Southern Miss Business 2018-19 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

HOMECOMING It is my distinct privilege to serve as the next dean of the College of Business and Economic Development at The University of Southern Mississippi.

As an alumnus of Southern Miss, I know the business school has a long and proud history of developing the business leaders of South Mississippi and beyond, and it is an honor to be chosen to carry on its great tradition.

The commitment and spirit of our students, faculty and staff make this a special place, and I am elated to be the new leader of such an important and inspiring group of people.

As dean of the College of Business and Economic Development, I am proud to look back with you on a successful 2018-19 academic year. I hope you’ll take the time to look through this annual report containing the impressive accomplishments of the past year, including impactful research contributions, notable program rankings, critical real-world connections, and the impressive successes and accolades of our students and faculty.

We have much to be proud of, and the future promises to be even greater!

I am incredibly grateful to serve as dean of such a dedicated community of faculty and staff, who are so committed to building future business leaders and positively impacting the lives of our students. I hope you enjoy this annual report, and if you have any questions or feedback, feel free to contact me at bret.becton@usm.edu.

Kind Regards,

J. Bret Becton, Ph.D. Dean

VISION AND MISSION VISION

WE INSPIRE POSITIVE CHANGE AS WE CULTIVATE TALENT AND CONNECT WITH ORGANIZATIONS.

MISSION WE CREATE EXCELLENCE IN THE USE OF CORE BUSINESS CONCEPTS, BUILD KNOWLEDGE THROUGH SCHOLARSHIP, PROMOTE PROGRESS IN OUR PEOPLE, AND SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COMMUNITIES. 2|

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IN THE SOUTHERN MISS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, OUR VALUES EMPHASIZE THAT WE ARE

GENUINE RELEVANT INCLUSIVE TENACIOUS

EMPHASIZING THE INTEGRITY OF OUR INTERACTIONS AS WE VALUE AUTHENTICITY

IN SYNC WITH CHANGING TIMES, RESEARCHING AND TEACHING CONCEPTS THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO BUSINESS

WELCOMING AND SUPPORTIVE FOR ALL WHO WANT TO ENHANCE THEIR BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE

PERSISTENT, DETERMINED, STEADFAST, TIRELESS AND FIRM, HOLDING FAST TO OUR GOALS AND DREAMS FOR OURSELVES, OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITIES

OUR GRIT AND DETERMINATION SHOW. ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 4|

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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30

41

21 MBA at a Glance

32 Hard Work Pays Off

43 Faculty Intellectual Contributions and Impact

7 Business Engagement

22 Mississippi Defense Diversification Initiative

34 Serving Love on a Plate

8 Connecting With Real-world Leaders

23 International Business Program

14 Affiliated Center Contributions

24 Experiential Learning in the School of Marketing

17 Immersed in the Field

27 Analytics Initiative

Homecoming 2 Vision and Mission 6 By the Numbers

Preparing Students to Lead

The Study Abroad Experience

36 Breaking the Mold 38 Where Do They Go After Graduation?

Traveling to Success

47 In Memoriam 48 Recognizing Extraordinary Student Efforts 52 Student Outcomes

40 New Courses and Certificates

28 The Internship Experience

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19

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BY THE NUMBERS For the first time in history, USM welcomed MORE THAN 2,000 first-time, fulltime freshman students to the university for the 2018-19 academic year.

THIS IS AN 11% INCREASE OF ENROLLED FROM FALL 2017.

2,221

TOTAL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDENTS

“When you offer something of exceptional quality, you get noticed. When you offer something that is both unique and of the highest quality, you win awards. Nowhere is this truer than with University of Southern Mississippi’s MBA in Sport Event Security Management, the only MBA concentration of its kind available anywhere in the world.” - Quote from onlinembapage.com Top Online MBA Programs in Sport Management recognizing our MBA with Sport Event Security Management emphasis, Online MBA Page, 2019-20

#36 are from the College 27% ofof student-athletes Business and Economic Development

Best Online Undergraduate Business School in the nation by College Consensus, 2019

#36 Best Online Business School in the nation by SuccessfulStudent.org, 2019

Top Universities for Professional Sales Education in the Nation, Sales Education Foundation Annual Report, 2019 #119 Best Online MBA Program, U.S. News & World Report, 2019 #17 Best Online MBA Program, Affordable Colleges Online, 2018-19 #41 Best MBA Degree Program Online, Best College Reviews, 2018 #136 Best Online MBA Program, U.S. News & World Report, 2018 #188 in the Top 200 Best Part-Time MBA Program, U.S. News and World Report, 2018

#1 BEST ONLINE BUSINESS SCHOOL IN MISSISSIPPI BY SUCCESSFULSTUDENT.ORG, 2019

#8 BEST ONLINE MASTER’S DEGREE IN SPORT MANAGEMENT BY BESTCOLLEGEREVIEWS.ORG, 2019

#18 Most Affordable Online Master’s Degree in Sport Management, OnlineU.org, 2019 #26 Top International Business program in the country by study.com, 2019

#16 Most Affordable Online Colleges for Business

for the Business program by OnlineU.org, 2019

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT

ACC Advisory Board – During the 2018-19 academic year, the School of Accountancy Advisory Board has experienced an 85% increase in membership, welcoming 11 new members to the group. Dr. Marvin Bouillon, director of the School of Accountancy, has worked to increase membership and participation in the school's Advisory Board since he began in July 2018.

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Members of the Partner’s Advisory Council (PAC)

"The School of Accountancy Advisory Board members’ input and contributions are critical to the success of the school. We hope to expand the board to include members from governmental organizations, corporations and junior colleges. We are looking for successful accounting executives interested in being a part of something great," said Bouillon. "Additionally, we have invited the president of Beta Alpha Psi to join, as a student member."

96 86 Friends of the BAC

Members of the Business Advisory Council (BAC)

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CONNECTING WITH REAL-WORLD LEADERS ALUMNA OF THE YEAR

Joy Lightsey at Alumna of the Year

Joy Lightsey was selected as the 2018 Alumna of the Year by the College of Business and Economic Development. Lightsey earned her business administration degree in accounting from Southern Miss in 1973. She worked as the senior vice president of operations for SunTech Inc. and served in that capacity for over 10 years before the company was sold, and she began consulting with the new owners over the next two years before retiring. Since retiring, she has been actively involved with the Southern Miss community, as she currently serves on the Board of Directors for the USM Foundation. Additionally, Lightsey established an endowment for accounting students and served as the chair of the Building Better Business campaign in 2015, supporting the completion of what we now know as Scianna Hall.

Left to Right, President Rodney D. Bennett, Robert St. John, Dr. Stacey A. Hall

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR Robert St. John, restaurateur and author, was recognized as the 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year. St. John has spent almost 40 years in the restaurant business, 30 of which have been as the owner of the Purple Parrot, Crescent City Grill, Mahogany Bar, Branch, Tabella, Ed’s Burger Joint, The Midtowner and Midtown Donut in Hattiesburg, Miss. In 2009, St. John founded Extra Table, a statewide non-profit organization that ships over 14 tons of healthy food to over 39 Mississippi soup kitchens and mission pantries every month. St. John is the author of 11 books with the 12th book, Palate to Palette: An Italian Travel Journal, in the works. Additionally, he has written a weekly syndicated newspaper column for over 20 years.

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

CONNEC TING WITH RE AL-WORLD LE ADERS

EXPERIENCE BUSINESS CASUALLY The college hosted its annual Experience Business Casually event this fall, allowing students to interact with business professionals from the community.

The event encourages students to network with professionals in a casual, comfortable environment by visiting stations that highlight particular topics, such as handshake tips, résumé and cover letter critique, financial tips, graduate school information and internships.

ARE YOU A BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING? EMAIL BAILEY.HARRIS@USM.EDU TO SIGN UP!

Over 300 College of Business and Economic Development students were in attendance.

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19

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CONNEC TING WITH RE AL-WORLD LE ADERS

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FORUM Experts from banking, finance, economics and academia came together to explore research related to the economic outlook for 2019. Dr. Darrin Webb, state economist for Mississippi, and Adrienne Slack, VP and regional executive of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, spoke about economic trends and forecasts for 2019.

Sponsored by the College of Business and Economic Development, the Trent Lott National Center and The First, A National Banking Association

“THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FORUM CONTINUES TO GROW EVERY YEAR. IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH PEOPLE FROM THE GULF SOUTH REGION, TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON AND HOW OUR COMPANY CAN BE OF SERVICE. WE BELIEVE THE CONFERENCE GIVES THOSE IN ATTENDANCE A SOLID FOUNDATION OF ECONOMIC EXPECTATIONS UPON WHICH TO PLAN THE UPCOMING YEAR.” Quote from M. Ray “Hoppy” Cole, President and CEO of The First, A National Banking Association From left to right: M Ray “Hoppy” Cole, Adrienne Slack, Dr. Darrin Webb, President Rodney D. Bennett

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

CONNEC TING WITH RE AL-WORLD LE ADERS

INSPIRED LEADERS SERIES The goal of the Inspired Leaders Series is to invite industry leaders to answer the question, “What inspires you?” Over the 2018-19 academic year, we have had the honor of hosting two executives, Ms. Maxine Coleman and Mr. Duane Lock. During each of their visits, they were able to engage students in large- and small-group settings through conversations about what has inspired them in their lives and careers.

Ms. Maxine Coleman, a retired executive from Mars Inc., was chosen as the fall 2018 Inspired Leader. Ms. Coleman served as vice president, personnel and organization for Mars Inc., as well as an instructor at several universities as part of the National Urban League's Black Executive Exchange Program. Prior to working for Mars, Ms. Coleman worked in several management positions in personnel and marketing.

Spring 2019 Inspired Leader and alumnus, Mr. Duane Lock, currently serves as the founder and president of River Oaks Energy in Dallas, Texas. Lock earned his undergraduate degree from Southern Miss in 1983. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, he worked in corporate America for nearly 20 years. Lock used his extensive experience from holding senior management positions for publicly traded energy companies to become an entrepreneur and launch his own electricity brokering and consulting company in 2003.

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19

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CONNEC TING WITH RE AL-WORLD LE ADERS

Companies and students turned out in record numbers for this year’s event. A total of 81 representatives from 30 companies and 147 students participated in the 2018 Meet The Firms.

MEET THE FIRMS Meet the Firms is an annual career fair designed to benefit both accounting students and recruiting firms. Accounting firms from all over the nation are invited to showcase their organization’s attributes to undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Accountancy. This venue provides the business professionals an outlet to meet and connect with potential candidates from Southern Miss to fill positions within their companies, whether that be internships or fulltime career positions.

Hosted by College of Business and Economic Development, School of Accountancy

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

100% PLACEMENT FOR USM STUDENTS IN THE MASTER OF PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANCY PROGRAM

CONNEC TING WITH RE AL-WORLD LE ADERS

EAGLES ENGAGED IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP With the guidance of Dr. SherRhonda Gibbs, students in the Entrepreneurship program hosted an event to provide a venue for students to learn more about how to succeed as an entrepreneur. Welcoming students of all majors who aspire to be entrepreneurs, the event included creative activities, a “shark tank” challenge, and short presentations by local entrepreneurs on topics such as startup funding, human resources and marketing. Additionally, they were provided information on the resources available to them on campus and were given an opportunity to network with seasoned entrepreneurs and business owners.

Students enrolled in the New Venture Creation course also had the opportunity to earn certificates in ETHICAL LEADERSHIP, GOOGLE ANALYTICS and ADVANCED GOOGLE ANALYTICS.

The event is the first of its kind to be held at Southern Miss and is part of a class project for students in the New Venture Creation course in the School of Management.

Over 100 participants!

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19

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AFFILIATED CENTER CONTRIBUTIONS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION In addition to curriculum development and teacher training in entrepreneurship, economics and financial literacy, the Southern Entrepreneurship Program (SEP) serves as the center’s flagship initiative.

SEP at a Glance The Southern Entrepreneurship Program provides Mississippi youth a head start in becoming our state’s future business leaders and innovators through a hands-on approach to opportunity recognition and real solution development.

During the 2018-19 school year, the SEP engaged around 700 students, hosted 8 events, coordinated 44 volunteers, and awarded $6,750 to winners.

Since 2007, the SEP has provided engaging high school programs to over 5,500 students through a growing statewide network of 66 schools and 110 educators.

Among SEP students interested in Southern Miss, 100% stated SEP participation played a role in the university's appeal, with 75% reporting this influence to be significant.

