Association News

Southern Station

Progress continues on Southern Station, a multi-use entertainment venue located in Spirit Park. Once completed, Southern Station will be gifted to The University by the Southern Mississippi by the Alumni Association in honor of the Association’s 100th Anniversary of service to the institution.

“Southern Station will be a tremendous addition to the Hattiesburg campus. We are looking forward to the completion of this project and the opportunity to share such an impressive new venue with the Southern Miss community,” said Jerry DeFatta, executive director of the Southern Miss Alumni Association.

A NOTE FROM

Providing such a dynamic gift to the University is possible thanks to the support of YOU – our members. Thank you for your membership!

Association Welcomes 2020 Graduates into the Alumni Family

On March 30, 2020, the University announced plans to For graduates who had already purchased a membership postpone spring commencement ceremonies due to Covid-19. through various promotions and events held prior to And while the Association staff had already canceled the annual the Covid-19 outbreak, the Association has provided a senior send-off event, Grads & Crawdads, the reality of losing the complimentary one-year membership extension. opportunity to celebrate graduates was a tough pill to swallow. “Membership in the Alumni Association is the easiest way for

“As we talked through our disappointment for our spring alumni to remain connected to the University,” added DeFatta. 2020 grads, we knew that we had to find new and unique ways “Members receive invitations to regional events hosted by Alumni to honor their accomplishments here at Southern Miss,” said Jerry HUBs; communication pieces such as The Talon; and exclusive access DeFatta, executive director of the Alumni Association. “Each year, to various campus events. Ensuring the spring 2020 graduates these nearly 3,000 Golden Eagles graduate from the University and benefits is a meaningful way for our organization to honor their become alumni of this great institution. While there would be no Southern Miss experience and welcome them into the alumni family.” official send-off ceremony, our team was determined to do our In addition to the complimentary one-year membership, part in welcoming these graduates into the alumni family.” the Association also sponsored a virtual campus background

Following a few conversations and approval by the platform, allowing seniors to upload a photo onto a professional Association’s Board of Directors, the decision was made to photo of iconic campus scenes. Graduates submitted their photos offer complimentary annual memberships to each spring for use on the cover of this issue of The Talon. 2020 graduate. “One of the most visible losses from the semester was the

“I witnessed the true Southern Miss spirit exhibited by absence of graduates taking photos throughout campus,” said this class of graduates,” added DeFatta, “and we made the DeFatta. “We did not want our students to miss out on a chance decision to celebrate not only their achievements, but also to have memorable photos from their favorite places on campus.” the determination with which they earned them, with a Graduates were also able to download a free campus print complimentary one-year membership in our organization.” provided by the USM Image Center.

A NOTE FROM

Providing each graduate with membership into the Alumni Association was possible through YOUR commitment to our organization. Thank you for your support!

Hall Joins Association as Coordinator of Digital Communications

The Southern Miss Alumni Association is pleased to announce the addition of Travis Hopson Hall to the position of Coordinator of Digital Communications. Hall is a 2019 graduate of Lebanon Valley College with a degree in business, communications & marketing.

The Dallas, Texas native was a member of Lebanon Valley’s men’s ice hockey team, where he was named an NCAA Academic All-American in 2018 in addition to earning spots on the Winter MAC Sportsmanship Team in 2019 and the UCHC All-Academic Team in 2017, 2018 and 2019. He was also named Mr. Lebanon Valley College in 2019.

As the Coordinator of Digital Communications, Hall will manage the organization’s digital presence, including social media, digital media, email communications and the Association’s website. Prior to joining the Alumni Association staff, Hall served as the Communications Coordinator for the Rockford IceHogs, the Chicago Blackhawks’ American Hockey League affiliate, in Rockford, Ill.

“Not only am I eager to join an already impressive team at the Alumni Association here at Southern Miss, but I’m also excited to return to the state where I spent many summers as a child,” said Hall. “I plan to grow beneath the leadership group here while helping the Association do the same, and I look forward to working with the incredible alumni who have emerged from this University.”

“Over the past few months, we have seen the importance of digital media in our society,” said executive director, Jerry DeFatta. “We are excited to welcome Travis to our team. His ability and experience will be an asset as we work to continue to build the Association’s voice on our digital and social platforms.”

