Southern Miss Now

Mississippi Region I Science and Engineering Fair held at Southern Miss

w301717 — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:52:13 +0000

David Tisdale

Mia McFadden, right, a student at Buckatunna Junior High School in Wayne County, Miss. talks to Anna Beth Williams about her science project at the Mississippi Region I Science and Engineering Fair, held Wednesday at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. McFadden’s project, titled “Blowing in the Wind,” examined the ability of solar panels to power wind turbines for the generation of electricity. Williams, a Southern Miss junior from Hattiesburg, served as a judge for the event. Approximately 90 secondary school students from across south Mississippi participated in the fair. (University Communications photo by David Tisdale)

Southern Miss College of Business Sponsoring Ethics Week March 5-8

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:04:39 +0000

Van Arnold

The University of Southern Mississippi’s College of Business aims to highlight the importance of integrity in decision making as part of Ethics Week, scheduled for March 5-8 on the Hattiesburg campus.

The agenda will feature speakers from around the Southern Miss campus discussing topics such as social media presence, professional etiquette and classroom civility, among others. The week will kick off on Monday, March 5 with a panel discussion titled: “Social Networking & Your Online Image.”

“We highly stress the development of ethical decision making skills for our students in the College of Business,” said Marie Baker, academic advisor & recruitment and retention coordinator. “Ethics are not only important to business people, but people in any kind of work environment. Ethical decisions are made in many different areas each day and it is important that people have a wealth of knowledge on this issue.”

Baker notes that the Southern Miss College of Business sponsors programs such as this in an effort to supply students with the tools necessary to succeed in life after college.

“One must have a strong background in ethical decision making in order to be successful and productive,” said Baker. “This training is designed to help them avoid situations where their personal ethics are called into question, or, if they are presented a dilemma, they understand the positive and negative consequences of their decisions.”

The Ethics Week schedule of events:

March 5– Panel Discussion: “Social Networking & Your Online Image.” Speakers: Dr. David Davies, Dr. Jamye Foster, Dr. Bret Becton, Dr. Amy Yeend. Time: 1 p.m. Location: Joseph Greene Hall Room 115

March 6– “Developing Your Personal Brand.” Speaker: Dr. Gary Futrell. Time: 2:30 p.m. Location: Joseph Greene Hall Room 115

March 7– “Shortcuts to Academic Integrity.” Speaker: Dr. Eddie Holloway. Time: 1 p.m. Location: Joseph Greene Hall Room 218.

March 8– Lunch & Learn: “Agribusiness, Genetically Modified Crops and Consumer’s Right to Know.” Speaker: Dr. Samuel Bruton. Time: 12:30 p.m. Location: Joseph Greene Hall Room 218

For more information about Ethics Week or the College of Business at Southern Miss, call 601.266.4659 or visit: http://www.usm.edu/business

Southern Miss Gulf Coast News Briefs

w301717 — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:14:09 +0000

Charmaine Williams Schmermund

This news briefs package highlights timely news and events from The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast. For more information on any of the stories below or for assistance in arranging interviews, contact Southern Miss Gulf Coast University Communications at 228.865.4573.

Gulf Coast SGA to Host Professional Black Women’s Panel Feb. 29

The Student Government Association at The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast will conclude their celebration of Black History Month with the free lunch and learn program, “Professional Black Women’s Panel: Sharing Challenges and Triumphs.”

The program will take place Wednesday, Feb. 29 from 11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. in room 104 of the Fleming Education Center on the Gulf Park campus in Long Beach. The panel will include Joycelyn Moody, principal of Harrison County Disciplinary School; Ella Holmes-Hines, Ward 3 councilwoman for the city of Gulfport; Karen Sock, general manager and chief operations officer of Margaritaville Casino; and Dorothy McEwen, director of South Mississippi Regional Center.

This program is sponsored by the SGA Gap Activities and Southern Miss Cultural Arts Committee. To RSVP for lunch, email gulfcoastsga@usm.edu. For more information, contact Christy Elias at 228.865.4577.

Southern Miss Gulf Coast to Host Scholars Bowl March 1

The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast will host this year’s Scholars Bowl beginning at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 1 in the Fleming Education Center auditorium on the Gulf Park campus in Long Beach.

