College of Health | 2014 Annual Report by Southern Miss College of Health

The University of Southern Mississippi

College of Health

Annual Report

2014

Table of Contents Letter from the Dean ��3 Leadership ��4 College of Health Profile ��5 Research and External Funding ��6 School of Human Performance and Recreation ��8 Department of Medical Laboratory Science ��10 Department of Nutrition and Food Systems ��12 Department of Public Health ��14 School of Social Work ��16 Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences ��18 College of Health Ambassadors ��20 Student Awards ��21 Faculty Awards ��22 Alumni Spotlight ��23 Centers and Institutes ��24 Scholarships, Annual Giving, Finances ��26

Shaping Health Solutions

Letter from the Dean

A long list of gains and accomplishments made academic year 2013-14 a very good one for the College of Health. Enrollment in the college held steady, against slippage elsewhere in the university. Tenure-track faculty numbers rose, the result of continued successful hiring. Media presence and communication with alumni and other key constituents was excellent. Innovative ventures, such as the School of Social Work’s integrated health project on the Gulf Park campus, emerged and strengthened during the year. The Children’s Center, DuBard School, Family Network Partnership and other college clinical programs posted record service numbers. While externally funded research dipped somewhat, the number of funding proposals grew, along with the sheer quantity and scope of research efforts underway. Our dedicated research unit, the National Food Service Management Institute, hummed with activity, ushering in a new strategic plan with its partner at the University of Mississippi. Student achievement – in academic performance, degree completion, job placement and service leadership – never failed to impress. Stable leadership at the unit level – department chairs and directors, backed by an able corps of faculty and staff assistants - underlay sustained highperformance and exemplary morale. At least a dollop of credit goes to a small but excellent staff in the dean’s office for keeping all the plates spinning (at times, it might seem, against all odds and logic). On a less rosy note, the year saw the gathering of new budgetary storm clouds. As I write this some months now past the academic year, an overall decline in enrollment has set the university on a course of cutting expenditures. A current year reduction of 4.5% has crimped operations. Should these cuts become permanent, the precise impact on the college is unclear, but it will be decidedly negative. That said, the work we do in the College of Health – educating health professionals, conducting applied research, providing clinical services to the community – remains as vital as ever, and I remain strongly optimistic about our future prospects. I hope you enjoy and find helpful this report on the 2013-14 academic year.

Dr. Michael Forster Dean

College of Health Leadership

1. Dr. Michael Forster Dean Acting Director – School of Human Performance and Recreation 2. Dr. Trent Gould Associate Dean 1

3. Dr. Stacey Hall Interim Associate Dean, Gulf Park Campus 4. Sarah Case-Price Director - The Children’s Center for Communication and Development 5. Dr. Mary Frances Nettles Director - National Food Service Management Institute, Applied Research Division

6. Dr. Maureen Martin Director - The DuBard School for Language Disorders 7. Dr. Steve Cloud Chair - Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences 8. Dr. Mary Lux Chair - Department of Medical Laboratory Science 9. Dr. Ray Newman Chair - Department of Public Health

10. Dr. Tim Rehner Director - School of Social Work 11. Dr. Kathy Yadrick Associate Dean for Research Chair - Department of Nutrition and Food Systems

Dean’s Office

12. Reba Bennett Administrative Assistant 13. Dr. Susan Hubble-Burchell Assistant to the Dean for Curriculum and Program Development 12

14. LeAnne Cirlot Assistant to the Dean for Academic Advisement and Records 15. Dianne S. Coleman Assistant to the Dean for Recruitment and Special Projects 16. Jennifer Downey Director of Research Support 17. Gina McCarty Assistant to the Dean for Finance and Budgets

College of Health Dean’s Council The following individuals are members of the college’s esteemed Dean’s Council, which supports the college with advising, advocacy, networking, mentorship and private giving. Dr. Will Baker Baker and Graham Dental

Monte Bostwick Biloxi Regional Medical Center Hope Braley-Thomley Rural Health Consultant

Dr. Beverly Dale Entrepreneur, Roche Molecular Systems Inc. (Ret.) Lester Diamond St. Dominic’s Hospital

18. Hanna Knowles Assistant to the Dean for Communications 19. Karen Yates Administrative Assistant, Gulf Park Campus

Evan Dillard Forrest General Hospital

Doug Jones Forrest General Hospital

Geroldean Dyse Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative

Brenda Lambert RE/MAX Realty

Dr. Thomas Dobbs Mississippi State Department of Health

Ryan Kelly Mississippi Rural Health

Lee Giorgio Select Properties Ltd. Realty

Dr. W.C. Maples Northeastern State University - Oklahoma College of Optometry (Ret.)

Doug Higginbotham South Central Regional Medical Center

Michael Neuendorf Wesley Medical Center

Murray Harber WebMD Health Services

Dr. Wayne Hughes Family Practice After-Hours Clinic Ray Humphreys Anderson Regional Medical Center

Gary Marchand Memorial Hospital, Gulfport Dr. Jane Parker Tulane University

Abb Payne III Camellia Home Health and Hospice

Eric Robinson Natchez Community Hospital

Debbie Sanford Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services Ronnie Shows R and J Group Inc.

Dr. Beverly Smallwood The Hope Center Tommy Thornton Hattiesburg Clinic

Ed Tucker Mississippi Baptist Health System Leonette Williams G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center

College of Health Profile

Mission

Vision

Create, apply and transmit expert knowledge, within and across the domains of its constituent disciplines, for the well-being and betterment of individuals, community, state, nation and world.

Advancing health and well-being through excellence and innovation in teaching, research and service

Total Fall Enrollment

TOTAL FALL ENROLLMENT

Fall ’09

Fall ’10

Fall ’11

Fall ’12

Fall ’13

% Change from ’09 to ’13

Human Performance and Recreation

940.04

897.66

887.21

944.47

976.48

Medical Laboratory Science

103.06

108.72

125.23

141.83

113.59

10%

Nutrition and Food Systems

93.74

101.83

130.15

124.33

122.53

31%

Public Health

191.39

190.59

200.06

214.18

222.04

16%

Social Work

286.13

335.25

398.59

386.93

360.04

26%

Speech and Hearing Sciences

263.58

270.50

328.15

354.59

379.32

44%

1,877.94

1,904.55

2,069.39

2,166.33

2,174.00

16%

TOTAL CoH FTE Full-Time Equivalents

Fall 2013 Enrollment by Degree Undergraduate

Fall 2013 Faculty Status Tenure

Master’s

Tenure Track

Doctoral

Non-Tenure Track

40%

19%

30%

79% 30%

Fall 2013 Faculty Rank Professor

Associate Professor Assistant Professor

Undergraduate

Master’s

Doctoral

Fall 2013

112

Spring 2014

188

121

344

226

Summer 2014 Total

17%

Instructor

Degrees Awarded

40% 17% 25%

Research and External Funding

The research taking place in the College of Health is largely application-based and is designed to help shape the health of the citizens of the region. The following is a selection of several research studies conducted in the college. Addressing Human Trafficking In Mississippi Minor sex trafficking (MST) is a recognized problem in

Mississippi, but a lack of documented evidence or compilation

of resources for agencies who work with youth who are at risk of, or victimized by, MST limits the effectiveness of any initiatives designed to raise awareness of or prevent human trafficking.

Ambulance Impact on Preterm Infants An ambulance is often viewed as a cocoon of safety, but for premature infants

with very low birth weight (VLBW), this may not be the case. When needed, VLBW infants are transported to specialized care facilities. Ambulance use,

although necessary, has jarring effects and loud noises that can cause physical stress, potentially leading to compromised health and development.

Dr. Tamara Hurst, assistant professor in the School of Social Work, is leading a collaborative effort to address this issue.