Hall

WELCOME NEW LIFE MEMBERS

Melinda Arnold Rodney and Temple Bennett John and Alieta Cox Judy Craven Lucas Davis Bobby and Mindy Deen Stew and Laura Deen Hunter Easterling Kelly Englese Kelli Fewell Sherrill Finneran Tina Gavin Robert Glenn Nanette Haskins Marc and Deborah Irvin James and Billie Lewis Desmond Lloyd Cullen McBride Patsy McBride Patrick McGee Mary Jayne Myers-Runyan Brian and Andrea Saffle Chris Sather Barbara Smith Jason and Nicole Smith Stormy Speaks Gary Tompkins

Upgrade to Life Membership today at SouthernMissAlumni.com/Life.

Executive Committee

PRESIDENT Pamela Munger, Hattiesburg, MS

PRESIDENT ELECT Dr. Christy Myers, Mandeville, LA

VICE PRESIDENT Jim Warren, Jackson, MS

PAST PRESIDENT Rickey Jones, Jackson, MS

FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR Daniel Stewart, Sumrall, MS

SECRETARY/TREASURER Jerry B. DeFatta, Petal, MS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Adam Buckalew, Washington, D.C. Anita Estelle, Bessemer, AL Dr. John Guice, Hattiesburg, MS Ben Hester, Hattiesburg, MS Chris Landry, Covington, LA Thomas Schmidt, Cypress TX Kim Wingo, Purvis, MS Jordan Bryan, Madison, MS Christen Duhe’, Gulfport, MS Trey Hough, III, Gulfport, MS Scott Lanehart, Baton Rouge, LA Amanda Lee, Hattiesburg, MS Will Miller, Hattiesburg, MS Kevin Prince, Brandon, MS Rudy Bracey, Madison, MS Linda Boutwell-Griffith, Hattiesburg, MS Dr. Latoya Hart, Jackson, MS Ryan Mahoney, Thomson, GA Samantha, McCain, Hattiesburg, MS Joe Trahan, Dallas, TX Joy Yates, Hattiesburg, MS

Ex-Officio Board Members (by virtue of office) PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY Rodney D. Bennett, Hattiesburg, MS VICE PRESIDENT FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Chad Driskell, Hattiesburg, MS PRESIDENT OF THE USM FOUNDATION Kristy Gould, Hattiesburg, MS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FOUNDATION Stace Mercier, Hattiesburg, MS PRESIDENT OF THE ATHLETIC FOUNDATION Wren Hood, Hattiesburg, MS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR/CEO OF THE ATHLETIC FOUNDATION Jeremy McClain, Hattiesburg, MS PRESIDENT OF THE STUDENT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Chasity Hutchinson, Brookhaven, MS

Munger Appointed to Lead Alumni Association Executive Committee

On July 1, 2020, a new executive committee was installed to lead the Southern Miss Alumni Association for the 2020-21 fiscal year. Committee members include alumni who are accomplished leaders in their communities and demonstrate a strong commitment to the betterment of the University.

Pamela Munger ’03 PRESIDENT

Pamela Munger graduated from Southern Miss with a Bachelor’s degree in marketing and is a Life Member of the Southern Miss Alumni Association. While attending Southern Miss, Munger was a member of the USM tennis team and counts her time as a studentathlete among the highlights of her undergraduate experience. Upon graduating, she moved to Atlanta, Ga. and owned/operated two Lenny’s Sub Shop franchises with her family from 2003-08. During this time, she strived to teach her team members leadership/life skills while working alongside them to create a caring culture in their businesses using values that existed in her own life.

In 2007, Pamela and her husband, Jon ’02, began their journey with Chick-fil-A, which led them back to Mississippi where they owned/operated Chick-fil-A Sawmill Square Mall in Laurel from 2008-12. In 2012, the Mungers moved to Starkville, where they opened and owned/operated Chick-fil-A Starkville. After 14 years of being away from Hattiesburg, they returned home to Hattiesburg in January 2018, where they now own/operate Chick-fil-A Hattiesburg on Hwy 98. Jon also serves as the Licensee Consultant for the Chick-fil-A on campus at USM and supports Aramark in their day-to-day operations within the restaurant. Munger serves as the Human Resources Director and enjoys sharing and teaching Chickfil-A culture and history to their team members. She is devoted to helping others, from guests and team members to young people and others in the community.

Munger volunteers her time to Edwards Street Fellowship Center and Christian Services, where she spends more of her time within Liberty Ministries, The Soup Kitchen and Meals on Wheels. Munger and her husband have one son, Jon Corbin, and they are members of Temple Baptist Church.