Collegiate teams will compete throughout the day in 30-minute trivia matches until the final two teams challenge each other in the championship match for the Golden Eagle trophy. The teams are comprised of three students and one faculty or staff member. The emcee for this year’s Scholars Bowl will be Jeff Lawson, news anchor at WLOX.

Community members are encouraged to attend the Scholars Bowl and cheer on their favorite team. For more information call 228.865.4577 or email gcstudents@usm.edu.

Honors Forum, Friends of University Libraries to Host Author of “The Healing”

w301717 — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:23:13 +0000

The University of Southern Mississippi University Forum will feature author Jonathan Odell, author of The Healing Tuesday, March 6 at 6:30 p.m. in Wilbur Stout Hall, located behind College Hall on the Hattiesburg campus. Friends of University Libraries will host a reception for Odell at 8 p.m. at the Powerhouse Restaurant on campus immediately following the forum, where copies of The Healing will be made available for purchase by Barnes and Noble bookstore staff.

Odell will speak about the historical context of his novel in which he connects with his Mississippi roots through his creation of Polly Shine, a healer purchased by a southern plantation owner. Troubled by his wife’s disturbing mental state and concerned about a mysterious plague that is sweeping through the plantation in the pre-Civil War South, Master Satterfield gets more than he bargained for when Polly’s sharp tongue and troubling predictions cause unrest throughout the plantation.

Pat Conroy, author of The Prince of Tides, describes The Healing as “another Mississippi-born work of art and Odell's Polly Shine is a character for the ages.” Main Street Books in downtown Hattiesburg will host a book signing for The Healing on Monday, March 5 from 5-7 p.m.

The Friends of University Libraries was created in 2010 to bolster community support for Southern Miss University Libraries. For more information on joining Friends of University Libraries or the Odell forum and reception, contact Sarah Mangrum at 601.266.4251.

The University Forum series is presented through the Southern Miss Honors College each fall and spring semester. It features a special series of lectures and programs open without charge to Southern Miss students, faculty, staff and members of the community. For more information about University Forum or the Honors College, call 601.266.4533 or online, visit http://www.usm.edu/honors/

NCS4 Announces Media Sponsors for Annual Conference

w301717 — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:48:13 +0000

The National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security, located at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, welcomes four media sponsors for its third annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition, set for July 31-Aug. 2 in New Orleans.

Security Magazine, Emergency Management, Campus Safety Magazine, and Panstadia focus on the common subject of the conference, safety and security management, within different emphasis areas. All sponsors will cover the three-day conference, which will incorporate the theme “Bridging the Gap between SAFETY and Security.” The event will include 64 exhibitors and more than 450 expected guests.

“The sponsors add a lot to the conference,” said Brett Reiter, NCS4 marketing coordinator. “They help us reach our target audience by promoting the conference on their websites and in their publications. We’re glad to have four partners in four different segments.”

Security Magazine focuses on providing solutions for executives that manage risk and security solutions. Emergency Management, a publication of records, draws attention to natural disasters, epidemics, and terrorists attacks for emergency management, public safety and homeland security stakeholders.

Campus Safety’s center of attention supplies support to police chiefs, security directors, IT personnel, emergency managers and administrators that serve hospitals, schools and universities. Produced quarterly, Panstadia is a journal that serves the international sports facility market with vital news, case studies, analysis, philosophies and practices employed within the industry.

Established in 2006, The National Center for Spectator Sports and Security specifically focuses on research, education, and outreach efforts in sport event security while providing an interdisciplinary academic environment to further increase sport security awareness, improve sport security policies and procedures and enhance emergency response through evacuation, recovery operations and crowd management training. For more information about NCS4, call 601.266.6183 or visit www.ncs4.com.

Medieval Stained Glass, Architecture Subjects of Feb. 27 Science Café Program

w301717 — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 22:09:30 +0000

Dr. Phyllis G Jestice, chair and professor of history at the University of Southern Mississippi, will lead a discussion on medieval stained glass and the Nova Science video “Building the Great Cathedrals” Monday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. in the art gallery at Cook Library as part of the spring Science Café series. Admission is free.

Dee Tatum, a local stained glass artist and owner of Seraphim Studios, a custom stained glass classes and supplies studio, will also be on hand to facilitate any questions about working with stained glass.

