The Student Printz September 28, 2022 | Volume 108 Issue 5

USM Paid $1.75 Million to Exit C-USA

JACKSON HOWELL SM2 REPORTER

The University of South ern Mississippi paid $1.75 million to Con ference USA as “Con sideration Paid to the Conference for Early Withdrawal” according to an agreement docu ment obtained by the USM Student Media Center September 22.

The “Confidential Settlement Agreement and Mutual Release” was signed on March 29 by the presidents of USM, Marshall Uni versity and Old Dominion Univer sity — the three schools that left C-USA. According to the document, USM had 30 days to pay the settle ment from the time the document was approved. The Board of Trust ees of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning unanimously approved a motion to agree to this settlement on March 31.

Getting out of CUSA:

On Oct. 21, 2021, Southern Miss announced it would be leaving C-USA to join the Sun Belt in July 2023. Southern Miss held a press conference featuring former uni versity president Rodney Bennett, athletic director Jeremy McClain and SBC Commissioner Keith Gill to announce the move.

However, the university – along side Marshall and Old Dominion – decided to leave C-USA one year early in a joint announcement in February of this year. In a statement released Feb. 11 Southern Miss Athletics said, “The University has from the outset expressed its desire to work with Conference USA to achieve an amicable separation… Conference USA has so far refused to discuss any such arrangement with the University.”

Four days later, Conference USA held its ground and includ ed Southern Miss, Old Dominion and Marshall on its 2022 football schedule. The conference threat ened legal action, which led to the long process that followed.

The three universities received multiple temporary restraining orders against C-USA from their re spective local courts, with the first of these coming on Feb. 24. One

week later March 1, the Sun Belt Conference released its 2022 foot ball schedule, featuring Southern Miss and the other two universities. Southern Miss acknowledged this schedule release while it remained silent after C-USA’s release, putting it on two conference schedules.

Four weeks later March 29, the stalemate was broken. Confer ence USA and Southern Miss, Old Dominion and Marshall agreed on an exit plan. The three universities were free to join the Sun Belt Con ference. The Student Media Center requested a copy of the separation agreement, but Conference USA took it to court to keep the agree ment secret. Nearly six months later, the Student Media Center obtained the documents.

The Separation Agreement:

It was previously reported that the typical Conference USA exit fee was $3 million, but the conference and the universities agreed to settle for a $1.75 million buyout. This was also a penalty for not giving the required 14 months’ notice before leaving. Southern Miss was required to pay the fee within 30 calendar days of receiving the notice, which

they have done so.

The document revealed that Conference USA would not with hold any funding towards the universities from the NCAA, includ ing the academic enhancing fund, academic performance fund, stu dent assistance fund, sports spon sorships and grants-in-aid. Confer ence USA stated that they would not distribute any other funding towards the universities regarding the 2021-2022 fiscal year. This includes $400,000 for the C-USA television contract for football as well as $1 million from the confer ence for bowl appearances.

The agreement allowed Southern Miss to host the 2022 Conference USA Baseball Tournament as pre viously planned. There was debate on whether the conference would find a new host after Southern Miss broke the contract, but the tourna ment occurred at Pete Taylor Park as planned.

Confidentiality was an important aspect of the agreement, as Confer ence USA made it clear that it did not want the agreement to become public. The Student Media Center and other media organizations

requested a copy of the document on or around March 31, but C-USA filed a protective agreement on April 21 to keep the documents confidential. The matter was slated to go to court on Sept. 15 before C-USA changed course, allowing the documents to become public.

The agreement required Mar shall, Old Dominion and Southern Miss to refrain from disclosing the agreement with other universities. The documents specifically named Florida Atlantic, Charlotte, North Texas, UTSA and UAB as schools to not share the information with.

Speaking to Athletics Director Jeremy McClain:

Why was the decision made to leave C-USA a year early?

“There were a lot of attractive things about us joining the Sun Belt. We felt like it was the right thing, and we ended up speeding up that process. That was more about what was best for the uni versity. We felt like another year in Conference USA really would have

A C-USA flag flies above M. M. Roberts Stadium before the game in 2019.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2022

The Student Printz is the student-produced newspaper of the Southern Miss Student Media Center (SM2) in the School of Media and Communication at The University of Southern Mississippi. It is published every Wednesday morning and updated online at www.SM2media.com. The newspaper has been printed since 1927, serving the campus and community with news and information. Today, SM2 student journalists and media producers create and share stories with multiple medias on mul tiple platforms using the most modern technology housed in College Hall. SM2 includes Southern Miss Radio, Southern Miss TV, Southern Miss, SM2 Creative, and SM2 Strategic Communication.