Christy Myers, Ph.D. ’92, ‘95 PRESIDENT-ELECT

Dr. Christy Myers is the Operations Manager at the Children’s Museum of St. Tammany. Her career began as an Admissions Counselor at The University of Southern Mississippi. She served in multiple administrative roles at Southern Miss, Louisiana State University and Tulane University that 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 The University of Southern Mississippi. She received her doctorate from Louisiana State University in educational leadership, research and counseling.

Myers is originally from Slidell, La. and has lived in Mandeville, La. for the past 15 years with her husband, Ryan, CEO of F.H. Myers Construction, and their son, Brady. She is a Life Member in the Alumni Association, a past president of the Northshore Pi Beta Phi Alumnae organization and the Northshore Society of Human Resource Management.

Jim Warren ‘84 VICE PRESIDENT

Jim Warren is a founder and the Managing Member of Carroll Warren & Parker, PLLC, a law firm with offices in Jackson and Houston, Texas. The firm focuses on commercial litigation and represents clients throughout the United States and in several other countries.

Warren has practiced law for 33 years, trying cases all across the United States, and he has secured multimillion-dollar jury verdicts as plaintiff’s counsel in commercial disputes and successfully handled cases for the defense in the same context. He is recognized in alternative dispute resolution, having served as arbitrator and mediator.

Warren is a former Special Assistant Attorney General and Assistant District Attorney. He is the former Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of the Mississippi Bar and has spoken on dispute resolution at state, regional and national conferences. Warren is a three-time Chair of the Mississippi Bar’s Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee and has authored publications on a variety of subjects including mediation, arbitration, unauthorized practice of law and construction law.

Warren has served in many positions within the United States Tennis Association and is currently President of River Hills Club, a private tennis club in Jackson. He is married to Malinda, and they have five children and one grandchild. They are members of Galloway United Methodist Church, where Warren recently served as Church Council Chair.

Daniel Stewart ‘03 FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR

Daniel Stewart is the Senior Vice President at First Bank in Hattiesburg where he serves as program manager of First Bank’s financial advisory division, First Bank Wealth Management and is also a Commercial Lender. A native of Meridian, Stewart joined First Bank in 2016 and was responsible for creating the bank’s Wealth Management division. Prior to joining First Bank, he was employed by Summit Wealth Group in Meridian.

Stewart began his career in wealth management with Edward Jones investments in 2006 and then joined BancorpSouth investments in Hattiesburg. After two years as an associate advisor, Stewart was promoted to Senior Advisor and ultimately rose to the position of Vice President of Wealth Management covering 22 branches for BancorpSouth in central Mississippi. He holds FINRA licenses 7, 63, & 65, Mississippi Insurance Life and Health licenses and achieved the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®) designation in 2014.

Stewart graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in sports administration in 2003. While at USM he was a member of the Southern Miss baseball team as a pitcher and served as Co-Captain his senior season.

He and his wife, Laurie, currently reside in Sumrall with their two daughters, Maddie and Mary Taylor. He enjoys spending time with his family and loves the outdoors.

Rickey Jones ‘92 PAST PRESIDENT

As a basketball forward, Rickey Jones was part of some of the most impressive Golden Eagle teams to ever run up and down the hardwood. As an alumnus and Life Member of the Southern Miss Alumni Association, he has played an important role on many of the teams that helped contribute to Southern Miss’ success, including on the boards of directors for the USM Foundation and M-Club, and as past president of the Hardwood Club.

In 2006, he served as a member of the Alumni Association’s 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, which 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 attends Fairfield Missionary Baptist Church, where he serves as a Trustee and is the Board Chair for the Jackson Hinds Library System. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management from Southern Miss, graduated from the Mississippi School of Banking and currently resides in Jackson, where he works as a business consultant with Front Court Development.

Samantha McCain ’09, ‘10

Samantha McCain is a resident of Hattiesburg, where she began her journey at USM in 2005. After graduating with two degrees – a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications & journalism in 2009 and a Master of Science in public relations a year later, she worked for the American Red Cross of Mississippi, Hattiesburg Clinic, The Focus Group Advertising Agency and The Children’s Center for Communication and Development at The University of Southern Mississippi. After leading the communication efforts for Mayor Toby Barker’s mayoral campaign in 2017, she was invited to join his cabinet as the Chief Communications Officer for the City of Hattiesburg. In this role, McCain reports directly to the mayor and is charged with all communication and marketing strategies for the City.