Representatives from the MS Department of Human Services, MS Attorney General’s office, MS Homeland Security, FBI Victim Advocacy, Children’s Advocacy Centers of MS, and

others have been meeting monthly to develop creative solutions to address MST. The group’s mission is to build a sustainable

infrastructure by cultivating informed, integrated and collaborative teams of child maltreatment professionals and related providers who can respond efficiently and effectively to youth at risk of

or victimized by human trafficking. This group will most likely

become an official subcommittee of the Governor’s Task Force on

Human Trafficking. Dr. Hurst was recently appointed as a member

of the Governor’s Task Force.

... the team determined that the mattresses providing the smoothest ride for the four-pound models did not work for the three-pound models. Dr. Judith Prehn, pediatric physical therapist at The Children’s Center for

Communication and Development, looked at reducing sound and vibration

during ground ambulance transport of preterm infants weighing three pounds. Prehn worked closely with Terri Daniels, director of the Neonatal and Infant

Development Program in the Southern Miss College of Health. Collaborators

also included assistant professor Dr. C.G. Marx and associate professor Dr. Ed

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Rehabilitation Practices

Goshor of the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences. Since 2001, Dr.

Dr. Bill Holcomb, associate professor of athletic training in the

development. This relationship continued with the ambulance transport study.

effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)

An accelerometer, a device used to measure vibration and motion, was placed

arthroscopy (i.e., total knee replacement). Dr. Holcomb will

comparing different mattresses and mattress material combinations, the team

practices. He hypothesizes that the intervention of NMES, one-

models did not work for the three-pound models. The results of this study will

School of Human Performance and Recreation, is studying the

Prehn and Daniels have worked with Dr. Clint White and other neonatologists at Forrest General Hospital to implement practices supporting neonatal

in pre- and post-operative rehabilitation following total knee

inside an infant model to measure impact during transport. By measuring and

judge the effectiveness of NMES against standard rehabilitation

determined that the mattresses providing the smoothest ride for the four-pound

month pre-operative and one-month post-operative, will be more

likely be implemented by community hospitals to improve care of neonates.

effective in restoring quadriceps strength than the standard of care. A lack of quadriceps strength is a limiting factor in walking and a return to normal activity, therefore a more effective strengthening

technique would improve and shorten the length of rehabilitation.

College of Health Ambassadors

Tobacco Cessation Previous research has shown that rates of cigarette use among individuals with mental illness have been significantly higher than rates among individuals who do not have mental illness. Drs. Ray Newman and Yue Xie of the Department of Public Health

surveyed private inpatient mental health facilities regarding their policies on tobacco

control. They prepared a publication for the Mississippi Department of Public Health,

Prevention of Childhood Obesity in Rural Mississippi

Office of Tobacco related to understanding and addressing the needs of persons with mental illness in order to help lower their rates of smoking.

In 2012, the Mississippi State Legislature passed a

Impact of Existing Public Policies on Adolescent Sexual Health

“Mississippi Farm to School Week,” recognizing the strong

Together with a multidisciplinary team from within the College of Health,

good health and strong economies. F2S programs have

Dr. Jerome Kolbo, from the School of Social Work, will employ Community

among students, while promoting Mississippi products and

adolescent sexual health policies and practices in order to prevent HIV/AIDS, STDs

resolution designating the first full week of October as

role Farm to School (F2S) programs play in promoting

Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative, and local community stakeholders,

been shown to increase fruit and vegetable consumption

Based Participatory Research (CBPR) methods over the next two years to study

strengthening local economies.

and unintended teen pregnancy. A hallmark of CBPR is the equal partnership of community members and university faculty. Community members have an equal

say along with faculty researchers in the development, design, implementation and

F2S programs have been shown to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among students

dissemination of research. CBPR methods have been shown to increase buy-in and sustainability of health interventions. Evaluation will focus on policies and

practices that affect the sexual health of adolescents in Forrest County, Mississippi.

Collaborators include Dr. Susan Hrostowski, associate professor of social work, and Dr. Amy Arrington from the Department of Public Health.

Grant Funding

Dr. Alicia Landry of the Department of Nutrition and

Grants Submitted

Grants Awarded

Value of Grants

FY2010

$9,043,004

FY2011

$11,926,998

FY2012

$16,403,646

FY2013

$5,705,645

FY2014

$7,003,568

Food Systems (NFS) is collaborating with Stone County’s Superintendent Dr. Gwen Miller, and Child Nutrition

Director Myra Rayburn, to conduct F2S Week activities for the students of Stone County School District. NFS graduate students also had the opportunity to work on

the project and greatly contributed to its implementation. Together, they have successfully hosted three annual F2S

celebrations, including a lunch menu that integrates locally grown products and educational experiences, such as taste testing and lunch with local farmers.

The long-term goal of Dr. Landry’s efforts is to demonstrate that children’s food environment, fruit and vegetable intake, and Body Mass Index can be positively impacted by a

theory- and evidence-based, comprehensive, sustainable and

Total Value of Grants Awarded over the Past Five Years

$50,082,861

affordable F2S initiative.

School of Human Performance and Recreation

Solutions Through Movement Quick Facts Acting Director

Academic Degree Plans

Accreditations

Dr. Michael Forster

• •

•

• • • •

Enrollment (Fall 2013)

1,043 Undergraduate

939 Graduate

106 Faculty

26 8

• • •

• •

B S in Athletic Training (AT) B S in Human Performance – Exercise Science Emphasis (ES) – Kinesiotherapy Emphasis (KT) – Physical Education (K-12 Licensure) Emphasis (PE) B S in Recreation – Recreation Administration Emphasis (RA) – Therapeutic Recreation Emphasis (TR) B S in Sport Coaching Education (SCE), also offered at Gulf Park campus BS in Sport Coaching Education and Physical Education (K-12 Licensure) Dual Degree (SCE and PE) B S in Sport Management (SM) M S in Human Performance – Exercise Science Emphasis (MS in HP: ES) – Physical Education Emphasis (MS in HP: PE) M S in Sport Coaching Education (MS in SCE) M S in Sport Management (MS in SM) – Sports Event Security Management Emphasis P hD in Human Performance (PhD in HP) – Biomechanics Emphasis – Exercise Physiology Emphasis – Sport Pedagogy Emphasis P hD emphasis in Sports and High Performance Materials (SHPM) G raduate Certificate in Sport Security Management

•

Athletic Training by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) Kinesiotherapy by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) Physical Education by the K-12 Teaching Specialty Accreditation – National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) Recreation by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT) Sport Coaching Education by the National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education (NCACE) Sport Management by NASPE and the North American Society of Sport Management (NASSM)

The School of Human Performance and Recreation (HPR) is one of the largest schools at Southern Miss. The different specializations create a collaborative learning environment, focused on the common study of movement. The school prepares professionals interested in improving the quality of life of individuals by addressing issues related to health, leisure, exercise and sport. Research-active faculty provide students with direct access to relevant topics and issues. Research topics include ethics in coaching education, investigations of prevention and treatment of sport-related injuries, head injury, sport psychology, physiology, business and economics, and more. In September, the Athletic Training Program admitted its first class of students since 2010. After completing the program in May 2015, students will be eligible to sit for the Board of Certification exam to become a Certified Athletic Trainer. In October, the Athletic Training Club and Exercise Physiology Club hosted the 18th annual Homecoming 5K Eagle Run for the Hattiesburg community. Seniors majoring in recreation led underclassman in different activities promoting team building and communication at the annual RecFest. At the end of spring semester, 11 students completed their self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) certification training. After a three-year hiatus, this is the first group of students to earn their open water diver certification through the Southern Miss program.

Shaping Health Solutions

Program Distribution

Karolyne Rehner

Undergraduate

BS in Recreation: Therapeutic Recreation, May ’14 Karolyne’s passion and hard work has earned her recognition on campus and within the field of recreation. In April 2014, she was inducted into the Center for Community and Civic Engagement Hall of Fame. She was recognized for her history of service, including volunteer service with the Association for the Rights of Citizens with Disabilities (ARC), efforts in planning a workshop on human trafficking and mission work in the Philippines and Zimbabwe. At the Mississippi Recreation and Park Association’s annual conference, she received the Student Scholarship Award. While at Southern Miss, Karolyne served as a College of Health ambassador. She said, as her career develops she hopes to use recreation to improve the lives of others.