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THE CONTRIBUTORS

The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.

SM2 Reporter

Shannon Barbin shannon.barbin@usm.edu

SM2 News Director

Kyra Lampley kyra.lampley@usm.edu

4th Street Sports Producer

Charlie Luttrell charles.luttrell@usm.edu

SM2 Sports Director

Austin Lindsey austin.lindsey@usm.edu

Printz Executive Editor

Loren Jones loren.jones@usm.edu

SMTV Executive Producer

Garret Grove garret.grove@usm.edu

SM2

Layout Team

Photo Editor

been a ‘lame duck’ year for us... We talked to the other members who were leaving, and then we wanted to talk to Conference USA about it... It was not an easy process, but it was the best thing for us.”

How important was it that you were allowed to host the C-USA Baseball Tournament following the split?

“It’s one of those things we had a lot of discussion about, and one of the things that was really import ant to me. So, I’m very thankful that we got to a place where we could all agree that that was what made the most sense... It was best for Southern Miss, and it was best for everyone involved.”

Is it true that Southern Miss will not receive any funds from the Sun Belt this year?

“Yeah, that’s true because they weren’t prepared. They had not budgeted for us to come in a year early, but that really didn’t change for us because we weren’t going to get revenue had we stayed in Conference USA. It didn’t change any of the numbers for us... but that is accurate that we won’t get distri bution this year. We’ll pick up next year... [There was] no additional fee or anything for joining early.”

How will you make up for the lost revenue over the coming years?

“We viewed the exit fee and some of the lost revenue as an investment... I’m going to use very round numbers here [and estimate], but... we’re going to save on travel costs and some other things over the course of time that are really going to add up for us. Let’s say that, amongst all sports, [we save roughly] $500,000 a year. Then on the revenue distribution side, we’re going to see an increase from the conference than we have in the past. [We’re going to see] a little bit more on TV and a little bit more in College Football Playoff revenue because of the competitive aspect.

Let’s say that ends up being around $500,000 a year, so we’re talking about a million dollars per year...

Think about that over the course of a decade. We view it as an invest ment and one that we will earn back very quickly.”

Can you clarify on the figures you gave estimates about?

“I’m just using round numbers. I don’t yet know what the TV and football distribution is going to be on the Sun Belt side, but we’re very optimistic that it will be significant ly more over the course of time... [the numbers] are just to be deter mined. But, part of our process was kind of guesstimating what some of that would be. I think that’s probably conservative, especially as we get four, five or six years out. I think that it’ll probably end up being more than that.”

28, 2022

Were you aware of the Sun Belt’s new television deal while you were in negotiations?

“We were aware that there were discussions happening with the new members coming in, and I think it’s really beneficial to us, obviously, when you go from 10 members to 14 members. If the television package doesn’t increase, then you’re splitting the pie more ways. So to get to a place where everyone could remain whole is a move in a positive direction. From a TV revenue standpoint, I thought it was really, really good and speaks to the partnership between the Sun Belt and ESPN. I thought that was really good news, and the expanded package means even more opportu nities... It didn’t affect our decision to join the Sun Belt, but we knew there was a really good chance some of those things would come together.”

What was the most difficult part of the transition?

“I think the obvious answer would be just leaving early, includ ing the hoops that everyone had to go through and the conversa tions that had to take place. That was not easy... that was the most difficult part of the transition, but really, it’s been smooth. Some of the conference officers have been great, and the Sun Belt members have been great. I know it’s been fun for me because I have a lot of

relationships in the league with a lot of the same athletic directors that were there when I was at Troy...

You saw kind of what can happen in this league from a competitiveness standpoint, and I think that’s really just the tip of the iceberg. I think we’re headed in a very positive direction.”

Where are we now?:

If McClain’s estimates are ac curate, then Southern Miss should be able to recoup their losses sooner rather than later. He esti mated that there would be savings of approximately $500,000 in travel costs paired with an increase of $100,000 from what Southern Miss was getting previously in the C-USA TV deal. While this year and potentially next year are tough years for the athletics department, McClain reiterated that they expect ed this and will come out stronger in the coming years.