In addition to her full-time job, she lends a hand to promoting various community projects, spends time mentoring professionals, coordinates programming for leadership development in the Hattiesburg area, serves as an active member of the Junior Auxiliary of Hattiesburg and manages the Blue Line Legacy Fund, a scholarship program she founded in 2018.

McCain is a recipient of the Top 50 Under 40 designation by the Mississippi Business Journal for 2019. In 2016, she was presented the Best of the Pine Belt’s Hall of Fame “Catalyst Award” and also voted as the program’s “Unsung Hero.” In 2015, she was named the Bud Kirkpatrick Practitioner of the Year for her local chapter of the Public Relations Association of Mississippi and later took the state organization’s title for the Professional Achievement Award. She has also received many statewide and regional awards for her work in public relations and has been highlighted in publications throughout Mississippi as a subject matter expert in digital media, crisis communications and event planning. LaToya Hart Ph.D. ‘00, ‘07, ‘08

LaToya Hart serves as the Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment Director and Institutional Liaison at Alcorn State University. She began her career in higher education at The University of Southern Mississippi as the AmeriCorps VISTA Director with the Center for Adult Learning and Education. She received her undergraduate degree in exercise science, specialist degree in educational research and doctorate in higher education administration all from Southern Miss. Hart also received a Master of Business Administration from William Carey University.

She was initiated into the Mu Nu Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and is currently a member of the Madison

Joe Trahan ‘05, ‘06

Joe Trahan is a sports media professional who has spent more than 15 years in the professional/collegiate ranks. He has gained experience throughout the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and the NCAA, as well as internationally with NFL Europe in Hamburg, Germany.

Currently in his 15th season with the NFL and 14th as the Media Relations and Corporate Communications Coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys, Trahan works each home and away game, assists with the day-to-day interview requests for players, coaches and ownership and helps with the team’s weekly game releases among other Cowboys publications.

Additionally, Trahan serves as a press contact and media coordinator for AT&T Stadium – the home of the Dallas Cowboys – and has worked events such as Super Bowl XLV, the inaugural college football playoff National Championship Game, the Cotton Bowl, the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four Championship, international soccer matches, world championship boxing, WrestleMania 32 as well as concerts featuring world-renowned artists.

Trahan also works as the primary contact for events, media tours and filmings at The Star in Frisco, Texas – the Cowboys World Corporate Headquarters which opened in 2016.

Trahan earned two degrees from The University of Southern Mississippi, first obtaining a Bachelor of Science in sport administration before completing a Master of Arts

in public relations. County Alumnae Chapter. While at Southern Miss, she was actively involved in the Hattiesburg community, serving with the Mississippi Reads program, the Office of Community Service Learning Advisory Board and the Boy Scouts of America Urban Emphasis Advisory Board.

Along with being a Life Member in the Alumni Association, Hart also serves as the state coordinator for the Women in Higher Education Mississippi Network (WHEMN) as well as the chairperson for her family’s private foundation.

She resides in Jackson and is married to Dr. Willie Jones, III.

Rudy Bracey ‘05

Rudy Bracey graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in information technology and now works as a Desktop Support and Operations Supervisor for St. Dominic’s Hospital in Madison.

The Raymond native was a member of several campusbased organizations during his time at Southern Miss but notes the most impactful to his Golden Eagle experience was serving as equipment manager for the 2003 C-USA champion football Joy Yates ’98, ’01

Joy Hamilton Yates, CMPE, CHRC, has served as an Assistant Administrator for Hattiesburg Clinic since 2007. In this role, the Jackson native is responsible for several of the Clinic’s specialty departments.

Yates has been a member of the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) of Mississippi since 2007. Over the past seven years, she has served in all Board leadership roles and is currently completing her year as past-president for the organization. She became a Certified Medical Practice Executive (CMPE) in 2010 and became certified in Healthcare Research Compliance (CHRC) in 2012 in addition to becoming a member of the Health Care Compliance Association.

Yates is a graduate of Leadership Mississippi as well as Leadership Pinebelt and volunteers with Junior Auxiliary of Hattiesburg. She has served on numerous state and local boards, including Mississippi Children’s Home Society (now CARES), Domestic Abuse Family Shelter and United Way of Southeast MS.

