The Pursuit

The

Pursuit

Vol. 1, No. 1 >> 2017

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

SCHOOL OF MASS COMMUNICATION AND JOURNALISM

are.

Where we’ve been.

Where we’re headed...

Where we

TOP REASONS TO LIVE ON CAMPUS Location, Location, Location Safe and Secure Cost-Effective and Easy n Academic Support n Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience n n n

APPLY ONLINE TODAY www.usm.edu/housing

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND RESIDENCE LIFE live. learn. connect. succeed.

601.266.4783 | reslife@usm.edu | AA/EOE/ADAI

UC 76076.5064 3.17

Table of Student Pursuits

7 12

Taking Control Miss Southern Miss

Pursuit of Knowledge

29 32 34 35

Eagles to LA Transportation Theory Graduate Student Hall of Fame A Storied History

Contents

Pursuit of Success

15 19 22

Fearless Success Once Upon a ‘Ween Dream Taking a Shot at Success

Pursuit of Excellence

41 Millennials vs. Baby Boomers 45 Top Students 48 Hall of Fame The Pursuit >> 1

From the L

Editor

ife is a pursuit. From the daily pursuits of chores and errands to the larger bucket-list pursuits of places to go and things to experience, modern society keeps us in almost constant pursuit of something.

For the School of Mass Communication and Journalism at The University of Southern Mississippi, the pursuits of students, alumni and faculty are robust, spirited and seemingly endless. From students applying what they have learned in the classroom to their own beyond-classroom endeavors, to alumni who are making a difference in society through their accomplishments, to the MCJ faculty who work each day to instill in their students a lifelong love of their discipline, their pursuits are all meaningful endeavors.

With that, it seems the name of this magazine should have come easily and been obvious, but it did not and was not. Despite having a dynamic team of students who all vigorously jumped at the opportunity to create the first student-produced outreach magazine for the School, the name took time to discover. Hundreds of Post-It Notes, days of research, and hours of discussions left us all confounded, until The Pursuit. That is, after all, what life is.

will appeal to both our oldest alumni and the tenth grader who is considering an MCJ program at Southern Miss and stories that demonstrate why students choose and have chosen Southern Miss.

Again, they prevailed, but this time, with such an offering of talent, compassion, diligence and character within the ranks of MCJ students and alumni, selecting stories came a little easier than selecting the name.

Finally, the student staff also needed to sell advertising to support this venture, and that came even easier, thanks to the generosity of the MCJ friends and supporters.

The feature stories in this publication are all student-discovered, student-pursued and student-created, and each contributes to the story that is the School of Mass Communication and Journalism at The University of Southern Mississippi. Featured here are current and former students who either majored or minored in an MCJ program and are doing all that the School set them forth to do. It is the MCJ thread that binds us together in our own pursuits.

The Pursuit of knowledge, The Pursuit of success, The Pursuit of happiness, The Pursuit.

Cindy Blackwell, Ph.D.

This first student staff was given a hefty charge beyond discovering the name – find stories that

Editor, Adviser

2 << The Pursuit

! s r a e y 0 0 1 o t Cheers

STUDENT PRINTZ

We want to celebrate your successes too.

http://bit.ly/UpdateMCJ

I CJ/E M W NE E I PAG N M ALU

www.usm.edu/mcj

Get Connected Stay Connected

@MCJATUSM The Pursuit >> 3

Bring us your dreams.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll show you the world.

www.usm.edu/arts-letters AA/EOE/ADAI

4 << The Pursuit

Vol. 1 No. 1 >> 2017 The Pursuit serves as the outreach publication for the School of Mass Communication and Journalism at The University of Southern Mississippi and is produced annually by students involved in The Agency at Southern Miss.

Follow us on Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram @MCJatUSM, or visit our website at usm.edu/mcj Editor/Adviser Cindy Blackwell, Ph.D. Graduate Assistants Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Anthony Jackson Mercey Livingston Staff Writer Kaisha Brown Khadija Craine Megan Moseley Kaitlyn Koehn Jordan Niezgoda Karie Mooney Chatham Layout and Design Emily Gruzinskas Taylor Phillips The Agency at Southern Miss Contact information and address changes should be emailed to MCJ@usm.edu.

Printed in the United States of America by Hattiesburg Publishing. Reproduction of any story is prohibited.

On The Cover College Hall Spring 2017 with 1935 photo inset. Photo by Karie Mooney Chatham.

David R. Davies, Ph.D. Director of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism

From the

Director T

he launch of the The Pursuit coincides with a period of great change both at Southern Miss and the School of Mass Communication and Journalism. Some of these changes are organizational, while others will center around our curriculum, but the School will be stronger in coming years as a result.

Organizationally, the changes in MCJ are part of a large set of changes that emerged from a campuswide committee under the leadership of Provost Steve Moser. The Plan for Academic Reorganization, just approved as expected by the state College Board in August, will reconfigure colleges, schools and departments across the University.

As for us, the plan proposes to form a new School of Communication, one with two departments. One will be the Department of Communication Studies; the other will be our unit, which will be renamed the Department of Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising. Film and Entertainment Industry will remain part of our department.

Being in the same School with our colleagues in Communication Studies will offer us myriad opportunities for collaboration across the broad areas of communication, specifically in the graduate program. Of course, implementing the changes to make this merger happen will constitute a lot of work and take a good bit of time.

Just as significantly, the faculty expect in 2017-2018 to rework our curriculum to reflect changes in the media marketplace. We expect the new curriculum will emphasize multimedia and emerging technologies while continuing our traditional emphasis on the basic skills our students need.

We expect our unit to emerge from these changes stronger and revitalized. The changes of the coming year will be only the latest iteration of a department that has seen multiple changes over the decades, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m confident they will improve the education we offer our students.

The Pursuit >> 5

When I first arrived at Southern Miss, it was challenging because I didn’t know anyone, and I wasn’t involved with anything. I wasn’t giving back in any way. But once I met people who were already involved on campus, it helped me overcome that challenge.

Now, I’m in several student organizations, and by being part of these groups, and having to plan events and think ahead, it has helped me grow and think more about my own future. I was looking for ways to help others, but I found my own life-changing experience.

BRANDON WILLIAMS

AA/EOE/ADAI UC 76590.5016 5.17

SENIOR | MCCOMB, MISSISSIPPI

6 << The Pursuit

Taking

By D’Anthony Jackson

Control

Photo Credits: Karie Mooney Chatham, Karie Mooney Chatham and Sidney Conley

MCJ students take initiative and create their own paths New York City, Los Angeles, London, Dublin, Edinburgh and Paris are all places students from the School of Mass Communication and Journalism have recently traveled.

However, they are not stopping there. MCJ students have been recognized nationally for their work, received prestigious internships nationally and internationally and have taken initiatives to start some successful endeavors of their own.

Student-led endeavors are something MCJ faculty encourage students to do.

“We encourage all students to get as much as they can outside of the classroom, such as internships both large and small, as soon as they have coursework under their belt to prepare them for media experience,” Dr. David R. Davies, Professor and Director of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism, said.

Students such as Amanda Ladner, Julius Kizzee and Shuntasia Coleman are leading examples of MCJ students taking initiative, creating their own paths and making an impact.

Amanda

A

manda Ladner, a graduate student in MCJ, prides herself in using her talents to tell stories for others through film and videography.

Ladner uses the knowledge she has gained in the

Ladner

MCJ classroom to create videos for her clients through her own freelance business. She is a prime example of how MCJ students are taking control of their own paths.

The Pursuit >> 7

Ladner said the project she is most proud of is a public service announcement she created during her capstone course about sexual assault on college campuses.

“My group had to form our own idea and create it from start to finish, paperwork and all,” Ladner said.

“Although it may not sound like it, that’s a huge undertaking for a well-made video.”

Ladner played a huge role in the “It’s On Us” campaign during the 2016-2017 school year, which led to her work being recognized nationally. It’s On Us focuses on sexual assault awareness and prevention on college campuses. It advocates for a cultural shift surrounding sexual assault by identifying what sexual assault is and how to prevent it from happening.

“Since I had been heavily involved with the It’s On Us campaign at Southern Miss, we decided to do it under their national banner,” Ladner said. “I loved collaborating with my group, and they gave me the opportunity to take a creative lead on it and do most of the editing. Not only did we create a piece I was extremely proud of, but SGA used it in their campaign in the spring. I had the opportunity to present it at the first-ever Arts Showcase during the Southern Miss Undergraduate Research Symposium.”

