SOUTHERN MISS SPORT MANAGEMENT NEWSLETTER
Faculty/Staff
May 2019 edition
Williams Inducted into Graduate School Hall of Fame
Dr. Stacey Hall 601.266.6707 stacey.a.hall@usm.edu
On April 2, the University of Southern Mississippi Graduate School celebrated Graduate Student Appreciation Week and welcomed 13 new inductees into the Graduate School Hall of Fame. Each student was presented with their own portrait portraying him/her in the specific field of study. These portraits were individually unveiled for all in attendance to the small ceremony by Dr. Karen Coats, the Dean of the Graduate School, and each will be displayed in McCain Library for the upcoming year. The College of Business & Economic Development provided two of the overall thirteen inductees, and one was the Sport Management's very own graduate assistant Leah Williams. She plans to graduate this May after serving the Sport Management office for two years. Williams chose to be photoed in M.M. Roberts Stadium or "The Rock" to represent her passion for sports. When asked about her thoughts on the portrait,
Dr. Brandon Allen 601.266.6057 brandon.l.allen@usm.edu
she had this to say: "I wanted the portrait to give a professional look while also portraying the dedication I have had towards pursuing a career in a field that I love. Southern Miss has been my home for the past six years, and much of that time has been spent hard at work at various sporting events. I wouldn't change a thing and am completely honored by this recognition!"
Dr. Chris Croft 601.266.6350 chris.croft@usm.edu
Southern Miss Sport Management Club @usmSMC
@usm_smc
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Dr. John Miller 601.266.5778
AA/EOE/ADAI
john.j.miller@usm.edu
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Deonne Moore Graduation Year:Â 2011 (Undergrad) & 2016 (Masters) Current Employer & Position:Â Oklahoma Baptist University - Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Promotions/Fan Engagement
How did the USM Sport Management program prepare you for the career you have now? It helped me gain a better understanding of the sports industry. Practices that worked and/or failed, along with learning key things about branding and sponsorships. But being a graduate assistant with the sports marketing department helped out a ton! Being able to apply what I've learned in class to promoting events, working with sponsors, staying on brand, etc. was an invaluable experience that prepared me very well.
What is one of your favorite memories from your time in the program? From a class standpoint, one of my favorite memories from my time in the program was bidding on the Olympics in Dr. Phillip's class. Our group's city was Boston, and we had to outline all the pros to hosting the Olympics. We brought Boston Cream pies for the class when we presented. I was also a Graduate Assistant with sports marketing, and my favorite memory of that was preparing and executing the Mississippi State versus Southern Miss football game in 2015 - helping to break the attendance record. The game started at 9 p.m., but our sports marketing team was there at 9 a.m. Long day but fantastic memories. Speaking of attendance records and memories, my favorites were breaking the previous softball attendance record in 2015 and the volleyball attendance record, which I believe I still hold. The time and effort that went into promoting those games--it was always great to see the reactions of the student athletes playing in front of a packed house.
What advice would you give to students currently in the program? This profession takes a lot of time, effort, and hard work. For students in the program now, if they're not a graduate assistant, I strongly suggest that students volunteer in the athletics department. Whether it's marketing, facilities, compliance, etc., doing this goes a long way in being able to apply what you've learned and also gives you a ton of experience while you're still in school. Do the grunt work and whatever else is needed. Trust me, it pays off in the end.
APRIL IN REVIEW The School of Marketing professors took the students out to the ball game! Students from all majors within the school were invited to tailgate and enjoy the Southern Miss baseball game against ULL. Hot dogs were grilled by a few of the school's best chefs (Dr. Allen, Mr. Balaski, & Dr. Croft!), and snacks and drinks were provided by Frito Lay and Hattiesburg Coca-Cola. Students were able to mingle with each other, executives from Eli Lily and Frito Lay, and representatives from the Southern Miss athletic department. Everyone was even able to witness an exciting walk-off win by the Golden Eagles!
The College of Business & Economic Development hosted the annual spring awards ceremony honoring the best of the students within the college. A few Sport Management students were recognized for their accomplishments and dedication. Congratulations to our two undergraduate recipients Rikeetha Pereira (left) and Valentina Haupt (not pictured) and our two graduate recipients Adam Boardman (not pictured) and Leah Williams (right). Our club Vice President and graduate student, Nichada Satasuk, was also inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. Congratulations to all!
Dr. Chris Croft and Dr. John Miller recently presented at the College Sport Research Institute in Columbia, South Carolina. The presentation topic was titled "Analysis of Power 5 Conference Athletic Department Mission Statements and Strategic Plans." Dr. Croft also had a poster presentation explaining the journey of head coaches titled "Climbing the Coaching Ladder: The Pathway of Intercollegiate Head Coaches."
UPCOMING DATES/EVENTS Full Term Final Exams- May 6-9 Doctoral, Specialists, Master's degree Commencement- May 9 Undergraduate Commencement (Hattiesburg Campus)- May 10 Undergraduate Commencement (Gulf Coast Campus)- May 11 Grades Available to View in SOAR- May 15
For more information on these dates, please contact the department Graduate Assistant, Leah Williams, at leah.d.williams@usm.edu .
Congratulations, graduates!
Dr. Rodney Bennett, University President, (left) and Ray Durr (right)