Gothic engineers built thin, super-tall walls, made not of stone but mostly of glass. Somehow, these walls of windows support towering ceilings of stone. How did medieval builders pull off such a dramatic transformation? In medieval architecture, stained glass had a unique structural and symbolic importance. As the Romanesque massiveness of the wall was eliminated, the use of glass was expanded. Symbolically, it was regarded as a manifestation of divine light.

Held in the art gallery next to the Starbucks coffee shop at Cook Library, The Science Café series offers those with minimal or no background in science the chance to meet and discuss scientific issues in layman’s terms in a relaxed social setting. A member of the Southern Miss faculty shares his or her expertise at each session with a presentation and short NOVA video. Admission is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Tracy Englert at 601.266.6396 or e-mail tracy.englert@usm.edu. Additional information can be found at the PBS Nova website. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/science-stained-glass.html or http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/building-gothic-cathedrals.html

Eagle Dining Hosts Daily Grind Grand Opening at Gulf Park Campus

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:32:21 +0000

LaShana Sorrell

Coffee and café, The Daily Grind, will hold a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony at noon on Thursday, Feb. 23 at The University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Park campus in Long Beach.

Southern Miss Gulf Coast Vice President Dr. Frances Lucas will be on hand to give the opening remarks. Food and refreshments will be served.

Operated by Eagle Dining, The Daily Grind serves gourmet coffee and custom sandwiches. It is open Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. - 1p.m.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to be at the Gulf Park campus,” said Ches Roberts, Eagle Dining Resident District Manger. “This is one example of the expanding partnership that Southern Miss and Eagle Dining has developed over the past seven years and is the foundation for future growth.”

For more information about all of our dining locations, contact the Eagle Dining marketing department at 601.266.4269 or www.eagledining.com.

About ARAMARK Higher Education

ARAMARK Higher Education is dedicated to excellence in dining, facility, conference center, and stadium and arena services. ARAMARK enhances the living and learning experience and environment for more than 600 colleges and universities throughout North America. For more information and a list of our services, visit www.aramarkhighered.com.

Southern Miss Participates in National Therapeutic Recreation Month

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:07:14 +0000

Ryan Kelly

The Southern Miss School of Human Performance and Recreation’s therapeutic recreation program received a proclamation from Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree on Feb. 7 declaring February 2012 as Therapeutic Recreation Month in Hattiesburg, Miss.

This began a month-long celebration at Southern Miss of the growing profession, of which faculty and students alike are spreading the word about therapeutic recreation and its benefit to the health care community.

“It was such an honor for the Therapeutic Recreation Program students and faculty to be recognized by Mayor DuPree,” said Dr. Mary Ann Aquadro, instructor of therapeutic recreation at Southern Miss. “The treatment and services provided by recreation therapists to improve and maintain the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional functioning of individuals facing life changing disease and disability are not well-known.

“We are making every effort to educate individuals at Southern Miss and in the community about the profession and the degree program which prepares individuals to enter the profession of Therapeutic Recreation.”

Aquadro points out that the profession is rewarding due to it promoting health and quality of life for the individuals served.

In attendance at the City Council Meeting for the proclamation presentation were therapeutic recreation students and faculty from The University of Southern Mississippi, as well as therapeutic recreation professionals from the Hattiesburg-area.

For more information, contact the College of Health at 601.266.5253 or health@usm.edu.

Southern Miss to bring "Rumors" to the stage beginning Feb. 24

w301717 — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:28:46 +0000

David Tisdale

The University of Southern Mississippi will bring Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Neil Simon’s comedic “Rumors” to the Martha R. Tatum Theatre stage beginning Friday, Feb. 24. Presented by the Department of Theatre and Dance, the play will run through March 4.

The storyline finds the deputy mayor of New York City, Charlie Brock, having just shot himself at his anniversary celebration, with four couples gathered for the event attempting to get “the story” of the event straight before other guests arrive. As the confusions and miscommunications mount, the evening spins into a hilarious farce in classic Simon style.

“The cast has been incredible,” said “Rumors” director Joe Hernandez of Destin, Fla., who is a third year MFA student in theatre with an emphasis in directing. ‘They’ve taken these characters and brought them to life.”