"THE SEP COMPETITION IS ONE OF THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITIES AND CONTRIBUTIONS EVER MADE TO OUR YOUTH AND TO OUR COMMUNITIES. THIS PROGRAM REMINDS OUR STUDENTS THAT THEIR TALENTS ARE WORTHY OF FINANCIAL GAIN AND ARE VALUABLE TO OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH. WHEN THEY WIN, WE AS A SOCIETY WIN. FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA (FBLA) AT BILOXI HIGH SCHOOL BELIEVES SO MUCH IN THIS PROGRAM THAT WE STARTED TO SUPPORT IT FINANCIALLY THIS YEAR, AND I PERSONALLY PLAN TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM AFTER RETIREMENT!" - Clementine Fantroy (Instructor, Biloxi High School)

More than 500 students and educators attended the 2018-19 statewide kickoff event, SEP ARRIVE! Pictured, from left to right, are young entrepreneurs sharing their startup stories: JJ Townsend, Citizenville.org; Nick Wallace, Nick Wallace Culinary; Chelsey Jones, Makeup by Chels; Josh Frazier, Torrus; Christopher Lomax, Pearlbend; Leslie Saucier, Leslie Saucier Art; James Wilcox, director of the SEP and the Southern Miss Center for Economic and Entrepreneurship Education. (photo by Greg Campbell)

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

AFFILIATED CENTER CONTRIBUTIONS

"THIS OPPORTUNITY GAVE MY SENIORS A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON THEIR ENGINEERING DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT CAPSTONE PROJECTS. INSTEAD OF JUST DEVELOPING AND BUILDING A PRODUCT THAT WORKS, THEY HAD TO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT WAS MARKETABLE. THEY QUICKLY LEARNED THAT THESE ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT DISTINCTIONS. SEVERAL WERE INSPIRED TO THINK ABOUT PATENTING OR MARKETING THEIR PRODUCTS IN THE FUTURE. WE DEFINITELY WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE SEP AGAIN NEXT YEAR."

Concept division winner at the 2019 SEP state competition, Garrett Johnson, Madison Central High School, presents a prototype of his new product designed to assist amputees. (photo by Kelly Dunn)

- Michelle Robinson (Instructor, Madison Central High School)

Student winners at the 2019 SEP state competition Front row, from left: Harrison Welch, Madison Central High School; Mark Troyer, Madison Central High School; Malcolm Bell, Gulfport High School; Second row: Erica Gates, Biloxi High School; Yasmin Colon, Leland High School; Garrett Johnson, Madison Central High School; Rotrik Morris, New Hope High School (photo by Kelly Dunn)

James Wilcox, the director of the Center for Economic and Entrepreneurship Education, was selected for the 2019 Young Scholars Program awarded by the Association of Private Enterprise Education, an association of teachers and scholars with a common interest in studying and supporting the system of private enterprise. The purpose of the monetary sponsorship was to offset young scholars’ expenses while they attend and present at the annual meeting in Nassau, Bahamas. The meeting allows members to share their scholarly finds with one another. Wilcox served as a discussion panelist on “Perspectives on Financial Literacy in Economics Education.”

Students at the 2018-19 statewide kickoff event, SEP ARRIVE! worked in teams to identify and promote strategies to reduce brain drain in Mississippi. Pictured is a student team from Harrison Central High School showcasing their campaign. (photo by Greg Campbell)

In March 2019, CEEE received an award from the Jimmy A. Payne Foundation to create THE HATCHERY—a universitywide initiative to support entrepreneurship. This strategic investment in the startup culture at Southern Miss will ultimately help prepare students, regardless of college or degree program, as emerging leaders and career-ready entrepreneurs who will positively impact the state of Mississippi. The first objective of The Hatchery is to serve as the hub for the university’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by connecting resources and identifying gaps. As additional support is identified, The Hatchery’s services are anticipated to include student scholarships, seed funds to assist student startups with necessary research and prototype development, and a business residency program to offer advanced services and personalized mentorship.

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19

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AFFILIATED CENTER CONTRIBUTIONS

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER Four years ago, The University of Southern Mississippi launched a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) focused on providing comprehensive assistance to startup companies, growing businesses and struggling businesses, and the success of this center has been monumental.

Southern Miss created its Small Business Development Center through a partnership with the Small Business Administration, the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network, the University of Mississippi, the Trent Lott National Center and the College of Business and Economic Development.

In its most recent fiscal year alone (Oct. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2018), the SBDC assisted approximately 200 clients, continued to coach 74 long-term clients, submitted applications for 17 loans totaling $4.6 million, and achieved actual capital infusion of $2.5 million in client projects, beginning 12 businesses from the ground up.

In addition, over the course of this academic year, the SBDC has offered over 40 workshops.

To say the SBDC has been an invaluable resource to the region would be a significant understatement. What’s more, the center’s services come free of charge.

“The combination of building better, more educated small business owners, building more sustainable small business, providing confidential assistance to our entrepreneurial community from sidelines to multi-milliondollar businesses and franchises would be sterling value propositions by themselves,” said SBDC counselor, Rita Mitchell. “Yet, we also add the vital element of preventing an unsustainable business plan and model from rolling out and evaporating savings, homesteads, time and effort, by encouraging those pre-venture clients to ‘hit the pause button,’ based on our time-honored system, databases and research analyses.”

Original story by Van Arnold, Assistant Director for News and Media Relations, University Communications

THE USM SBDC HAD A NEW ADDITION IN 2018 OF A FULLY CREDENTIALED MS SBDC COUNSELOR, JOMA SHELBY (USM HONOR GRADUATE).

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

IMMERSED IN THE FIELD

Dr. Brandon Allen took a select group of students to Jackson for the Sanderson Farms Championship PGA Tournament during the fall semester. The students from his Introduction to Sport Management class had the opportunity to meet with Jonah Beck, the director of operations, and Kacie Towles, the volunteer coordinator, to discuss sponsorship strategies, facility management and event logistics.

“For the past four years, our program has brought students to volunteer at Sanderson Farms Championship. Students are able to visualize the magnitude of operating a mega event while being able to make connections with business leaders from all over the world. This trip brings their academic studies to life,” said Dr. Allen.

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PREPARING STUDENTS TO LEAD

STUDENT ORGANIZATION HIGHLIGHTS

BETA ALPHA PSI Twelve members of the Southern Miss Beta Alpha Psi chapter attended the annual meeting in Washington, D.C., this year. Students had the opportunity to tour and explore the country’s capitol, participate in a community service project with Reading Across America, attend several seminars given by professionals on a diverse number of topics, and network with other chapters across the country.

Beta Alpha Psi members on a visit to Ingalls Shipbuilding, which included a tour and short presentation given by the vice president of finance and controller, Frank Martin.

Additionally, a mixture of members…

• attended the 2019 regional meeting in Jacksonville, Fla.; • completed parts of the CPA Exam; • studied abroad; and • participated in a team-building retreat at Lake Sehoy Challenge Course.

GUEST SPEAKERS “THE BETA ALPHA PSI ANNUAL MEETING HEAVILY IMPACTED ME, AS AN ACCOUNTING MAJOR AND AS A DEVELOPING YOUNG PROFESSIONAL. BECAUSE OF THIS EVENT, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH FELLOW CHAPTER PRESIDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND DISCUSS OUR CHAPTER’S SUCCESSES, SHARE ADVICE AND BRING BACK IDEAS TO SOUTHERN MISS ON HOW TO IMPROVE OUR CHAPTER.” - Sayle Sanson, President of Beta Alpha Psi

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Ashley Foley with RSM Ray Ruiz with Surgent Ryan Hirsch with NASBA CPT Julie Uher with Holt & Associates Autumn Brown and Cliff Jackson with Smith, Dukes & Bucklew Jennifer Hilliard with Haddox, Reid, Eubanks & Betts

PREPARING STUDENTS TO LEAD

BETA GAMMA SIGMA Nishu Gupta and John “Trey” Haire represented our Beta Gamma Sigma chapter at the 2018 Beta Gamma Sigma Global Leadership Summit in Chicago, Ill. The summit is a premier annual event where hundreds of the highest achieving students from the top five percent of business schools around the world will gather for a unique learning experience. This year, the event focused on “Innovative Leadership.” The students participated in activities, such as discovering strengths and enhancing skills in teamwork, networking, ethical leadership, time-management and communication.

INDUCTED 96 STUDENTS INTO THE CHAPTER IN 2018-19

FASHION MERCHANDISING ORGANIZATION In fall 2018, the organization hosted a clothing drive for gently used clothing. The clothing was donated to a local women’s shelter. The organization is currently planning a fashion show for fall 2019.

THE SOUTHERN MISS CHAPTER OF BETA GAMMA SIGMA EARNED HIGHEST HONORS FROM BETA GAMMA SIGMA INTERNATIONAL FOR THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR.

SPORT MANAGEMENT CLUB The Sport Management Club hosted the Sport Management Symposium as a means for undergraduate and graduate students to receive advice from sport professionals. The overall theme of the symposium was "Getting a Foot in the Door: Entering the Sports Industry."

A panel of professionals from a variety of areas within the sports industry were asked questions by students.

From left to right: DJ Pulley (Athletic Director, William Carey University), Deven Matthews (Director of Ticket Sales, Southern Miss Athletics), Bryan Caldwell (Athletic Director, Gulfport High School), Jonah Beck (Director of Operations, Sanderson Farms PGA Championship)

In addition, approximately 10 students attended part of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS 4) conference, titled Managing Crowds at Sport and Entertainment Events Workshop. The students heard from a variety of keynote speakers, including William Evans, the executive director of public safety and chief of police from Boston College, and Abigail Williams, the team lead for critical infrastructure and special events at the DHS Counterterrorism Mission Center. The students also networked with many sport security professionals and toured the Fallen Oaks Golf Course to gain an insight on the security measures used for events, such as the Rapiscan Systems Classic.

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19

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PREPARING STUDENTS TO LEAD

STUDENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION The Student Economic Development Association attended a roundtable discussion hosted by the Golden Triangle Development Link. In addition, the Golden Triangle facilitated tours of PACCAR Engine, Steel Dynamics Inc. and Columbus Brick Company, allowing students to see the impact that these industries have on the Golden Triangle region.

“I enjoyed seeing real-life applications for what we have learned in the classroom.

Each location was unique,” said Caleb Prine, Master of Economic Development student and member of the SEDA.

SEDA touring PACCAR Engine Each year, the Mississippi Forestry Association (MFA) hosts the SEDA students for a tour of the GP Leaf River Cellulose plant in Perry County.

ACCOUNTING SOCIETY OF GULF PARK The ASGP hosted a number of local accounting professionals, who shared their stories, information on unconventional career options available to those in business, and opportunities for internships at their firms. Although the society consists of accountants, a number of members and visiting supporters from all studies of business enjoyed meeting and networking with the organization.

They hosted a representative from Wiley’s CPA review course, who raffled off a review course, courtesy of Wiley, worth $1,800. Members also volunteered at the MSCPA's “CPA Day of Service,” Warrior Dash for St. Jude, and USM's very own Jazz and Blues Festival.

AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION (GULF PARK) The Gulf Park chapter of AMA held a variety of educational events for students, including a branding seminar with Lance Hopkins, a success seminar with Sadie Anderson, and introduction to the Graduate School and MBA Program with Heather Sison and Lauren Agnew. The chapter also participated in the university’s Welcome Week Student Involvement Fair and the Homecoming Week Lawn Banner Competition.

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

ETA SIGMA DELTA Hospitality and tourism management students attended the American Hotel and Lodging Association HX Hotel Experience Conference in New York.

MBA AT A GLANCE In 5 years, MBA enrollment has almost TRIPLED.

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is in the top 5 master’s degrees awarded at Southern Miss and has been for the last 5 years (IHL 2018 Degree Book).

USM OFFERS THE ONLY MBA WITH A SPORT EVENT SECURITY EMPHASIS IN THE NATION.

2018-19 GRADUATES 35% COMPLETED THE DEGREE IN ONE CALENDAR YEAR.

58% OF THESE STUDENTS WERE WORKING PROFESSIONALS, ENROLLED AS PART-TIME STUDENTS.

45 MBA STUDENTS COMPLETED THE MBA PROGRAM DURING THE 2018-19 ACADEMIC YEAR. AVERAGE GPA AT GRADUATION:

3.70

THEY HAVE 7 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE, ON AVERAGE.

42% WERE ONLINE STUDENTS.

44%

FEMALES MALES

33% HAVE A NON-BUSINESS UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE.