BS in AT BS in HP: ES BS in HP: KT BS in HP: PE BS in Recreation: RA BS in Recreation: TR BS in SCE BS in SCE and PE BS in SM

10%

23%

17% 10% 1%

Dave Krzeminski

24%

Dave collaborated with Dr. Dilhan Fernando, a post-doctoral research fellow in the School of Polymers and High Performance Materials, Dr. Trent Gould and Dr. Scott Piland in the School of Human Performance and Recreation, and Dr. James Rawlins in the School of Polymers and High Performance Materials.

Graduate

Melissa Ziegler – MA, RKT

S in HP: PE M MS in SCE MS in SM Certificate in Sport Security Management PhD in HP PhD in SHPM

PhD Student in Sports and High Performance Materials Every season environmental factors wear on a helmet, potentially compromising its ability to protect the player. Dave is exploring the effects of exposure to weathering on the materials comprising a helmet’s outer shell. A greater understanding of these effects, can help better protect athletes from the brain injury of concussion, as these materials are commonly used in sporting goods products. Dave’s research findings are published in the fall 2014 International Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology. He also presented his findings at the 2014 Conference of the International Sports Engineering Association (ISEA) in Sheffield, England.

Instructor Mrs. Ziegler, instructor of kinesiotherapy, has been named a Fellow by the Medical Fitness Association (MFA). Fellowship status is reserved for MFA members who are physicians, scientists and wellness professionals. Selection is based on contributions to the medical fitness industry and demonstrated leadership in the MFA. Mrs. Ziegler also serves as executive director of the American Kinesiotherapy Association (AKTA), a national nonprofit organization based in Hattiesburg, Miss. She is currently working on her PhD in higher education administration from Southern Miss. Mrs. Ziegler hopes that in the future kinesiotherapists will be employed in all MFA and wellness facilities across the country. She believes it is imperative and rewarding that kinesiotherapists provide the tools to support a lifestyle that can help reduce preventable illness and disease.

22%

60%

Athletic Training 2014 Scuba Certification 2014 9

Department of Medical Laboratory Science

Solutions Through Precise Testing and Analysis Quick Facts Chair

Academic Degree Plans

Dr. Mary Lux

• • •

B S in Medical Laboratory Science M S in Medical Laboratory Science C ertificate in Phlebotomy

Accreditation •

Enrollment (Fall 2013)

N ational Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)

The Department of Medical Laboratory Science is a leader in medical technology in the Gulf South. Graduates of the program are in high demand, fulfilling health care needs in Mississippi and around the nation. Undergraduate students complete three years of rigorous coursework before starting their practicum. A portion of practicum work is conducted at affiliated hospitals, including Forrest General Hospital, Hattiesburg; Memorial Hospital, Gulfport; Singing River Hospital, Pascagoula; St. Dominic Memorial Hospital, Jackson; VA Gulf Coast Veterans Health System, Biloxi.

131

The department also offers two graduate programs leading to a master’s degree in medical laboratory science: one for individuals who possess certification as a medical laboratory scientist and one for individuals who do not yet hold certification. An online Phlebotomy Certificate Program is also available.

Undergraduate

In July, the department announced a new degree completion program. The new bachelor’s degree plan is for employed, certified, site-bound medical laboratory technicians who hold an associate degree in applied science.

107 Graduate

24 Faculty

7 10

To kick off Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, Mayor Dupree signed a proclamation declaring the week of April 20-26, 2014, Medical Laboratory Professionals Week in Hattiesburg. At the City Council meeting on April 8, the mayor presented the proclamation to the Medical Laboratory Science senior class.

Shaping Health Solutions

Program Distribution

Hannah Rice

Undergraduate S in Medical Laboratory Science B MS in Medical Laboratory Science Certificate in Phlebotomy

18% 80%

Graduates of the program are in high demand, fulfilling health care needs in Mississippi and around the nation.

BS in Medical Laboratory Science, Dec ’13 A member of the Honors College, Hannah received summa cum laude distinction at the December 2013 graduation ceremony. In addition to pursuing her bachelor’s degree, she also completed American Medical Association pre-medical school science requirements. Hannah is currently enrolled in a combined MD/PhD program at The University of Mississippi Medical School (UMMC) in Jackson, Miss. She received the A. Wallace Conerly Scholarship, which covers all expenses for the dual degree program and is awarded to a maximum of two MD/PhD students each year. While at Southern Miss, Hannah spent a semester in Granada, Spain, with the Southern Miss StudyAbroad Program. She also completed a senior honors thesis, titled “A Comparison of Prostatic Acid Phosphatase with Testosterone and Prostate Specific Antigen for the Serodiagnosis of Prostate Cancer in Adult Males.” This work resulted in two published papers in a peer-reviewed national journal and an award from the Health Sciences Division of The Mississippi Academy of Sciences. Additional accomplishments include receipt of the 2012 National Student Honor Award from the American Society for Clinical Pathology, the Presidential National Merit Finalist Scholar Award, inclusion in four national honor societies and three national professional societies, membership in the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority and the Order of Omega Honor Society, and receipt of the Southern Miss Eagle Connection 2012 Outstanding Member Award.

Tammy Shaw

MS Student in Medical Laboratory Science As a biomedical laboratory officer in the United States Air Force, Tammy had the opportunity to obtain a graduate degree in medical laboratory science from the university of her choice. She says, after extensive research and recommendations from alumni, Southern Miss became the obvious choice. She believes the MLS graduate program offers the perfect blend of science and administration curriculum, while still allowing flexibility to select electives suited to a student’s interests and needs. She says this flexibility is essential given the diverse career opportunities for medical laboratory scientists. Tammy appreciates the opportunity to improve her laboratory science knowledge while also taking courses in public health, business administration and education. She believes these courses will prepare her for the wide variety of duties within the Air Force, as well as provide opportunities for her post-military career.

Department of Nutrition and Food Systems

Solutions Through Balance Quick Facts Chair

Academic Degree Plans

Dr. Kathy Yadrick

•

B S in Nutrition and Dietetics

– Didactic Program in Dietetics Emphasis – Nutrition Science Emphasis

M S in Nutrition and Food Systems

– Applied Nutrition Emphasis – Dietetic Practice Emphasis

•

– Management of Child Nutrition Programs Emphasis

P hD in Nutrition and Food Systems

– Graduate and Undergraduate Certificate in Management of Child Nutrition Programs

Accreditation •

Enrollment (Fall 2013)

148 Undergraduate

100 Graduate

48 Faculty

9 12

A ccreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) accredits the BS Didactic Program and the MS Dietetic Practice Dietetic Internship

The Department of Nutrition and Food Systems takes pride in providing students with diverse, but in-depth, exposure to the various fields of nutrition, dietetics and food service systems management. Curriculum is continually updated to include the latest scientific developments and career trends. Small class sizes and an open door policy drive student success. The majority of students enrolled in the nutrition and dietetics bachelor’s degree program are on track to become registered dietitians. The department collaborated with Stone County School District to participate in Mississippi’s Farm to School Week. Stone County’s Superintendent Dr. Gwen Miller, child nutrition director Myra Rayburn and Southern Miss assistant professor Dr. Alicia Landry, teamed up to develop and promote a menu integrating at least one locally grown item each day in lunches served to the students of Stone County. In April, undergraduate students in the Experimental Foods class hosted the first Nutrition and Food Systems Expo. Students spent the semester learning the chemistry of food and used this information to develop new food products. They were also required to incorporate a Mississippi product in their new food. Creations included venison pizza, butter bean burgers, sweet potato brownies and more. Attendees tastetested and rated the students’ products. During the spring semester, students in a capstone course led by Dr. Holly Huye participated in a servicelearning project that assisted the Edwards Street Fellowship Center (ESFC). To help ESFC better identify and serve its clients, students administered surveys to 62 clients collecting details such as race, education level, medical history and employment data. One student translated recipes into Spanish, meeting a need with the Hispanic clients. Ann McCullen, ESFC director, hopes to continue to partner with Dr. Huye’s class in the future as she found the survey results and data beneficial to the center.