Yates earned a bachelor’s degree in health administration from USM in 1998 and was one of the first students to complete the dual master’s program to obtain her Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Health in 2001. She was recognized with the USM Best Citizen Award, as the USM Outstanding Freshman Woman and even served as an Olympic Torch Bearer in the 1996 Olympics as the United Way Community Hero.

A Life Member of the Southern Miss Alumni Association, Yates is also an alumna of Delta Delta Delta and served as the VP of the Southern Miss Alumni Chapter when she lived in Houston, Texas. During her time at Southern Miss, you could find Joy twirling batons as the Feature Twirler of The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band.

Yates is an active member of Parkway Heights United Methodist Church. She met the love of her life, Jason ’97, at Southern Miss, and the couple resides in Hattiesburg with their daughters, Caroline and Annabelle. team. His favorite Southern Miss memory was the night the football team beat TCU to clinch that C-USA championship and the goalpost came down in celebration.

Bracey also volunteers at Fannie’s Nest – a non-profit organization co-founded by his wife, Dr. Pamela Bracey, in honor of her late grandmother. The couple now resides in

Madison with their two sons, Riley and Joshua.

Linda Boutwell-Griffith ‘00

Linda Boutwell-Griffith completed her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at The University of Southern Mississippi in 2000 and is now the First Vice President of Premier Banking at BancorpSouth.

She resides in Mississippi with her husband, John J. Griffith, who also works at BancorpSouth Bank as an Executive Vice President, and their son, Hayden, who graduated from Southern Miss in 2019.

Ryan Mahoney ‘06

Ryan Mahoney is a native of Mandeville, La. and a proud graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science, Mahoney opened a Louisiana-based, fullservice Public Relations and Communications firm with clients in five states, as well as overseas. He managed Congresswoman Mary Bono’s successful re-election campaign, which was in the top five most competitive races in the country.

Mahoney later moved to Georgia and joined forces with the Peach State’s top strategists to launch Parlay Marketing Partners. The boutique firm serves numerous Fortune 500 companies, statewide elected officials, non-profit organizations and governmental entities in the Southeast.

In addition to managing high-profile political campaigns and ballot initiatives for over a decade, Mahoney worked as the Communications Director for the Georgia Republican Party.

Mahoney is an avid writer, public speaker and presenter. He is a proud alumnus of the Leadership Augusta class of 2012, serves on the Boys and Girls Club of the CSRA Board of Directors and is a member of Thomson First United Methodist Church.

Ryan lives in Thomson, Ga. with his wife, Dr. Holly Mahoney, daughter, Margaret, and dog, Mr. Gibbs.

GOLD STANDARD SETTING THE

Since the creation of the GOLD Council – a volunteer leadership council comprised of graduates of the last decade – the Alumni Association has experienced a significant increase in young alumni engagement through event attendance, community service and student mentoring. The GOLD Council operates under the leadership of Shonice Montgomery, the Association’s coordinator of student and young alumni programming.

On July 1, 2020, the Association welcomed the following new GOLD Council members from across the country.

STEPHEN COBB WASHINGTON, D.C. STEPHEN COBB graduated from Southern Miss in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He now works in Washington D.C. as a Senior Associate at the Raben Group, a national progressive public policy and strategic communications firm. His duties involve elevating their federal policy agendas and improving their communication and media relations strategies. In his time at Southern Miss, the first-generation college graduate was involved in the SGA, Freshman Associates, Southern Style and GEWW while serving as an Honors College Ambassador.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS MEMORY: Serving as an escort for Homecoming.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS TRADITION: I always looked forward to Founders’ Day! It was always a great reminder of where we came from as well as a reminder to continue soaring To the Top.

RAY YOUNG, JR. JACKSON RAY YOUNG, JR. earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 2015 and now resides in Jackson while working as a Federal Law Clerk with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi. In this position, Young, Jr. serves as a federal law clerk to the Honorable Sharion Aycock: Chief U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi. In August, he plans to begin as an Associate Attorney at Wise Carter, a historic Mississippi law firm in Jackson, Mississippi. He was a member of the SGA’s Judicial Board, the Mu Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, AASO, the PRIDE and Kuntry Kids during his time at Southern Miss and now lives with his two-year-old poodle, Ace.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS MEMORY: Southern Miss Homecoming Tailgate!