Ladner was hired to work on a video for Alpha Delta Pi sorority that was sent to every chapter in the US and Canada and is shown to all new members to explain the sorority’s Standards Code in a positive way. Projects like this are what make Ladner stand out among the many storytellers around the world.

Inspiration Working with others and meeting new people led her to Jared Hollingsworth, an MCJ instructor and fellow filmmaker. Ladner said Hollingsworth is someone who has motivated and inspired her over the years. “[Hollingsworth] is fair-minded and will go to great lengths to help any student who is willing to work extremely hard in our field,” she said. “He constant8 << The Pursuit

Photo Credit: Karie Mooney Chatham

Special Project

ly works to be better in the world of videography and film but simultaneously offers a helping hand whenever he can. Even now we’ve talked about collaborating on future projects, and he is not even my adviser anymore. He’s the kind of person everyone needs to be around, and so he fits in well at Southern Miss.”

Ladner says she has considered becoming a professor as a long-term goal so she can help students the way Hollingsworth has helped her and others.

Moving Forward Ladner is pursuing a master’s degree in mass communication and continues her freelance work on the side.

“From there I either want to help start a production house specifically geared towards nonprofit organizations or connect with another production house [or any place of employment] that does,” Ladner said. “I want to be a lead on projects and help make the bigger decisions, so having a graduate

degree will definitely help me in that endeavor.”

sion,” she said. “My peers, professors, advisers, and employers did more than what their jobs required to help me out not only in my career, but also in my personal growth. Southern Miss has a unique way of teaching those who choose to work hard and take risks to be a great team player and a better leader.”

Why Southern Miss Ladner describes Southern Miss as a place that gives good people the chance to do great things.

“Looking back now, I know I made the right deci-

Julius

Kizzee

J

Kizzee says experience is important, which is why he took initiative to be involved on campus. Kizzee has worked on WUSM’s Southern Miss Today and The Student Printz newspaper. During his senior year he produced his own weekly news show, which he named Southern Perspective, and is well on his way to a great career with much experience under his belt.

“Too often we have things in life that may connect us or even disconnect us,” Kizzee said. “On my campus at Southern Miss, I feel we are a disconnected bunch that is only held by the tight thread we call ‘class.’ That’s exactly why I decided to launch my own web-based news program dedicated to all of us here at USM.” Kizzee’s Southern Perspective show highlighted activities on campus as well as around the Hattiesburg community connecting students to the community as well as connecting Hattiesburg citizens to the University.

“The fact is that the internet offers many students all kinds of opportunities to create their own media, so we welcome and encourage our students to take advantage of the new marketplace to get experience on their own,” Davies said. “People who start blogs, YouTube channels or firms, those students who take best advantage of all of these opportunities will have the most opportunities later on.”

Photo Credit: Karie Mooney Chatham

ulius Kizzee, a May 2017 Broadcast Journalism graduate, captured the attention of the Southern Miss and the Hattiesburg communities as a standout young journalist highlighting the news and culture around Hattiesburg and Southern Miss.

Special Project Filmed, edited and produced by Kizzee, he used his platform to tell compelling stories and capture the attention of the Southern Miss community and the hearts of the city of Hattiesburg.

Since Southern Perspective started, Kizzee had the opportunity to cover stories from campus issues like campus parking problems to more controversial topics like the hanging of the state flag and campus protests. With an open mind to feedback, Kizzee received a raving, positive response from the public, mainly through social media.

The Pursuit >> 9

Inspiration

Why Southern Miss

Despite his primary professor and adviser, Dr. Mary Lou Sheffer, being on sabbatical during the fall of 2016, Kizzee said he wanted to continue to produce television packages but did not really have any direction. He said he decided to just throw himself into the fire and let the public be his teacher.

Kizzee said he recognizes the huge impact the Southern Miss community has had on his personal and professional life. He said he felt like Southern Miss chose him.

“I didn’t choose this University because they were persistent on me,” he said. “If I were in a perfect world, I would’ve gone back home to Texas and never even thought twice about leaving again. But, I think that Southern Miss gave me the best avenue to success because it took me out of my comfort zone. I learned that sometimes you have to step out onto your own work ethic and drive and just trust and believe you’ll be great.”

“I’ve always learned that experience is sometimes better than getting a 4.0 GPA,” Kizzee said. “Honestly, my motivation is all the people who said I couldn’t do it or those people who thought that because I didn’t have the best grades, I couldn’t make it in the industry. That’s what pushes me.”

Moving Forward

He doesn’t credit his greatness to Southern Miss only but also to some special people he’s met during his time here. People like Wilton Jackson, Jim Coll, Sheffer, Dr. Cindy Blackwell, Kerri Paul, Willie Tubbs, Jack Duggan, Bill McGillis and many others have all played a role in Kizzee’s success.

“Those people either believed in me or showed me a side of a story that I would not have seen,” Kizzee said.

Kizzee is a native of Houston, Texas, and he says he wants to become a reporter in a top market to tell the stories that no one else is telling.

“I want to become a reporter in a Top 75 market and to be able to piece together a package my Mom could be proud of and to show her how much I’ve appreciated all she’s done for me,” Kizzee said.

Shuntasia

Coleman’s inspiration for her business originated while she was attending Tougaloo College, and she took a photography course. Noticing that she enjoyed taking photos of people and various landscapes, she decided to see how far she could take her newfound talent.

“I invested in myself, purchasing my own camera, and it took off from there,” Coleman said. “I created my official website in 2014, displaying that I had skills in more than just photography. I began to brand myself as a Mass Media Specialist and started consulting people who were interested in growing their businesses.”

10 << The Pursuit

Photo Credit: Susan Broadbridge

S

huntasia Coleman, a public relations mas ter’s student who graduated in December 2016, is changing the community with her freelance work through her business Shuncole Media, where she plans events like her annual fashion show, takes photos and creates videos for clients.

Coleman

Special Project Since 2015, Coleman has worked for the African American Military History Museum in Hattiesburg working on the forefront of education and outreach for the museum. She applies her talents and know-

ledge to museum projects such as the Collections of a Soldier’s Sacrifice Poetry Slam and Journey Through the 1940s: East 6th Street USO Travel Trunk. Recently, Coleman managed the production of the first Miss East 6th Street USO pageant where she worked with four dynamic young women who competed for the title.

“It was one of my biggest projects [for the museum], and I am thankful for the opportunity to educate young people on the importance of service and leadership in a unique way,” she said.

Inspiration

HELP TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF MEDIA PROFESSIONALS

Coleman said she gets her inspiration by simply wanting to create and tell the stories of others.

“I get most of my inspiration through my exposure, whether by reading, traveling, listening or viewing,” Coleman said. “I can become inspired in some way by everything that surrounds me.”

Moving Forward Coleman is specific about her goals and aspirations, and says she would like to be a professor to teach students and continue growing her multimedia company.

Why Southern Miss Coleman describes her experience at Southern Miss as wonderful. She said that the friends that she made are like family to her now.

“My professors are so helpful; they encourage me as well as inspire me to go further in my professional career,” she said. “Choosing Southern Miss has been the best decision for me. The School of Mass Communication and Journalism definitely prepared me for a career in multimedia.”

OF THE STATION VOTED BEST IN THE PINEBELT 5 YEARS IN A ROW!

MEMBERSHIPS START AT $5/MONTH

Coleman has also been a member of the United States Army Reserve since 2010, and she describes her military experience as both challenging and rewarding. She said it is a pleasure to serve her country and also have the opportunity to utilize her civilian skills as a photojournalist and PR professional as her unit’s public affairs representative.

“It’s a really exciting time,” Davies said. “We applaud our student’s efforts, especially when they go so far above and beyond expectations.”

The Pursuit >> 11

“I found my home here, and I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else.”

Photo Credit: Darian Hill

12 << The Pursuit

Miss

By Kaisha Brown

Southern Miss

W

alking on campus in 2013, Melissa David knew no one. Now four years later, more than 10 student group affiliations, a crown and induction into the Southern Miss Hall of Fame, things have changed for the Saucier native.

“If someone would’ve told me three years ago that this would happen, I wouldn’t believe it,” Melissa said.

“Then having my parents there to witness it was amazing. It was one of those blissful, incredible moments.”

A second-generation college student and USM legacy, Melissa fell in love with the University in a non-traditional way. Her mother, Lisa, was active in the military and stationed in Mississippi. It was in Mississippi where Lisa met Kerwin, and they ended up making Mississippi their home. Later, Lisa decided to complete her business degree at The University of Southern Mississippi, commuting for two years to the Hattiesburg campus before obtaining her degree. Little did she know that her experience would have a lasting impression on her daughter, Melissa.