Southern Miss officially joined the Sun Belt on July 1 after being a founding member of Confer ence USA. Southern Miss’ final sanctioned C-USA contest was the Hattiesburg Super Regional which concluded June 12.

Southern Miss’ first Sun Belt conference matchup was Septem ber 17 at Marshall where the Gold en Eagles won 3-1. Volleyball began SBC play September 23 against South Alabama, and football travels to Troy October 8 to begin confer ence play.

An inside look at Serengeti Springs, Hattiesburg’s new water park

Hattiesburg Zoo’s new water park, Serengeti Springs, is expected to open in summer 2023. The Hattiesburg Convention Commission has been planning the park for more than two years, and it will span over 3.5 acres of Kamper Park as an expansion of the zoo’s Africa section.

The water park, funded by the Hattiesburg Convention Commis sion, will cost an estimated $10.5 million from earned revenue and 2% restaurant tax.

Many zoos run off government subsidies to operate, so they are al ways looking for new ways to attract guests and bring in more revenue to support the care of the animals.

“The Hattiesburg Zoo has operat ed without a governmental subsidy since May of 2017,” said Rick Tay lor, executive director of the Hatties burg Convention Commission. “As such, we must find attractive ways to continue the growth of the zoo and how to fund that growth. We believe a waterpark is a part of that plan for the future.”

ti Springs has officially broken ground, but still has a long way to go. In fact, Serengeti Springs will not be complete totally until two to four years after the grand opening.

The build has been split into two phases. Phase one will include a 150,000-gallon lazy river, swimup bar and Fusion Fortress — a water play structure standing at 62 feet high with “some straight slides and several with twists and turns,” according to a press release from the Hattiesburg Convention Com mission.

Serengeti Springs will also include plenty of places to lounge while diving into a meal from var ious food trucks around the park. In addition, it will be complete with lockers, changing rooms and show ers.

The large bucket will be the tall est structure inside Fusion Fortress and will dump 800 gallons of water onto guests at random. This water will then be captured, treated and recycled for more visitors to enjoy.

Serengeti Springs will operate from Memorial Day through Labor Day and is designed for people of all ages to enjoy in the summer months, including those disabled. Serengeti Springs will also be

accessible to most people, except in places where climbing stairs is necessary.

“I know the kids will love the Fusion Fortress,” Taylor said, “but I also know the adults who bring them to the Zoo will love the relax ation of the Lazy River.”

The waterpark will be “…all in the design to highlight the animals and environment of Africa,” ac cording to the press release, and will include animal presentations alongside the tropical animals that will live at Serengeti Springs.

Phase two will complete the construction of Serengeti Springs by adding 4 additional slides and is ex pected to begin between two to four years following the grand opening.

“Phase two will not impact the ongoing operations of Serengeti Springs, just as this first phase will not impact the operations of the zoo,” said Taylor. There will al ways be a way to have fun at either the Hattiesburg Zoo or Serengeti Springs year-round, even during the construction of phase two.

BROOKE

Serengeti Springs concept image. Courtesy of Hattiesburg Convention Commission

Southern Miss rings the bell in 27-24 win against Tulane

CHARLIE LUTTRELL 4TH STREET SPORTS PRODUCTER

Southern Miss has taken a ride down a bumpy road the past few years, but the feeling after the Golden Eagles beat Tulane on the road 27-24 Saturday was one of relief and clarity.

“The road has no pavement on it, it was gravel, and there were a lot of holes with some trees knocked down in it. It’s been a really, really tough road, but it is starting to get clear and it’s starting to get better,” Head Coach Will Hall said. “We’re a much more talented team, we’ve got a young quarterback who’s got a chance to be a really good player, so the road is starting to get where we can drive a little bit faster on and that’s on me. We’ve got to continue to coach and get better at the things we’re not great at yet.”

Southern Miss entered as dou ble-digit underdogs but pulled off the program’s first win against Tulane since 2010 after losing two straight in the series. Hall has reiterated each week that the program is growing, and for the players who have endured and trusted in the journey, it was all the sweeter of a moment.