MFA student Chase Byrd of Franklin, N.C. plays Lenny Ganz, one of the anniversary party guests, along with wife Claire Ganz, portrayed by senior performance major Kira Lyon of Petal, Miss. The couple was in a car wreck on their way to the party, with Lenny complaining of whiplash and Claire having suffered a cut lip. Their roles enhance the zany twists and turns of the play. “It (Rumors) shows us how people look outside the door and then inside, and then when pushed to their limits,” Byrd said.

“High energy, funny, absolutely insane,” said Lyon in praise of “Rumors.” “The façade aspect of the play comes off when the pressure is on,” she continued in describing the action, while adding that the cast and audience are “safe in a good playwright’s hands.”

Stephen Judd, professor of scenic design and head of the MFA program in design/technology, serves as scenic designer for “Rumors.” Other members of the cast and crew include Benjamin Norman, lighting designer, a first year MFA lighting design student from New Orleans; Kerry Brown-Richards, costume designer, a first year MFA costume design student from New Orleans; Andrew Bledsoe, sound designer of Tupelo, Miss.; Cordie Nelson, stage manager, a senior from Moss Point, Miss.; Alex Piper, a second year MFA in performance student from Cullman, Ala.; Rebecca Yeager, a second year MFA in performance student from Birmingham, Ala. ; Kendall Kiker, a second year MFA in performance student from Florence, S.C.; Lisa Fischel, a first year MFA in performance student from Las Vegas; Bennett Forrest, a performance student from Memphis; and Hayley Barnes, a senior performance major from Ocean Springs, Miss.

“Rumors” will be presented Feb. 24, 25, 29 and March 1, 2, and 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 26 and March 4 at 2 p.m. The play includes strong language. Reserved seats are $12 for the public and $10 for faculty, staff, senior adults and military personnel; and $6 for students. For more information about the play, call the Department of Theatre and Dance at 601.266.4494; for information about tickets, call 601.266.5418 or 800.844.8425.

College of Business Building Campaign Receives Significant Boost

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:25:03 +0000

Van Arnold

Thanks to a gift from The First Bancshares, Inc., The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation’s Building Better Business Campaign has exceeded the $8 million mark on the way to reaching its $10 million goal.

In addition, Southern Miss alumnus Chuck Scianna has issued a matching gift challenge to help raise the remaining $2 million needed to move forward with construction of the new College of Business building this summer. Any gift to the Building Better Business Campaignmade between February 1 and May 31, 2012, including the recent contribution from The First, will be matched by Scianna up to a cumulative total of $1 million.

“The First has been such a strong partner with Southern Miss and the College of Business that it is only fitting that their commitment to the new building moves us into the home stretch for breaking ground,” said Dr. Lance Nail, dean of the College of Business. “This gift furthers their investment in the University and the regional economy through training future generations of Finance professionals in the Center for Financial Services with cutting edge technology and real time data from around the globe.

“Knowing that this is the first gift that Chuck will match as part of his challenge is also special given that Chuck studied finance and his success is attributable to global markets.”

The gift from The First that pushed the fundraising initiative past 80 percent of its goal was solidified last week when The First’s board of directors decided to invest in the future of business in South Mississippi by contributing to the new College of Business building at Southern Miss. The contribution will award The First naming rights to the home of the college’s Center for Financial Services, a space that will feature finance workstations and up to the minute stock and other financial information.

The First Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for The First, A National Banking Association. The company was founded and is headquartered in Hattiesburg, Miss. The First began operations in 1996 and serves South Mississippi and Louisiana with 17 full service banking locations and 202 full-time employees. The company has grown to $681 million in total assets, ranking it 12th in terms of total assets for banks headquartered in the state of Mississippi. The company’s stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol FBMS.

“Our company has been very successful in a large part because of the support we have received from Southern Miss, its alumni, supporters and the south Mississippi community as a whole,” said Hoppy Cole, president and CEO of The First Bancshares, Inc. “Southern Miss is a significant economic driver in our area. It is critical that the University has state-of-the-art facilities to remain competitive and attract top quality students. Those students go on to be successful, productive members of our community, which elevates our regional economy.

“We are pleased to join with other supporters to help make the new College of Business building a reality and look forward to the many benefits this facility will provide to our south Mississippi community.”

The USM Foundation, in partnership with the University’s College of Business, announced the fundraising campaign on March 29, 2011, to aid in the construction of a new on-campus business school facility.