“As a parent you always want your child to make their own decisions based on what they feel will be best for them,” Lisa said. “We knew her decision was made about Southern Miss after she received the Luckyday scholarship. She was given an incredible opportunity.”

When it was time for Melissa to make her college decision, it was only right that she chose Southern Miss, not only for the educational benefits but also the value of family.

“Family is my biggest value,” Melissa said. “My mom was a nontraditional student; she took care of the house, worked and commuted on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Southern Miss believed in her, and that is special.”

Since being on campus, Melissa has taken advantage of opportunities from being involved in SGA Judicial Board, Housing and Residence Life, Tri Delta Sorority and Extra Table. In addition to campus and community activities, Melissa has been influential to numerous individuals she has met.

The University of Southern Mississippi students selected Melissa as Miss Southern Miss for the 2016 homecoming court. While being named Miss Southern Miss and being inducted into the Southern Miss Hall of Fame are important to Melissa, those are not what she sees as her proudest USM moments. Her proudest moments, according to Melissa, include the joy of watching students from her Southern Style orientations grow and succeed at Southern Miss.

“One of my students is sophomore maid, and she is also president of the Junior Panhellenic Council,” Melissa said.

“Just knowing that I played a small part in that by encouraging these students to go out and leave Southern Miss better than they found it, that has been my proudest moment and it’s very rewarding.”

Like many students who attend USM, Melissa is proud to call Southern Miss home.

“I found my home here,” Melissa said. “My school here isn’t paid for by any means. I could’ve had a cheaper price at a junior college, but I wanted the experience here. When you’re a Southern Miss fan, you’re a Southern Miss fan. I found my home here, and I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else.”

Leaving a legacy for Melissa goes far beyond being involved in organizations and winning a crown; it’s about touching the lives of individuals to inspire and motivate.

“Southern Miss has allowed my daughter to grow into an amazingly thoughtful and caring young woman,” Lisa said.

With a non-traditional start, the David family is happy with its experience at Southern Miss and looks forward to continuing to build the David legacy at the University.

The Pursuit >> 13

Take time to invest in YOU! OLLI is the perfect place to pursue passions and make connections.

Learn at your own pace free from the pressures of grades and tests with over 800 other lifelong learners each Fall, Spring, and Summer at a cost that is affordable for every budget.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute 3601 Pearl Street, Hattiesburg | 703 E Beach Boulevard, Long Beach olli@usm.edu | www.usm.edu/olli (228) 214-3277 (601) 264-2780

Connecting USM to the Hattiesburg community through community-based learning

www.usm.edu/cce 14 << The Pursuit

By Khadija Craine

Fearless

Success of

S

Sheena Allen Apps

heena Allen was just a kid from smalltown Terry, Mississippi, who followed an idea she had to become the founder and CEO of Sheena Allen Apps.

Allen’s professional journey began one fateful night while she was a senior at Southern Miss. Just like any other student, Allen wanted to manage her money better after spending a great deal buying things for her off-campus apartment. Her idea led to an app, which launched her career.

artment. I was in school double majoring in psychology and film and had no technical background.

I ended up designing my first app in Microsoft Word and found a developer to partner with after getting a loan from my dad. Although my first app wasn’t a major success, I fell in love with the process of app development. That trip to Walmart ended up giving birth to Sheena Allen Apps.

One app eventually became five apps.

How was your experience creating those apps?

Never would she have thought that her determination and idea as a young college student would lead her to creating and owning a successful tech empire. Allen shares her story on how she replaced her fear with faith and made her breakthrough in a male dominated world as a minority female.

I learned more, and my love for creating apps grew with each process. Each of the five apps that are part of the Sheena Allen Apps portfolio have unique editing tools to them. They all are photo apps that have some form of social interaction. The goal with each app was to take something that you would at one time need desktop software in order to edit and instead make it available in a simple, user-friendly app.

What’s the story behind Sheena Allen Apps?

Did you think things were going to take off as fast they did?

I started my first app as a senior at USM. I went to Walmart and ended up with a long receipt after buying household items to move back into my ap-

I didn’t. My first app was not a major success. In fact, it wasn’t until my third app that things really took off. However, doing 500,000 downloads in less The Pursuit >> 15

s

than three months was the turning point for me, and things haven’t really slowed down since.

What’s your biggest fear and accomplishment as an entrepreneur?

My biggest fear is fear itself. As an entrepreneur, it is the one thing you want to stay far, far away from because it can keep you from success. Being an entrepreneur is about risk-taking. It’s about replacing fear with faith. I would have to say my biggest accomplishment has been the ability to encourage other women and minorities to get into tech. We can be much more than just the users. We have the ability to be creators, too.

How has your experience been in the tech world as an African-American woman?

I look at it as a gift and a curse. A curse because we have to fight so hard for what will come much easier for someone else. In fact, less than 15 African-American female tech CEOs/founders have raised more than $1 million in outside funding. The gift is that you get people to look at you twice. I call that a gift because if you’re going to look at me twice, I’m going to give you something to look at.

My work will speak for itself.

What do you enjoy most about your lifestyle?

The ability to make change and do things that have never been done before is without question what I enjoy most about my lifestyle. For every girl who feared getting into tech, I fight to take that fear away. For minorities who never thought twice about tech, I work to expose them to the industry and the possibilities.

Do you think coding should be a part of the curriculum?

I think without question coding should be part of the curriculum. I believe students should be able to choose how deep they want to go into coding, but the basics of coding should be part of the curriculum.

16 << The Pursuit

Why do you think Millennials are seeking to become entrepreneurs?

Millennials are special. We have the ability to disrupt just about any industry. We have the ability to change things for the better.

Why did you choose the School of Mass Communication and Journalism?

MCJ was a creative outlet for me. In high school, I wanted to be an artist. I love to paint and draw, but I decided to major in psychology because I felt it gave me more of a true career option. However, after the first semester, I added a second major, which was film. That gave me back my creative outlet.

What was your favorite class in the School?

My favorite class was a class that focused strictly on documentaries. I’ve always loved documentaries, so when the opportunity came to take a course on the subject, I signed up. We watched several, and I remember the one that stood out to me was a documentary called The Bridge [by Eric Steel]. To this day, that documentary sticks with me. It makes you appreciate life and snaps you into reality.

What’s the one thing you have taken away from one of your professors into your career?

I took a marketing class taught by Dr. William (Bill) Smith. It wasn’t necessarily advice, but it was the

way that he taught his class. There wasn’t a such thing as a wrong answer. It was only wrong if you couldn’t prove that somehow the assumption or statement that you made was true. I was happy to take a class that wasn’t about memorized information. He made you think, and that plays a big role in being an entrepreneur.

Not exist, but live. So at 75, through all the failures, successes, happy days, bad days, just live. Until life is over, live.

How have you used the things you’ve learned in the School of Mass Communication in your career thus far?

Is there any advice you would like to give?

Although I didn’t go into film, I still use the skills I learned. For example, I still create promo videos for my apps, and I use Final Cut Pro.

My advice would be to not allow fear to stop you from going after what you want. Don’t be afraid to fail. Learn from it. More than anything, trust the struggle and trust the process. It is all part of the journey.

What’s next for you?

Sheena Allen Apps was my entry into the tech world, and it took me places I never thought I would go. The company will continue but under a new CEO. In 2017, my focus has shifted to my second startup, a fintech [financial technology] company called CapWay that focuses on the unbanked and underbanked.

What did you enjoy most about Southern Miss?

The thing I enjoyed most about USM was the people. I met some really great people.

If you could go back, what advice would you give to yourself while in college?

I would tell myself to want to experience life before needing to experience life. We take life for granted when we are in grade school and in college, but the real world is right around the corner.

If you could tell your 75-year-old self anything, what would it be?

Live. I’m guilty now of working too much and not spending time with family and friends and just loving and appreciating life. I made a promise to myself not long ago that I would live until I died.

There are lots of financial services out there, like Square and PayPal and Venmo, but none of those financial technology services focus on the market of the unbanked and underbanked and those in small cities and rural communities. Or even more so, a better financial alternative for the 76% of Americans who live paycheck-to-paycheck.

While a lot of us can just send money through Venmo, millions of Americans and billions of people in the world cannot do that because in order to use services like Venmo, you must have a bank account.

The market that CapWay targets are those who don’t have a bank account. We are working to change that and give this underserved market a financial system that caters to their needs.

