewhite also should figure in the mix. Senior Elijah Parker returns at strong-side linebacker, while Perry is expected to take over in the middle, with junior Sherrod Ruff and sophomore Jeremy Sangster in the rotation. All-C-USA lineman Dylan Bradley, who led the team with 12 ½ tackles for loss, including 6 ½ sacks, moved inside from end to team with sophomore LaDarius Harris at tackle, while sophomore Darian Yancey returns at one end and Xavier Thigpen takes over at the other. “You won’t know until you take that ship out of the harbor, because then you see it all,” Hopson said. “But we have good numbers.” Southern Miss returns placekickers Stephen Brauchle and Parker Shaunfield, as well as punter Tyler Sarrazin. So, while the past may inform the present, Southern Miss is ready to step forward into a new era. “When you’ve got the guys on this team that we do, the senior leadership, and what we’ve been through, from winning no games, to one game to three games, we just kept on fighting,” Perry said. “That was easy for us to put those years behind us, so it will be easy for us to put last year behind us and keep moving forward and try and build on what we did last year.”
NICK
MULLENS DYLAN
BRADLEY
PICASSO
NELSON JR.
CLASS NOTES
SNAPSHOTS Take a little Southern Miss with you on all your adventures! As you sport the black and gold, be sure to capture the memories and send them our way. Send us photos of yourself, your family and friends representing Southern Miss, and we will print as many as AUTHORS space allows in a ALUMNI future edition of Snapshots. Email photos* to alumni@usm.edu.
ALUMNI ALMANAC
Top Two Photos: USM College of Business students participated in this year’s British Studies program. The group is pictured straddling the Prime Meridian in Greenwich and on the streets of London. Middle Left: Casey ‘98 and Lauren Gullung Simmerman ’99, ’01 with their children, Madeline and Colin, at the Denali National Park. Bottom Left: Shanna Norman Luckett ’01, ‘02 sported her black and gold at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass., this summer. Bottom Center: Julie Youngblood Crocker ’93 pictured with her daughter, Kayla Carr, at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Kayla is a freshman at USM. Bottom Right: Sid Collins ’94 (left) atop Mt. Ljuboten with his coworker from Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo.
*For printing purposes, please save or scan your photos at a resolution of 300 dpi. If you have any questions, contact the Alumni Association at 601.266.5013. Fall 2016
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NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES Now is your chance to catch up on the news and accomplishments of your fellow Golden Eagles. To submit news to The Talon, please send your SNAPSHOTS information to the Southern Miss Alumni Association, 118 College Drive #5013, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001, email alumni@usm.edu or post it online at SouthernMissAlumni.com. All cities are in Mississippi unless otherwise noted.
ALUMNI AUTHORS
1970s
JOANN KLEIN, ’71, ‘75 retired June 30, 2016 fromALUMNI the University of Florida Levin ALMANAC College of Law as associate director of the Center for Governmental Responsibility. In 28 years at UF, she directed projects and programs throughout South America and in Poland. Prior to joining UF, she served as press secretary to the late Gov. Bill Allain. BRAD PITTMAN ‘74 is the recipient of the 2016 Small Business Leadership Award presented by William Carey University and the Area Development Partnership.
NORMAN “DUSTY” BOYLSON ‘76 retired June 30, 2016, after 40 years of teaching in Florida. He will continue to coach football on the high school level. DON EVANS ‘76 will manage the Escrow Services department in the new Birmingham, Ala., office of Wilmington Trust. MICHAEL MARKS ’77, ’79 has been elected to serve as president of Sales and Marketing Professionals/Pine Belt. He also recently announced his retirement as a local Miss Mississippi pageant director after 42 years of service.
MYRA KAY CRAVEN HAMMOND ’79, ’82 retired after 34 years of being a band director in Mississippi and Alabama. She is now running a part-time photography and videography business with her husband.