56% AGE RANGE: 21–49 YEARS OLD

94 STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY PURSUING AN MBA AT SOUTHERN MISS 43%

FEMALES

47% HAVE A NON-BUSINESS UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE.

70%

THEY HAVE

ARE WORKING PROFESSIONALS, ENROLLED AS PART-TIME STUDENTS.

MORE THAN 8 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE, ON AVERAGE.

MALES

57% AGE RANGE: 21–54 YEARS OLD

53% OF CURRENT MBA STUDENTS ARE ONLINE.

7% ARE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FROM 6 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES (BRAZIL, INDIA, MOROCCO, NEPAL, RUSSIA, THAILAND).

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19

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MISSISSIPPI DEFENSE DIVERSIFICATION INITIATIVE The United States Department of Defense (DoD), Office of Economic Adjustment awarded The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) a Phase I grant in 2016 to support national security technology acceleration and economic diversification efforts for defense contractor communities in Mississippi. Over the last three years, this Mississippi Defense Diversification Initiative (MDDI), made up of the College of Business and Economic Development and Trent Lott National Center, developed three pilot models to aid regions whose economic health is dependent on defense programs.

1. Goal: Incorporate

defense community topics into the Master of Science in Economic Development (MSED) program at Southern Miss.

Accomplishment: Launched in summer 2017, the Economic Development for Defense Communities (ED 711) course educates economic developers on how to help communities adapt to DoD program changes. The same year, the MDDI supported USM efforts to launch a Hacking for Defense (H4D) course that allows student groups to work on Department of Defense (DoD)-provided problem sets. The current DoD provided problem sets that are matched to the state’s military footprint, and the student groups are interacting with military personnel stationed in Mississippi.

2. Goal: Provide

economic diversification technical assistance for Mississippi-based defense companies and communities.

Accomplishment: The MDDI team identified and targeted companies likely to be innovative and technology-focused and built a network of interrelated companies. The network is growing into a business ecosystem capable of short- and long-term economic strategies that advance the state’s opportunities. The network has now been expanded to include supply chain companies, defense-dependent communities, military installations and assets, and other defense stakeholders.

In addition, Governor Phil Bryant signed Executive Order 1401, recognizing the need for the state to become more strategic and proactive with the defense economy to protect, grow and diversify defense and national security assets as an economic driver for the state. The Executive Order created a task force to develop a statewide defense plan.

3. Goal: Create an online platform to build defense-related businessto-business relationships and assist technology transfer and commercialization of defense intellectual property.

Accomplishment: The team developed the MDDI website, launched two social media platforms, and produced three videos for descriptive communication in advancements of technology transfer and to provide examples of partnership efforts that will continue after the OEA grant is complete. Housed on the MDDI website are many resources to support defense business, such as an entrepreneurial “playbook.”

Fall 2018, Southern Miss secured continued funding for Phase II, outlining the following objectives: • Objective 1 - Continue to incorporate defense diversification assistance into the business development ecosystem and create defense industry networks in Mississippi.

• Objective 2 - Continue to incorporate defense diversification into the academic curriculum.

• Objective 3 - Develop a strategic plan for Mississippi’s Defense and Homeland Security Economy to synchronize Mississippi’s existing defense-related economic assets and programs in support of a statewide defense plan for the governor.

• Objective 4 - Lead Mississippi’s MEP network in building a DFARS Cybersecurity Requirement assistance tool for Mississippi companies.

MDDI continues to be recognized statewide as a champion for defense diversification. The network of private sector companies, non-profits and public-sector partners is continuing to grow.

At the 2019 International Homeland Defense and Security Summit in March 2019, Governor Phil Bryant announced the Mississippi Defense Strategic Plan.

Dr. Chad Miller, along with fellow members of the Mississippi Defense Initiative Task Force and the Governor, at the Homeland Defense and Security Summit in Biloxi as they unveiled the state’s defense strategic plan.

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PROGRAM The Southern Miss International Business program, housed in the School of Management, was recently ranked among the nation's Top 50 by online resource guide by Study.com.

Dr. John Lambert, associate professor of international business, has worked diligently to increase awareness and engagement in the program. One of many ways he has done so is by beginning the International Business Speakers Series, welcoming three guests during the spring semester to campus to share their expertise with students, faculty and the community.

In addition, Dr. Lambert’s International Business capstone students immersed themselves into a semester-long applied learning project in collaboration with community partners.

In groups of four, students worked closely with their assigned businesses to create and present plans to resolve their partners’ export issues. Sanderson Farms, SumaGrow and the French American Chamber of Commerce (FACC) Gulf Coast chapter were the three organizations to work with the students throughout the semester as they developed international business plans.

Shelly Reboul, international sales manager, represented Sanderson Farms, while SumaGrow was represented by Aimee Murry, public relations and marketing communications manager.

Both attended and took part in critiquing the students’ final presentations.

Students working with Sanderson Farms discussed how they could better leverage their product in Asia. Students working with SumaGrow presented plans to break into the Brazilian market.

Aimee Murry, International Business Series speaker Shelly Reboul and International Business Capstone students

“The students were eager to investigate ways to expand our products into Brazil and dedicated to ensuring the culture of our company was reflected throughout the report,” said Aimee Murry. “When I showed our company president the business plan developed by these students, he was impressed and asked about their availability for hire.”

Students working with the FACC Gulf Coast chapter received the opportunity to travel to the company’s location in New Orleans to present their project, which focused on revising the trade brochure the FACC uses to engage potential new members.

Dr. Lambert serves as the vice president for trade with the French American Chamber of Commerce, Gulf Coast chapter, in addition to serving on the Mississippi District Export Council.

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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

IN THE SCHOOL OF MARKETING

The College of Business and Economic Development School of Marketing faculty incorporate client-based projects into their curriculum, allowing the students to solve real-world problems as they prepare to begin their careers.

Organizations nationwide have become clients for 300- and 400-level courses across the curriculum in the school. To begin, companies introduce real problems they face to the students. Students apply the skills that they are learning in the classroom to present marketing and implementation plans, business plans and innovative solutions to the clients.

While the organization is receiving the benefit of cost-free consulting, the students are provided with (1) a networking opportunity and (2) hands-on experience in developing and presenting strategic plans, better preparing them for their future careers.

Paige Whiting

PROFESSIONAL SELLING PROGRAM

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS Professor Chris Balaski has integrated multiple experiential learning opportunities into his Professional Selling course curriculum in an effort to better prepare his students for their careers in the sales field after graduation. Students in Advanced Professional Selling had the opportunity to present mock sales pitches to Frito-Lay representatives Katie Frederick, Jamil Murray, Cody Self and Rachel Anthony. The students played the role of a Frito-Lay salesman selling products and displays, while the representatives played the role of a store owner. Following the presentations, the students received detailed feedback from the guests on their pitch. Paige Whiting was chosen by Frito-Lay as having the best pitch.

This class also partnered with an improvisational course and put one another to the test through role-play scenarios. The theatre students acted as potential customers, while the professional selling students pitched their product, Federated Insurance. This allowed both groups of students to practice the skills they are learning in their respective courses.

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LISTED IN THE TOP UNIVERSITIES FOR PROFESSIONAL SALES EDUCATION IN THE NATION, ACCORDING TO THE 2019 SALES EDUCATION FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT SOUTHERN MISS IS THE ONLY UNIVERSITY TO OFFER A PROFESSIONAL SELLING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN THE STATE.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

MARKETING PROGRAM

CLASSROOM CONSULTANTS During the fall 2018 semester, Dr. Joanne Cao's Integrated Marketing Communications class worked with three clients in an effort to deliver innovative solutions to marketing and communication problems.

The clients included Fourth Street CrossFit, two of the owners being Southern Miss alumni, Heather Graham and Daryl Bosarge; Petal Excel by 5, alumna Nadine Coleman being a board member for the organization; and Boys and Girls Country of Houston.

The Boys and Girls Country of Houston is a nonprofit organization licensed by the state of Texas as a residential home. Boys and Girls Country addresses a child's wellbeing, helping to break the cycle of poverty for children by providing a secure, stable, Christian home environment with an emphasis on education, building healthy relationships, and setting goals for the future. They do this with broadbased financial support and hundreds of volunteers.

Charles "Chuck" Scianna, a member of the Board of Directors for Boys and Girls Country, connected the school with the organization. Scianna is an alumnus of Southern Miss, the College of Business and Economic Development 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year, and the namesake for Scianna Hall, the building that houses the College of Business and Economic Development on the Hattiesburg campus.

Sasha Smith, communications and marketing manager, represented the Boys and Girls Country of Houston during the presentation as students pitched ideas to increase brand awareness, financial support and volunteers.

Boys and Girls Country of Houston has also partnered with Dr. Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong's Apparel Product Development course to develop welcome packages for a new monthly donation campaign and her Digital Media Merchandising course to work on their website, blog and other digital presence.

THIS STORY WAS ALSO FEATURED IN THE HATTIESBURG AMERICAN.

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EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

SPORT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

COLLABORATING WITH SOUTHERN MISS ATHLETICS Dr. Chris Croft led efforts to connect his undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in sports marketing courses with Southern Miss Athletics. His students worked with Southern Miss basketball, baseball, volleyball and the Southern Miss Athletics Marketing team.

Collaborating closely with Murray Littlepage, director of marketing for Southern Miss Athletics, Dr. Croft’s students assisted with marketing and promotional ideas for a variety of sports and went on facility tours of the Reed Green Coliseum and the Payne Center.

DURING DR. BRANDON ALLEN’S SPORT SALES METHODS AND TECHNIQUES COURSE, STUDENTS PRACTICED THEIR SKILLS BY ASSISTING THE SOUTHERN MISS ATHLETICS TICKET OFFICE IN CONTACTING OVER 3,700 CUSTOMERS ABOUT BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS. THE STUDENTS LOGGED OVER 400 HOURS OF PHONE CALLS, SELLING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS’ WORTH OF TICKETS.

Other clients that the school’s faculty and students have partnered with this year include the following: Randy Price and Company

Courtyard by Marriott

Dance 4 Life Academy

The DREAM of Hattiesburg

Hattiesburg Clinic

Trupanion Pet Insurance

K Pavoloni and Company

Reach Unlimited

Eagle Maker Hub

Max Draughn, president of Heartwood Capital Inc., presented to Dr. Kelli King's Healthcare Marketing class about keys to success in the pharmaceutical industry. We are very grateful for Mr. Draughn and his wife, Susan, for their endowment that supports our Healthcare Marketing program.

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ANALYTICS INITIATIVE GAZELLE/MSED

ANALYTICS IN THE MPA PROGRAM

The University of Southern Mississippi became the first institution of higher education to deploy the advanced AIenabled economic data analytics platform, Gazelle.ai, within its curriculum in the College of Business and Economic Development. Both graduate and undergraduate students have access to the platform that mines and curates data collected from millions of business establishments and uses trained algorithms to forecast growth.

Master of Professional Accountancy courses such as Advanced Auditing, Audit Analytics & IT Auditing and Advanced Cost/Managerial Accounting have integrated analytics tools, such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Sage 50 2018, General Ledger Software, CaseWare IDEA Data Analysis Software, and Tableau Data Analytics and Visualization Software into the curriculum.

“The ability to harness and interpret the ever-increasing amount of data available to decision-makers has become an increasingly important differentiator in the business world,” said Steven Jast, president of Gazelle.ai. “We’re thrilled that The University of Southern Mississippi will be using our tool to help equip students and prepare them for a rapidly evolving business environment.”

100% of MPA students achieved both Specialist and Expert Certification in Microsoft Excel during spring 2019.

Named for “gazelles,” a term used to denote rapidly growing companies, the platform was created for economic development professionals whose role is to identify and attract growing companies that bring jobs and investment to communities. Gazelle.ai are being integrated into courses focusing on economic development, entrepreneurship, marketing, marketing research and management.

Dr. Chad Miller, professor of economic development, added, “In keeping with our mandate to innovate and encourage fresh thinking, we are looking forward to becoming the first college to use Gazelle.ai. I’m very confident that our students and faculty will come to find the platform to be an indispensable resource.”

Mr. Mike Skinner, with Horne Cyber in Memphis, spoke to MPA students during the spring semester about data analytics, cybersecurity, big data, artificial intelligence and automation, and other technological initiatives impacting the future of the accounting profession. Mike was joined by Blake Pittman, a cyber risk analyst with Horne Cyber and a 2015 graduate of the MPA program at Southern Miss.

Other guest speakers include Kyle Stoner with PWC New Orleans and Mario Perez with Audimation Services.