“Being in the moment right there was just tears of joy because we’ve worked so hard,” defensive back Natrone Brooks said. “Last week, we got to win, but everybody expected it and everyone counted us out this week. But we always knew we were cable of getting that win versus a rival.”

“I feel like that game was strictly about Southern Miss,” defensive back Eric Scott, Jr said. “We had to get back to our roots, our DNA and that’s what this game was about. It was us against us. It was showing ourselves that we deserved and desire to be in this position. We desire to make the plays that we make and that’s what happened.”

While the box score shows that Tulane dominated the yardage 451-253, Southern Miss pulled off with the win thanks to de fensive stops and an all-around special teams performance.

The Nasty Bunch racked up four sacks and put points on the board from a momentum-shifting

pick-six from Scott in the fourth quarter that put Southern Miss up from an insurmountable 2717 lead.

Brooks, the Sun Belt Confer ence Special Teams Player of the Week last week, made his case for another award with his per formance against Tulane. Brooks blocked a field goal in the fourth quarter that set a field goal for Southern Miss.

“My mentality on special teams is just to go hard because a lot of teams look at it as a play off. I look at it as an opportunity to go the hardest,” Brooks said.

Perhaps underlooked from the star performers of the defense and special teams was the poise of true freshman Zach Wilcke in his third career start. Wilcke fin ished the game 17 of 25 for 194 yards and two touchdowns.

Hall praised Wilcke’s perfor mance and noted the difference between the first half and second half. Southern Miss started with a 14-0 deficit after an eight-yard touchdown and a 34-yard score from Tulane’s running back Tyjae Spears before coming back into the game.

“He really grew up in the sec ond half. I thought his eyes were right all game long and he really took some steps forward and

we’ve got to continue to grow with it. We’re going to be an explosive offense before this year is over…I hoped we could put two halves together like the second half and we didn’t, but we’re going to con tinue to improve,” Hall said.

The Golden Eagles bounced back from the two-possession gap in the second quarter as Wil cke found Jason Brownlee for a 23-yard touchdown. The Golden Eagles made it 14-10 the next drive with a Briggs Bourgeois field goal and went into halftime down 17-10.

Wilcke’s connection in the second half became apparent as he found Jakarius Caston for a 37-yard touchdown in the third quarter to tie the game at 17 apiece.

“In the second half, I felt calm and relaxed. The offensive line was giving me time and the defense did a really good job,” Wilcke said.

Brownlee and Caston com bined for 159 of Wilcke’s 194 yards, with Caston earning a career-high eight catches for 91 yards and a score. Brownlee had three catches for 68 yards and a score.

“There’s never a moment they’re [Brownlee and Caston] not locked in and not wanting to play.

They want to make the big play when it comes to them,” Wilcke said.

Southern Miss pulled away with the lead from the fourth-quarter interception and finished the game with a threepoint lead after allowing a late touchdown from quarterback Mi chael Pratt to Jha’Quan Jackson.

The celebration followed for the Golden Eagles as they rang the victory bell and accidentally broke it from its platform. Quar terback Jake Lange lifted the bell and continued the celebration.

“We were ringing the heck out of it. If it did [break], there’s a lot of great welders in Hattiesburg,” Hall said.

Southern Miss enjoyed the taste of victory with the Golden Eagles fans who made the trip to Yulman Stadium, something that Brooks said the team appreciated.

“Our fans do a great job to support us wherever we’re at,” Brooks said. “We can go to Ha waii and you’re gonna see black and gold. Our support is just amazing.”

That support system will have to wait a week before the Golden Eagles make a road trip to Troy in a Sun Belt Conference showdown on Oct. 8.

Southern Miss players carry the bell after winning The Battle for the Bell at Yulman Stadium against Tulane.

Charlie Luttrell, 4th Street Sports Porducer

Southern Miss Volleyball splits series with South Alabama

outhern Miss (8-5, 0-1 Sun Belt) dropped its Sun Belt opener to South Alabama (7-6, 1-0 Sun Belt) in four sets on Friday. The Golden Eagles’ two-headed monster of Mia Wesley and Kenzie Smith did not disappoint as the duo combined for 27 kills and 50 assists.

Southern Miss and South Ala bama combined for 14 ties over the first two sets as the two teams each took a set from one another. With the first set tied at 10-all, South Alabama used a 6-2 run to pull ahead on the Golden Eagles.