For more information regarding the current and future endeavors of Sheena Allen Apps or to download one of her exciting apps, please visit sheenaallenapps. com.

The Pursuit >> 17

a r o f s u n i o J

OCPMN?<T:$:AMD?<T: <AO@MIJJIN.:<I?: <GG:?<T:N<OPM?<T! : :OPMI@M:M?/.:FDGI.:HN

"/ !/ ! !:t G<UTH<BIJGD</>JH 18 << The Pursuit

Once Upon

‘Ween Dream A

By Karie Mooney Chatham

Photo Credit: Karie Mooney Chatham

A

n old, outgrown Halloween costume might seem like a waste in your closet, but for one School of Mass Communication and Journalism broadcast journalism graduate, that costume is a dream come true.

Kelsey Meeks, originally of Pensacola, Florida, had a dream to help old costumes find their way to families who could not afford Halloween costumes, and the pursuit of that dream created ‘WEEN DREAM, a unique nonprofit that benefits children in a small yet important way.

“As an adult, I realized it’s important that every child be able to dress up for Halloween, especially for children going through challenging situations,” Meeks said.

“Every other day of the year may be out of their control, but Halloween belongs to kids.”

The dream all started when Meeks realized that people probably had old costumes hanging up in their closets, and if there was a place for parents to donate old costumes, then the hand-me-downs from one family could become a treasure for another.

Meeks developed a lifelong passion for helping children in need starting with her sorority’s philanthropy work with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. In addition, Meeks said many of her Southern Miss professors encouraged her to go out and make a difference in the world in any way she could, which she took to heart.

The Pursuit >> 19

After graduating from USM and then in 2010 from Tulane University Law School, Meeks was unable to find a national program for people to donate Halloween costumes, so in 2012 Meeks started collecting costumes for children in the after-school program Youth Empowerment Project in New Orleans. Once she collected a surplus of costumes, ‘WEEN DREAM became official in 2014.

“What I learned at USM has helped me with ‘WEEN DREAM in so many ways,” Meeks said.

“As a broadcast journalism major, I’m still very comfortable in front of the camera and thoroughly enjoy representing ‘WEEN DREAM in local and national news stories.”

Meeks said she is often reminded of the importance of ‘WEEN DREAM by the actions of both ‘WEEN DREAM donors and recipients. One donor sponsored two children with special needs because of the donor’s understanding of her own son who also has special needs.

“She wrote that Halloween is ‘the one day where people look past his disability’ and see him for the awesome little boy he is,” Meeks said. “I thought that was such a great point, and while it’s especially true for children with special needs or disabilities, the principle applies to all kids on Halloween because they can be whoever or whatever they want for that one special day.”

‘WEEN DREAM is an all-volunteer organization. The director and volunteers have non-Halloween jobs during the day and work on ‘WEEN DREAM on nights and weekends, sometimes working more than 20 hours a week to make the nonprofit a success and dreams come true.

To learn more about ‘WEEN DREAM, visit weendream.org.

20 << The Pursuit

The Pursuit >> 21

Taking a Shot

Success at

By Mercey Livingston

“Ultimately, if you are doing something good, somebody is going to hate it. And that’s ok.”

- Kate Dearman 22 << The Pursuit

K

ate Dearman’s idea of success has already changed significantly from the time she graduated to today.

Just before graduating in 2015 from the School of Mass Communication and Journalism with degrees in photojournalism and public relations, Dearman considered moving to New Orleans or Nashville. She admired the culture of the New Orleans film industry but also saw professional opportunities in Nashville. With a love for both cities, Dearman flipped a coin and Nashville won.

Now, Dearman is a jack-of-all-media-trades working as a freelance photographer, creative director, publicist and digital marketer with clients based in Nashville, Hattiesburg and all over the country. She says she never saw working for herself as a future path, but when Dearman finally found work she loved, she realized the only way to do it was on her own terms.

Dearman’s journey to what has been an unpredictable yet fulfilling path caused her to redefine success, chart her own course, develop a creative process, face criticism and be the epitome of the future workforce for millennials in the “gig economy.”

DEARMAN REMEMBERS HER EARLY YEARS at Southern Miss consisting of mostly going to class and studying.

“Up until my junior year, I wasn’t a member of any clubs. I was your typical ‘Let me go to class and go home,’ person,” Dearman said.

Dearman said she remembers the day her adviser saw her walking on campus. She was having a rough day, and her adviser noticed. He pulled her aside and told her, “I don’t care what happened, but we are going to use this energy for something positive.”

Her adviser was Clarence Williams, an artist-in-residence in the School of Mass Communication and Journalism who now works in Los Angeles, and Dearman says he was the first person who encouraged her to get started work-

ing on web development and photojournalism.

Despite enjoying photography as a hobby, Dearman said photojournalism was not a career she ever considered. However, Williams challenged her to complete a photo project in 48 hours, and put together two more project proposals on his desk in a short amount of time.

“He pushed me, and he did it out of genuine care for [me and all of his students],” Dearman said.

“He would always tell us ‘I can’t teach you how to take photographs, but I can teach you how to see the world.’”

Dearman said that despite the fact that Williams is a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist, he never pushed her into news photography. Williams saw early on that she was an art photographer, but he still taught Dearman to shoot in the The Pursuit >> 23

way that journalists are trained.

“I think that is one of the leg-ups I have now, because I was taught to shoot in the way a journalist looks at things,” Dearman said. “To blend and not assert yourself – not that asserting yourself is wrong – but it definitely flavors your work differently when you kind of take a back seat."

"He really tried to mold me to be the best version of what I could be.

And he really did that for all of us.”

After this eye-opening semester, things really started to click for Dearman. By the next semester of school, she decided to become involved with Student Government Association and took on photography projects. She was hired to shoot multiple weddings that summer.

24 << The Pursuit

Dearman describes this series of events as feeling a bit serendipitous. It was surprising to her for things to work out in this way since she is always someone who lived by the plan. And the events in life you can’t really plan for are sometimes the ones that can have the most impact.

WITH HER COIN-FLIP DECISION MADE, Dearman relocated to Nashville just after graduation with the support of her mom.

“My parents were super-supportive through everything,” Dearman said. “They never judged me. My mom is a superstar. She pushed me to go try new things.”

Once in Nashville, Dearman began applying and interviewing for jobs. She recalls a particularly memorable conversation during an interview at an advertising agency in Nashville.

“In the first interview, [the interviewer] was looking over my résumé and said, ‘You have an incredible résumé. Why are you trying to go work for someone?’ And I didn’t have an answer for him,” Dearman said. “He said ‘Nothing on here is telling me you should go work for someone.’ And I was thinking, ‘Well, isn’t this what you do? I’m supposed to find a job.’ It never occurred to me that I would be working for myself right out of college.”

Dearman had a similar conversation during an interview with a political consulting firm, also in Nashville.

“In the middle of the interview, [the interviewer] stopped the interview, and he said, ‘Let me ask you something off the record. Do you want this job? Is this what you want to do with your life?’”

Dearman said no, and that the interviewer ended up giving her a "dad talk" about how she was meant to be a freelancer.

“I remember telling my mom that I tried to do everything that you are supposed to do, but every one keeps telling me, ‘Why are you trying to work for someone?' And that was disheartening because I felt unwanted,” Dearman said. “But my

mom said, 'It’s not that they don’t want you, and I think at least for now you should just try it.'”

Dearman decided to do just that, getting her first retainer client, a Nashville-based restaurant, soon after. Within weeks she was also working as a creative director on a contract for a marketing startup.

After working in these roles for a few months, Dearman was excited to be working with different clients but said her experience in Nashville was turning out not to be exactly what she had expected. So she made the decision to move back to Hattiesburg since she could keep all of her Nashville-based clients and work remotely.

“If you are going to freelance, environment is really important,” Dearman said. “I just do well in a more quiet environment. Yes, a city like Nashville is cool and there are a ton of creatives everywhere, but for me all of the noise of living in a city that is always going was the most stifling thing, creatively. And I can get to Nashville in six hours.”

Today, Dearman lives in Hattiesburg and continues to work with a variety of photo clients across the country. She also works with several NashThe Pursuit >> 25

ville-based clients, which include 1769 Designs, the musician Mitchell Rose and Puckett’s Grocery, in addition to shooting weddings and other projects.