As of Feb. 20, 2012, the campaign has received $8.1 million in commitments, including a gift of $250,000 from Southern Miss alumni Louis and Lou Ann Poynter of Hattiesburg, a $1 million gift commitment from alumni Tom and Jana McDonnell of Madison, and a $5 million gift commitment from Chuck and Rita Scianna of Houston, Texas, to name the proposed building Scianna Hall.

The matching gift challenge, made by Scianna on January 31 at a fundraising event in Houston, Texas, should spur the completion of the campaign. All charitable contributions, regardless of size, made to support construction of the new facility will be matched by Scianna dollar for dollar up to the cumulative total of $1 million. Assuming $1 million is raised between February 1 and May 31, the Scianna match will bring the campaign to a successful conclusion. The match would also bring Scianna’s total gift commitment up to $6 million.

Scianna reinforced his commitment to do whatever it takes to complete the campaign. “As I have stated before, my investment in this project is an investment in higher education,” said Scianna. “I hope my challenge will encourage other Southern Miss alumni and friends of the University to step up, make the commitment and help us finish the campaign by May.”

The University received $11 million in state bonds from the Mississippi Legislature in 2010 and an additional $15 million from the Mississippi Legislature in state bonds for 2011. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant was a driving force behind the $26 million in state appropriations for the building.

With “Building Better Business” as its goal, the 90,000-square-foot structure, at a total estimated project cost of $33 million, will stand next to the Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship and will benefit 2,200 College of Business students, more than 65 faculty members and 17 staff members.

As a project funded completely by private donations and state bonds, the new facility will increase the square footage dedicated to the College of Business by 50 percent, house the Center for Healthcare Sales and Marketing and the Center for Financial Services, provide students with study and gathering spaces, and improve the technology with which business education is delivered to Southern Miss students.

“This is an exciting point in the Building Better Business Campaign,” said Bob Pierce, vice president for university advancement and executive director of The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation. “To have The First, a hometown bank that is in a major growth mode, make the gift to push us past the $8 million mark is significant enough in itself, but then to have our lead donor step up to the plate again by making a matching gift challenge to get us to $10 million is truly remarkable.

“This challenge should be just the catalyst we need to generate the final $2 million necessary to complete the campaign, and I can see no reason why we wouldn't have it finished by the end of May. Chuck Scianna has become a major player not only in the future of our College of Business but also for the University as a whole. Move over Steve Austin, it looks like Southern Miss now has its own $6 million man.”

Visit www.usmfoundation.com/sciannachallenge to make a gift. For more information on the Building Better Business Campaign, visit www.usmfoundation.com/businessbuilding or call 601.266.5210.

Southern Miss School of Music to Present Musical Dramas Feb. 28, March 1

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:36:39 +0000

Mike Lopinto

Love, jealousy, betrayal and murder are just a few of the themes that will be on full display when The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music presents the short operas “Cavalleria Rusticana”and “Il Tabarro” Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Mannoni Performing Arts Center Auditorium.

These fully staged productions feature singers of the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company and the Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Dr. Jay Dean. Unlike most singular performances, both of these operas will be staged on the same evening each night.

“These are exiting productions with truly exceptional singers,” said Dean.

“Cavalleria Rusticana” is Mascagni’s operatic claim to fame. Considered to be the first verismo opera, it contains the trademark gritty and dark version of reality. The tale is one of love betrayed and a jealousy that leads to a duel and death (in true operatic fashion). The opera is equally famous for the instrumental intermezzo customarily played between this one-act production’s two scenes.

“Il Tabarro’s” tightly focused plot centers on Michele, the owner of a barge moored on the Seine and his younger wife, Giorgetta, who no longer enjoys their nomadic river life and has taken up with a man her own age, Luigi. As is typical of the grim verismo style, the outcome of this love triangle is unpleasant. According to the plot summary, “every man carries a cloak, hiding sometimes a great joy, sometimes a terrible sorrow.”

However, the opera is not all grim. In the characters Frugola, Talpa, Tinca and the Song-vendor, the audience will find delightful comedy, as well as poignant sweetness in the music of two lovers.

“Last year’s production completely sold out,” said Jennifer Hart, marketing director for the symphony. “We know how off-putting the thought of opera can be to many, but we do everything we can to make it very accessible to our audiences.”