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THE INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE ELI LILLY Eli Lilly once again selected two interns from the Southern Miss Healthcare Marketing program for the 2019 Summer Sales Internship.

Seth Nash and Jenny Hamilton were two of 60 interns this summer.

This is the third year in a row to have two interns selected for the internship. Currently, five Southern Miss graduates work for Lilly.

“I FEEL THAT THIS IS OUR BEST ACCOMPLISHMENT YET WITH THIS INTERNSHIP. BECAUSE THERE WERE MORE ‘TARGET’ SCHOOLS THIS YEAR, THERE WAS A VERY HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF ONLY GETTING ONE INTERN SELECTED FOR SOUTHERN MISS. WE ARE BEYOND THRILLED TO HAVE TWO REPRESENTING US.” Quote from Dr. Kelli King, professor of healthcare marketing

KPMG Paige Dillistone (accounting) was accepted into the Global Internship Program through KPMG, one of the Big Four Accounting Firms, in Jackson, Miss. Over 200 applicants were reviewed for the internship, and Paige was one of 20 to receive the honor. During her internship, Paige completed a four-week rotation in Sydney, Australia.

“DURING MY INTERNSHIP, I WAS ABLE TO EXPERIENCE AUDITING FOR BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COMPANIES IN THREE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES. IN ADDITION TO WORK, I TRAVELED WITH OTHER INTERNS TO THE BLUE MOUNTAINS, THE GREAT BARRIER REEF, THE TARONGA ZOO AND BONDI BEACH. WE HELD KOALA BEARS, GOT TANS IN FEBRUARY, AND ENJOYED THE CITY AS MUCH AS WE COULD, ALL WHILE WORKING FOR ONE OF THE BIGGEST PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRMS IN THE WORLD. PARTICIPATING IN AN INTERNSHIP HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BEST CHOICES I HAVE MADE AS A STUDENT, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE LOOKING INTO AN INTERNSHIP TO MAKE THE LEAP AND GET THE EXPERIENCE NOW!” Quote from Paige Dillistone

In addition, Jonathan Brent (accounting) accepted a 10-week internship with KPMG in Dallas, Texas.

“MY INTERNSHIP WAS SUCH AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE AND GAVE ME THE CHANCE TO IMPLEMENT THE FOUNDATION OF SKILLS AND LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI. HATTIESBURG HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY HOME, AND INTERNING IN SUCH A BIG CITY SO FAR AWAY WAS QUITE CHALLENGING BUT COMPLETELY WORTH IT. NOT ONLY DID I LEARN SO MUCH IN MY FIELD OF WORK, BUT I ALSO GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SO MANY NEW PEOPLE IN AN EXCITING CITY. AT THE END OF MY INTERNSHIP, I WAS OFFERED A FULL-TIME JOB IN THE DALLAS OFFICE AND WILL PLAN TO START IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020 AFTER MY YEAR OF GRADUATE SCHOOL IN THE MPA PROGRAM HERE AT SOUTHERN MISS.”

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YMCA - WORKING ON WALL STREET Cole Engle (accounting) interned this summer in the Finance department with the YMCA Retirement Fund in Manhattan. The fund is located at the Equitable Building in the Financial District. During the previous semester, Cole worked for the USM Foundation Office as a student worker in Financial Services. He is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the vice president of scholarship and educational programming for the Interfraternity Council at Southern Miss, and the 2018-19 Dr. Joe Paul Male Participant of the Year for Intramural Sports. Additionally, he has served as the recruitment chairman, fundraising chairman and vice president for his fraternity, Kappa Sigma.

“WHILE INTERNING THIS SUMMER, I LEARNED HOW THE FUND OPERATES, THE PLAN REGULATIONS, AND HOW THE REPORTING IS ACCOMPLISHED. THE COURSES THAT I HAVE TAKEN AT SOUTHERN MISS PREPARED ME FOR THIS CHALLENGE, NOT ONLY IN CONTENT, BUT I WAS ALSO TRAINED TO PERSEVERE WHEN SOLVING PROBLEMS. THIS EXPERIENCE ALLOWED ME TO PRACTICE LEARNED SKILLS FROM THE CLASSROOM WHILE OBTAINING NEW ONES.” – COLE ENGLE

FDIC “I WILL BE INTERNING WITH FDIC IN THE DIVISION OF RISK MANAGEMENT SUPERVISION IN JACKSON, MISS., FOLLOWING ORIENTATION IN DALLAS, TEXAS. I HOPE TO GAIN WORK EXPERIENCE AND INSIGHT INTO THE WORLD OF ACCOUNTING AND BANK EXAMINATION. THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO EXPLORE MY LIKES AND DISLIKES IN ACCOUNTING AND ULTIMATELY LAND A GREAT JOB AND JUMPSTART MY FUTURE CAREER!” Quote from Matthew Odom, Intern for FDIC, Anticipated Graduation – May 2020

Other companies who hired accounting interns in 2019 include: Robert E Donnell III, CPA

Holt & Associates, PLLC

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Horne, LLP

Clinton CPA Firm

Topp McWhorter Harvey, PLLC

Coast Electric Power Association

Ultradent Products

FDIC

Wm F. Horne & Company, PLLC

Haddox Reid Eubank Betts, PLLC

Wyndham Destinations

Hieronymus CPAs, LLC

NOVA IVICA

MBLUE

Jon Ryan Fennell (general business) will be participating in an internship with Nova Ivica, a small business consulting agency in Bar, Montenegro. His focus is to revitalize the image of their business by producing a range of digital media content for the firm. In addition, he will be assisting with business workshops on topics ranging from simple business success to advanced video-graphic techniques and marketing.

Jessica Foreman (accounting) is interning with mBlue, a human resource outsourcing company located in Prague, Czech Republic.

Using digital marketing and professional social media platforms, Jessica assists their clients in finding the perfect, qualified individual for an open position.

“MY GOAL IS TO HELP BUSINESSES LIKE NOVA IVICA PRODUCE INCREDIBLE MARKETING CONTENT THAT TRANSFORMS THE IMAGE OF THEIR PRODUCT, SERVICE, MISSION AND GOALS. THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI HAS BROUGHT ME TO A STATE OF WELLROUNDEDNESS IN MY UNDERSTANDING OF BUSINESS. WITH THIS WELLROUNDEDNESS, I AM ABLE TO BE AN EFFECTIVE AND IMPACTFUL PART OF A BUSINESS TEAM, WHICH IS, PERSONALLY, THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE FACULTY MEMBERS WHO HAVE HELPED ME GET TO THE POINT WHERE I AM NOW.” – JON RYAN FENNELL

“MY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES AT SOUTHERN MISS HAVE HELPED PREPARE ME FOR THIS INTERNSHIP IN MORE SUBTLE WAYS THAN I HAD ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOES SUCH A GOOD JOB OF GIVING ITS STUDENTS A WELL-ROUNDED BUSINESS EDUCATION. ALTHOUGH I AM AN ACCOUNTING MAJOR, MY MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY CLASSES HAVE PREPARED ME IMMENSELY BY GIVING ME A SOLID FOUNDATION THAT I'M ABLE TO BUILD OFF OF AT WORK.” – JESSICA FOREMAN

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THE STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE Some of our students went from finals to flights just days after the semester ended as they began to study abroad on one of our three business study-abroad programs: Italian Studies, British Studies and Asian Studies.

ITALIAN STUDIES While in Milan and Florence, students had the opportunity to meet with executives from local companies and immerse themselves in the professional culture of Italy. Some of the businesses they interacted with included the oldest chocolate company in Italy (Guido Gobino), one of the most prestigious gold leaf companies in the world (Manetti Battiloro), and an international paper company with ties to Hattiesburg (Sofidel). Their experiences also included spending a day in the Tuscan countryside to learn about how some of the highest quality olive oil and wine in the world is created (Frantoio dei Colli Toscani) and attending a cooking class where they made pasta from scratch! Students were also taught how to make an authentic cappuccino at a local barista school in Florence (Mokaflor Espresso Academy).

While at the espresso academy, Mr. Russ Willis placed a pin on their map of visitors, making Southern Miss the first official visitors from Mississippi! Students took advantage of their free weekends by exploring places such as Rome, Pisa, Cinque Terre and Venice.

22% OF STUDENTS WHO STUDY ABROAD ARE FROM THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 30 |

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

British Studies

20 students

Asian Studies

15 students

Italian Studies

12 students

Total

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ASIAN STUDIES This summer, students on the Asian Studies program got to experience business and culture in Tokyo and Hong Kong. In Japan, they visited the Tokyo Development Authority, Nissan Global Headquarters, Uchida Yoko and the Mississippi Development Authority. The students got a big welcome during their tour of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. They also visited the Meiji Palace and Imperial Gardens and Epson Digital Arts museum and got to try sushi at the fish market in Tokyo. In Hong Kong, students saw the Hong Kong Trade Development Center and Hong Kong Science Park and tried traditional Chinese food. One of the highlights of the trip was visiting students at Kaetsu University in Japan. Southern Miss Business students assisted in a few English language classes, dressed in yukuta, tried traditional Japanese calligraphy, and played video games with Japanese college students. Students from Kaetsu University will be visiting Southern Miss in spring 2020.

BRITISH STUDIES While in London, students were able to visit some of the most iconic businesses in Britain, including Lloyd’s of London, the oldest and largest insurance brokerage firm in the world; Jaguar, the world-renowned auto luxury maker; Twinings Tea, the oldest tea purveyor in England, having occupied the same premises on the Strand since 1706; and a behind-the-scenes look at arguably the most well-known sporting event in the world— The Championships at the All England Club—more commonly known as Wimbledon.

Additionally, students visited smaller, family-owned business, including both a winery and cheese maker in Kent, the agricultural belt of England.

Students immersed themselves in British history and culture, including a river cruise down the River Thames to Greenwich, England, home to Royal Naval Observatory and the Prime Meridian, a private meeting with Charles Walker, a member of Parliament inside the Palace of Westminster, and attendance at musical shows in London’s famed theatre district of the West End. Of course, no visit to London would be complete without visiting Buckingham Palace, Covent Garden, Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral. During the students’ mini-break, they were able to travel to the continent to such cities as Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Madrid.

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HARD WORK PAYS OFF EAGLE SCHOLARS PROGRAM This year, David Jones, Jeremiah Willis, Elizabeth Rivera-Vega and Hayes Thompson joined the Eagle Scholars Program.

“I HAVE ALWAYS WORKED HARD, AND THANKS TO SOUTHERN MISS AND THE FOUNDATION, I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK SMART. I REMAIN GRATEFUL FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY AFFORDED TO ME. THE EAGLE SCHOLARS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE THE SAFETY, FREEDOM AND PROTECTION I NEED TO REACH GRADUATION

BY PROVIDING FUNDS FOR MY EDUCATION NOW AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS FOR MY CAREER AHEAD.” C. David Jones, Accounting | Biloxi, Miss.

“AS A THIRD-GENERATION GRADUATE OF SOUTHERN MISS, THE EAGLE SCHOLARS PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP HAS ALLOWED ME TO GROW AND DEVELOP AS A STUDENT, BUSINESS PERSON AND INDIVIDUAL. THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN A TRUE BLESSING TO MY FAMILY AND ME, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THE KNOWLEDGE SHARED WILL LAST A LIFETIME.” S. Hayes Thompson, General Business | Summit, Miss.

“BEING CHOSEN AS AN EAGLE SCHOLAR HAS OPENED MANY DOORS AND CONTINUES TO OPEN DOORS TO OPPORTUNITIES FOR ME. IT HAS HELPED ME GROW PROFESSIONALLY, AND IT HAS CHALLENGED ME ACADEMICALLY. I AM TRULY GRATEFUL AND PROUD TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN AS AN EAGLE SCHOLAR.” Elizabeth Rivera-Vega, Finance | Biloxi, Miss.

“TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE IN ME ENOUGH TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE EAGLE SCHOLARS PROGRAM SCHOLARSHIP HAS ENCOURAGED ME EVEN MORE TO MAKE MY DREAM OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT A REALITY.” Jeremiah Willis, Marketing | Jackson, Miss.

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Interested in being a part of this program?

We have an endowment fund where you can make your gift, of any amount, to support the Eagle Scholars. If you are interested in leaving a lasting legacy, consider changing lives by establishing an Eagle Scholars Program Scholarship. For more information about contributing, contact J.T. Tisdale at 601.266.6824.