Shaping Health Solutions

Program Distribution

Marie Erobu

Undergraduate S in Nutrition and Dietetics: Nutrition B Science BS in Nutrition and Dietetics: Didactic Program in Dietetics

95%

BS in Nutrition and Dietetics: Didactic Program in Dietetics, May ’15 Marie’s interest in the dietetics field is inspired by personal and family experience with diet-related health conditions, as members of her family have suffered serious health complications of diabetes. Marie serves as vice president of the Student Dietetic Association, is a member of the National Organization of Blacks in Dietetics and Nutrition, and currently works at The Orthopedic Institute as a dietetic aide. In the long term, Marie aims to establish a private practice focusing on nutrition and body image among African-Americans, especially female adolescents and young adults. She is sensitive to the fact that this population is at risk for chronic disease and desires to be a reliable and relatable source of information.

Virginia Smith

MS Student in Nutrition and Food Systems Virginia’s dedication to dietetics has not gone unnoticed by her instructors or peers. Virginia, along with a group of fellow dietetic interns, was assigned to a diabetes camp for children with Type 1 Diabetes. At the camp, they conducted education sessions on managing diabetes through diet, participated in meal and snack times, learned how to manage and check blood sugars, and participated in other activities such as canoeing and swimming with the campers. As part of her internship, Virginia and the other interns produced a rap video for the campers to help educate them about making dietary choices for managing diabetes. Thanks to her leadership and positive attitude, she was selected as the College of Health Outstanding Dietetic Intern, an award based on a peer-nominated selection process.

Carol Connell – PhD, RD, LD

Graduate S in Nutrition and Food Systems M PhD in Nutrition and Food Systems Graduate Certificate in Management of Child Nutrition Programs

2% 13% 85%

Associate Processor Dr. Connell’s research interests include food insecurity, food access, theorybased nutrition interventions and dietary assessments. Her work impacts the scientific community, influences food and nutrition public policy, and helps promote healthy eating and activity within Mississippi Delta communities. In 2012, she was honored with the Innovation Award for Applied Research by the University Research Council for her research involving measuring food insecurity in children and her health disparities research addressing problems of obesity and chronic disease among Mississippians. Dr. Connell has recently completed a community-based participatory research intervention which promoted small changes in usual eating habits among Delta residents. For example, participants increased the portion size of their greens to increase vegetable consumption, while reducing the amount of fat used in preparation. Dr. Connell’s health disparities research has resulted in practical applications that address Mississippi’s health problems in ways that honor our state’s rich food culture.

Department of Public Health

Solutions Through Prevention and Health Promotion Quick Facts Chair

Academic Degree Plans

Dr. Ray Newman

• • • •

•

B S in Allied Health: Health Care Management, also offered at Gulf Park campus B S in Public Health: Health Policy Administration, also offered at Gulf Park campus B S in Public Health: Health Promotion, also offered at Gulf Park campus M aster of Public Health – Epidemiology and Biostatistics Emphasis – Health Policy and Administration Emphasis – Health Education Emphasis E xecutive Master of Public Health

Accreditation •

Enrollment (Fall 2013)

261 Undergraduate

160 Graduate

101 Faculty

15 14

C ouncil on Education for Public Health (CEPH)

The Department of Public Health’s curriculum integrates field experience, helping solidify concepts learned in class and preparing students to be competent health care professionals. Each semester 30-40 undergraduate and graduate interns serve health care facilities, locally and nationally. Faculty and staff are involved in interdisciplinary research in areas such as health care access, health promotion, community health workers, impact studies, health care provider utilization, rural health, cancer control, and occupational health and safety. The department takes pride in their innovative approach to teaching, practice and research. In Community Health, a service-learning class, students worked with the Edwards Street Fellowship Center (ESFC) and were introduced to community health practices, professional standards, policy and functioning of health agencies. As part of the course, students designed a survey to investigate why the ESFC walking track was not regularly utilized. Thanks to the course and their own commitment to service, Ronnie Richardson and Samantha Wells were hired by ESFC as part-time employees. In January, Dr. Ray Newman, chair of the department was appointment to the Mississippi Rural Health Association board of directors. As a member of the board, he said he will work to help shape public awareness, educate health professionals, and inform policy makers about the vast and complex health concerns of rural communities. He will also ensure Southern Miss graduates are recognized as well-trained and motivated professionals. This position will strengthen relationships across Mississippi and help create new field experience and employment opportunities for students. At the graduate level, the department is recognized as having the first accredited (CEPH) Master of Public Health (MPH) program in the state of Mississippi. In the spring, the department created a community advisory board to continually improve the program. Membership is comprised of local health executives, preceptors for internships and more.

Shaping Health Solutions

Program Distribution

Ronnie Richardson

Undergraduate S in Allied Health: Health Care B Management BS in Public Health: Health Policy Administration BS in Public Health: Health Promotion

BS in Public Health: Health Policy Administration, May ’15 Ronnie is currently a part-time employee at ESFC Thrift Store, a position he took after being introduced to the center through a service-learning class. He said he enjoyed the class because he learned what a nonprofit organization can do and the impact it can have on its target populations. Ronnie was honored with the Undergraduate Service Award by the Department of Public Health at the College of Health’s Outstanding Student Awards Ceremony. After graduation, he plans to find a job in a hospital administrative setting such as quality control or risk management. In the next five years, he plans to pursue his master’s degree in public health or a closely related field.

Jeffrey Ross – MD

43%

53%

Executive Master of Public Health Student Dr. Ross is a certified anesthesiologist by the American Board of Anesthesiology at King’s Daughters Medical Center (KDMC) in Ashland, Ky. At KDMC, he is the director of inpatient medicine, chief of staff. Dr. Ross received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He completed his residency at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and The University of Kentucky. He began practicing medicine in 1990. Dr. Ross said he decided to enter the medical field since it provides the chance to serve his community. Dr. Ross believes his MPH degree will prepare him to help his organization thrive in the rapidly changing health care environment.

Amy Arrington – JD

Graduate PH: Epidemiology and Biostatistics M MPH: Health Policy and Administration MPH: Health Education Executive MPH

26%

38%

Assistant Professor Dr. Arrington was appointed by the Forrest County Board of Supervisors to serve on the Forrest General Hospital Board of Trustees. The board is responsible for overseeing the operation and governance of the hospital. Dr. Arrington is also a member of the American Health Lawyers Association and the Health Law Section of the Mississippi Bar Association. Her research includes studies related to the primary care workforce in the state of Mississippi, as well as research related to the impact of health laws and policies. Dr. Arrington hopes to serve as a role model by demonstrating a healthy lifestyle and by serving as a health care professional.

16% 21%

Executive MPH Class of 2014

School of Social Work

Solutions Through Service Quick Facts Chair

Academic Degree Plans, also offered at Gulf Park campus

Dr. Tim Rehner

• •

B achelor of Social Work M aster of Social Work

Accreditation •

C ouncil on Social Work Education (CSWE)

The School of Social Work is Mississippi’s oldest, largest and arguably finest social work program. Faculty and staff are committed to preparing students for competent and ethical social work practice. All graduates complete rigorous curriculum, rich in classroom and field work experiences. Field practicums provide students with an initiation into the profession and the traditions of the social work community.

Enrollment (Fall 2013)

470 Undergraduate

325 Graduate

145 Faculty

15 16

The school provides technical assistance to a statewide workforce development project funded by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health and the Division of Medicaid. This project provides ongoing training and support for wraparound services and involves agencies, including Mississippi Children’s Home Services, Youth Villages, and several community mental health centers. The wraparound model ensures caregivers and youth have access to services, and families have ownership of a plan of care for their youth. This model has empirical support for reducing inappropriate incarcerations and hospitalizations. In April, the Downtown Hattiesburg Farmers Market honored the School of Social Work for its role in founding the market. The initial idea for the market originated with afterschool programming at the Family Network Partnership (FNP). In 2003, Dr. Tim Rehner, director of the school, and Dr. Mark Klinedinst, emeritus professor of economics, organized a meeting with the Indian Springs Farmers Association and interested individuals. From these meetings, the farmers market took root. The school’s fall colloquium, “Where Is the Dream in 2013? The Rocky Road to Social Justice,” was attended by more than 100 students, faculty and members of the professional social work community who gathered to hear presentations on social justice issues prevalent in the South Eastern region. Keynote speaker and director of outreach at Southern Poverty Law Center, Lecia Brooks, presented on fighting hate, teaching tolerance and seeking justice.