Many young creatives, photographers included, learn to face the reality that not everyone will appreciate their work. This is something Dearman said she learned early on when honing her personal style of photography, which she describes as “darker and non-traditional” compared to many portrait and lifestyle photographers. “[It’s important to] realize that not everyone is going to like your work,” Dearman said. “Learning, in a way, to not care what others think, you have to learn to stick by [your work] and not get defensive. Have the confidence in your own process and realize that it’s not going to look like everybody else’s.”

Dearman remembers one of her first wedding photography clients who loved her photos, but the bride’s mother was not exactly on the same page.

“I remember I had one wedding client who loved her photos, but her mom did not like the darker stuff,” Dearman said. “Her mom let me know how terrible of a person she thought I was, and I cried.

It was one of my first weddings a couple years ago. I don’t even look at the pictures anymore.”

“Ultimately, if you are doing something good, somebody is going to hate it. And that’s ok,” Dearman said.

Even though it was difficult to deal with the criticism at first, Dearman realized that her dark, edgier photography style is what sets her apart now and why many clients come to her.

While she has not followed the plan, she is showing what successful looks like. To learn more about Kate Dearman’s projects and life please visit kdearphotography.com.

26 << The Pursuit

SERVICES Provider services (physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner) • Primary care and urgent care services/procedures Full-scale laboratory and X-ray services • CLIA-certified Full-service pharmacy | 601.266.4075 • Most insurance accepted • Convenient and quick • Outside prescriptions/e-scripts accepted Immunizations and allergy shots Resources on health topics for presentations and program planning

PAYMENT OPTIONS $20 Provider Fee • Insurance can be filed.

• Pay with cash, check, credit card or charge to student ID. • Laboratory and X-ray services, procedures and medications are separate charges.

CLINIC HOURS

Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.* *Clinic opens at 9 a.m. on Thursdays and closes at 4:30 p.m. on Fridays.

Summer, Holidays and Breaks 8 a.m.-noon, 1-4:30 p.m.

APPOINTMENTS

Call 601.266.5390 usm.edu/health-center Location: Scott Hall (Century Park South) Fax: 601.266.4205

AAAHC-ACCREDITED A A / EO E /A DA I U C 76 5 70 . 5 0 6 6 5 . 17

The Pursuit >> 27

Find the write kind of internship.

Because there’s Merit in opportunity.

The Marketing department at Merit Health Wesley offers diverse internships to qualified students in the communication field. To inquire about internship availabilities, call (601) 268-5142.

BE INSPIRED BY BRAVERY.

S

B

U

RG

•

MI

S

S

I S PI

HA

IP

TT

S

IE

ADVENTURE AWAITS.

MeritHealthWesley.com

1 94 2 – 20 1 7 East

HATTIESBURGZOO.COM • 601.545.4576 107 South 17th Avenue, Hattiesburg, MS Tuesday-Sunday | 10AM–4PM

28 << The Pursuit

305 E. 6TH STREET DOWNTOWN HATTIESBURG HATTIESBURGUSO.COM

Sixth

Street

Eagles to

By Jordan Niezgoda

L.A.

It is notoriously difficult to break into the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, but equipped with a solid foundation from the entertainment industry program, two School of Mass Communication and Journalism alumni, Angela Guice and Alex Vanderleest, have used their education coupled with hard work to make it in the LA scene.

Angela

A

Mississippi Gulf Coast native, Angela Guice has conquered the entertainment industry from Biloxi to Los Angeles. Growing up surrounded by her family’s business, The Guice Agency, gave Guice a solid understanding of advertising and public relations. This understanding combined with her early interest in making skits and short films while in high school launched Guice’s dream of going to film school and establishing a studio in Los Angeles.

While attending Southern Miss majoring in the Radio-Television-Film program, Guice got her first job at CAVU Productions in Biloxi, where she fell in love with the industry.

“I got my first real gig in production at CAVU as a production assistant where I was taught editing,” Guice said. “I had this epiphany when we were shooting a commercial for the mayor at the time.

It just hit me that this is what I needed to be doing with my life.”

Guice Soon after, Guice moved to Los Angeles, where she continued her studies at the University of Southern California. Los Angeles quickly turned into home when Guice scored her first big gig at Autonomy, a production company, as a scheduling assistant. It was there that she first was able to combine her knowledge of her family’s business and her love for the entertainment industry.

Despite how much she wanted to stray from the family business, Guice’s five years with Autonomy made her realize advertising had become a part of who she is and that it was time to strike out on her own.

In 2006, NuContext, a creative agency and production company that specializes in television and theatrical promotional campaigns, commercials and music videos, was born. As the founder and executive producer, Guice wanted to bring all of the experience and connections she had made into one single entity. NuContext has produced The Pursuit >> 29

content for major networks like Lifetime, USA, Disney Channel and A&E. Through NuContext, Guice has also produced music videos and promotional shoots for artists like the Foo Fighters and Blink 182.

At any given moment, you can find Guice on set, meeting with production managers, in an editing bay or congregating with clients to come up with new marketing concepts. She has worked closely with the Foo Fighters, including accompanying them on tour, and Guice says the most fun she has had while producing is shooting promotional and music videos with Dave Grohl.

Moving across the country by no means changed the way that Guice feels about her home in Mississippi. She refers to new friends she has made in Los Angeles who originate from Mississippi as the “Mississippi Mafia,” and Guice says she plans to bring her production company back to the Gulf Coast to encourage younger entertainment pro-

Alex

A

fessionals to stick around and cultivate local talent.

Currently, Guice is moving towards splitting her time between Biloxi and Los Angeles, working with NuContext and re-launching Guice and Guice Agency in partnership with her father.

Vanderleest

lex Vanderleest, a native of Brandon, Mississippi, grew up surrounded by music and theater. His brother was a huge inspiration who introduced Vanderleest to live music and eventually persuaded him to join theater.

heard Hunter Scott, co-founder of the Los Angeles-based public relations and branding firm LaFamos. Vanderleest fell in love with the idea of this industry and knew that he had to work for the man who sparked that fire.

It did not take long after starting at The University of Southern Mississippi for Vanderleest to find his home in the music business. After taking Dr. Paul Linden’s talent management course, Vanderleest knew this was where he belonged.

“Afterwards, I waited around so that I could go up to [Scott] and ask if he had any internships,” Vanderleest said.

With a little persuasion and help from his friends, Vanderleest attended the Cutting Edge Conference in New Orleans his senior year, where he 30 << The Pursuit

“I had no idea what I was doing. I was terrified, but it ended up paying off.”

After graduating from USM in December 2013, Vanderleest made the journey to Los Angeles and

immediately landed an internship with United Talent Agency, which is one of the largest agencies in the United States. At UTA, he began in the mailroom and eventually moved up to Licensing, Branding, and Endorsements where he worked on behalf of big names like Gwen Stefani, Bruce Lee, Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor.

After a year and a half with UTA, Vanderleest moved to Quincy Jones Productions, where he is currently the executive assistant to the vice president and a junior talent manager. Vanderleest says he took a significant interest in Quincy Jones because of the variety of work that the company does, including running tours and festivals, joint ventures, managing a roster of clients and nurturing a passionate and dedicated staff.

As an avid media enthusiast, Vanderleest says he has drawn inspiration from many different individuals. Some of his biggest influencers include Jones, Linden, Hunter Scott and Scooter Braun, one of the industry’s leading talent managers.

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 Southern Miss students and alumni.

We’re proud to be part of your team.

mississippipower.com

Vanderleest says he plans to give back to the industry in the future by teaching some entertainment courses to give students the opportunity to have hands-on experience in the classroom the way he did.

While he says he has no calculated endgame, Vanderleest says one of his favorite things about the entertainment industry is that it changes every single day and there are endless possibilities to where his career could lead.

The Pursuit >> 31

Photo Credit: Karie Mooney Chatham

From the Classroom

Dr. Lindsey Conlin Maxwell

By Karie Mooney Chatham

W

hen people think of research, they often think of testing new medicine or searching the globe for certain types of soil, but they may not consider social phenomena such as binge watching. However, Dr. Lindsey Conlin Maxwell, an assistant professor in the School of Mass Communication and Journalism, is proving through her research that studying binge watching is providing key insights into how and where media is consumed.

Maxwell, who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Alabama, researches communication trends and technology. She applies transportation theory to new media to show there can be little difference between reading a book and watching a TV show 32 << The Pursuit

when you are able to control when and where you watch it.

“I love watching movies and TV and reading books,” Maxwell said. “I love getting lost in the stories, and I know I’m not alone in that.”