1980s
BILLY BRUNT ’82 has been appointed market president commercial lender in Jackson for The First, A National Banking Association. DAVID WILLIAMS ’82 CPA, MPH, FHFMA has been elected to the Board of Directors for Horne LLP, one of the top 50 accounting and business advisory firms in the nation.
printing & direct mail
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500 steed road • ridgeland, mississippi 39157 • 601.853.7300 • 1.800.844.7301
Located in the Newpointe Shopping Center at Highway 98 West 6555 U.S. Highway 98 West, Suite B, Hattiesburg, MS 39402 Phone: 601.579.9378
NOTES FROM HOME
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ALUMNI BOOKSHELF
ALUMNI AUTHORS
ALUMNI ALMANAC
CHECK OUT THESE BOOKS BY ALUMNI AUTHORS If you wish to be considered for coverage, please email alumni@usm.edu the title of your book, class year, publisher, year published and electronic image of the book’s cover in a jpg, tif or pdf at 300 dpi.
KATHY GENDRON ’85 will be among the class of 2016 inducted into the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Athletic Hall of Fame in October. Court of Appeals Judge DAVID M. ISHEE ‘85 of Gulfport was inducted as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. DOUGLAS WELLS ’85 has been named an operations manager in the Southeast regional office of Plaza Construction in Miami. JOE S. MCCLAMMY ’86, ’88 is currently assigned as a visual information specialist supporting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Corps Enterprise Information Technology Headquarters in Vicksburg. GLENN TREST ’86 of Richardson, Texas, was recently promoted to global head of facilities and supply chain security at Nokia.
News from the Holy Land Kay Sherwood ‘91 Zulon, 2014
Watermark Michael Hewes ‘92 Samntoff Press, 2016
DOUG PHILLIPS ‘87 has joined Seagate Development Group LLC and will serve as the director of commercial development and construction. CAROL EXPOSE ’88 was named 2016 Nurse of the Year at Merit Health Wesley in Hattiesburg. BILL MOAK ‘89 has been appointed head of Belhaven University’s communication program.
Home Grown, Home Drawn! 45 Years of Mississippi Editorial Cartoons Ricky Nobile Self Published, 2016
1990s
RICHEY WOODS ’90 has been named 2016 Mississippi Athletic Trainer of the Year by the Mississippi Athletics Trainers Association. DR. JOSEPH V. TRAHAN III ’91, APR, FELLOW PRSA, PHD, has been selected for induction into the Southern Public Relations Federation Hall of Fame.
The Southern Miss women’s basketball program gained a bit of prestige with the celebration of “Pauline Love Day” on July 15 in Love’s hometown of Luxora, Ark. PAULINE LOVE ‘10, an assistant coach on the staff and also a three-time All-Conference USA performer for the Lady Eagles (2008-10), was born and raised in the small town of 1,500 tucked away in Arkansas’ northeast corner. Love completed her standout high school career in 2005 and went to Jones County Junior College, where as a freshman, she became the school’s first NJCAA All-American in a decade. The big year helped catapult her to Hattiesburg, where she starred for Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis. Upon conclusion of her Southern Miss playing career, Love played for both the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun and the French Professional League’s Cote d’Opale Basket Calais.
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SNAPSHOTS Dr. Steven Reed ’91, OD, of Magee has been elected to the American Optometric Association (AOA) Board of Trustees. As a community and professional leader, ALUMNI AUTHORS Reed is past president of the Mississippi Optometric Association, the Southwest Optometric Society, the Magee Chamber of Commerce and the Magee Lion’s ALUMNI ALMANAC Club. He is also chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Southern College of Optometry and Mississippi trustee to the SECO International Board. In 2010, Reed was named Mississippi’s Optometrist of the Year. Reed graduated summa cum laude from The University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and magna cum laude from the Southern College of Optometry as a Doctor of Optometry. He and his wife Kendra are active members of Goodwater Baptist Church, where he serves as a deacon. Reed has two children, Calder and Emily. MICHAEL IRVIN ARRINGTON ’93 has been named director of community medicine at the Mercer University School of Medicine in Savannah, Ga. DANNY BASS ‘93 recently earned the Distinguished Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation. JOHN GRIFFITH ‘95 was promoted to captain by the Meridian Police Department. DR. CRAIG KING ’95 has accepted the position of superintendent of schools with the SAD #15 school district in Maine. JILL DORSETT ’96 has been appointed as assistant principal of Lake Alfred-Addair Middle School in Polk County, Fla. SARAH MCLELLAND, ‘96, ‘97 was recently presented the Mentor of the Year Award by Tulane Medical Health System during May 2016 Nurses Week.