HARD WORK PAYS OFF

RHYNE E. NEUBERT SCHOLARSHIP Aubrey Sanders (MPA, Hattiesburg, Miss.) and Jenna VanDan (Accounting, Summit, Miss.) were awarded the Rhyne E. Neubert Scholarship by the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA) Foundation. The $2,500 scholarship was established in 2016 to honor Neubert, who had served as a trustee of the MSCPA Education Foundation since its inception.

“I WAS AT A LOSS FOR THE ADEQUATE WORDS TO THANK THE SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTANCY AT USM, NOT ONLY FOR THE NOMINATION, BUT ALSO FOR ITS INVESTMENT IN ME. MOREOVER, I WAS AND STILL AM INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE MSPCA, MR. NEUBERT AND THE SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THIS HONOR.” – AUBREY SANDERS VanDan echoed those sentiments. “I was ecstatic and honestly in disbelief that I was being awarded this scholarship,” she said. “Receiving this scholarship reaffirmed that hard work and determination will be recognized and rewarded.”

MISSISSIPPI YOUNG BANKERS LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP Brandon Cade (Finance, Brookhaven, Miss.) was awarded the 2018 Mississippi Young Bankers (MYB) Leadership Scholarship. Only one student in the state is chosen to receive the scholarship. Cade is the sixth USM student to win the $2,000 scholarship in the last eight years.

"I AM EXTREMELY HONORED TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD FROM THE MISSISSIPPI BANKING ASSOCIATION AND THE MISSISSIPPI YOUNG BANKERS. THIS AWARD IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE IT WILL HELP TO CONTINUE MY EDUCATION AT SOUTHERN MISS. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK DR. (MARVIN) BOUILLON FOR SEEING ENOUGH POTENTIAL IN ME TO NOMINATE ME FOR THE AWARD.” – BRANDON CADE In addition, John Trey Haire was recognized as an MYB Scholar at the Mississippi Young Bankers Scholar Study Conference and Convention. As a finalist for the 2019 Mississippi Young Bankers Swayze Scholarship, he was awarded a $1,500 scholarship.

PUBLIC COMPANY ACCOUNTING OVERSIGHT BOARD SCHOLARSHIP Kameshia Mays (MPA, Greenville, Miss.) was awarded the $10,000 merit-based scholarship from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) for 2018-19. A single student is chosen from 332 colleges and universities nationwide. Mays is the first USM student to earn the honor in six years.

“I WAS ELATED WHEN I LEARNED THAT I HAD WON THE SCHOLARSHIP. USM HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PART OF MY SUCCESS. THE UNIVERSITY ALWAYS GOES BEYOND TO ENSURE THAT EACH STUDENT HAS WHAT IS NEEDED TO SUCCEED, AND FOR ME THAT INCLUDES MAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBTAIN AN EDUCATION AFFORDABLE.” – KAMESHIA MAYS

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SERVING LOVE ON A PLATE LOVE. NOURISH. INSPIRE. This is the vision alumna Katie Dixon has for her restaurant, Birdhouse Café in Hattiesburg. Miss. Dixon, a 2005 graduate from our BSBA Marketing program, desires to serve nutrient-rich food to the South. She does so through her diverse and healthy menu.

When entering her restaurant, it is far from a traditional dining experience. Instead, it feels as though you are walking right into a home. The “kitchen” is actually an island in the center of the room with fresh tea brewing on the stovetop. “We want to show people it is not as complicated as people make it, that healthy eating can be easy and fun,” said Katie as we explored the layout of her restaurant. Each meal is cooked to order right in front of the guests’ eyes.

Katie’s passions are far greater than just adding nutritional value to food. In addition, she wants to add value in the lives of those around her. She has personal relationships with each of her seven employees, five of which are Southern Miss students or alumni. “I want to know what their vision is, where they want to see themselves in a year,” Katie said thoughtfully.

She invests in her employees, empowering them to be creative within the business. She encouraged her restaurant manager, Lydia, to use her talent for design and art. “I asked her, while you are here, what can we do to make your work environment more fun? You’re creative, and you are not getting to use that talent. This summer, she will sew aprons, and we will use all of our excess fruits and vegetables, like avocado cores and strawberries, to naturally tie-dye the aprons to give to children while we teach them a cooking class.” She also encouraged her former head chef, who had dreams of traveling, to accept a position as a chef in New York City.

Katie’s love for food was inspired by her grandmother. “My grandmother and grandfather had a farmhouse with chickens and cows and a fresh vegetable garden. My grandmother cooked every day for a large family. On the weekends, my family and I spent a lot of time at the farm. I learned from my grandmother. Both of our hearts wanted to serve love on a plate, food for the soul. I can still vividly see the flour on my grandmother’s hands as she was making fresh biscuits.”

I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME THAT WE ARE SOME OF THE LUCKIEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD LIVING IN MISSISSIPPI, WITH ALL OF THE FARM LAND WE HAVE. WE HAVE SOME OF THE FRESHEST AND BEST PRODUCE RIGHT HERE AT OUR DOORSTEP.” 34 |

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

CONTESTANT ON MASTERCHEF In 2016, Katie appeared as a contestant on MasterChef. After applying on a whim, she was immediately asked to audition in Jackson, Miss. Katie is self-taught and has no formal training;however, she does enjoy taking cooking classes while traveling, learning to cook international dishes, and putting her own healthy, Southern spin on them.

“For my audition, I made a salmon burger with a sweet potato mash. I brought along one of my raw desserts for each judge, and they loved it! I swear that is what sealed the deal that day.”

Out of 22,000 applicants nationwide, Katie ultimately finished in the Top 6. She describes her experience on MasterChef “like living in a dream. I still have a great relationship with Gordon [Ramsey] and his team.” While on MasterChef, Katie made lamb curry for one of her challenges.

One of the judges was Edward Lee, a chef out of Louisville, Kentucky. “Chef Edward Lee told me that my curry was one of the best he had ever had!”

In 2018, she competed once again, this time on Food Network Star and is currently under a signed contract with Food Network.

I THINK THE NUMBER ONE THING I ATTRIBUTE A LOT OF MY SUCCESS TO IS MY PROFESSORS.” COMING HOME TO SOUTHERN MISS During Katie’s collegiate career, she was very involved in campus life. She was a member of Greek life, Southern Style and a cheerleader, while holding a full-time job as a waitress.

When asked who her favorite professor was, she stated that former marketing professor, Dr. Bill Smith, and his wife, Ginger, are still close friends of hers. She explained that the principles she learned throughout college have proven useful in owning her own business. While taking his class, Dr. Smith told her, “If you meet the need of your customer, you will succeed.” She has lived up to this advice by providing nutrient-rich food to Hattiesburg.

The Dixon family stays engaged with Southern Miss. “At USM, there is something for everyone.” Coming back to campus as a family has become a bonding experience. She and her husband Todd, who also graduated from USM, enjoy cheering for the Southern Miss football team during the fall. The family attends beach volleyball games regularly because of her 13-year-old daughter, Stevee Kate’s, interest in volleyball, and they enjoy coming to plays performed by the Theatre department because of her seven-year-old daughter, Risi’s, passion for theatre and dance. “We recently went and saw The Three Musketeers two nights in a row on Southern Miss’ campus.”

Katie also visited Scianna Hall this spring to speak at the USM School of Marketing Major Confidential, sharing her story with the students and encouraging them to follow their passions.

Katie’s future looks bright as she writes her first cookbook, travels for international catering jobs, and searches for her second restaurant location.

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BREAKING THE MOLD THE COLLEGE’S FIRST FEMALE ACCOUNTING STUDENT

In 1952, Miriam Moore Adamson became the first woman to graduate from the Accounting program at The University of Southern Mississippi. In addition to her undergraduate degree in accounting, Miriam also received a minor in business administration.

Born in House, Mississippi, she led a life full of adventure as she often moved to new cities. Miriam rarely stayed in one place for long due to her father’s position in the Navy. Little did she know, she would continue to move frequently until retirement.

After graduating high school in a class of only 13, Miriam later attended East Central Junior College in Decatur, Mississippi. Majoring in secretarial studies, she explained that at that time, women normally prepared to be a secretary/bookkeeper, teacher or nurse. Upon completion at

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

East Central, she began working for Mississippi Paint and Glass as a secretary and bookkeeper. There, she realized that bookkeeping was much more enjoyable for her than secretarial work, and that began her pursuit of an accounting degree. She saved up her money, bought a car, and drove it down to Hattiesburg.

When asked about her college experience, she described Southern Miss as a supportive, friendly campus. She and her friends would often attend football games, go see plays put on by the Theatre department,

and go to the beach for the day. She and her roommate, Bernice Snowden, who had also attended East Central with Miriam, remained friends until Bernice passed away a few years ago.

While reminiscing on her time in the Accounting program, Miriam told stories about her favorite professors and classes. “Mr. Scott would put a copy of our exam, turned upside down, on each student’s desk. There were a couple times in Cost Accounting that Mr. Scott said, ‘Thanks to Miss Moore, I had to change this exam.’ He would say it with a grin.” Mr. Scott was making changes to the exam so that the questions were also relatable for Miriam, as all were geared specifically toward men at the time.

“I LOVED MY ACCOUNTING CLASSES AND TOOK EVERY ADVANCED CLASS THAT THEY TAUGHT IN MY TWO YEARS AT SOUTHERN MISS. EVEN THOUGH I WAS THE ONLY FEMALE IN MY CLASSES, MY MALE CLASSMATES WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE AND ALWAYS TREATED ME WITH RESPECT.” “When I was about ready to graduate, Dr. Joe Greene, the dean of the Business School, said he had checked the records back as far as he could, and as far as he could tell, I was the first female to graduate from [Southern Miss] in accounting.”

Once she graduated from Southern Miss, Miriam followed in her father’s footsteps and joined the Navy in 1953. She was the only female in her company of 30. “They took good care of me, treated me like they would have their little sister. One of the guys in my company gave me the nickname, Mim.” Mim worked as a disbursing officer for two years in San Diego before leaving to marry her husband, Don Adamson. A few years later, Don secured a position at IBM, which they jokingly said stood for “I’ve Been Moved.” The Adamson family moved 15 times over a 30-year period, living in places such as Michigan, Louisiana, New York, Connecticut, Georgia and Mississippi.

In each new location, Mim would quickly find an accounting position and begin work again. Due to these frequent moves, Mim had the opportunity to work for quite a few interesting companies.

While the family lived in New York during the late ‘60s, Mim worked as a bookkeeper for Mr. Ed Jurist, who owned Vintage Car Store, and the name says it all. “At the time, it was the largest vintage car dealer in the country. He always had a showroom filled with cars that men drooled over.” Mim mentions Jurist owning and selling vehicles, such as Phantom IV Rolls and Excalibur cars.

3+2=?

When the family moved to Boca Raton, Florida, in the mid ‘70s, Mim accepted a position at Creative Ceramics working for Elliott Mackle.

The company was transitioning into a ceramics manufacturer, building a factory, hiring employees and starting production, and Mim was hired to set up and run an accounting system for the growing business.

In Connecticut, Mim secured a job as an accountant for Mr. Scott Savage, the owner of Savage Eye Wear and other businesses. Scott invented certain swim goggles and nylon frames for eye glasses and different types of ski goggles. “His goggles were used in the Winter Olympics at least one year.”

Miriam also secured jobs through various CPA firms, being assigned to work temporarily for companies in need. “Without my degree in accounting from USM, I could never have held the jobs that I did.

Professor Robert Scott did a great job of preparing the accounting majors for life outside of college.” She described her courses as being taught by professors that cared about and assisted with her success.

In addition to Mim’s career, she has always been very involved in volunteer work. She set the books up for Boca Raton Methodist Church in Florida while living there. She was elected president of the Board of Trustees at Long Ridge Methodist Church in Connecticut, where she led the initiative to renovate their Fellowship Hall. She was on the Finance Committee at the First Methodist Church in Greensboro. She started a coffee club of 10 ladies, which grew to over 350 members who lead many volunteer projects. She joined the Missions Committee at her church in Hattiesburg.

Mim and her husband of 65 years have three children (Debbie, Doug and Cindy), six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She is known by the family as a “self-taught technology whiz.” In fact, while her granddaughter was in graduate school a few years ago, Mim was called for assistance with a group project involving Excel. Shocking the fellow group members, Mim immediately knew how to solve the problem they were experiencing!

Mim and Don retired in Georgia before moving to Hattiesburg in 1997. “We just decided we wanted to be some place with a college campus and in a city that has what Hattiesburg has.”

They have travelled the world to places, such as Hong Kong, Australia, Switzerland, Ireland, China, Scandinavia, Thailand, England, Italy, Austria, Russia and many, many more.