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS TRADITION: Eagle Walk. KATHRYN WINSLEY MEMPHIS, TENN. KATHRYN WINSLEY is a 2014 Southern Miss graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and now resides in Memphis, Tenn. as a Doctoral Student and Graduate Assistant at the University of Memphis. While at Southern Miss, she was a member of the Iota Kappa Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha and volunteered with SGA, Campus Civitan Club, Afro-American Student Organization, NAACP and IDEAL Women.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS MEMORY: Meeting new friends who grew to become family!

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS TRADITION: Tailgating in The District!

HUNTER AUTHEMENT MOBILE, ALA. HUNTER AUTHEMENT is a 2015 and 2016 graduate from Southern Miss, earning a Bachelor of Science in marketing first before completing a Master of Business Administration. The former member of Pi Kappa Phi also assisted with Eagle Connection, GEWW, Southern Style, SGA, Election Commission, SMAC and Luckyday. Currently a Sales Representative at Yak Mat, LLC, Authement is charged with meeting sales goals within his territory by generating new business and nurturing current customers. He and his wife, Miranda Levy ’15, ’17, met in Southern Style in 2014, and she is set to graduate from the University of South Alabama with a doctorate in physical therapy in 2022.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS MEMORY: Winning the C-USA baseball tournament in 2016 in Hattiesburg. That was my grad school year and it was incredible winning on the last play of the game.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS TRADITION: Easily painting the Eagle Walk. I still know exactly where my name is on one of the cement columns.

LLOYD LAMBETH HATTIESBURG LLOYD LAMBETH obtained two degrees from Southern Miss: a Bachelor of Science in business administration (accounting) in 2016 and a Master of Professional Accountancy in 2017. While at Southern Miss, he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon, Beta Alpha Psi: Accounting Honor Society, Beta Gamma Sigma: Business Honor Society and the Student Eagle Club. Lambeth currently serves as a CPA, Assurance Supervisor at HORNE LLP, leading internal, external and employee benefit plan audits of private and public companies in HORNE’s Public and Middle Market practice group at the Hattiesburg office. He recently married Sarah Olander on July 11, 2020.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS MEMORY: Watching the baseball team win the Conference USA tournament in 2016 when it was hosted at Pete Taylor Park. The atmosphere was electric, and the double relay to end the game at home plate was incredible.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS TRADITION: Tailgating with family and friends in The District before Southern Miss football games and watching baseball games from the Right Field Roost.

BENJAMIN WADDLE HATTIESBURG BENJAMIN WADDLE is a 2017 graduate. He received a Bachelor of Science in business administration with a focus in marketing and is now a Key Account Developer for CocaCola United. In this role, he is responsible for building and maintaining relationships with national retail accounts in the perspective region in order to maximize sales and profit and ensure proper execution of pricing and promotions. He comes from a long line of Golden Eagles beginning with his late grandparents, Lamar ’50 and Joy Gillespie ’51, and continuing with his parents, Benny ’82 and Pam ’83, ’96, and his sister, Amanda ’14. Benjamin spent time with many organizations while at Southern Miss including Sigma Phi Epsilon, Eagle Connection, the GEWW Crew, the Legacy Student Alumni Board, the IFC Executive Board, the IFC Rho Alpha, Order of Omega, Beta Gamma Sigma, American Marketing Association and the Student Eagle Club.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS MEMORY: When they opened the new College of Business building, Scianna Hall. Nothing makes me more proud than seeing our fine University gain new resources to allow our students to achieve their goals.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS TRADITION: Painting of the Eagle Walk. I remember being a freshman and placing my handprint on the Eagle Walk and becoming overwhelmed with pride. That’s when it sunk in that I was officially a Golden Eagle even though I have been connected with the University my whole life. NINA BELLIPANNI JACKSON NINA BELLIPANNI graduated from Southern Miss with a Bachelor of Science in business administration (accounting) in 2017 and returned for her Master of Professional Accountancy a year later in 2018. She is a Senior Audit Associate at KPMG, LLC in Jackson, where she helps the public accounting firm perform financial statement audits for various companies. Bellipanni has a long family history of Southern Miss graduates. Her grandfather, Lawrence Bellipanni Sr. ’59, ’63, was a professor at USM and was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame. Additionally, both her father, Larry Bellipanni Jr. ’87, and mother, Monica ’91, earned degrees at Southern Miss. Finally, her brother, Drew, will be attending Southern Miss in the fall to pursue his graduate degree in sports management. While attending Southern Miss, she spent time with SGA, Tri Delta, Southern Style, Honors College, Beta Alpha Psi and worked as a Tour Guide in the Office of Admissions.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS MEMORY: Attending the USM vs. Kentucky game in Lexington during my senior year. A few friends and I made a road trip for the weekend to attend the game. The Eagles put together an amazing comeback in the second half to secure the win. It was so exciting, and I will never forget it!