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WALT DENTON ’96, ‘97 has become a partner and shareholder in the GodwinGroup in Jackson.
LA’KEYLAH WHITE ’97 was selected for Mississippi Business Journal’s Top 50 Leading Business Women in 2015. WES ROUSE ‘98, president of Magnolia State Bank’s Hattiesburg market, has been elected vice president of Mississippi Young Bankers, a section of the Mississippi Bankers Association. KIMBERLY NASTASI ‘99, CEO of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, Inc., has earned the Certified Association Executive designation from the American Society of Association Executives.
2000s
MARCELLINE “MARCIE” VERGEZ BEHRENS ‘00 was recently elected as the District 4 representative for the Oklahoma Municipal Court Clerks Association. JOHN GUY ’00 was promoted to assistant general manager at Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Biloxi.
SHANNON FRYERY, FNP-BC, ‘01 has been named director of Telehealth for North Mississippi Health Services in Tupelo. MARK H. HAVARD II ’01 was appointed to the Mississippi Commission on Marine Resources by Governor Phil Bryant. He works as the comptroller for Walt Massey Automotive Inc. in Lucedale. J.J. THOMS ‘02 has joined the Magnolia State banking team as the Petal president. DAVID TEROL ’03 has joined Esslinger Wooton Maxwell Realty International as an associate. DAVID BREWERTON ’04 has been named athletics director for Zachary Community Schools in Zachary, La. SHAVON DAVISLOUIS ’04 has been appointed principal for Cason Lane Academy in Murfreesboro, Tenn. COL. KELSO C. HORNE III ’05 has become the 37th commander of the Pine Bluff Arsenal. FRANK JABBIA ’05 has been named the 2016-17 Principal of the Year at Northshore High in the St. Tammany Parish Public School System. BRANDI E. WILLIAMS, CNP, ‘05 recently joined Hattiesburg Clinic Pulmonary Medicine as a certified nurse practitioner.
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DR. JAVIER GOMEZ ’06, ’16 was named Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College – Jackson County Campus Instructor of the Year. Dr. Gomez teaches Japanese and Spanish at MGCCC and an English as a Second Language (ESL) course at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula. RON NORMAN ’06 has been named head basketball coach for the Meridian High School Boys Basketball Team. NICHOLAS RACHOWICZ ’07 became the director of student activities at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and was named the United States Maritime Administration’s Employee of the Quarter January - March 2016.
SNAPSHOTS At the 2016 Summer Conference of the Alabama City County Management Association, Ken Grimes Jr. ’93 was presented the Sam ALUMNI AUTHORS Gaston Vocational Excellence Award. This award recognizes members of the profession that have contributed significantly to improving the quality of ALUMNI ALMANAC life in their communities through professional local government management, community building, economic development success and contributed significantly towards the advancement and enhancement of the profession. It is viewed as the highest recognition annually in City/County Management in the State of Alabama. Grimes serves as the City Administrator for the City of Orange Beach located in Baldwin County, Ala. His career with the City of Orange Beach began as Special Projects Coordinator in 2002 and has served as City Administrator since 2008. A native of Bessemer, Ala., Grimes completed high school at Bessemer Faith Academy, graduated from Troy State University in 1986 with a bachelor of science in marketing and earned a master of science degree from Southern Miss in economic development. He is married to Kelly Harless Grimes and has two daughters, Abby and Caroline.