FEMALE ACCOUNTANT, DOG MATHEMATICIAN Miriam owned a dog that could do simple addition problems. Kuddles, the peek-a-poo, could be asked to add two single-digit numbers together and tap out the correct answer with her paw in the palm of your hand. She eventually got so good, she could tap out the family’s zip code. She was featured in multiple newspaper articles, performed for schools and churches, and became a sensation in each of the towns the Adamson family moved to.

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WHERE DO THEY GO AFTER GRADUATION? 82

WA S H I N G T O N

11

M O N TA N A

22

OREGON

17

4

IDAHO

WYOMING

Three Master of Science in Economic Development alumni were recognized in the 2019 Mississippi Business Journal Top 50 under 40. Congratulations to Chelsey Everett, research director for economic development of the ADP of Hattiesburg; Matthew Harrison, executive director of the Grenada County Economic Development District and Grenada Area Chamber of Commerce; Blaine LaFontaine, candidate for the Mississippi State Senate District 46 and president of the Hancock County Board of Supervisors.

36

N E VA D A

17

U TA H

306 CALIFORNIA

151

COLORADO

106

ARIZONA

24

NEW MEXICO

17

2

ALASKA

GUAM

23

H AWA I I

EAGLES ABROAD OUR GRADUATES LIVE IN MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

38 |

Albania 1 • Aruba 1 • Australia 4 • Bangladesh 2 • Belarus 1 • Bolivia 3 • Botswana 1 • Brazil 15 • Canada 24 • Chile 1 • China 19 Colombia 12 • Cyprus 2 • Denmark 1 • Dominican Republic 1 • Ecuador 10 • El Salvador 11 • Finland 1 • France 3 • Germany 11 • Ghana 2 Guatemala 2 • Guinea 1 • Honduras 7 • Hong Kong 8 • India 26 • Indonesia 1 • Ireland 1 • Italy 2 • Jamaica 3 • Japan 31 • Jordan 1 Kenya 1 • Republic of Korea 4 • Kuwait 2 • Kyrgyzstan 1 • Lebanon 1 • Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic 1 • Madagascar 1

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

TOTAL OF 26,197 LIVING BUSINESS ALUMNI. 10

NEW HAMPSHIRE

4

5 VERMONT

2

MAINE

N O R T H D A K O TA

34

34

M I N N E S O TA

81

28 WISCONSIN

8

S O U T H D A K O TA

MASSACHUSETTS

NEW YORK

41

3

MICHIGAN

65

36 I O WA

13 NEBRASKA 26

92

OKLAHOMA

52

P E N N S Y LVA N I A

118 ILLINOIS

KANSAS

RHODE ISLAND

85 OHIO

49

INDIANA

85

MARYLAND

307 NORTH CAROLINA

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

12

KENTUCKY

628

D E L AWA R E

234

VIRGINIA

TENNESSEE

CONNECTICUT

12

12 WEST VIRGINIA 68

101

MISSOURI

35

NEW JERSEY

158

170 ARKANSAS

SOUTH CAROLINA

15,757 MISSISSIPPI

903

1,335 ALABAMA

GEORGIA

1

PUERTO RICO

1,451 TEXAS

1

1,561

VIRGIN ISLANDS

LOUISIANA

1,148 FLORIDA

PA

ATL ANT AN

CE

AN

O

N

IA

N

INDI

IND

E

A CE IC O

OC

TIC OCEAN

FIC AN

EAN IC OC

LAN

CIF

AT

PACI

Malaysia 54 • Mexico 4 • Nepal 5 • Netherlands 2 • New Zealand 2 • Nicaragua 5 • Nigeria 3 Panama 7 • Peru 5 • Poland 1 • Romania 1 • Russian Federation 6 • Saudi Arabia 6 • Singapore 10 Slovakia 3 • Spain 2 • Sweden 6 • Syrian Arab Republic 2 • Taiwan, Province of China 23 Thailand 13 • Trinidad and Tobago 1 • Turkey 1 • United Kingdom 9 • United Arab Emirates 1

OC

EAN

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NEW COURSES AND CERTIFICATES CURRENT ISSUES IN PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANCY (ACC 690)

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR ACCOUNTING (BA 211)

The Current Issues in Professional Accountancy graduate course has formally gained approval from the Graduate Council and is officially being taught in summer 2019. The School of Accountancy has been pilot-testing the course with great success, as many MPA students have successfully completed parts or all of the CPA exam during the MPA program. The course was developed to support the process of students beginning their CPA exam while still in the master’s program. During the course, students review issues related to professional accountancy, including financial accounting and reporting, regulation, auditing and attestation, and business environment and concepts.

The Professional Business Standards of Accounting course, taught

by Ms. Amber Hatten and Ms. Valerie Simmons, was pilot-tested during the spring 2019 semester with great results. The course focuses on preparing accounting students for entering the accounting profession, with topics including interviews, recruiting for internships and full-time positions, graduate school, the CPA exam, etc. A variety of guest speakers and members from the accounting profession joined class each week to discuss topics, such as appropriate professional dress, résumés, and the importance of academic and professional organization involvement.

EVAN PEELER, DECEMBER 2018 MPA GRADUATE, SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED ALL FOUR PARTS OF THE CPA EXAM DURING HIS YEAR IN THE MPA PROGRAM, PASSING EACH SECTION ON HIS FIRST ATTEMPT. UPON GRADUATION, HE BEGAN HIS PROFESSIONAL CAREER WITH KPMG LLP IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

Amber Hatten invited Dr. Holly Syrdal and her Social Media Marketing and Merchandising students to lead a workshop focused on teaching the Professional Business Standards for Accounting students how to optimize their LinkedIn profiles for personal branding. Dr. Syrdal's students have been working on a semester-long task to optimize their own personal LinkedIn profiles and provided many expert tips on how to network effectively through the social media platform.

GUEST SPEAKERS Karen Moody and Lydia Windam from the Mississippi Society of CPAs

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING AND MERCHANDISING (MKT 478) Dr. Holly Syrdal taught a new course titled Social Media Marketing and Merchandising during spring 2019. The course takes a practical approach by gaining hands-on experiences using social media strategically when developing a social media plan. One of the group projects allowed students to assist an assigned non-profit community partner by creating social media marketing plans and presenting their successful execution results.

Students also earned a social media certification, providing tangible evidence of the digital skills acquired during the course.

UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS ESSENTIALS CERTIFICATE A new undergraduate Certificate in Business Essentials will launch fall 2019. The 12- hour program was created specifically for non-business students, allowing those pursuing their dreams in other fields of study the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of business skills valued in every industry.

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CHICK-FIL-A Two of our accounting students, Rachel Green and Tyler Pittman, received the opportunity to attend a three-day event held by Chick-fil-A Corporate in Atlanta, Ga. Fifty-eight students from all over the country were selected to attend the leadership program, designed for those pursuing careers in accounting and IT.

TRAVELING TO

SUCCESS

AICPA Dr. Megan Leach is a graduate of our MPA program and recently became a visiting assistant faculty member in the School of Accountancy in Hattiesburg. While earning her Master of Professional Accountancy degree, Dr. Leach was selected to attend the AICPA Accounting Scholars Leadership Workshop, a prestigious and competitive program for minority accounting students pursuing the CPA designation. The event, hosted in Atlanta, helps to strengthen students’ professional skills and provide guidance for understanding the possibilities and benefits of earning the CPA credential. Speakers, panel discussions and interactive programs provide participants an opportunity to gain confidence, improve leadership skills, develop tools to pass the CPA exam, and enhance understanding of a career path within the accounting profession.

While working on completing her MPA degree, Dr. Leach also completed the University of Florida's Post-Doctoral Bridge to Business Program (PDBP). The PDBP is an AACSB-endorsed program aimed at bridging the gap of doctoral faculty shortages faced by many business schools. The program provides a bridge for non-business disciplines to teach in areas of business, including accounting and finance. By completing the PDBP, Dr. Leach was able to successfully make the transition from student to faculty member and join our team in the School of Accountancy in fall 2018.

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE SALES COMPETITION Gabriela Alongia and Trey Pittman, students from Professor Chris Balaski’s professional sales course, represented our college at the National Collegiate Sales Competition in Kennesaw, Georgia. Over 140 students participated in the undergraduate competition. Each team had 20 minutes to close a sale for Gartner with a fictitious CIO from a university. Each role play was judged by both academics and corporate sponsors. Mr. Balaski served as a judge and coach for the competition.

“The NCSC Sales Competition was an amazing experience that I am honored I was able to participate in! At first, I was very nervous to do this competition, by then I thought to myself, ‘Nothing good will ever happen if I don’t take a chance.’ Now I can say that I am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and took that chance. The competition was beneficial because we used our ‘SPIN’ selling skills that we learned in MKT 400 to handle each role play we participated in,” said Pittman, who is currently working toward a professional selling certificate.

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TRAVELING TO SUCCESS

HONORS COLLEGE UNDERGRADUATE SYMPOSIUM Seven of our College of Business and Economic Development honors students presented at the 2019 Undergraduate Symposium. Additionally, Dr. John Miller, Dr. Wei Wang, Dr. Joanne Cao and Dr. Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong volunteered as judges for the presentations.

PARTICIPANTS • CAMERON KENNEY – Marketing Does It Just Mean More? An Investigation Into the Involvement and Motivations of College Football Fans at The University of Southern Mississippi • TREVOR TERRY – Marketing Integrated Marketing Communications: Boys and Girls Country of Houston • AUDREY KELLY – Accounting The Impact of State Political Party Association on the Gender Pay Gap • MATTHEW KELLER – Finance What Community Bank Ads Are Actually Saying: A Content Analysis of Community Banking Advertisement Materials in Southern Mississippi and Southern Louisiana • BEN MILAM – Finance Exploring Financial Literacy of Independent Musicians in the Gig Economy • EVELYN LAWSON – Marketing Integrated Marketing Communications Plan for Boys and Girls Country of Houston • PARKER WILKINS – Marketing 4th Street Crossfit: An Integrated Marketing Plan

HONORS THESIS ADVISORS INCLUDED DR. JAMYE FOSTER, DR. MELINDA MCLELLAND, DR. REGINALD WILSON AND DR. JOANNE CAO.

Cameron Kenney won the $500 prize for first place in his category, “Local/Regional Topics.” Trevor Terry also won the first place prize in his category, “Business or Public Policy.”

Aubrey Kelly was selected to present her honors thesis research at the annual Society of Business, Industry and Economics (SOBIE) Conference in Sandestin, Florida.

Aubrey’s research focused on the correlation between political party association by state on the gender wage gap in that respective state.

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Matthew Keller and Ben Milam also presented their thesis research at the Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. Presenting at an academic conference is uncommon for business undergraduate students, as most presenters are professors and Ph.D. students. Both students worked with Dr. Jamye Foster, associate professor of marketing, as their thesis advisor during their interdisciplinary research, both of which brought together marketing and finance concepts.

Two recent marketing graduates also presented at the conference. Alumna Michelle Le presented her interdisciplinary research on “The Impact of Brand Love, Brand Attachment and Electronic Shopping Experiences Satisfaction on Consumer Willingness to Write Reviews.” Her thesis advisors were Dr. Joanne T. Cao, assistant professor of marketing, and Dr. Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong, professor of merchandising. Alumnus Tally Shaw examined social media likes/shares impact on key marketing outcomes with the help of his thesis advisor, Dr. Melinda McLelland, associate professor of marketing. Through an experimental design, he compared the outcomes in both a local/small market and a large/national market. Tally is currently employed as an account representative with Howard Technology Solutions.

FACULTY INTELLECTUAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND IMPACT PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES - 2018-19 Abdurakhmonov, M., Bolton, J. F., & Ridge, J. W. (In press). When the Cat’s Away, the Mice Will Play: A Model of Corporate Regulatory Compliance. Journal of Managerial Issues.

B. F., Y. Q., & Collins, B. J. (2018). A dynamic model of electric vehicle adoption: The role of social commerce in new transportation.

Information & Management.

Cao, J. T., Foster, J. K., Yaoyuneyong, G., & Krey, N. (In press). Hedonic and Utilitarian Value: The Role of Shared Responsibility in Higher Education Services. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education.

Chen, L., Wu, F.-M., Feng, F., Lai, F., & Wang, Y.-M. (2018). A Common Set of Weights for Ranking Decision-Making Units with Undesirable Outputs: A Double Frontiers Data Envelopment Analysis Approach. Asia-Pacific Journal of Operational Research, 35(6), 1-25.

