Student Success Support Overview

There is perhaps no greater wish than to fly, to break free, to take to the skies and touch the clouds. As part of The University of Southern Mississippi’s storied legacy, you have been given this opportunity.

In life, you have risen. You have succeeded. You have flown.

Now, you have the chance to help others do the same.

Success stories don’t write themselves.

GIVE WING TO TODAY’S BRIGHTEST STUDENTS, TOMORROW’S FRONT-RUNNERS. The challenging and supportive atmosphere at The University of Southern Mississippi inspires students through the rigors of a highcaliber academic community coupled with familiar relationships built under our historic oaks.

Our students are intelligent, and they choose Southern Miss because it provides an exceptional education at an incredible value. We encourage students to pursue their passions and provide them with the resources to be the authors of their own futures. They develop their intellects through close relationships with faculty and learn how to be both teammates and leaders. Philanthropy allows Golden Eagles to enter the world equipped with a solid foundation of knowledge, real-world experience, and the confidence and boldness to achieve their highest aspirations.

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Average incoming freshman ACT: 22 | GPA: 3.43

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67% are native Mississippians

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Approximately 33% percent are the first in their families to attend college

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80% of students have some level of financial need, with about half of our students coming from families earning less than $50,000 annually

ATTRACTING THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST STUDENTS

1,800

WHAT WOULD NEW OR ENHANCED ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS DO FOR OUR STUDENT BODY? Eighteen hundred scholarship funds at $25,000 or above would provide over $1.5 million in support annually for students to thrive in their studies.

Thanks to donors who invest in closing the gap between a student’s financial resources and the cost to attend college, scholarships change the trajectory of students’ lives by removing obstacles preventing them from continuing their education. A degree empowers these students, changing their futures and carrying forward a positive impact on their families and the individuals they will serve throughout their careers.

Through scholarship giving, you invest in these hardworking, ambitious students, ensuring financial circumstances do not limit them. By tailoring your gift designation, you impact key student communities in need.

AREAS IN NEED OF INCREASED SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT Honors College Military Students Transfer Students Fifth-Year Seniors Student-Athletes First-Generation Students Degree Specific Gulf Park Gap Scholarships Student Organizations Oseola McCarty Scholars Holloway Scholarship

Competition for the finest students is fierce.

By increasing our capacity to attract today’s brightest students, we raise the level of learning for the entire University and can better compete with other institutions across the nation.

When the University opened its doors in the early 1900s, Mississippi residents enrolled with no tuition fee as long as they pledged to teach in a Mississippi public school for three years after graduation.

By the late 1970s, tuition rose to $330 a semester. Current undergraduate students are paying up to $6,360 in tuition per semester and graduating with $25,000 in debt on average. Donors like you can help us reduce the debt burden for these new graduates.

HOW WOULD NEWLY ENDOWED PRESIDENTIAL-LEVEL SCHOLARSHIPS ENTICE THE MOST SOUGHTAFTER PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS? Thirty-two scholarship funds at $250,000 or above would provide over $320,000 in support annually for our most intellectually gifted students to excel in their courses and research in Mississippi and abroad.

STUDENT-ATHLETE SUPPORT Join the team behind our Golden Eagles, who provide over 350 studentathletes with academic scholarships and educational support, allowing them to achieve their goal of a degree from Southern Miss.

Southern Miss is a place where future Olympic gold medalists, Super Bowl and World Series champions pass each other in the halls.

AREAS IN NEED OF SUPPORT Scholarships through the Eagle Club Priority needs through the Circle of Champions Updating and enhancing Athletics facilities

SUPPORTING MILITARY STUDENTS Your support can help increase opportunities for this population at the nations No. 3 “Best for Vets” university. The new 5,500-square-foot Quinlan-Hammond Hall of Honor houses the Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families, allowing Southern Miss to holistically care for and meet the needs and interests of our military-student community.

SUPPORT ENDOWMENTS FOR THE CENTER FOR MILITARY VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS & FAMILIES Endowments are crucial to sustaining programs that support our roughly 1,700 military students as they prepare for the next phase of their lives.

These funds allow the Center to bolster exisiting programs, while adding new offerings to their services.

The USM Foundation 601.266.5210 | foundation@usm.edu givewingtosouthernmiss.com 118 College Drive #5210 Hattiesburg, MS 39406 Southern Miss Athletic Foundation 601.266.5299 | eagle.club@usm.edu 118 College Drive #5017 Hattiesburg, MS 39406 EOE/F/M/VETS/DISABILITY