CODY ’12 and LANE HEBERT BIELSTEIN ’14 were married on Feb. 27 in a day of romance, love and Southern Miss spirit. Following their church ceremony, the couple hosted a reception at the South Warehouse in Jackson with a black and gold celebration to remember. Just off the dance floor, the Bielstein’s set up a tailgate: an actual truck bed under a Southern Miss tent with a black and gold cake, popular games, Covington Brewhouse beer and plenty of fanfare showing
their school spirit. The couple was even ushered out in a spirit tunnel, complete with gold pom-poms. The Hebert-Bielstein wedding was recently featured as Mississippi’s winning wedding in The Knot’s 50 Weddings, 50 States contest. Cody serves as the assistant director of athletics development at USM and Lane is an intensive care nurse at Forrest General Hospital. Photos courtesy of Starling and Sage. Fall 2016
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POWERING GENERATIONS
OF GOLDEN EAGLES At Southern Miss, excellence and achievement are more than words—they’re a way of life. Mississippi Power celebrates this legacy and is honored to keep lighting the way for generations of Golden Eagle students and alumni. We’re proud to be part of your team. mississippipower.com
NOTES FROM HOME
CLASS NOTES
Brooke Atchison Dolbare ’09, compensation analyst for AM/NS Calvert LLC, has been honored as one of Workforce Magazine’s Top 25 Game Changers for 2016. This award recognizes emerging leaders in human resources who are making a difference in the workforce management sector. At AM/NS Calvert, Dolbare analyzes, implements and improves company compensation practices as a compensation analyst. She recently assisted AM/NS Calvert in creating a new compensation system that will help the company retain top engineers and other professionals in order to stay competitive in the market. Workforce Magazine’s Game Changers Award recognizes the top human resources practitioners and strategists under the age of 40 who are dedicated to pushing the profession forward with innovative people-management practices. BRITTANY WARD ‘08 has been promoted to marketing product specialist at Sanderson Farms’ corporate office in Laurel. LAUREL L. WILLIAMS ’09, ’10 has taken the position of assistant director of population health analytics and payer strategies with Augusta University Medical Associates in Augusta, Ga.
2010s
VERONICA FUCICH ’10 has been named one of the 2016-17 District Teachers of the Year for St. Tammany Parish Public School System.
In Memoriam
MYRTLE V. MINCHER ‘40 of Gulfport died on July 18, 2016. MARGUERITE GILLEON ’41 of Shreveport, La., died on May 26, 2016. ELMESE STEVENS ’42 of Baker, La., died on July 3, 2016. SYBIL H. MCWHORTER ’42 of Ridgeland died on April 30, 2016. WILLIAM P. LIPSCOMB ’49 of Gulfport died on May 6, 2016.
Michael and MELINDA HUDSON PORCH ’13 were married May 23, 2016, in Richland. DR. SARA WILLIAMS ‘13 has been named assistant principal at Alcoa Elementary School in Alcoa, Tenn.
SNAPSHOTS MICHELE MARTORANA ‘14, BSN, RN, has been hired as clinical ALUMNI AUTHORS research manager for Renova™ Therapeutics, a ALUMNI ALMANAC biopharmaceutical company developing gene therapy treatments for congestive heart failure and other chronic diseases. KAILA MORAN ’14 of Gulfport joined Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce Inc. as the programming coordinator. CHRISTOPHER ROBINSON ’15 has been named business analyst at Suntrust Banks in Atlanta, Ga.
Emily Stokley Stinemetz ’16 has joined the interior design team of HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm. Stinemetz earned her Bachelor of Science degree in interior design from Southern Miss and was active on campus as vice president of the United States Green Building Council, a member of several academic honor societies and as a member of Chi Omega sorority.
CECIL G. SCHRADER ’49 of Clermont, Fla., died on July 9, 2016. RETHA S. GEORGE ’50 of Biloxi died on June 3, 2016. FRED F. GORDY ’50 of Lawrence died on July 25, 2016. MABLE H. HOWELL ’50 of Gulfport died on July 17, 2016. ARTHUR D. MCCARY ’50 of Natchez died on May 4, 2016.
GERALDINE WILLIAMS ’50 of Mobile, Ala., died on May 14, 2016. THEDA BERRY ’51 of Magee died on June 22, 2016. MARTHA D. COLLINS ’51 of Rhodesdale, Md., died on May 17, 2016. LOUISE H. GRIFFITH ’51 of Avon Lake, Ohio, died on July 14, 2016. JOHN W. YORK ’52 of Crawfordville, Ga., died on April 18, 2016.