The Italian lyrics are made clear with projected translations above the stage. Directed by Rob Mulholland, the action is sure to be clever and well-paced.

The shows begin at 7:30 pm. both evenings. Tickets are free for college students with ID, $10 for children and $20/18/16 for adults. Tickets can be purchased through www.southernmisstickets.com

For more details, contact the Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra office at 601.266.4001 or email symphony@usm.edu

Southern Miss Employees Chosen for Leadership Positions in local ASTD Group

w301717 — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:11:05 +0000

David Tisdale

Five University of Southern Mississippi employees were recently chosen for leadership positions with the Hattiesburg Geographic Interest Group (GIG) of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). They include:

*President-elect: Linda Bass, proctoring and training specialist with the Learning Enhancement Center

*Vice-President for Membership: Mary Green, data base coordinator with Sponsored Programs Administration

*Vice President for Professional Development: Rebecca Woodrick, director, Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity

*Vice President for Communications: Vanessa McCullum, coordinator with Online Academic Support

*Past President: Amy Thornton, project manager, Learning Enhancement Center

The Mississippi Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development’s stated vision is to be the premier workforce learning and development resource in the state. The chapter is composed of three GIGS, with the Hattiesburg GIG being founded in April 2009. For more information about the Mississippi chapter of ASTD, online visit http://mississippiastd.memberlodge.com/

Southern Miss Gulf Coast SGA to Host Mississippi Black History Lecture Feb. 22

w301717 — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:28:46 +0000

Charmaine Williams Schmermund

The Student Government Association at The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast is celebrating Black History Month with the free lunch and learn lecture, “Mississippi Black History,” presented by Dr. James Pat Smith, professor of history. The lecture will take place Wednesday, Feb. 22, from 11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. in Fleming Education Center room 204 on the university’s Gulf Park campus in Long Beach.

The lecture is sponsored by the SGA Gap Activities and Southern Miss Cultural Arts Committee. To RSVP for lunch, email gulfcoastsga@usm.edu. For more information, contact Christy Elias at 228.865.4577.

Southern Miss Institute Helps Change Lives of People with Disabilities

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:54:16 +0000

Van Arnold

To say the staff of the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) at The University of Southern Mississippi simply strives to help Mississippians with disabilities would be vastly understating the group’s mission. Their commitment runs much deeper than that.

“People with disabilities have the same hopes and dreams as everyone else and should be afforded the same opportunities to reach their goals,” said IDS Executive Director Dr. Royal Walker Jr. “They are an important part of the fabric of our society and here at the Institute we are committed to offering assistance any way we can to help improve their lives. It is the right thing to do.”

For more than 30 years IDS has provided a variety of programs to assist individuals with disabilities and their families with priority areas such as housing, early intervention, inclusive child care, assistive technology, recreation, health, education, and family support.

All Mississippians with disabilities are eligible to receive assistance through IDS, regardless of gender, race, religious affiliation or socio-economic status. The overarching theme of the Institute is to pave a pathway to a better life for people of all ages – infants, toddlers, school-age children, youth, workers, parents, families and seniors.

Case in point: Jackson, Miss. resident April Lindsey, who realized her dream of home ownership through the IDS-sponsored Mississippi Home of Your Own program. Through the program grants of up to $15,000 are available to eligible borrowers with disabilities. Since 1997, HOYO has assisted 454 people with disabilities and their families in 60 Mississippi counties in becoming homeowners.

“It was hard to make ends meet. If your housing is unstable, you can’t focus on important things,” said Lindsey, who has three children, including one with a disability. “Now that I am in my home I can provide stability for my children and can focus on things that are important, like my children’s education and health.”

IDS is a member of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, a network of 67 interdisciplinary centers in the United States and its territories working to advance policy and practice for and with individuals with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and communities.

With a new Technology Learning Center on the Gulf Coast, plus regional offices in Jackson, Tupelo and Indianola, the Institute continues to expand its service capabilities to every corner of the state. “Our goal is to have programs available in all 82 counties,” said Walker. “We’re getting there.”

In 1981, IDS (then known as the University Affiliated Program) had a budget of $150,000 and a staff of five. In 1992 the program was elevated to institute status, prompting a change to its current name. Since that time, funding has expanded to an estimated $7 million a year with more than 50 employees statewide.