Transportation theory was originally developed to explain how and why people become engrossed in narrative media—particularly books. For example, when someone is really enjoying reading a book and is lost in the story, settings and characters, they are transported into that narrative. Transportation theory, originally described by Richard Gerrig in 1993, essentially means you are so lost in

a story that you temporarily forget the real world and become absorbed in the world of the story.

Many of the early studies looked at books and movies, and one of the main ideas related to transportation theory is that a person must be transported into a narrative in order to enjoy it. If people are constantly interrupted while reading or watching a movie, they will lose the transportation into the narrative and therefore the enjoyment.

“Theories shouldn’t die out or become obsolete just because the medium changes,” Maxwell said. “Theories should be able to tie people and their experiences together and explain and predict how we communicate.”

Maxwell’s main idea is that if you could binge watch a TV show and control when you started the series, when you finished an episode or what time of day you watched it, the experience be-

comes more enjoyable because you have increased transportation into the narrative world created by the TV show. Conversely, if you are interrupted while watching the show, then you lose your transportation.

If you can pick up and put down TV episodes like a book, then it should be more enjoyable than having to wait each week for a new episode like the traditional TV model; it is all about control. Maxwell is applying transportation theory to watching television in the same way it has been applied to reading because, thanks to advances in technology, how and where television is watched can be controlled beyond the mercy of networks. Viewers can use laptops, tablets or phones to use services like Netflix or Hulu, or even buy the DVD to completely customize TV viewing.

“There are so many more options for consuming stories these days,” Maxwell said. “It only makes sense to study why people enjoy doing it.”

An experience

that lasts a

LIFETIME

Your experience at Southern Miss lasts longer than four years. You’ll carry it with you throughout your life. And what you learn here—in and out of the classroom—will inspire you to make the world a better place.

What you do with your life matters…and we’ll prepare you for that.

FROM THE FIRST YEAR TO THE FOURTH YEAR, WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU!

AA/EOE/ADAI

UC 76530.5166 5.17

ADMISSIONS choose.usm.edu | 601.266.5000 | admissions@usm.edu

214 McLemore Hall 601.266.6405 nsrp@usm.edu usm.edu/nsrp AA/EOE/ADAI UC 76720.5034 6.17

The Pursuit >> 33

Graduate Student

By Cindy Blackwell, Ph.D.

Hall of Fame

It is not every year that a school or department gets a graduate student inducted into the Southern Miss Graduate Student Hall of Fame, so imagine the excitement this year when the School of Mass Communication and Journalism was honored to see two MCJ Ph.D. students inducted into the Graduate Student Hall of Fame. As a faculty member, it is always a joy to watch promising graduate students make significant impacts within our School. We have more than our share of outstanding graduate students, especially this year with Dr. Willie Tubbs and Ecaterina “Kate” Stepaniuc.

Photo Credit: Steve Coleman

A

s a former newspaper reporter, Willie Tubbs knows how to write, and he shares his knowledge of and love for writing with not only his students, but any student within the School of Mass Communication and Journalism. Aside from being a genuinely appreciated teacher, Willie dedicated much of his time to assisting students beyond the classroom, critiquing their endeavors. From The Student Printz to Julius Kizzee’s Southern Perspective show, Willie made time to help students improve through constructive criticism. Personally, Willie assisted me on more than one occasion by being a willing driver and chaperone to two Public Relations Student Society of America regional conferences. After finishing his Ph.D. this spring, Willie will join the faculty at the University of West Florida.

Photo Credit: Kelly Dunn

I

34 << The Pursuit

n the fall of 2016, Ecaterina “Kate” Stepaniuc told me she wanted to enter the 3 Minute Thesis competition on campus. Having worked with Kate in the past and knowing of her diligence, intelligence and joyful demeanor, I told her to let me know what I could do to help. I glanced at her script, made a few small suggestions and then began the rehearsals, three minutes at a time. Kate’s ability to convey her intense research in just three minutes with passion and conviction had me hooked from the first time I heard her recite her script. As time progressed, I looked forward to the rehearsals more and more, becoming greatly invested in all she was doing. Watching Kate compete and easily win the USM 3 Minute Thesis competition was the epitome of why teaching on a college campus is a privilege.

Storied History

By Kaitlyn Koehn

A

Degree programs in the School of Mass Communication and Journalism live in harmony in College Hall now, but it was not always that way.

The first hint of journalism education at The University of Southern Mississippi began with the establishment of a University newspaper in 1918, but it was not until 1955 that the Department of Journalism was formed with news-editorial journalism and public relations as majors.

For the next 40-plus years journalism stayed

1918

The Normal College News, the first University newspaper, is founded

steadfast in its offerings adding advertising, journalism history and photography but was configured in various ways to fit market demands and University needs. In 2001, the creation of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism occurred quietly and did not affect students who were enrolled in the departments of Journalism or Radio-Television-Film. David Goff, an RTF professor at the time, took over as director, saying he believed the School would expose students to different fields of mass communication that would

1924 1927 Mississippi Normal College becomes State Teachers College

School newspaper becomes The Student Printz The Pursuit >> 35

prove beneficial in real-world careers.

According to an August 2001 article in The Student Printz, Goff said, “The idea of merging the departments came up when I was department chair…old rationale doesn’t hold up. I like the idea of all us being under one roof.”

Dr. David R. Davies, the current director of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism, stands behind this idea from more than 15 years ago.

“We merged before this big convergence of media that has taken place in the last 10 years because of the internet, so it turned out to be merging at a very opportune time. Now with the media crossing delivery lines every single day, it makes sense for us all to be under one roof,” Davies said.

While the merger happened without making waves initially, the effects of the merger are shown through the achievements that have accumulated over time. Davies said he believes the merger of the two schools produced great benefits for students.

“The larger the unit, the more opportunity students have to study the largest range of media possible,” Davies said. “The merger gave us the opportunity to offer students cross-disciplinary courses so that the print people can take broadcast courses, and the broadcast people can take print courses. Plus, there are all kinds of courses that benefit students in mass communication no matter what their discipline is.”

IN ADDITION TO THE STRONG DEGREE PROgrams and course offerings, the School has benefitted from strong leadership throughout the years, including leadership from Dr. Gene Wiggins and Dr. Art Kaul, who shaped the unit into what it is today through their tireless support of faculty and students.

1940 State Teachers College changes to Mississippi Southern College 36 << The Pursuit

1948

Radio courses emerge as part of the Division of Speech Arts

1955

Department of Journalism established

Wiggins contributed 33 years of service as a faculty member as well as graduate coordinator.

Through those years, Wiggins served as the director of the School of Communication from 1981 to 2001 and then as graduate coordinator of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism from 2001 to 2006.

Kaul was with the School from 1984 to 2008. Kaul held the position of journalism department chair from 1989 to 1998 and then served as assistant director of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism from 2001 to 2008.

“When people think about the school, it’s more than just bricks and mortar,” Davies said. “It’s the faculty and staff who help students day in and day out.”

Dr. Christopher Campbell, who has served the School since 2005 and was the director from 2005 to 2014, said he attributes the continuing quality of the School to Wiggins and Kaul.

“Art Kaul and Gene Wiggins established that we were a really welcoming place,” Campbell said.

“Those two had a big impact on the quality of the program and the program’s reputation. Our graduate programs especially are successful because of word-of-mouth, not because we have a great national reputation. I think when people find out about us they’re always impressed about who went to school here and the kind of work that’s being done here.”

1939

THE PHYSICAL REALITY OF THE DEPARTMENT of Journalism when it was located in Southern Hall was cramped, as the department shared the building with the math department. In addition, The Student Printz operated entirely from the dark and dank basement along with a few faculty

1956 1960s 1962

Television courses are added

Advertising, journalism history and photography majors added

Mississippi Southern College becomes The University of Southern Mississippi The Pursuit >> 37

offices and photography classes. Beyond the problem of space, the basement offices and classes also fell victim to South Mississippi rain.

Flooding occurred so often in this location that the department chair’s office, initially located in the Southern Hall basement, came with the added accessory of a sump pump. While College Hall offers the luxury of large, bright windows now, back in the Southern Hall basement, windows were just a figment of the imagination. Davies fondly remembered one faculty member hanging a window frame on the wall to create one “window” in the office.

creditation process in 1997, the Accreditation Council report clearly reflected the problems with the Southern Hall location by citing facilities, a low budget and lack of equipment as weaknesses.