Freshman Cailin Demps took over in the second set to propel the Golden Eagles to a 25-21 win. Demps recorded four kills and a block in the second set, while Cara Atkinson added three kills and a block.

South Alabama took a firm grasp of the momentum in the third set as they grabbed a 1-0 lead and never relinquished it. It would lead by as many as six before South Miss cut the deficit to 20-19 on an Atkinson kill. Wesley would briefly make it 24-21, but the Jaguars responded to win the set, 25-21.

The fourth set featured six ties and two lead changes, but South Alabama hung on to win, 28-26. Demps and Wesley each had six kills in the set, while Madi Bowles had two of her four kills in the final frame. The Golden Eagles had set point at 26-25, but a kill, Southern Miss attacking error, and Jaguar block sealed the victory.

Wesley’s game-high 26 kills came with a .250 hitting percent age, while Atkinson finished with 11 kills and a .500 hitting percent age.

Sophomore Megan Harris ex ploded for a career-high 32 digs, which was the most of any player on either team. Demps finished with a career-high 12 kills after set ting her previous best last weekend.

Game Two:

Southern Miss fell short of a comeback against South Alabama Friday but lasted against the Jag uars in a five-set thriller Saturday.

In the fifth set, knotted at 14, all Gillian Hidalgo forced a match

point, setting up a Cara Atkinson spike down the middle, giving Southern Miss its first SBC win.

“I’m so proud of our team after we lost a tough one last night where we felt like we started out slow and fought back. We had our mindset coming in today to exe cute from the start of the match,” Head Volleyball Head Coach Jenny Hazelwood said.

Atkinson finished with 15 kills with a .275 hitting percentage and three blocks, finishing second in kills.

“She’s so competitive that we know we can get her the ball in the most clutch situations,” Hazelwood said.

The Golden Eagles opened early with a 9-6 lead after a Mia Wesley spike to left court. The Jaguars then rallied back and eventually grasped the set 25-19.

Southern Miss led 6-3 in the second set after an emphatic block at the net by Demps. The Golden Eagles held this three-point lead until South Alabama pushed back to 14-13. Afterward, Southern Miss exploded its offense on a fourpoint rally.

South Alabama wouldn’t go away, though, responding to within one point again at 22-21 on an attack error. The Golden Eagles pulled away as Atkinson called the

set the game on a spike to end the set 25-23.

Southern Miss grasped the lead at 11-9 in the third on a lengthy rally. Southern Miss clawed to hold on to this lead, taking a 2017 lead on Gillian Hidalgo & Ari Barksdale’s block at the net on the Jaguars. Atkinson dropped a kill over the net on another set point, taking the set 25-22.

The Jaguars opened the fourth set poised to force a fifth by taking an early 5-2 lead. The Jaguars con tinued to thrive on this lead after an ace by Paige Lynn at 13-8 and expanded the lead to ten at 21-11.

Hannah Muddax ended the set 25-12 with a hard kill in search of a sweep against Southern Miss.

Maddox finished the day with 23 kills on a .215 hitting percent age, four blocks, and seven digs.

“The unique thing about volley ball is the score starts at zero every time, and you have to win three of them. The mental piece of being that focused is that you have to be focused on every small detail. Go ing up 2-1 one, we lost a little bit of mental focus and got frustrated, leading to more points scored, “ Hazelwood said.

“Our message to them at the start of the fifth set was to flush it, let it go, it’s over, and we can not hold on to it in the slightest bit,”

Hazelwood said.

Southern Miss opened the final set on a mission, leading 3-0 as Mia Wesley opened with two kills to begin. South Alabama began to find its groove, scoring the last seven points of the previous nine points in the set.

Cailin Demps helped the Gold en Eagles meet the challenge, assisting the Golden Eagles in regaining the lead at 8-7.

Down the stretch, things would be tied at ten all until a thump ing kill by Cara Atkinson gave the Golden Eagles a one-point lead at 11-10.

At 13-11, Wesley sparked excite ment through the Wellness Center on a kill.

South Alabama hung in a cou ple of plays longer, but Hidalgo forced a match point on a touch over the net as Cara Atkinson closed the match.

Wesley led all scores in kills with 24 on the day and 25 digs on two blocks.

Kenzie Smith also broke her previous career high of 59 assists versus Stephen F. Austin with 61 assists on the day.