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WILLIAM PHALEN ‘65 of Scottsdale, Ariz., and owner of Phoenix Magazine and Phoenix Home and Garden Magazine, died May 19, 2016. Phalen had a long career in broadcasting before venturing into magazines in 1998 when he bought the two properties through his company, Cities West Publishing Inc. Phalen grew up in Evanston, Ill., and earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from The University of Southern Mississippi. He also earned a master’s degree from Norwich University in Vermont. He served six years in the U.S. Army and National Guard. Phalen founded three broadcasting companies and acquired 24 radio stations, including KZZP-FM in Phoenix, Ariz., and KRQ-FM in Tucson, Ariz. Phalen was inducted into The University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Hall of Fame in 2007, the USM Mass Communication and Journalism Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Arizona Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2013.
ANNE H. CASTLE ’53 of Saint Joseph, La., died on July 1, 2016. PASCAL LOTT ’53 of Hattiesburg died on July 27, 2016. BIDWELL A. OWENS ’53 of Terry died June 17, 2016. STEPHEN C. STRINGFELLOW ’53 of Trussville, Ala., died on May 20, 2016. WILLIAM F. WYATT ’53 of Biloxi died on May 21, 2016. LILY F. WOODWARD ’53 of Huntsville, Texas, died on June 13, 2016. JAMES T. MCQUEEN ’54 of Arnold, Mo., died on June 11, 2016. MALONE E. BRYANT ’54 of Collins died July 7, 2016. JESSIE M. ROEBUCK ’54 of Petersburg, Va., died on April 29, 2016. AUBREY R. CARMICHAEL ’55 of Stonewall died April 27, 2016. GUY D. CURTIS ’55 of Gulfport died May 1, 2016. ROBERT L. NORTH ’55 of Brandon died May 16, 2016. JAMES O. WHEELER ’55 of Booneville died June 22, 2016. BOBBY “TEX” HUGHES ’56 of Fort Worth, Texas, died Aug. 2, 2016. WILLIAM O. COOLEY ’57 of Petal died May 11, 2016. ALVIN C. ENDT ’57 of Ocean Springs died June 20, 2016. JOHN W. JOHNSTON ’57 of Jackson died June 25, 2016. ROBERT HAMILTON MONTAGUE ’57, ’59 of Hattiesburg died Dec. 6, 2015. JAMES B. NESMITH ’57 of Branson, Mo., died May 28, 2016. ELIZABETH A. RUSH ’57 of Hattiesburg died April 21, 2016. DONALD D. COLE ’58 of Dallas, Texas, died April 30, 2016. SHIRLEY L. TAYLOR ’58 of College Station, Texas, died April 24, 2016. BILLY T. WARD ’58, ‘65 of Lena died July 28, 2016. WENDELL J. FLOYD ’59 of Defuniak Springs, Fla., died April 5, 2016. KATHLEEN B. GAVIAN ’59 of Minneapolis, Minn., died on May 22, 2016. JAMES D. GIBSON ’59 of Montgomery, Ala., died June 7, 2016. ANNIE K. HEFNER ’59 of Hazlehurst died May 5, 2016. HAROLD I. STEVENSON ’59 of Mount Dora, Fla., died July 7, 2016.