The basement location not only posed cosmetic and aesthetic problems, but also problems for accreditation for the journalism department throughout the years. Accreditation plays an important role in keeping programs up-to-date so that quality education continues. During the ac-

Beyond gaining accreditation, the School continued growing and evolving, and on September 1, 2001, the School of Mass Communication and Journalism was officially formed and has continued to earn accreditation, most recently in 2016. In addition, the School has continued to seize opportunities to best serve

While certain features were lacking, the dedication of the School’s faculty was not. The Accreditation Council report from 1997 highlighted the “good teaching” and praised the “dedicated faculty and staff that enjoys good relationships with students and are committed to improving the program.” These high marks on quality faculty overshadowed the material weaknesses, and the School was awarded accreditation once again.

1966 1974 1975 Department of Communication was formed

38 << The Pursuit

Department of Journalism became independent once again

Department of Radio-Television-Film was established

students, first with the 2007 move of the film program to the Gulf Park campus where students have more production opportunities. Finally, in 2011, the recording industry management and production majors were moved from the School of Music to MCJ. AFTER SPENDING DECADES IN SOUTHERN Hall, the School of Mass Communication and Journalism geared up for a transformative move to College Hall in 2013. Excitement about the move was buzzing at the launch of the “Campaign for Mass Comm” on February 8, 2013. The funds from this event were meant to help purchase equipment and furnishings for the newly renovated College Hall. Two days later, on February 10, 2013, an EF4 tornado devastated areas of Hattiesburg and The University of Southern Mississippi, halting the fundraising campaign.

Despite this devastating tornado, the School was determined to move into College Hall as soon as possible. Working with The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation, fundraising was restarted in October 2013, and more than $387,000 was eventually raised to support the new facility.

Against all odds the move occurred well before then.

“I didn’t want that old furniture coming in here because things have a way of staying, and so we moved in on temporary furniture,” Campbell said.

“We rented folding tables and chairs for our offices because we weren’t ready yet. We hadn’t bought the furniture; we were scoping it all out. It was quicker than we wanted, but then by the fall we had new furniture.”

A walk through College Hall today boasts glittering walls full of Hall of Fame plaques and professional photos taken by alumni, bright classrooms with quality equipment and plenty of space for ideas to move from the mind to reality.

The history of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism brought the School through two buildings, succeeded without fancy equipment or space and experienced a natural disaster. Despite the roadblocks, the School has grown into a premier location for mass communication education.

To contribute to programs within the School of Mass Communication and Journalism at The University of Southern Mississippi, please visit the USM Foundation at usmfoundation.com.

1983 2001 2013 School of Communication was established

School of Mass Communication and Journalism formed

School moves into College Hall

The Pursuit >> 39

S

chool of Mass Communication and Journalism director Dr. David R. Davies was bestowed with the honor of Commencement Grand Marshal for the 2017 commencement ceremonies.

This honor is awarded each year to a Southern Miss faculty member with a minimum of 10 years of experience who exemplifies excellence in research, teaching and service to the University. Since joining Southern Miss as a faculty member in 1991, Davies has served the University as a faulty member, associate dean of the College of Arts & Letters, as Honors College dean and as the director for the School of Mass Communication and Journalism.

Photo Credit: Dr. Steve Coleman 40 << The Pursuit

Millennials

vs.

Baby Boomers

By Khadija Craine

More alike than they think...

H

ow employers should relate to the Millennial generation has become an industry in and of itself. Conventional wisdom suggests that there is a great divide between Millennials and other generations, particularly the Baby Boomers who were born between 1946 and 1964.

Born between 1977 and 1995, Millennials are thought to be selfish and narcissistic, too reliant on their parents and wrapped up in only themselves and technology. As one recent Goldman Sachs online article states, “Millennials have come of age during a time of technological change, globalization and economic disruption. That’s given them a different set of behaviors and experiences than their parents.”

But are they really that different?

Through a conversation between Millennial and current MCJ Broadcast Journalism major Hampton Walker and Baby Boomers, Southern Miss alumni and MCJ Advisory Board members Robert and Lynda Lesley, it seems that while some differences exist, these generations have much in common, especially regarding majors, networks and their love for Southern Miss.

Choosing a major has never been easy,

but once you know where you belong, you really know.

Robert: After graduating from a strong math program at Clinton High School and taking every math it was possible to take, I thought I would be a good fit for engineering. Back then, we were told the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) system was the way to go, and we would make a lot of money, just like it is today. The harsh reality of my low math grades [once at Southern Miss] made me realize engineering was not for me. USM was one of the few universities in the south that offered film. I got into the radio and film world and have enjoyed it ever since.

Lynda: I have always loved English and writing, but I always questioned what I would do with an English degree. I changed my major to journalism, and it wasn’t until late that I realized advertising was even a thing. I grew up singing and reenacting commercials. I thought, “Sure enough, this is something I can do.”

Hampton: I initially went into business and marketing, because I thought it would be cool to see how advertising works. I quickly realized that it wasn’t for me and shouldn’t be in my future. When you hate the main class for your major, it makes you realize that major just isn’t for you. I was 18, and I The Pursuit >> 41

had no clue what I wanted to do. I just knew that I needed to be in school. I also knew I needed to pick something that I was good in and cool with.

Communication is my strength, even though I’m not sure what I want to do with it, whether it be broadcast or sales. The closer I get to the end [of school], the more I realize communication is where I fit.

Baby Boomers and Millennials understand networking beyond technology is still extremely important, but it is not always easy for Millennials.

Robert: There’s inner and outer networking. There are people who you know, and then there are people in your network who serve as an outer source.

You’re always networking whether you realize it or not. It’s important to realize that you always need to be the best you can. Even if it is a position you don’t particularly care for, you never know who’s watching and vouching on your behalf. Employers like to hire within; it’s the shortest [most reliable] route.

Lynda: Networking is extremely important. It’s what you know and who you know. You have to have a strong background and network. Networking within your circle is one thing, but you have to be able to reach out. You never know where reaching out on your path may lead you. The more you position yourself in situations to network and obtain opportunities the broader your spectrum, the clearer your path.

Hampton: As Millennials we tend to isolate ourselves from the resources and the people we need the most. We also realize that we have to know people who know people. If no one knows that you know what you know, no one is going to find you.

Putting yourself out there and simply shaking the hand of someone can open the door to so many possibilities. You’re always marketing yourself; one engagement can leave a lasting impression.

That economic disruption? It has caused a few ideas to get lost in translation.

42 << The Pursuit

Robert: Times are different; we were told to save, but Millennials aren’t. Honestly we set the stage for

Millennials and their debt. With all the consumer products that have become available over time, we now realize what we could be doing if we didn’t have to pay back so much money on loans, credit cards, etc. Debt is easy to get into! My advice is to be resourceful and avoid debt at all costs.

Lynda: We were taught debt is against the Bible; it is considered evil. Look at our grandparents; they were extremely resourceful. They didn’t have the need to throw anything away, and often they didn’t have anything to begin with. Apples, pecans and oranges were considered a good Christmas compared to a $3,000 Mac most kids are requesting for Christmas.

Hampton: When I was growing up everyone had nice cars, even though it was given to us. We have always had more than what we needed. Our parents worked hard to get us to where we are now, and it takes a rude awakening to appreciate that.

It’s important to learn financial literacy on your own. Due to everything being given, we lack the knowledge of the value of a dollar.

People make an experience, especially during college.

Robert: My experience at USM was great. I was a radio and film major, and I completed my studies under the great Hall of Famer Colonel Alberts.

During my time we actually learned film for what it was, by using an editing device called a Moviola to edit 16mm film.

Lynda: I came to USM after completing two years at a junior college on the Coast on a full ride scholarship, so my experience was a little different. I skipped all the basic classes and jumped straight into my major. I made relationships in two years that have lasted me a lifetime. Professors like Dolly Lloyd made a lasting impression on me for instilling things in me.

Hampton: Having teachers to actually show you that they care, who push you to be your best and actually want to teach you has had a big influence in my experience at USM. The support is the main reason I’m successful and able to maintain that athome-like feeling. This is an amazing place at the top of any list.