Southern Miss (9-5, 1-1) now hosts Troy (7-7,1-1) back at the Wellness Center Friday on Sept. 30 at 6.

Mia Wesley, left, sticks her tongue out, as Cailin Demps, right, smiles while they celebrates a point during their match against the University of South Alabama on Saturday, September 24 in Hattiesburg.

Sean Smith, SM2 Photo Editor

SPORTS

Homecoming Court 2022

SHANNON BARBIN

REPORTER

The University of Southern Mississippi announced the 2022 homecoming Court on Sept. 20 and Sept. 22. Dating back to the fall of 1925, homecoming has been a beloved tradition for the Hattiesburg location. USM has several traditions tied into homecoming, beginning Monday Oct. 9.

Freshman Beau was presented to Oliver Young III. Young is native of Biloxi. He is majoring in Kinesiology and plans to become a health coach. On campus, he is involved in the Afro-American Student Organization and the Student Alumni Association.

“Becoming the Beau of my fresh man class to me presents an opportu nity for my peers and I to connect with one another through various com munity events, service and day to day life on campus,” Young said. “I hope to engage with my student body and build positive relationships along my journey through college. For me, this is a great first step to greater opportuni ties that will arise in the future.”

Sophomore Beau was presented to Dylan Littles.

Junior Beau was presented to Mar’Ques McCray. McCray is a native of Heidelberg. He is majoring in Kine siology and plans to become a phys ical therapist or a physical therapist assistant. On campus, he in involved in the track team, Men of Excellence, Student Government Association and the National Communications Coordi nator for the Residence Hall Associa tion. “Being Junior Beau is more than just a title. It’s an honor. This is because throughout my life, I faced trials and obstacles that were challeng ing, but I did not let challenges detour me from reaching my goals,” McCray said. “This election has shown me that no matter what happens or what may seem to happen, always remain true to yourself. It assured me that in God all things are possible, even the impos sible. So being Junior Beau to me means being a representation for my classmates and others to show them that if you want to be something, go af ter it, but also embrace the moment.”

Senior Beau was presented to Keedrick Palmer. Palmer is a native of Jackson. He is majoring in therapeutic recreation with a minor in psychology and plans on getting his certification to work as a RT before going to grad school to study occupational therapy and becoming an OT. On campus, he is a member of he Southern Miss Activities Council, TRIO Scholar, Eagle F1rst, Vice president of the Recre ational Therapy Club and the current Man of Distinction pageant scholar ship recipient for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.

“Senior Beau to me means always exemplifying what it means to be a Golden Eagle and making positive contributions to not only my class mates but the University, leaving it better than I found it,” Palmer said.

“As my Golden Eagle journey has not always been a smooth flight, it has had rough winds and storms. However, I want to showcase that it is not about your past situation, current conditions but your final destination. You can soar high here at Southern Miss and reach your fullest potential with plenty

of help along the way. Just keep push ing and you’ll see it through.”

Graduate Beau was presented to Sean Smith.

Student Body Beau was presented to Emmanuel Carney.

Freshman Maid was presented to Mary Morgan Wert.

Sophomore Maid was presented to Taylor Adair. Adair is a native of Aberdeen. She is a nursing major and plans to pursue a nursing career in Texas, where she will work as a pediat ric nurse. Once she gains experience in the field, she will then return to college to further her education to become a pediatric nurse practitioner. On campus, Aberdeen is involved in the Student Eagle Club, M.A.P.S., Women of Empowerment Association and a Golden Eagle Welcome Week Leader. She also serves in the Army National Guard.

“Being elected as sophomore Maid is more than a title to me. It is an accomplishment. I am so appreciative of the support I have received through out the campaign process, and I am truly excited,” Adair said. “Running for Sophomore Maid, my goal was to represent my class in a positive way and be a great role model for those watching. This is exactly what I plan to do. Being Sophomore Maid, I feel that I will further embody what it means to be a Golden Eagle. Being a person of integrity, respect and kindness, I will express those aspects on and off campus.”

Junior Maid was presented to Laila Peters.

Senior Maid was presented to Car rington Brown.

Graduate Maid was presented to Zoe Scruggs-Gore. Scruggs is a native of Oxford. She is currently working on her third year of becoming a Doctor of Audiology and plans to continue providing audiologic services to the people of Mississippi. Scruggs is an active member of the Student Eagle Club.