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS TRADITION: Singing of the Alma Mater at the end of a game. Win or lose, it’s great to come together with other Golden Eagle fans and participate in this tradition!

KATIE BLANKENSHIP GULFPORT KATIE BLANKENSHIP graduated from Southern Miss in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in entertainment industry media production and now serves as the Administrative & Volunteer Coordinator for the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport. Her duties include working as the volunteer liaison and assisting with all aspects of volunteer management, including trainings, volunteer database maintenance, volunteer tracking and follow up; developing and overseeing volunteer recruitment, management and recognition tools; and cultivating and managing a portfolio of active and engaged volunteers. While at Southern Miss, Blankenship was involved in the Delta Gamma sorority, Student Eagle Club, Student Leadership Council, The Legacy and Freshman Associates.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS MEMORY: Every single Homecoming. During college, Homecoming meant a lot of sleepless nights to get everything ready for the parade, but now Homecoming means coming back to the place that gave me so many wonderful memories and reconnecting with old friends.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS TRADITION: Painting of the Eagle Walk.

SARAH BETH SELPH ARLINGTON, VA. SARAH BETH SELPH received a Bachelor of Science in communication studies and a Bachelor of Science in Political Studies from Southern Miss in 2016. As office manager at Slalom in Arlington, Va., she oversees office operations for the Washington D.C. market. This includes welcoming guests, onboarding new employees, planning events, providing local IT support, supporting the leadership team and more. In her time at Southern Miss, Selph was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority and was involved with Southern Style 2015, SGA, GEWW, Eagle Connection and worked as an Office of Admissions Tour Guide.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS MEMORY: Serving on Southern Style 2015. Having the opportunity to welcome new Golden Eagles to campus is something I will never forget. I will always cherish the memories made with my teammates from SROW dance practice to summer hangouts and so much more!

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS TRADITION: Eagle Walk – I can still find my handprint from when I participated in GEWW and there is nothing better than the Eagle Walk on a gameday Saturday filled with all the Golden Eagle fans!

ARIELLE COX DALLAS, TEXAS ARIELLE COX earned a Bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Miss in 2019 and is now a Business Development Coordinator at Trinity Consultants in Dallas, Miss. She is responsible for publishing e-news, maintaining marketing efforts with social media, running and publishing data reports. She is the first woman in her family to go to college, but her father graduated from Southern Miss in the 1970s.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS MEMORY: Orientation! Everything is so new, the school is so big with a bright future ahead and everyone is there to help you succeed and excited for you to be a Golden Eagle.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS TRADITION: GEWW, for sure! SAWYER WALTERS LONG BEACH SAWYER WALTERS received a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice in 2018. He works for the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources as a State Law Enforcement Officer in Long Beach where he lives with his fiancée, Kaitlyn Auger ‘19, whom he met at GEWW leader training at Southern Miss. Other organizations Walters spent time with at USM include Sigma Nu, IFC Council, EagleTHON, SGA, Forensic Science Society and the Criminal Justice Student Association. He also acted as University mascot, Seymour.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS MEMORY: My study abroad trip with Dr. Wiest and Dr. Greene to London. I highly recommend going to study abroad. I made great friends and saw great sights!

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS TRADITION: Homecoming week festivities that I always enjoyed with Greek life.

AMBER BAILEY GOOGE JACKSON AMBER BAILEY GOOGE graduated from Southern Miss in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in biology and now serves as a Pediatrician at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. More specifically, she works as a clinical pediatrician and hospitalist in neonatology. While at Southern Miss, she was a member of Delta Gamma and also volunteered with Luckyday Scholars, the Residence Hall Association, NRHH and spent time as an academic tutor for the athletic department. Her husband attended Johns Hopkins, and the pair are expecting their first child in September.

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS MEMORY: Homecoming, and every detail surrounding the week!

FAVORITE SOUTHERN MISS TRADITION:

Painting the Little Rock!