Chen, L., Lai, F., Wang, Y.-M., Huang, Y., & Wu, F.-M. (2018). A two-stage network data envelopment analysis approach for measuring and decomposing environmental efficiency.

Computer & Industrial Engineering, 119, 388-403.

Chu, Z., Xu, J., Lai, F., & Collins, B. J. (2018).

Institutional Theory and Environmental Pressures: The Moderating Effect of Market Uncertainty on Innovation and Firm Performance. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 65(3), 392-403.

Chu, Z., Feng, B., & Lai, F. (2018). Logistics service innovation by third party logistics providers in China: Aligning guanxi and organizational structure. Transportation Research Part E-Logistics and Transportation Review, 118(10), 291-307.

Cole, S., Zhang, Y., Wang, W., & Hu, C. (2019).

The influence of accessibility and motivation on travel participation of people with mobility impairment. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing. 36(1). 119-130.

Collins, B. J., Galvin, B. M., & Meyer, R. D. (2019). Situational Strength as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Organizational Identification and Work Outcomes. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 26(1), 87-97.

Davis, M. & Miller, J. J. (2019). A conceptual analysis of the theory of consumer choice on NBA attendance. Journal of Applied Sport Management, 11(2), 1-10.

Davis, M. & Miller, J. J. (2019). A fan’s choice: The application of the theory of consumer choice to Major League Baseball. Applied Research in Coaching and Athletics Annuals, 34, 146-175.

Dogru, A. K. & Melouk, S. H. (2018). Adaptive appointment scheduling for patient-centered medical homes. Omega: The International Journal of Management Science, 85, 166-181.

Ehoff, Jr., C. & Bouillon, M. (In press). Accounting for Goodwill: Still Crazy after All These Years.

Journal of Accounting, Ethics and Public Policy.

Galvin, B. M., Randel, A. E., Collins, B. J., & Johnson, R. E. (2018). Changing the focus of locus (of control): A targeted review of the locus of control literature and agenda for future research. Journal of Organizational Behavior.

Goodwin, K. R., Waller, B., & Weeks, S. (2018).

Connotation and Textual Analysis in Real Estate Listings. Journal of Housing Research.

Dr. Fujun Lai was a guest editor for the March 2019 special issue of Information and Management (impact factor = 3.890; acceptance rate = 8%).

In addition, Dr. Lai and Dr. Brian Collins each contributed an article to the issue.

Dr. SherRhonda Gibbs was the managing guest editor for the special issue of the New England Journal of Entrepreneurship (acceptance rate = 20%) and became associate editor of Management Decision (impact factor = 1.53; acceptance rate = 12%). Dr. Gibbs also had a published paper in the Journal of Small Business Strategy (acceptance rate = 18%) that was later featured by Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) News online.

Dr. Kimberly Goodwin had an acceptance in the Journal of Housing Research for her paper, titled “Measures of Real Estate Market Sentiment and Their Relationship with U.S. Home Prices.” Dr. Goodwin presented this work at the Asian Real Estate Society meeting in Incheon, South Korea. Additionally, Dr. Goodwin was interviewed for two separate online articles: The Mississippi Business Journal, discussing how climate change and changing weather patterns could impact insurance rates; and the LendingTree, discussing how gender may affect one’s credit score.

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FACULTY INTELLECTUAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND IMPACT

PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES - CONTINUED Goodwin, K. R. (In press). Measures of Real Estate Market Sentiment and Their Relationship with U.S. Home Prices. Journal of Housing Research.

Hall, S., Manning, D., Keiper, M., Jenny, S., & Allen, B. (2019). Stakeholders’ Perception of Critical Risks and Challenges Hosting Marathon Events: An Exploratory Study. Journal of Contemporary Athletics, 13(1), 11-22.

Hubbard, J., Mitra, S., & Miller, C. R. (2019). Analyzing Human Capital as a Component of the Aerotropolis Model. Journal of Air Transport Management, 78, 63-70.

Kanuri, S. & Malm, J. (2018). Performance of Female CEOs. Journal of Investing, 27(1), 135-142.

Kanuri, S. & Johnson, W. (2018). Is Target Date Mutual Fund Underperformance Rational? Journal of Investing, 27(1), 87-97.

Lai, F. & Luo, X. (2019). Social Commerce and Social Media: Behaviors in the New Service Economy. Information & Management, 56(2), 141-142.

Lambert, J. T., Weber, M. J., Conrad, K. A., & Jennings, S. S. (In press).

Consumer Ethnocentrism in the USA and Wine Choice. Journal of Business Management and Change.

Lambert, J. T., Weber, M. J., Conrad, K. A., & Jennings, S. S. (2018).

Managing Amid Perception: Wine Price-Point Considerations in Several States in the USA. Journal of Business Management and Change, 12-30.

Leach, M. A., Leach, M. M., & Lee, E. (2019). Culture Convergence of Manufacturing Managers in Mexico, Korea, Hong Kong, and USA. Journal of Research in Emerging Markets 1(2), 16-32.

Leach, M. A., Lee, E., & Leach, M. M. (2019). Is There a Relationship between VARK Learning Styles and the Perceived Usefulness of Online Learning Tools in Accounting Principles Courses? Korean Accounting Review, 44(2), 133-163.

Leach, M. A., Stammerjohan, C. A., Stammerjohan, W. W., & Leach, M. M. (2018). Ethical Decision Making of Future Mexican Managers.

International Review of Advances in Business, Management, and Law, 1(1), 85-94.

Lewis, S. X., Magruder, J. S., Mitchell, D. S., Smolinski, C., & Burks, E. J. (2018). Redefining ‘Useful Life’ -- An Energy Consumption Method Emerges from the CC/DS Environment. Journal of Accounting and Finance, 18(5), 105-112.

Li, X., Lai, F., & Yuan, Y. (In press). Understanding Adoption and Continuance of Online Direct Sales Channel. Journal of Computer Information Systems.

Miller, J., Gillentine, A., Olinger, A., & Vogt, S. (2019). A content analysis of the Journal of Legal Aspects of Sport: 1992-2016. Journal of Legal Aspects of Sport, 29, 139-151.

2019 DIANA CHANGEMAKER AWARD Dr. SherRhonda Gibbs was awarded the Educator’s Changemaker Award at the 2019 Diana International Research Institute Impact Day at Babson College in Wellesley, Mass. One award from six categories is given out each year. The awards are granted to individuals whose efforts in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, through research, advocacy and other essential forms of support, have advanced women’s access to resources that are critical to launching and scaling successful ventures.

USM RECENTLY ACHIEVED “R1: DOCTORAL UNIVERSITIES – VERY HIGH RESEARCH ACTIVITY” STATUS IN THE CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATION OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

Dr. Gibbs serves as the interim director of the School of Management and senior vice president of membership on the board of the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Only 130 institutions in the nation are classified as R1.

USM’s inclusion in this elite group of universities recognizes the quality research enterprise created by our faculty, staff and students.

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COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

FACULTY INTELLECTUAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND IMPACT

Miller, J., Vogt, S., Scroggins, C., & Gillentine, A. (2019). A content analysis of tailgating alcohol policies at NCAA Division I football games. International Journal of Sport Management, 20, 1-16.

Parker, P. D. & Swanson, N. J. (2018). Black and Green Vehicle Dealership, LLP - Fraud Case. The South East Case Research Association, 15(1), 91-100.

Ritz, W., Wolf, M., & McQuitty, S. (2019). Digital Marketing Adoption and Success for Small Businesses: The Application of the Do-it-Yourself and Technology Acceptance Models. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing.

Sequeira, J., Weeks, K., Bell, M., & Gibbs, S. (2018). Making the case for diversity as a strategic business tool in small firm survival and success. Journal of Small Business Strategy, 28(3), 31-47.

Stelk, S. J., Park, S.-H., Medcalfe, S., & Dugan, M. T. (2018). An additional analysis of estimation techniques for the degree of financial leverage. Review of Financial Economics, 36(3), 220—231.

Syrdal, H. A. & Briggs, E. (2018). Engagement with Social Media Content: A Qualitative Exploration. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 26(2-1), 4-22.

VanMeter, R., Syrdal, H. A., Powell-Mantel, S., Grisaffe, D. B., & Nesson, E. T. (2018).

Don’t Just ‘Like’ Me, Promote Me: How Attachment and Attitude Influence Brandrelated Behaviors on Social Media. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 43, 83-97.

Van Mullem, P. & Croft, J. C. (2018). Developing Under the Guidance of a Mentor: Five Strategies for Coaches. Strategies: A Journal for Physical and Sport Educators, 31(6), 16-25.

Wang, L., Chu, Z., & Lai, F. (2019). Customer pressure and green innovations at third party logistics providers in China: The moderation effect of organizational culture.

International Journal of Logistics Management, 30(1), 57-75.

Wang, S., Wang, W., & Lee, S. (2018). Interactive roles of social identity and evaluative attitudes in sports events participation. Journal of Convention & Event Tourism. 19(4-5), 327-346.

ACUE USM’s Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) Faculty Development Institute is an innovative initiative focused on expanding the use of effective teaching practices in higher education. Southern Miss began its partnership with ACUE, which was founded in 2016 by leaders in higher education to advance instruction, support college educators, and promote student success.

The program consists of three courses over three semesters, beginning with Active Learning, followed by Assessment of Teaching and Learning, and culminating with Effective Course Design. Each intensive, 10week program focuses on research-based techniques for promoting active learning, improving assessment techniques and designing effective courses.

Five of our very own, Dr. Reginald Wilson, Dr. Joanne Cao, Chris Croft, Russ Willis and Chris Balaski, are one course away from earning the Certificate in Effective College Instruction and the title of “ACUE Distinguished Teaching Scholar.”

Currently, we have three professors that have already earned the title: Dr. Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong, Dr. Steven Stelk and Dr. Sungsoo Kim.

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FACULTY INTELLECTUAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND IMPACT

GRENADA SPORTS COMPLEX FEASIBILITY STUDY The University of Southern Mississippi’s College of Business and Economic Development collaborated across three business programs -- Economic Development, Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Sport Management -- to assist the city of Grenada on a sport’s complex feasibility study.

Matthew Harrison, the economic developer from Grenada County and a Master of Science Economic Development program alumnus, initiated the study in conjunction with Southern Miss, saying he was confident that our expert faculty could provide him with valuable knowledge and resources to create a well-developed feasibility study. Dr. Sungsoo Kim, Dr. Brandon Allen, Dr. Chris Croft and Dr. Chad Miller traveled to Grenada County multiple times throughout the summer to collect primary data through intercept surveys and secondary data from a variety of sources.

Upon completion of their research, the team gave a presentation to community leaders and citizens showcasing their ideas for the city. The collaboration resulted in two reports: Sports Complex Feasibility Study for Grenada County, Miss., and a Preliminary Economic Impact Study.

These reports made it possible for local leaders to make more informed decisions concerning their investment of the new sports complex.

Harrison stated that the feasibility study ultimately became the foundation for their success. “We used the data to build awareness and educate the community about the economic impact, which allowed our support to gain in momentum. The vote was held on October 2 and passed with a whopping 86 percent. We could not have had this type of success without the feasibility study prepared by Dr. Sungsoo Kim and his expert team at the USM College of Business and Economic Development."

The new, 170-acre complex is currently in the engineering design phase, with indoor and outdoor developments. The completed complex will include 12 baseball/softball fields and five multi-use fields, along with an indoor track, bowling lanes, fitness and training areas, basketball/ volleyball courts and a natatorium.

THE GRENADA SPORT COMPLEX WON THE 2018 COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARD, GIVEN BY THE MISSISSIPPI ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. The award is intended to recognize exceptional contributions of communities in the state of Mississippi for efforts, such as business retention and expansion, business recruitment, community development and community involvement.

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PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES - CONTINUED Wang, T., Wang, W., Wu, Z., Su, C., & Chen, M., (2019).

Understanding farm household’s participation in “Nong jia le” in China. Sustainability, 11(5), 1282.

Wang, W. (2019). The influence of perceived technological congruence on consumers’ attitudes toward price change and adoption of smartphone application in air travel.

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 10(2). 122-135.

Wang, W. & Wang, S. (2019). Urban Residents’ Place-Based Perceptions and Attitudes toward Tourism Development: A Comparison between the United States and China. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality and Tourism, 20(2).

Wang, W., Yaoyuneyong, G., Sullivan, P., & Burgess, B. (2018). A model for perceived destination value and tourists’ souvenir intentions. Journal of Applied Marketing Theory, 8(2), 1-23.