“Being Graduate Maid at South ern Miss means the world to me. My dad graduate from USM in the 80’s and made certain that I was a Golden Eagle before we ever moved to Oxford. Going to Ole Miss was never a dream of mine despite growing up in that at mosphere. My end goal was to always end up at Southern Miss. My love for the school began a long time ago, and I am honored that my peers elected me to represent the graduate students on campus,” Scruggs said. “Being graduate maid also means a lot to me because it has given me he opportuni ty to raise awareness for the audiology profession. I want to encourage others to think about their hearing health and seek help when necessary. The graduate Maid election has made it easier for me to share my platform, and hopefully it reaches those who need to “hear” it. Overall, I am hon ored and excited for this opportunity.”

Student Body Maid was presented to Kaela Barnicle.

Miss Southern Miss was presented to Gigi Rivera.

Mr. Southern Miss was presented to James Jefferson III. Jefferson is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is majoring in economics with a minor in history and plans to pursue a law career while furthering his military career. His ultimate goal is to become a judge advocate general in the United

States Air Force. On campus, Jefferson is involved in Southern Style 2022 Leader, a Resident Assistant for six semesters, Southern Miss Activities Council, immediate past president of the Men of Excellence, spring 2022 initiate of the Mu Xi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and the vice president of the public relations for the National Pan-Hellenic Council for the Southern Miss campus.

“To me, being Mr. Southern Miss is the cumulative results of all the hard work over the years. Five years ago, and 18-year-old kid from Louisi ana began college here on this cam pus, unbeknownst to him, the trials, tribulations and success that would so follow,” said Jefferson. “Each year during Homecoming, I would look at all the candidates and just marvel at their accomplishments. I did not know however, that I was on my own path to my own success and that other students would feel the same way. I al ways felt like being successful or being Mr. Southern, you had to fit a specific image or status quo. I am here today as proof that both of those ideas are false. Being Mr. Southern Miss is my crowning achievement at USM, and I vow to serve in this capacity to the very best of my ability.”

Homecoming Queen was presented to Krystin Maddox. Maddox is a native of Mobile, Alabama. She is majoring in public health and plans to be a physician assistant. On campus, she is involved in the Afro-American Student Organization, president of the Mu Nu chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Eagle Service Ambassador for the office of Inclusion and Multicultural engagement, a Southern Style Leader and the Office of Admissions Tour guide. “Being homecoming queen means knowing that my hard work and dedication to the university, Hatties burg community and the student body

as a whole had not gone unnoticed,” Maddox said. “This is a goal I have had since my freshman year in 2019, and I have worked tirelessly to obtain it. I hope my campaign and platform inspired at least one Golden Eagle to be authentically themselves and go after everything they put their minds to.”

Homecoming King was presented to Kenny Ellzey. Ellzey is native of Kirby. He is majoring in media and entertainment arts major and plans to become a creative director within the film industry. On campus, he is involved in the Student Involvement Ambassador, Southern Miss Activities Council, Eagle Connection President, Golden Eagle Welcome Week Leader, Southern Style Orientation Leader and a campus tour guide.

“I believe serving in this role as Homecoming King means embodying what it means to be a Golden Eagle. It means to persevere through trials, step out of your comfort zone to try new things, and always give it your all,” Ellzey said. “These are all aspects that speak to my journey throughout my past three years here at Southern Miss.”

The University of Southern Missis sippi will host its 2022 Homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 15. The Gold en Eagle football team will be playing against the Arkansas State Red Wolves.

“With the excitement of joining the Sun Belt Conference, there is no doubt that Homecoming 2022 will be memorable for Golden Eagle fans everywhere,” said Jerry DeFatta, exec utive director of the Southern Miss Alumni Association. “Homecoming is always an exciting time on campus as it provides us with an opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni and recognize former students who have played a vital role in the life of the University.”

Homecoming Queen Krystin Maddox and Homecoming King Kenneth Ellzey

Shannon Barbin, SM2

The best places to study on campus

SIMEON GATES

All Southern Miss students understand how important it is to have the perfect study conditions. USM’s campus has no shortage of options for students looking for a place to get work done. To pick the best one, let’s have a general overview of five common op tions: Cook Library, the Courtyard, the R.C. Cook Union and the dorms. Stu dents from around campus gave their input on which location they prefer.