April 2014 Diversity Dash

Shaping Health Solutions

Program Distribution

Brady Leatherwood

achelor of Social Work B Master of Social Work

31%

69%

Bachelor of Social Work, May â&#x20AC;&#x2122;14 Brady is helping nursing home residents with dementia find joy and re-discover their memories. Leatherwood and her adviser Karen Aderer, an instructor in the School of Social Work, make weekly visits to residents at the Driftwood Nursing Center in Gulfport, Miss. During the visits they apply individualized music intervention ideally 30 minutes before sundowning, the most agitated period for a person with dementia. The goals of the Finding Harmony Project are to advocate for individualized music in nursing homes and introduce social work students to working with the elderly. Aderer introduced the concept to students in her Human Behavior course. At the end of class, Leatherwood approached her, adamant that she wanted to help start the project. Leatherwood wrote a successful grant proposal, securing $1,000 to meet equipment needs for the project. Aderer commends her for being awarded the grant, which she said is a unique experience for an undergraduate student. Leatherwood said she knew there was a growing need in the field of gerontology and that the project has reaffirmed her passion for the field.

Shelia Nabors

... the Downtown Hattiesburg Farmers Market honored the School of Social Work for its role in founding the market.

Master of Social Work Student Shelia has been selected by the W.K. Kellog Foundation, to participate in its inaugural Community Leadership Network, a fellowship dedicated to helping vulnerable children and their families. Nabors is one of 120 fellows selected from 2,000 applicants. Fellows will spend three years strengthening leadership skills to help address poverty and racial inequality. Nabors will attend quarterly meetings to collaborate with her cohort and participate in development activities. She will also create a community project that will be implemented at the end of the fellowship. A stipend is provided to aid with travel and the launch of her chosen project. Nabors said her project will center on the whole person, which includes the individuals, their families and the systems they are involved with. She is looking at breaking the cycle of poverty through education and direct service activities that will increase human capital, while focusing on racial harmony. To implement the project, she hopes to partner with an existing north Mississippi non-profit.

Jerome Kolbo - PhD

Professor Dr. Kolbo was awarded the Multidisciplinary Award, which honors a faculty member who is a pioneer in cross-disciplinary research collaboration, to identify innovative solutions or intellectual accomplishments that extend beyond their field. Examples of research collaboration include the following: â&#x20AC;˘ With Co-PIs at Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi, he completed work with the Center for Mississippi Health Policy on a five-year Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded initiative to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of recent state legislation requiring schools to implement a number of local wellness policies and coordinated school health programs that are part of the Mississippi Healthy Student Act. â&#x20AC;˘ Together with a multidisciplinary team from within the College of Health, Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative, and local community stakeholders, Dr. Kolbo received funding to employ Community Based Participatory Research over the next two years to study adolescent sexual health policies and practices in order to prevent HIV/AIDS, STDs and unintended teen pregnancy.

Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences

Solutions Through Communication Quick Facts Chair

Academic Degree Plans

Dr. Steve Cloud

• • • •

•

B A in Education of the Deaf (Licensure) B A in Speech Pathology and Audiology M A in Speech and Hearing Sciences, Speech-Language Pathology Emphasis M S in Speech and Hearing Sciences – Education of the Deaf Emphasis - Concentration in Early Oral Intervention – Speech-Language Pathology Emphasis A uD, Doctor of Audiology

Accreditation • •

C ouncil on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) C ouncil on Education of the Deaf (CED)

Enrollment (Fall 2013)

387 Undergraduate

302 Graduate

85 Faculty

15 18

Students in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences work closely with faculty and practicum advisers to hone skills necessary to serve a wide range of communication needs of individuals at all ages. Students at all degree levels spend a significant portion of their time gaining clinical experience and/ or assisting in educational settings. Nationally and internationally recognized centers affiliated with the department serve as practicum sites. These include The Children’s Center for Communication Development, the DuBard School for Language Disorders and the Speech-Language-Audiology Clinic. The department boasts 100 percent employment for all graduate students (who choose to be gainfully employed) in all of the department’s graduate programs since 1995. In March, graduate student Victoria Miller participated in the Special Olympics’ annual “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign. The campaign asks individuals to pledge to stop using the R-word (retardation) to help create an accepting environment for all people. Victoria hopes her effort will inspire others on campus to stop using the term. In April, faculty, staff and families gathered for the department’s annual White Coat Ceremony. The ceremony recognized the class of 2015 audiology doctoral students who have completed academic requirements and will begin their final externship prior to graduation. A new Master of Education degree in dyslexia therapy is now offered at Southern Miss. A collaboration between the DuBard School in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences and the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education in the College of Education and Psychology, this degree program prepares graduates to become dyslexia therapists licensed by the Mississippi Department of Education.

The department boasts 100 percent employment for all graduate students...

Shaping Health Solutions

Program Distribution

Rachael Luckett

Undergraduate A in Education of the Deaf B BA in Speech Pathology and Audiology

95%

BA in Speech Pathology and Audiology, May ’15 In high school, Rachel was fascinated by a presentation on audiology, and she has been intrigued by the field ever since. Rachel is passionate about music and wants to help give people the ability to hear music and the voices of their loved ones. As an Honors College student, she is currently working on her thesis, titled “Aging and Auditory Duration Discrimination Using a Musical Note.” Rachel is highly involved on campus and has participated in the Southern Miss Activities Council as vice president, Delta Gamma sorority as director of social awareness and director of e-communications, and the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi as the founding president, a member of the Student Government Association, National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association and more. Despite her many activities, Rachel maintains a 3.9 GPA and has been on the President’s List four semesters and the Dean’s List three semesters.

Alexandra Wald

Graduate A in Speech and Hearing Sciences M MS in Speech and Hearing Sciences: Speech-Language Pathology MS in Speech and Hearing Sciences: Education of the Deaf Doctor of Audiology

11% 54%

MS Student in Speech and Hearing Sciences: Speech-Language Pathology Alexandra knew she wanted to be in a field that involved rehabilitation at age 15 after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). After taking an aptitude test during her freshman year of undergraduate school and researching speech-language pathology, she knew it would be the perfect fit. Alexandra has maintained a 4.0 GPA, received an assistantship through The Children’s Center for Communication and Development, and was selected by The Children’s Center staff to receive the Roger Brinegar Scholarship Endowment in the spring of 2014. She plans to earn her PhD in speech-language pathology in the near future. She hopes to earn a clinical doctorate and eventually open a rehabilitation center for children.

Charles Marx – AuD, CCC-A

Assistant Professor Dr. Marx believes that the early, accurate assessment of hearing and the detection of hearing loss in newborns and young children directly impacts their overall quality of life. He said that appropriate intervention provides children with the opportunity to realize their potential. Each week, he takes Doctor of Audiology students to Forrest General Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to screen the hearing of infants in the intermediate NICU. In addition, on the second Wednesday of each month, they provide hearing screening services to the hospital’s NICU follow-up clinic. Dr. Marx also provides diagnostic audiological services at the Southern Miss Speech-Language-Audiology Clinic for any child from Forrest General’s two venues identified as needing further testing. He has also been involved in a research project with physicians, developmental specialists and physical therapists from Forrest General. The team examined ways to reduce noise exposure to neonates during ambulance transport.

College of Health Ambassadors

The College of Health Ambassadors are student leaders who volunteer to represent the College of Health, with the purpose of promoting, inspiring and serving the college through academic achievement, creativity, dependability and service. They support the mission of the college and that of Southern Miss in their efforts to create a healthy living and learning environment.