Wang, W., Chen, J. S., & Prebensen, N. K. (2018). Market analysis of value-minded tourists: Nature-based tourism in the Arctic. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management, 8(June), 82-89.

Wang, W., Cole, S., & Chen, J. S. (2018). Tourist innovation in air travel. Journal of Travel Research, 57(2), 164-177.

Weber, M. J., Lambert, J. T., Conrad, K. A., Jennings, S. S., & Adams, Jennifer R. M. (2018). Discovering a Cultural System Using Consumer Ethnocentrism Theory. Systemic Practice and Action Research, 31(6), 617-636.

Wilson, R. (2018). Juror Bias and Auditor Negligence: Evidence Using the Social Identity Theory. Journal of Business, Industry, and Economics, 23.

Yang, Y., Lai, F., & Chu, Z. (In press). Continuous Usage Intention of Internet Banking: A Commitment-Trust Model.

Information Systems and e-Business Management.

Yuan, Y., Feng, B., Lai, F., & Collins, B. J. (2018). The role of trust, commitment, and learning orientation on logistic service effectiveness. Journal of Business Research, 93(12), 37-50.

Zaplac, R., Miller, J., & Miller, K. (In press). A case when you can’t fool Mother Nature: Understanding and addressing stakeholder reactions linked to organizational decisions stemming from a natural disaster. Journal of Case Studies in Sport Management.

I

M

IN

MEMORIAM JACOB MATTHEW MEEK

(1999 – 2019) ETHEL, LA.

LAUREN ANN LONGINO

(1991 – 2019) BILOXI, MISS.

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RECOGNIZING EXTRAORDINARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

HONORS AND AWARDS FALL 2018 AND SPRING 2019 COMMUNITY AND FACULTY AWARDS BOARDMAN ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR Robert St. John Restaurateur and Author

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA OF THE YEAR Joy Lightsey Senior VP of Operations, SunTech Inc. (Retired)

LOUIS K. BRANDT PUBLICATION AWARD Dr. Srinidhi Kanuri Assistant Professor, School of Finance

JOSEPH A. GREENE EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD Dr. Brigitte Burgess Associate Professor, School of Marketing

BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL (BAC) RESEARCH AWARD Dr. Reginald Wilson Assistant Professor, School of Accountancy

Dr. Wei Wang Assistant Professor, School of Marketing

Dr. Fujun Lai Professor

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICE AWARD Dr. Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong Associate Professor, School of Marketing

Dr. Jacob Breland Associate Professor, School of Management

SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTANCY AWARDS OUTSTANDING ACCOUNTING STUDENT Kirkland McCarty, Hattiesburg, MS

POSEY-MUNN BOOK AWARDS (SPONSORED BY MCGRAW HILL PUBLISHING) Ryan Sherrer, Picayune, MS Charles Overby, Brandon, MS Joseph Kirkland, West Monroe, LA Lainey Aenchbacher, Savannah, GA

48 |

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

RECOGNIZING EXTRAORDINARY STUDENT EFFORTS

JARVIS MAXEY AWARD Keiyanna Gaskin, Vicksburg, MS

CHARLES JORDAN AWARD Mahum Caudhry, Lahore, Pakistan

MISSISSIPPI SOCIETY OF CPAS AWARD Paige Dillistone, Hattiesburg, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN FINANCE Gregory Anderson, Perkinston, MS Ronald Tyler Russel, Niceville, FL

SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AWARDS MOST ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT STUDENT Gabrielle Morgan, Laurel, MS

HADDOX REID EUBANK BETTS AWARD Brady Anderson, Purvis, MS

BKD AWARD Jenna Van Dan, Summit, MS Brooke Hodges, Clinton, MS Sayle Sanson, Gonzales, LA

BETA ALPHA PSI AWARD Erin Howell, Gulfport, MS

FEDERATION OF SCHOOLS OF ACCOUNTANCY AWARD Josh Spivey, Lake, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Christian Mason, Seminary, MS Chandler Bingham, Pascagoula, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN HUMAN RESOURCES Emily Johnson, Carriere, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP Lauren Haley Brown, Petal, MS Loida Ventura Paz, Lempira, Honduras

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS Tjasa Jerse, Medvode, Slovenia

SCHOOL OF FINANCE AWARDS FINANCE FACULTY AWARDS Faiyaz Hussain, Dhaka, Bangladesh Matthew Keller, Metairie, LA John Haire, Clarksdale, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN MANAGEMENT Sharon Hughes, Moselle, MS Clayton Franklin, Jackson, LA

STANLEY BROOKING MEMORIAL AWARD IN PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT Robert Norsworthy, Florence, MS

HONORING DR. JOSEPH A. GREENE During the spring semester, the late Dr. Joseph A. Greene was honored by a reception for his children, Kathy, Jackie, Mike and Alan. Dr. Greene was the first dean of the College of Business and served in that role for 36 years, upholding principles that still serve as a driving force behind our college today. Additionally, Dr. Greene is the namesake for Joseph Greene Hall, an academic building on the Hattiesburg campus. To find out more about the legacy of Dr. Joseph A. Greene, visit our website: usm.edu/business/legacy-dr-joseph-greene.

The Greene children (Alan, Jackie, Kathy, Mike) posing with Dr. Greene's portrait, which proudly hangs in the Scianna Hall business building.

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19

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RECOGNIZING EXTRAORDINARY STUDENT EFFORTS

MARTIN STEGENGA ACADEMIC AWARD IN MANAGEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS Christopher Reeves, Laurel, MS

GULF PARK CAMPUS STUDENT AWARDS OUTSTANDING ACCOUNTING STUDENT Nhiem Nguyen, Ocean Springs, MS

SCHOOL OF MARKETING AWARDS OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN SALES AWARDS Josh Sullivan, Laurel, MS Gabriela Alongia, Metairie, LA

DOLLY LOYD SPIRIT OF MARKETING AWARD Rebekah Besselman, New Orleans, LA

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN MARKETING Michelle Le, Biloxi, MS Elizabeth Snyder, Waveland, MS

DAVID E. FORD MARKETING LEADERSHIP AWARD

OUTSTANDING BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION STUDENT Orlando Bradford, Gautier, MS

OUTSTANDING MANAGEMENT STUDENT Dejan Duric, Biloxi, MS

OUTSTANDING MARKETING STUDENT Elizabeth Snyder, Waveland, MS

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT David Domonkos, D’Iberville, MS

GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS

Cameron Kenny, Mobile, AL

MERCHANDISING FACULTY AWARD KiAndre McMillian, Picayune, MS

PASSION FOR FASHION AWARD Quadriyyah Russell, Jackson, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN MERCHANDISING Crystal Toole, Merdian, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN HEALTHCARE MARKETING Caitlin Halsey, Gulfport, MS Alexandria Nguyen, Hattiesburg, MS

SPIRIT OF HOSPITALITY

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT IN PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANCY Sheri Lowery, Sumrall, MS Aubrey Sanders, Hattiesburg, MS

OUTSTANDING MASTER OF SCIENCE IN SPORT MANAGEMENT AWARD Carly Della Sala, Mcungie, PA Adam Boardman, Sun Prairie, WI

GRADUATE SPORT MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP AWARD Leah Williams, Waynesboro, MS

OUTSTANDING MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARD Dr. J. Reid Cummings, Mobile, AL Jennifer Hooper, Mobile, AL

Shelby Vibbert, West Lafayette, IN

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM Ashley Duncan, Lexington, KY Sabrina Darby, Slidell, LA

LEADERSHIP IN SPORT MANAGEMENT AWARD Valentia Haupt, Santiago, Chile

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN SPORT MANAGEMENT Andrew O’Dell, Columbia City, IN Rikeetha Pereira, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 50 |

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

OUTSTANDING MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AWARD Charles “Alden” Bennett, Hattiesburg, MS Susan O’Basuyi, Saint Louis, MO

COLLEGE AWARDS OUTSTANDING COAST BUSINESS STUDENT AWARD Elizabeth Snyder, Waveland, MS

RECOGNIZING EXTRAORDINARY STUDENT EFFORTS

OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (UNDERGRADUATE) Lakesha Pittman, Byram, MS Brooke Hodges, Clinton, MS Kirkland McCarty, Hattiesburg, MS

OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (GRADUATE) Nishu Gupta, Punjab, India Joshua Dove, Louisville, KY

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP AWARD Matthew Keller, Metairie, LA

DELTA SIGMA PI SCHOLARSHIP KEY AWARD Ronald Tyler Russell, Niceville, FL

CITIZEN SCHOLAR AWARD Ronald Tyler Russell, Niceville, FL

SPIRIT OF BUSINESS AWARD Kirkland McCarty, Hattiesburg, MS Michelle Le, Biloxi, MS

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR THESE GOLDEN EAGLE GRADUATES TOP (LEFT TO RIGHT) Jenna Van Dan – BKD Award Recipient; Accounting; Accepted position with HORNE LLP Trey Haire – Finance Faculty Student Award Recipient; Finance; Accepted position as a bank examiner for the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance BOTTOM (LEFT TO RIGHT) Joshua Spivey – Federation of Schools of Accountancy Award Recipient; MPA; Accepted position with Ernst and Young Paige Dillistone – Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants Award Recipient; Accounting; Accepted position with KPMG upon completion of MPA Brady Anderson – Haddox Reid Eubank Betts Award Recipient; MPA; Accepted auditing position with Haddox Reid Eubanks Betts PLLC Cameron Kenny – David E. Ford Marketing Award Recipient; Marketing; Accepted management trainee position with Cintas

LEAVING SOUTHERN MISS BETTER THAN THEY FOUND IT Joshua Spivey and Leah Williams were two of 13 students inducted into the 2019 Graduate Student Hall of Fame. Joshua Spivey is in the Master of Professional Accountancy program and will graduate in summer 2019.

During his last semester, he traveled abroad with the Southern Miss Asian Studies Program to Tokyo, Japan, and Hong Kong. Upon graduation and completion of the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam, Spivey will be a tax associate with Ernst and Young, one of the “Big 4” accounting firms.

Leah Williams is currently in the Master of Science in Sport Management program and plans to pursue a career in collegiate sports marketing within a university athletic marketing department.

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19

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STUDENT OUTCOMES 52 |

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

S

ENROLLMENT UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

Accounting

CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

FA L L 20 15

FA L L 20 16

FA L L 20 17

FA L L 20 18

420

373

394

347

367

Finance

141

127

125

120

110

Entrepreneurship

156

145

116

146

155

General Business

372

520

625

666

726

International Business

64

62

68

61

41

Management

296

259

218

188

141

Healthcare Marketing

40

39

35

41

45

Marketing

221

209

212

231

237

Hospitality and Tourism Management

113

103

112

89

63

Merchandising

67

79

54

47

35

Sport Management

105

98

92

109

116

1,995

2,014

2,051

2,045

2,036

55

58

54

48

55

TOTAL UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENT

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

FA L L 20 14

Sport Management MS Economic Development MS

17

17

16

16

13

MPA

25

25

32

34

21

MBA

73

95

110

104

105

TOTAL GRADUATE ENROLLMENT

170

195

212

202

194

Casino Management

2

3

2

2

1

Sport Security Management

3

4

5

3

3

Business Foundations

7

10

9

11

5

Source: USM Institutional Research, Enrollment Dashboards

DEGREES CONFERRED UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

20 13 - 14

20 14 - 15

20 15 - 16

20 16 - 17

Accounting

77

Finance

18

20 17 - 18

89

97

82

75

30

33

31

25

Entrepreneurship

19

17

16

26

15

General Business

81

70

82

100

131

International Business

14

12

11

12

15

Management

83

72

72

57

66

Healthcare Marketing

6

9

12

7

11

Marketing

47

58

54

55

55

Hospitality and Tourism Management

28

22

19

26

27

Merchandising

8

9

13

10

15

Sport Management

19

11

18

23

19

TOTAL UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES AWARDED

400

399

427

429

454

30

Sport Management MS

35

17

37

20

Economic Development MS

8

10

12

12

14

MPA

20

22

26

25

23

MBA

19

25

38

49

45

TOTAL GRADUATE DEGREES AWARDED

82

74

113

106

112

TOTAL DEGREES AWARDED

482

473

540

535

566

Source: USM Institutional Research, Degrees Awarded Dashboards

E O E / F/ M / V E T S / D I S A B I L I T Y U C 8 0 7 1 6

ANNUAL REPORT 2018-19 COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT USM.EDU/BUSINESS