Dr. Ashley Burnside from the Center for Student Success also weighed in on the topic.

Location is an important factor in having a successful work session.

“I think largely a lot of how efficient or effective studying is dependent upon the environment in which the student is studying, but also what is the goal the student wants to get out of that ses sion,” said Dr. Burnside, Director of the Center for Student Success.

“There are, though, some things that just historically don’t work well for students,” she added.

This means that when choosing the right study spot, a student must weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each location, as well as their own goals and preferences.

Arguably the most popular choice is Cook Library. It is open during peak work hours — until midnight most days, and until 5 p.m. on weekends. The great thing about Cook Library is that it has a wide variety of locations, from the Starbucks to the study rooms to the couch outside the Center for Student Success. This also means the level of distractions and comfort vary depending on your location.

Sophomore Mackenzie Loyd said that she’s studied all over campus, but the library is the best.

“It’s just a peaceful environment,” Loyd said. “And, you know, there’s Star bucks in there.”

Right outside the library is the

Seize the Seizure

GARRET GROVE SMTV EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Imagine sitting in class or in The Fresh with some friends.

The person sitting next to you suddenly has a seizure.

Would you know what to do?

Kahla Myers is trying to guaran tee your answer to that question is yes.

Myers is a junior special edu cation major at The University of Southern Mississippi. She created a website to help inform others about seizures.

The website, called ‘Seize the Seizure,’ started as a class assign ment.

“I chose seizures ‘cause you nev er know who may have a seizure or a seizure condition,” Myers said.

The website provides informa tion on types of seizures, first aid measures, and more. It also talks about Kahla Myers’ history with seizures. One seizure Myers expe rienced caused her to be in a coma for two months. Her muscles and joints atrophied.

She hadto relearn how to walk. To this day, she still uses a walker.

Despite this and additional challenges, Myers is not hesitant to tell others about her experience.

“I’d say that’s a hobby of mine, to share my story,” Myers said. “It’s just something I like to do from

time to time.”

This story served as the founda tion of a website informing others about seizures.

It is more detailed than a typical class assignment.

However, lack of awareness about first aid measures is still a problem.

Last semester, Myers had a seizure on campus. No one who witnessed her seizure knew how to react. She was seizing for five min utes before someone called 911.

“I could have died. But I didn’t, so I’m really thankful for that,” Myers said.

No one knew what to do when Myers’ seizure happened.

However, the website Myers created has gained visibility outside of her class.

Other professors have also incorporated the website and the information it presents into their curriculums.

This website aims to ensure that someone will know what to do when a classmate or friend has a seizure.

Myers’ efforts seek to ensure that what happened to her last spring will not occur again on campus.

Visit website at kahlakakes. wixsite.com

Courtyard, for those who want to study outdoors. It is great for days with nice weather and is available day and night. It is also close to Starbucks and Southern Wings. However, studying outside has its drawbacks. If the crowds of people don’t make it hard to focus, the heat and limited areas to charge electronics might. Besides these issues, studying outside can be very rejuvenat ing.

“On days when it’s sunny it’s really nice because you can sit in the shade and enjoy the weather,” said junior Madison Trahan.

Another great option is the R.C. Cook Union. This location is sand wiched between the Chick-fil-a, Sub way and the cafeteria, so food is not a problem. It is a great stop for students in-between classes or meals. There are plenty of seats and outlets, with the upper floors offering more quiet. But its presence as an in-between location means that there can be a lot of crowds and distractions in break periods, espe

cially on the first floor.

Freshman Demeter Ross doesn’t mind, though. “I like studying in the Union because it’s a big open space, and I do better when I’m out in the open,” he said. “It’s better to study here when there’s a minimal amount of people and the sun is out, because you get that rush of energy.”

Lastly, there is always the option to skip traveling and study at home. It is always “open,” and food is usually free. There are the usual comforts of studying indoors without all the crowds. However, everyone’s living situation is different. Some people could find it more distracting if they have a room mate or live in a noisy area.

For others, like sophomore Sydney Harrison, it is ideal. “It’s comfortable and it provides a nice Zen space for me to be away from people,” she said.

No matter where the work gets done, the most important thing is to have a plan that fits your needs

2022