SHIRLEY D. SUMRALL ’59 of Sumrall died May 16, 2016. WILLIAM D. CREEL ’60 of Moss Point died July 9, 2016. RONALD W. KUNTZ ’60 of West Des Moines, Iowa, on July 8, 2016. ROBERT G. MOHLER ’60 of Ocean Springs died July 29, 2016. HENRY H. RICHARDSON ’60 of Antrim, N.H., died April 26, 2016. LOUIS L. LYNCH ’61 of Tampa, Fla., died April 28, 2016. DAN L. LOFTIN ’62 of Dupont, Wash., on July 18, 2016. GEORGE M. MAITRE ’62 of Mobile, Ala., died June 9, 2016. PEGGY J. SEALE ’62 of Brandon died October 3, 2015. THOMAS W. WELFORD ’62 of Hammond, La., died May 14, 2016. THOMAS E. BRISTER ’63 of Pascagoula died May 16, 2016. VIRGINIA L. CHAIN ’63 of Columbia died May 29, 2016. MAXINE D. MOORE ’63 of Tupelo died May 23, 2016. DOROTHY SCHRADER ’63 of Murrayville, Ga., died on May 10, 2016. ALMA I. THORNHILL ’63 of Knoxville, Tenn., died May 16, 2016. JACK R. FULTON ’64 of Gulfport died May 13, 2016. NICHOLAS J. KOLINSKY ’64 of Petal died July 5, 2016. BENJAMIN S. MCLEOD ’64 of Meridian died July 11, 2016. WALTER R. STREBECK ’64 of Seminary died June 17, 2016. SUZANNE M. RUSS ’65 of Natchez died April 29, 2016. TOMMY E. STANLEY ’65 of Pensacola, Fla., died May 10, 2016. MARGARET A. BAILEY ’66 of Sardis died April 8, 2016. HARRY E. PICKERING ’66 of Soso died June 10, 2016. AARON D. THEAD ’66 of Tallahassee, Fla., died May 14, 2016. GERALD H. WALKER ’66 of Oxford died June 28, 2016. ROBERT W. DUBAY ’67 of Bainbridge, Ga., died May 4, 2016. MILLS S. SAVAGE ’67 of Birmingham, Mich., died May 15, 2016. MORRIS E. ADAMS ’68 of Ocean Springs died June 22, 2016.
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CLASS NOTES
TOWNER E. ARD ’68 of Moss Point died July 8, 2016. HAROLD V. KNIGHT ’68 of Hattiesburg died July 13, 2016. NORMAN A. CANNADY ’69 of Pascagoula died July 13, 2016. NEWELL A. DENNISON ’69 of Madison died May 4, 2016. KATHRYN A. LOVETTE ’69 of Wesson died April 30, 2016. JAMES D. REED ’69 of Hattiesburg died June 21, 2016. MARILYN T. SHERMAN ’69 of Jackson died April 20, 2016. JAMES R. SULLIVAN ’69 of Houston, Texas, died April 21, 2016. GLADSTONE E. WILLIAMS ’69 of Clinton died July 9, 2016. JANE R. MULLINS ’70 of Raymond died July 18, 2016. JOHN D. SMITH ’70 of Yazoo City died June 23, 2016. ERNEST E. WALKER ’70 of Brandon died July 13, 2016. DAVID M. GARDNER ’71 of Tupelo died May 27, 2016. RALPH L. HULLUM ’71 of Petal died May 18, 2016. CARL E. TOMPKINS ’71 of Baltimore, Md., died June 15, 2016. ALAN G. COOPER ’72 of Memphis, Tenn., died June 7, 2016. ERNIE H. GRANT ’72 of Hattiesburg died May 18, 2016. HOWARD L. MILLER ’72 of Hattiesburg died May 31, 2016. RONALD E. WARD ’72 of Hattiesburg died Sept. 10, 2015. ELBERT L. KNIGHT ’73 of Lakeland, Fla., died June 26, 2016. CHARLES W. GARRAWAY ’73 of Abilene, Texas, died May 23, 2016. SHARON B. MCRANEY ’73 of Wylie, Texas, died May 6, 2016. CANDACE J. BREWER ’74 of Meridian died May 17, 2016. ELMORE D. BEGGS ’74 of Marietta, Ga., died June 20, 2016. TERRY A. SORROW ’74 of Louisville, Ky., died Feb. 16, 2016. JOHN E. VANDERBROOK ’74 of Olympia, Wash., died June 16, 2016. KATHY S. BARNETT ’75 of Ellisville died May 14, 2016. VINCENT L. BOSARGE ’75 of Vancleave died May 26, 2016.