The Institute receives the majority of its funding from federal and state grants. Private businesses and other non-profit organizations also provide substantial contributions, but Walker concedes that financial challenges remain.

“We’re very fortunate and grateful to have our grant funding renewed on a consistent basis, but we also recognize that there are a lot of other agencies competing for financial support in these tough economic times,” said Walker. “That’s why we never take what we do here for granted.”

IDS’ range of services and programs is too vast to list in one story. But a couple of programs, in particular, merit special recognition:

· Project TRIAD implements a Youth Information, Training and Resource Center to assist unserved and underserved youth with disabilities who are transitioning from school to adult life. The focus of the project is access to postsecondary training opportunities for academic and leadership development skills needed for employment, self-determination, community engagement and leadership. The program provides technical assistance and training for disability support services staff and career counselors from high schools in the 15 South Mississippi counties, Pearl River Community College, Jones County Junior College and The University of Southern Mississippi.

· Early Connections operates as part of the Lamar County School District in partnership with the Institute. The program provides early childhood education and developmental services across all income levels for children who are typically developing and children who have special needs. The program serves children, both with and without special needs, ages 6 weeks to 5 years.

IDS co-director Dr. Jane Siders has served with the program since 1981 and delights in the Institute’s impressive evolution.

“I have truly enjoyed witnessing the growth of our institute and with that growth the increased numbers of university students training, model programs in the area of community and school inclusion expanded and increased numbers of individuals and their families served,” said Siders. “I am most proud, however, of the dedicated staff that over the years has truly believed in our mission and looked beyond a ‘job’ to meet the many needs of individuals with disabilities and their families.”

As for future target areas, Walker notes that transportation remains a critical issue for people with disabilities. While IDS works tirelessly to help clients find gainful employment, Walker points out that oftentimes getting to and from those respective jobs can prove daunting.

For the thousands who have benefitted from IDS services, there are countless others who need similar assistance. And that is the primary reason Walker and his colleagues never lose sight of their mission.

“Any one of us could find ourselves in that type of situation, faced with a disability,” he said. “And that is why we continue to labor in the vineyards, doing everything we can to improve people’s lives.”

For more information about the Institute for Disability Studies at Southern Miss, call 601.266.5163 or visit: http://www.usm.edu/ids/

Southern Miss Athletic Director Search Committee Begins Work

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:49:33 +0000

Jim Coll

A 21-member search committee began work on Monday toward identifying the University of Southern Mississippi’s next athletic director.

The committee is charged with assisting University President Dr. Martha Saunders with the selection of the next athletic director, and is chaired by Spencer Adams, president of the University’s Athletic Foundation, and Chad Driskell, Saunders’ executive assistant for External Affairs.

“The task of the committee is to assist in the selection of our new athletic director,” Saunders said. “We are seeking an individual of executive caliber with a strong vision for our second century of intercollegiate athletics. Most importantly, our new athletic director must have a true heart for Southern Miss—all it has been and all it can be.”

The search committee includes a diverse group of faculty and staff, athletic department supporters, alumni and community leaders.

The committee is identifying a number of qualifications, traits and characteristics they envision the new athletic director possess, including:

· a record of successful fund-raising ability and a keen business sense;

· established relationships with athletic directors and coaches across the country;

· skilled communication and public relation abilities;

· a passion for accepting the challenges currently facing Southern Miss; and

· an ability to build additional links to all areas of campus and focus on student success.

Assisting the committee in their work is search consultant Bob Beaudine of Eastman & Beaudine Inc. The search firm has assisted in 40 athletic director searches nationwide, as well as searches for top Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association and National Hockey League executives.

The athletic director position opened in December, when Richard Giannini announced he was stepping down from that role. Giannini worked in that role for 13 years and continues to serve Southern Miss athletics in an advisory capacity.