2013-14 College of Health Ambassadors (Left to Right) Front: Lennnzee Lawrence, Natalie Alleman, Alanna Buckley, Jennifer Parker, Emily Wilson, Jenifer Truong, Karen Johnson, Kristen Lee, Karolyne Rehner, Crystal Johnson, Vaniecia Wilson, Lucas Gandy | Back: Trent Johnson, Janet Davie-Cramer, Wenona Mellott, Crystal Thompson, Andrew Sanderson, Natalie Fowler, Alanna Fopiano, Tyler Broady, Virginia Smith, Julia Brady, Will Stevens, Ebony Core, Lisa Mann | Not pictured: Joseph Johnson

The College of Health received a $500 donation from the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency for its participation in the 2013 Donor Challenge. Over a nine-week period in the fall, College of Health ambassadors registered 332 people to be organ and tissue donors. Southern Miss competed against the University of Mississippi, Alcorn State and Jackson State in the challenge and finished in second place behind the University of Mississippi, which won by three registrations. 20

Outstanding Student Awards Ceremony

College of Health Ambassadors

Department of Medical Laboratory Science

• • •

• • • • •

Alanna Buckley for her service as past president Lennzee Lawrence for exceptional service to the Ambassador Program Other senior ambassadors recognized: Julia Brady, Ebony Core, Janet Davie-Cramer, Natalie Fowler, Lucas Gandy, Joseph Johnson, Karen Johnson, Lennzee Lawrence, Lisa Mann, Emily Marshall, Karolyne Rehner, Virginia Smith and Crystal Thompson

Brittney Luna, Excellence in Junior Bacteriology Joseph Saucier, Excellence in Junior Clinical Chemistry Jared Herbert, Excellence in Junior Immunology Erika Pratte, Excellence in Research Crystal Thompson, Excellence in Hematology and Outstanding Achievement in Medical Laboratory Science

Dean’s Council Awards

Department of Nutrition and Food Systems

• • •

•

Jessica Thompson, Campus Leadership Award Carolyn Roach and Amy H. Bumgardner, Community Service Awards Melissa Kirkup, Graduate Research Award

•

Ashley Bryant, Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Nominee for Outstanding Dietetic Intern V irginia Smith, Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Nominee for Outstanding Didactic Student Morgan Faulk and Morgan Overby, Southern Miss Outstanding Dietetic Interns Jessica Simmons, Outstanding Junior Tiffany Haug, Outstanding Senior SaVanna Sims, Outstanding Master’s Student

School of Human Performance and Recreation

•

Outstanding Scholarship and Distinguished Leadership Awards in Academic Areas: • In athletic training, Outstanding Scholarship Award to Kelly Vinson and Distinguished Leadership Award to Kiera Lane • In exercise science, Outstanding Scholarship Award to Kewin Nielsen and Distinguished Leadership Award to Dillion Evans • In kinesiotherapy, Outstanding Scholarship Award to Kristin Sumrall and Distinguished Leadership Award to Claire Scates • In physical education, Outstanding Scholarship Award to Joshua Moore and Distinguished Leadership Award to Josiah Neelis • In recreation, Outstanding Scholarship Award to Shelley Holland and Distinguished Leadership Award to Lauren Huner • In sport coaching education, Outstanding Scholarship Award to Douglas Smith and Distinguished Leadership Award to Nicholas McCaa • In sport management, Outstanding Scholarship Award to Jordan Graves and Distinguished Leadership Award to Jennifer Truong

• • •

Overall School Awards: • Marty Brock for Outstanding Undergraduate Scholarship • Karolyne Rehner, Distinguished Undergraduate Leadership • Michelle Pontiff, Outstanding Master’s Student • Clayton Kuklick, Outstanding Doctoral Student

Academic Excellence certificates were presented to undergraduates Katherine Royer, Kandis Ruple and Heather Stewart and master’s students Tina Johnson and Lori King.

Lauren Huner, recipient of The School of Human Performance and Recreation’s Distinguished Leadership Award in recreation, with Dr. Rick Green, professor of recreation

Department of Public Health • • • • •

Ronnie Richardson and Amber Langlinais, Undergraduate Service Awards Jamie Stubbs and Terri Jordan, Outstanding Undergraduate Scholarship Awards Kayla Stanley, Lynn Cook Hartwig Outstanding Undergraduate Valerie Short, Outstanding Master of Public Health Research Award Joyee Esters, Alton B. Cobb Outstanding Master of Public Health Award

School of Social Work

Awards of Merit were presented to undergraduates Angelica Alderman, Elizabeth Beasley, Alma Burrell, Madeline Carter, Angela Cruz, Tambria Davis, Lacie Garber, Jeanne Levesque, Ruby Montgomery, Julia Moore, Dequarios Overstreet, Angela Pounds, Cynthia Reeves, Georgina Roberts, Dana Stapley, Angela Thompson, Monica Walker and Constance Winbrow.

Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences • •

•

Ainsley Vaughn, Peggy Revels Elward Outstanding Senior Award Courtney Turner (audiology), Alyse Stempel (early oral intervention) and Kerri Mobley (speech-language pathology), Sertoma Outstanding Graduate Student Awards Karen Bell (audiology), Nikita Kamdar (early oral intervention) and Amy Bumgardner (speech-language pathology), Outstanding Graduate Student Awards 21

Faculty and Staff Award Recipients

College of Health Faculty and Staff Award Recipients The following were recognized at the College of Health Awards of Excellence and Retirement Reception on April 28, 2014. The planning committee hosted an excellent celebration at the St. Thomas Aquinas Church student center. John Cox, director of sports broadcasting at Southern Miss, emceed the reception. Dr. Jennifer Lemacks, Department of Nutrition and Food Systems Emerging Scholar

Jerry Cater, Department of Nutrition and Food Systems Outstanding Adjunct Faculty

Belynda Brock, Department of Nutrition and Food Systems Distinguished Office Professional

LaShaundrea Crook, Department of Nutrition and Food Systems Outstanding Professional Staff

Deborah Graham, School of Social Work Distinguished Teaching

Dr. Carol Connell, Department of Nutrition and Food Systems Distinguished Researcher

Dr. Steve Cloud, Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences Outstanding Faculty Service

Delories Williams, School of Social Work Spirit Award

Dr. Kim Ward, Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences Distinguished Mentor

Retirements Dr. Emmanuel Ahua Department of Public Health

Dr. Viven Carver Department of Public Health

Gerry Powell Department of Public Health

Alumni Spotlight

The College of Health honors one alumnus or alumna each month for excellence and contribution to his or her respective discipline. The following represent the outstanding alumni highlighted during the 2013-14 academic year. Katie Allen, ’12

Hannah Sanders, ’11, ’12

Tiffani Grant, ’01, ’06

Rebecca Turner, ’07, ’09

Katie Allen, MPH, is a legislative assistant for Texas Rep. Michael Burgess. She handles health care, veterans and science policy issues for the congressman’s personal office. Prior to joining Rep. Burgess’ staff, Allen was a policy analyst for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, where she worked on health insurance regulation and contracting for the agency. Allen graduated summa cum laude with a Master of Public Health degree in December 2012 from Southern Miss. For her practicum in the program, she served as a consultant for a health policy unit at the University of Maryland—Baltimore County. She also interned for two federal agencies working on health and nutrition policy. Tiffani Grant, MS, RD, is the director of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity at the Mississippi State Department of Health Office of Preventive Health. She develops program strategies and provides professional development and technical assistance to community-based organizations and school districts on implementing effective community and school health programs. She is also an adjunct instructor at Tulane University School of Continuing Studies in Madison, Miss. She received her BS in nutrition and dietetics (’01) and MS in nutrition and food systems (’06) from Southern Miss.