The Pursuit >> 43

44 << The Pursuit

Jo rd Sp an rin Nie g zg 20 o 17 da

Em il Sp y G rin ruz g in 20 sk 17 as

M er c Sp ey rin Liv g ing 20 s 17 ton

Ta yl Fa or P ll hi 20 lli 16 p s

Fa yn ll Ko 20 e 16 hn

itl

Ka

Ka Fa ish ll a B -S r pr ow in n g

M eg a Fa n M ll 2 0 o se 16 le y

Fa rie ll M - S oo pr ne in y g

Ka

D

Pu

n

’A nt h Fa ony ll 20 Jac 16 k s o

ui tS ta ff

rs

Kh ad Fa ija ll Cr 20 a 16 ine

e

Th

Meet the

Staff

The Agency at Southern Miss Board of Advisors

Meghan Burk

Tamar Gregorian

Samantha McCain

Jim Coll

Amber Ross Hartfield

Nicole Ruhnke

Top Students B

ecause of the excellence in the breadth and depth of students in the School of Mass Communication and Journalism at The University of Southern Mississippi, we take the opportunity at the end of each year to recognize our outstanding students during the Student Awards and Showcase.

Through faculty nominations, a student (sometimes two when the excellence is overwhelming) is selected from each sequence within the school to form the Class of Top Students. In addition, stu-

dents with stellar academic achievement are inducted into Alpha Delta Sigma, for outstanding advertising students, or Kappa Tau Alpha, a national honor society founded in 1910, that recognizes excellence in journalism and mass communication.

Finally, student work is on display as winners from the Student Awards and Showcase are announced. These are competitive awards, selected by professionals in each respected field who serve as judges.

2016-2017 Class of Top Students Academic Achievement Award – Whitley Ruffin Donald M. Dana, Sr. Advertising Award – Ignacio Landaverde, Jr. GodwinGroup Advertising Award – Joshua Hughes Top Broadcast Journalism Students – Tichina Wilson & Julius Kizzee Top Film Student – Audrey Cahill Top Media Production Student – Jamicah McNeil Photo Credit: Steve Coleman

Top News Editorial Student – Patience-Erin Jean Johnson

Tichina Wilson, Top Broadcast Journalism Student, and the other Top Students were celebrated at the annual Student Awards and Showcase.

Parnell McKay, Sr. Photojournalism Award – Cam Bonelli GodwinGroup Public Relations Award – Melissa David Top Student in Recording Industry Management – Jordan Niezgoda Top Student in Recording Industry Production – Jonta Butler WUSM-FM 88.5 Top Student – Joy Angelle Netzhammer Top Master’s Student – Amanda Jo Ladner Top Ph.D. Student – Lijie Zhou Graduate Student Teacher of the Year – Danianese Woods The Pursuit >> 45

Ignacio Landaverde, Jr.’s graphic design for “Brazen Skate Shop” demonstrates the exceptional work presented at the Student Awards and Showcase.

2016-2017 Showcase Winners Best Broadcast News Package – Lora Lavigne with NOLA Tornado Relief Best Broadcast Sports Package – Whitley Ruffin for WCU Baseball Returns Best Creative Advertising – Joshua Hughes for Pancakes for Parkinson’s Event advertisement Best Graphic Design – Ignacio Landaverde, Jr. for Brazen Skate Shop advertisement Best Multimedia & Digital Journalism – Cameron Hicks for For the Love of the Car Scene Best Non-News TV & Video Production – Scott Hoffman for The Moment Best Photo – Rachel Massingill for Becoming Charlie Best Print Feature Story – Cam Bonelli for Grivno tracks tale of 130-year-old slave Best Print Sports Story – Whitley Ruffin for Southern Miss Spring Practice Best Producer – David Bonilla for More Dappled Than Color: An Evening of Music by Matt Van Brink Best Public Relations Writing & Design – Emily Gruzinskas for Nereids Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary Best Website – Joshua Hughes for his Portfolio Website

Alpha Delta Sigma Inductees Katherine Leist Ignacio Landaverde, Jr. 46 << The Pursuit

Photo Credit: Chuck Cook

Each year the School of Mass Communication and Journalism inducts top students into Kappa Tau Alpha, the preeminent journalism honor society.

Kappa Tau Alpha Inductees Leslie Anderson

Emily Gruzinskas

Alexandra Phillips

Cam Bonelli

Brandon Harrison

Whitley Ruffin

Glenneasha Brown

Hayley Higgason

Curtis Smith

Melissa David

Emma Ishee

Cornelia Carol Welch-Dick

Lindsey Garrity

Levian Luu

Lijie Zhou

Thank You...

While The Pursuit is a student-produced publication, an endeavor such as this takes teamwork. From the grant provided by the USM Foundation, to David Gustafson with Hattiesburg Publishing, Inc., who served more as a mentor than a printer, we needed all of the help and support we received. Thank you also to our advertisers who were willing to support an endeavor that had not yet been realized, to The

Agency Board of Advisors who were encouraging from the start and to Emily Gruzinskas who worked well beyond her graduation on the layout and editing. And finally, thank you to the MCJ administrative staff.

Without Dr. David R. Davies entertaining this idea and Mandy Nace and Rhonda Welch guiding us through the University processes, The Pursuit would have never come to pass.

The Pursuit >> 47

Hall of Fame This year the School of Mass Communication and Journalism inducted Scott Dixon McDowell and Steve Mims into the MCJ Hall of Fame at a ceremony on the Gulf Park campus, where the film program is located. “Celebrating the Journey of Two Filmmakers” highlighted the works and career of both McDowell and Mims.

M

cDowell served The University of Southern Mississippi as a faculty member from 1989 until his retirement in 2015. In addition to teaching in the USM film program, McDowell maintained an active creative and research life and wrote several original screenplays including “In Morning Calm,” which won the MGM/UA Screenplay Competition. He produced a number of film projects including “Living with Disabilities,” a six-part series for the Mississippi Developmental Disabilities Council.

He also was a successful grant writer, receiving more than $375,000 in funding for various media projects and to support indigenous filmmaking in Mississippi.

M

ims earned a bachelor’s degree at The University of Southern Mississippi and a master of arts at the University of Texas at Austin. Over the years, he has taught film production at UT Austin, including film and film editing. Mims’ award-winning work includes commercials, music videos, short films and feature-length movies that have screened internationally in festivals, theatrically and on television.

His documentaries “Incendiary: The Willingham Case” and “Starving the Beast” garnered rave reviews from the New York Times, (Critic’s Pick) Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Variety, Hollywood Reporter and the Village Voice. His documentary awards include the 2011 SXSW Louis Black Award, 2012 Innocence Network Journalism Award and the 2013 Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Media Award.

48 << The Pursuit

Y E A R S OF TRADITION • PRIDE • LOYALTY • EXCELLENCE

1917–2017

SOUTHERN MISS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

A CENTURY OF SERVICE

What an exciting time for alumni of The University of Southern Mississippi!

As we celebrate 100 years of TRADITION, PRIDE, LOYALTY and EXCELLENCE, we take a moment to reflect on an organization that hardly resembles its early days and eagerly anticipate the next 100 years.

In honor of the Association’s century of service, for a limited time only, upgrade to a Life Member and take $100 off the Life Membership. In 2017, join or extend your annual membership for only $19.17!

SINGLE MEMBERSHIP AA/EOE/ADAI UC 76132.5013 3.17

Life Annual

$600

$500 $45

$19.17

JOINT MEMBERSHIP Life Annual

$750

$650 $55

$19.17

VISIT SOUTHERNMISSALUMNI.COM/100YEARS TO UPGRADE, JOIN OR EXTEND YOUR MEMBERSHIP!

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID HATTIESBURG, MS 39402 PERMIT NO. 148

118 COLLEGE DRIVE #5121, HATTIESBURG, MS 39406-0001

Dr. Barbara Rene Shoemake Public Relations Scholarship Endowment Arthur J. Kaul Scholarships

Mississippi Media Professionals Scholarship Endowment Robert C. Cook Memorial Scholarship

Rebecca Glahn Memorial Annual Scholarship

Andrew C. Austin Memorial Scholarship

Melanie and Bill Leonard Lowrey Damian E. Morgan Hunsberger Scholarship Memorial Scholarship in Photography Scholarship

Michael Fatherree Memorial Scholarship

Jeff Cropco Memorial Scholarship Lawrence C. Albers Film Scholarship

Staci Cochran Davis Memorial Scholarship Robert Gene Wiggins Scholarship

Frank Buckley Scholarship Endowment

Tarsha Ann Milly East Martin McLaurin Annual Memorial Scholarship Scholarship Ralph Pruett Endowment Charles J. and Cynthia Z. Marvin & Betty Kershner Scholarship Reuben Scholarship Endowment W. C. Shoemaker Journalism Scholarship W.E. "Bud" Kirkpatrick Endowment

Every year the School of Mass Communication and Journalism awards approximately $25,000 in scholarships to support students in a variety of areas. To contribute to the success of MCJ students or to establish a new fund, please visit usmfoundation.com/give.