JOE ANN C. BREWER ’75 of Pleasant View, Tenn., died May 13, 2016. JERRY RUFFIN ’75 of Tupelo died July 15, 2016. JOHN A. METZILER ’75 of Chalmette, La., died April 29, 2016. KATHLEEN WADE ’75 of Santa Ana, Calif., died June 4, 2016. BARRY D. BLAINE ’76 of Canton died July 5, 2016. MICHAEL W. BUCKLEY ’77 of Columbia died June 30, 2016. JERRY A. ESTEP ’77 of Dania, Fla., died June 20, 2016. WANDA J. STEGALL ’77 of Hattiesburg died July 4, 2016. JERRY P. PITTS ’77 of New Braunfels, Texas, died July 10, 2016. RICKY S. ALLEN ’78 of Houston died May 27, 2016. DENNIS G. DICKINSON ’78 of Hattiesburg died June 24, 2016. STEVEN E. PARKS ’78 of Gulfport died April 10, 2016. SARAH N. JOINER ’78 of Saint Elmo, Ala., died July 8, 2016. RAYMOND J. LANTY ’78 of Ocean Springs died May 19, 2016. ELIZABETH J. SEKUL ’78 of Augusta, Ga., died April 22, 2016. EDWARD R. WASHINGTON ’78 of Henderson, Nev., died April 29, 2016. MARIE C. DONAVILLE ’79 of Houston, Texas, died April 21, 2016. JACK R. HYATT ’79 of Ferriday, La., died April 22, 2016. TERESSA LINDSEY ’79 of Ellisville died June 25, 2016. BARBARA C. MCSWAIN ’79 of Hattiesburg died May 20, 2016. KIM L. WALTON ’79 of Lake Jackson, Texas, died July 7, 2016. PAULINE A. WESSELMAN ’79 of Montgomery, Texas, died June 7, 2016. JAMES G. CASON ’80 of Laurel died June 17, 2016. KERRY O. THOMAS ’81 of Amite, La., died July 14, 2016. WILLIAM M. LIVINGS ’82 of Vero Beach, Fla., died April 23, 2016. SCOTT C. BIGGERS ’83 of Florence died June 1, 2016. JUDY G. SHUGART ’84 of Odenville, Ala., died May 29, 2016. CLARA N. ROSS ’84 of Hattiesburg died June 27, 2016.
CLARA G. BYRDSNAPSHOTS ’84 of Columbia died July 4, 2016. WILEY C. RICE ’86 of Hemphill, Texas, died June 4, 2016. ALUMNI AUTHORS JOHN M. CROSBY ’87 of Mandeville, La., died July 3, 2016. SUSAN G. ANDERSON ’88 of Braxton died May 25, 2016. ALUMNI ALMANAC EDNA K. BOONE ’88 of Ocean Springs died July 17, 2016. GARRY D. BERNDT ’89 of Eagle River, Alaska, died May 20, 2016. DANNY J. SPREITLER ’89 of Amory died July 5, 2016. JENNY F. WICKER ’89 of Smithdale died May 3, 2016. DANIEL E. RAY ’90 of Ellisville died April 23, 2016. DONALD P. HOWELL-HOGAN ’91 of Hattiesburg died May 7, 2016. DOLORES F. KEENUM ’91 of Moss Point died May 21, 2016. DAVID A. BALLARD ’93 of Clinton died July 20, 2016. RICHARD D. PEETS ’93 of Jackson died June 13, 2016. ROBERT A. WORD ’93 of Orlando, Fla., died June 24, 2016. AMANDA C. FINNEY ’95 of Auburn, Ala., died May 6, 2016. DEBRA S. HERRING ’97 of Gulfport died July 2, 2016. HASTY E. MORGAN ’98 of Biloxi died May 20, 2016. LAURIE A. WILLIAMS ’01 of Copley, Ohio, died June 15, 2016. KAREN W. MANN ’07 of Gautier died April 16, 2016. CORINNA A. EATON ’10 of Gulfport died May 23, 2016. AMANDA N. AUBERT ’11 of Covington, La., died July 11, 2016. KRISTINA D. QUINTINI ’11 of Bay Saint Louis died July 30, 2016. SPENCER A. DAVIS ’12 of Hattiesburg died July 29, 2016. MELODY W. WILSON ’12 of Hattiesburg died May 15, 2016. JONATHAN C. MILLS ’13 of Chicago, Ill., died July 25, 2016. * In a previous edition of The Talon, David M. Sessums ’75 of Vicksburg was included in memoriam. We deeply regret this error as David M. Sessums of Jackson passed away on March 13, 2014.
Fall 2016
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