Lynn Purnell Hagan, ’94, ’96

Lynn Purnell Hagan, PsyD, LCSW, CTRS, has a full career. While living in Kuwait after the 9/11 attacks, Dr. Hagan was contacted by the U.S. Embassy to provide assessments and critical incident stress management for high-level security and State Department employees. During the rebuilding of Iraq in 2003-04, she provided critical incident stress debriefing for nongovernmental contractors working in, and being evacuated from, Iraq. Dr. Hagan received her Doctor of Psychology from California Southern University (’03) and a Master of Social Work (’96) and recreation (’94) from Southern Miss. She has established endowments for both social work and recreation scholarships through the USM Foundation and is a life time member of the Southern Miss Alumni Association.

Taylor Morton, ’93, ’96

Taylor Morton, MS, is embarking on his 14th season in the National Football League and second season with the St. Louis Rams. Morton joined the Rams as director of college scouting in 2012 and now serves as the director of player personnel. Before joining the Rams, Morton served 12 years in the player personnel department for the Atlanta Falcons. Prior to becoming a college scout, Morton served in pro personnel as an advance scout for the Falcons’ opponents, as well as evaluating future free agent prospects for the team. Morton coached for eight years, including Auburn University, Hinds Community College and Pearl River Community College. He earned his BS (’93) and MS (’96) of coaching and sport administration (now sport management) at Southern Miss.

Sarah Pachmayr, ’07, ’13

Sarah Pachmayr graduated from Southern Miss with a BS in medical technology in December 2007 and a Master of Public Health, health services administration emphasis in May 2013. While enrolled in the Executive Master of Public Health Program, Pachmayr was recognized for having the highest GPA and best capstone project. Pachmayr worked at Singing River Hospital from March 2008—July 2013 and also part-time at the University of Alabama Children’s and Women’s Hospital from December 2007—July 2013. Pachmayr has been accepted into the William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine with an anticipated graduation date of May 2017. Pachmayr is a recipient of the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship.

Hannah Sanders, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist at The Children’s Center. Sanders serves as a lead teacher in preschool classes for children ages two and older who have a wide variety of disabilities. She enjoys working in the transdisciplinary setting alongside other professionals, such as occupational and behavioral therapists. As a member of the Honors College at Southern Miss, Sanders graduated summa cum laude with her BA in speech-language pathology with a minor in deaf education (’11). She later earned a MS in speech-language pathology (’12) from Southern Miss. While a student, Hannah served as a graduate assistant at The Children’s Center. Rebecca Turner, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, is a registered dietitian and certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD) with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She serves as nutrition affairs program manager for the Southeast Dairy Association, for whom she conducts television, radio and print interviews on nutrition throughout Mississippi and Louisiana. Turner appears on WLBT and contributes to Well-Being Magazine, the Clarion Ledger’s fitness page and others. In addition, she is the official dietitian for Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s Fit to Eat program. Turner graduated from Southern Miss with a BS in nutrition and dietetics (’07) and an MS in nutrition and food systems (’09).

Vamsi Vasireddy, ’04

Vamsi Vasireddy, MD, MPH, DrPH, is a public health physician with more than 12 years of experience working in the fields of health services delivery and health system strengthening in Africa, Asia and the U.S. He serves as the principal investigator of ACTwatch, a project being implemented across 10 countries to inform policymakers on improving access to antimalarial medicines and diagnostic testing. Prior to ACTwatch, Dr. Vasireddy designed and implemented the first assessment of the local public health system in Israel, and the first and only comprehensive health systems strengthening framework for the Liberian Ministry of Health. He has also worked to eradicate leprosy in India and on piloting public health accreditation in Illinois. Dr. Vasireddy earned a MD from the University of Health Sciences, India (’00), a MPH from Southern Miss (’04), and a DrPH from the University of Illinois at Chicago (’12).

Laura Ann Wilber

Laura Ann Wilber, PhD, is a professor emerita of audiology and hearing sciences at Northwestern University. Dr. Wilber has worked to perfect the equipment used to assess hearing and amplification devices and has been active in the creation of standards for these devices and for audiometric testing procedures. She has served as president of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology and the American Auditory Society. She was also a founding member of the American Academy of Audiology. Dr. Wilber earned a PhD in audiology from Northwestern University, a master’s degree in deaf education from Gallaudet University, and a bachelor’s degree in speech correction from Southern Miss.

Stephanie Yow, ’10

Stephanie Yow, is a pediatric clinical dietitian at Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, University of Mississippi Medical Center. Her work includes completing nutrition assessments for pediatric patients, providing nutrition education to patients and their parents, developing home feeding regimens, assessing growth and development of children with special health care needs, and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Yow also works with The Children’s Center, where she helps families that have children with special health care needs to improve their nutrition for optimal growth and development. Yow is currently studying to become a Board Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition. She is a Registered Dietitian and received her MS in nutrition and food systems in 2010.

Centers and Institutes

The following are descriptions and highlights from the centers and institutes affiliated with the College of Health. Center on Aging Coordinator – Susan Hubble-Burchell, EdD The Center on Aging promotes understanding of, and response to, aging and aging-related issues. The center conducts research and evaluation, training and education, disseminates information, provides program consultation, and makes policy recommendations. • Th e Artificial Nutrition and Hydration Program was presented to The University of Southern Mississippi, area health care professionals and the general public. The program was also offered as a seminar attended by a panel of Forrest General Hospice professionals and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute members.

Center for Sustainable Health Outreach Director – Susan Mayfield-Johnson, PhD, MPH, MCHES The mission of the center is to help support the role of community health workers as an essential component of sustainable community wellness. It envisions community health workers who are valued as essential, integral, powerful promoters of health, disease prevention and wellness in their communities. • Co-hosted the 12th annual Unity Conference titled, “Community Health Workers – Innovative Solution to Addressing the Triple Aim (Access to Care, Reducing Costs and Promoting Healthy Communities)

The Children’s Center for Communication and Development Director – Sarah Case-Price, MS, CCC-SLP The Children’s Center is a clinical division of the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences. The Children’s Center provides communicative and developmental, transdisciplinary services to infants, toddlers and preschoolers while educating, training and supporting families, university students and other professionals. The center serves as a practicum site for university students studying speech-language pathology, audiology, special education, physical therapy, occupational therapy, behavior therapy, nursing, recreational therapy and music therapy. • Opened a satellite program on the Gulf Park campus for hearingimpaired children in Mississippi’s southernmost counties • Celebrated its 40th anniversary and graduation ceremony on May 16, 2014

The DuBard School for Language Disorders Director – Maureen Martin, PhD, CCC-SLP The DuBard School for Language Disorders is a clinical division of the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences. The school provides speechlanguage and educational services for elementary-level students with severe disorders of language. University students majoring in speech-language pathology, audiology or deaf education can complete practicum coursework at The DuBard School. Students majoring in nursing, human performance, science education, music and social work also visit the school for observation and practicum. • Welcomed inaugural class of the new Master of Education degree in dyslexia therapy on Monday, June 2, 2014 • Dr. Martin was elected to serve on the board of directors for the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA). 24

Neonatal and Infant Development Program Director - Terri H. Daniels, MEd The College of Health, Forrest General Hospital and Southern Mississippi Neonatology Group form a partnership to support the medical and neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm neonates. The partners work together to implement developmental care at Forrest General Hospital and share information with other Neonatal Intensive Care Units across the state of Mississippi, nationally and internationally. The program also provides training to health care staff and students, and conducts research and projects.

Family Network Partnership Director – Laurie Risher, LMSW, ACC The mission of the Family Network Partnership is to empower, strengthen and promote the well-being of children and their biological or foster families through family-centered practice strategies that strengthen family functioning, minimize emotional disturbances, and prevent placement disruptions. The Family Network Partnership serves as a clinical training site for students in the School of Social Work.

National Food Service Management Institute, Applied Research Division

• T erri collaborated with Dr. Judith Prehn, pediatric physical therapist at The Children’s Center, assistant professor Dr. C.G. Marx and associate professor Dr. Ed Goshor of the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences to research vibration during ground ambulance transport of preterm infants weighing three pounds.

Speech-Language-Audiology Clinic Pathology Director –Lynn Boardman, MS, CCC-SLP Audiology Director - Kim Ward, AuD, CCC-A The Speech-Language-Audiology Clinic provides students in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences with an orientation to clinical procedures used in speech-language pathology and audiology. The clinic provides assessment services and intervention programs to students, faculty and the community.

Director – Mary Frances Nettles, PhD, RD The National Food Service Management Institute is the only federally funded national center with the purpose of improving child nutrition programs through applied research, education and training, and technical assistance. The institute consists of four divisions, all working to promote continuous improvement of child nutrition programs. The Education and Training, Information Services and Administration divisions are located at the Oxford campus of the University of Mississippi. The Applied Research Division is located at the Hattiesburg campus and operated by The University of Southern Mississippi. The Applied Research Division focuses on research and initiatives that influence child nutrition practices. Research topics include best practices, customer service, operational accountability, human resources, equipment purchasing and facility design, and environmental conservation. • Presented five posters highlighting current research at the School Nutrition Association’s 2014 Annual National Conference

Scholarships

Scholarship Spotlight Lennzee Lawrence

BS in Medical Laboratory Science, Dec. â&#x20AC;&#x2122;14 Lennzee received the 2013-14 Hattiesburg Physicians Medical Technology Scholarship Endowment and Mary Lois Burkett Scholarship Endowment. She said Southern Miss has always felt like a natural fit. Lennzee appreciates the intimate setting of small classes and direct access to knowledgeable professors and instructors. She said her clinical at Forrest General Hospital provided a realistic work experience. Lennzee believes scholarships are the gift that keeps on giving. She hopes to give back financially to help the next generation of students and her own community. Lennzee believes an affordable education strengthens our community, produces bright new health care workers, and helps create a healthier South Mississippi.

The following are scholarship recipients for the 2013-14 academic year: Barbara Pease Memorial Social Work Scholarship Endowment

Allan Rowe

Berma F. and Willie H. Carter Physical Education Scholarship

Siew Hii

Betty Spencer Scholarship at USM Gulf Coast

Erica Anderson

Beulah Elizabeth Roberts Compton Scholarship

Caitlin Winstead

Beverly Dale Presidential Scholarship

Mason Mault

Cheryl Goodwin Memorial Medical Technology Scholarship

Erika Harmon Pratte

Coach Willis Terry Memorial Scholarship Endowment

Trent Johnson

D. C. Leech Scholarship

Tracie Nelson

D. C. Leech Scholarship

Jennifer Truong

Dabney E. Weatherford Scholarship Endowment

Siew Hii

Dabney E. Weatherford Scholarship Endowment

Rachel Luckett

Dabney E. Weatherford Scholarship Endowment

Lucas Gandy

Darlene Smith-Huhner Annual Scholarship

Erika Blanchard

Day/Mehearg Scholarship

Andria Chowdhary

Dr. Charles Burchell Recreational Administration Scholarship

Deidre Johnson

Dr. Donald E. Dore Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Meredith Taylor

Dr. Thomas and Mildred Puckett Medical Technology Endowment

Meredith Taylor

Etoile DuBard Scholarship Endowment

Brittany Boss

Fern Rogers Hesson Scholarship

Elizabeth Hartley

Frances Gandy Social Work Scholarship Endowment

Madeline Carter

Fred Barten Memorial Scholarship in Health Administration

Elissa Eyrick

Gerry Parish Graduate Social Work Endowment

Mariana Zamarripa

Gordon Hicks Scholarship Endowment

Kevin Haubrick

Gulfport Scottish Rite Annual Scholarship

Natalie Luker

Hattiesburg Physicians Medical Technology Scholarship Endowment

Christopher Knotts

Hattiesburg Physicians Medical Technology Scholarship Endowment

Lennzee Lawrence

Hattiesburg Physicians Medical Technology Scholarship Endowment

Darian Minica

Scholarship recipients continued: James D. and Sara M. Turner Annual Scholarship Fund

Katrina Thames

Jane Boudreaux Scholarship Endowment

Virginia Smith

Jane Parker Social Work Annual Scholarship Fund

Danielle Anderson

Jane Parker Social Work Annual Scholarship Fund

Holly Duke

Jane Parker Social Work Annual Scholarship Fund

Ann LeBlanc

Jane Parker Social Work Annual Scholarship Fund

Charles Osborne

Katharine L. Guice Memorial Scholarship Endowment

Cynthia Reeves

Lowery A. Woodall Medical Technology Scholarship Endowment

Chelsea Williams

Lynn Cook Hartwig - Hattiesburg Clinic Scholarship Endowment

Afolarin Ishola

Lynn Cook Hartwig - Hattiesburg Clinic Scholarship Endowment

Carol Morreale

Lynn Cook Hartwig - Hattiesburg Clinic Scholarship Endowment

Travon Robinson

Lynn Purnell Hagan School of Human Performance and Recreation Scholarship Endowment

Hannah Culpepper

Lynn Purnell Hagan School of Human Performance and Recreation Scholarship Endowment

Madeline Carter

Margaret McCarthy Scholarship

Amir Alakaam

Mark C. Applewhite Memorial Nutrition Scholarship

Ashley Bryant

Mary Lois Burkett Scholarship Endowment

Melerine Clinton

Mary Lois Burkett Scholarship Endowment

Lennzee Lawrence

Mary Lois Burkett Scholarship Endowment

Emily Marshall

Mary Lois Burkett Scholarship Endowment

Virginia Smith

Medical Technology South Mississippi and Alumni Memorial Scholarship Endowment

Hannah Rice

The Merchants Company Nutrition and Food Systems Scholarship

Laura Ewoldt

Nancy Baker Endowment for Scholarships

Barbara Scott

Natia Z. Hutchins Education of the Deaf Endowment for Scholarships

Samantha Bouchillon

Natia Z. Hutchins Education of the Deaf Endowment for Scholarships

Kimberly Ladner

Nellie B. Hutchison Scholarship Endowment

Jennifer Neher

Norma Brogan Johnston Memorial Endowment in Nutrition and Food Systems

Emily Marshall

Norma Brogan Johnston Memorial Endowment in Nutrition and Food Systems

Lydia Nickens

Norma Brogan Johnston Memorial Endowment in Nutrition and Food Systems

Janna Talbert-LeHe

Quay Webb Camp Scholarship Endowment

LaKwanta Wilson

Ralph T. Wicker, MD Endowment

Kayla Stanley

Ray and Marilyn Thompson Scholarship Endowment

James Wells

Reed Green Scholarship Endowment

James Bueno Da Silva

Reginald and Sara Switzer Health Education Endowment

Danielle Lyons

Rhetta Ray Bailey Scholarship Endowment

Ashton Caves

Roger Brinegar Scholarship Endowment

Ashley Dyler

Roger Brinegar Scholarship Endowment

Alexandra Wald

Ruth Ann M. Broome Scholarship Endowment

Laura Ewoldt

Sandra Rose Keith Scholarship Endowment

Carlee Lewis

Sara Caldwell Graduate Social Work Endowment

Lacie Garber

William and Ramona Saxon Social Work Annual Scholarship Fund

Nkenge Allen

Annual Giving

Finances

The following is a snapshot of funds donated during fiscal year 2014 in support of the College of Health and all academic programs:

The following is a snapshot of the College of Healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget and expense accounts: Hattiesburg Campus Salaries

Total Fundraising , Includes Total Cash and Total Pledges

$794,915.01 Total Amount of Scholarship Gifts Received

$98,367.96 Total Number of Donors

529

FY2014 $6,188,870

Wages

545,579

Fringe

1,974,899

Travel

50,503

Contractual

108,880

Commodities

155,521

Equipment Total

Gulf Park Campus Salaries

9,000 $9,033,252

FY2014 $371,345

Wages

â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

Fringe

125,652

Travel

11,048

Contractual

5,782

Commodities

5,310

Equipment Total

$519,137

AA/EOE/ADAI UC 72033.5040 2.15