AOP Presents Mega Garage Sale Proceeds to United Way

w301717 — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:56:22 +0000

The University of Southern Mississippi Chapter of the Association of Office Professionals (AOP) recently presented proceeds from its annual Santa’s Bargain Basement Mega Garage Sale in December to the United Way of Southeast Mississippi. Presenting the check for nearly $2,500 to United Way representative Ashley Grant (right) are AOP President Delores McNair (left) and President-Elect Connie Knight (center). McNair thanked those who made donations of items to the sale and for the assistance of Southern Miss Delta Tau Delta fraternity, as well as AOP members Mary Sumrall, Eric Sumrall, Melissa Carpenter, Pam Posey, Kathy Oliver, Joyce Sanders and Patricia Brewer, who have worked on the sale since its inception nearly 20 years ago. Also providing assistance for the sale were Southern Miss Recreational Sports Director Sid Gonsoulin and Associate Director for Facilities for Recreational Sports Chris McGee.

Southern Miss’ LeDuff Chosen IHL Black History Month Educator of Year

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:54:58 +0000

David Tisdale

The most important aspect of embracing diversity is for individuals to recognize that no matter how different we all seem from the outside, we’re all still human and face similar challenges.

That’s the philosophy held by The University of Southern Mississippi’s Dr. Kim LeDuff, associate professor and associate director of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism, who says her work as an educator allows her to fulfill her commitment to inclusiveness and educating people about the importance of diversity in an increasingly multicultural society.

“It’s what we have in common that allows us to see beyond difference,” she said. “I believe it is essential that my students come to this realization, especially when given the power to tell stories that represent groups and individuals. That’s why I do my best to encourage a conversation about the importance of diversity through my teaching.”

On Thursday, Feb. 16, a State Institutions for Higher Learning (IHL) panel chose LeDuff as this year’s IHL Black History Month Educator of the Year for 2012. She was announced at IHL offices in Jackson as the winner of the honor from among nominees from the state’s public universities.

“This is a well deserved award,” said Dr. Chris Campbell, director of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism. “Dr. LeDuff has been an incredible addition to the Southern Miss faculty, and she’s been instrumental to our school’s success in building a diverse faculty and a curriculum that addresses issues related to living in a culturally diverse world.”

LeDuff, a New Orleans native, embraces teaching, mentoring and motivating her students, not because it’s expected but because those activities are integral to her lifelong commitment to “pay it forward.”

“I believe in serving my university as well as extending myself and my skills to the surrounding community,” LeDuff said. “In my own life I have been fortunate to have support and encouragement to fulfill my own goals. My mission is to pay it forward in all aspects of my life.”

LeDuff conducts research on race and representation in mass media, as well as on journalism education. She is the author of Tales of Two Cities: How Race and Crime Intersect on Local TV News and co- author, along with Southern Miss colleagues Campbell and Cheryl Jenkins, of Race and News: Critical Perspectives.

She teaches courses in broadcast journalism, media writing, mass media theory and pedagogy, as well as a course on race, gender and media at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Riva Brown Teague of Jackson, Miss., a doctoral student in mass communication, says LeDuff always provides practical examples as part of her approach to instruction so her students can better understand difficult theoretical constructs and concepts.

“She’s an excellent educator who engages her students to think deeper and reach higher, and she also helps them outside the classroom to excel academically and professionally,” Teague said. “We’re fortunate to have a professor of her exceptional caliber on the faculty, and the school is a better place for students as a result.”

LeDuff teaches a course titled Race, Gender and Media at both the graduate and undergraduate level. At the beginning of every semester in the undergraduate version, she does a demographic survey of her class and pairs her students based on difference (gender, race, religion, extracurricular activities, hobbies, age, etc.)

“The first assignment is for them to take one another on a ‘cultural field trip,’” LeDuff said.

One semester LeDuff had a white female student invite her black male partner, a Southern Miss football player, to work an hour of her shift as a receptionist at a hair salon. In turn, he had her train with him during an early morning work-out session. Last fall semester, LeDuff assigned a student from Bangladesh to invite her American partner to dinner and only speak to him in Hindi, allowing him to experience what her family encountered when they arrived in America.

Each pair writes a reflective essay and then discusses their experience with one another and with the class. In the end, most report gaining new perspectives on those they first identify as “different.”

“Very often, they find that they are more alike than they ever imagined upon their first meeting,” LeDuff said. “I’ve had students tell me that everyone should be required to do this assignment. I remind them that we are fortunate to have this forum for discussion, but that they can take the conversation beyond the classroom.”

Southern Miss Spring Poetry Reading Series Presentation set for Feb. 29

w301717 — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:20:23 +0000

Charmaine Williams Schmermund

The College of Arts and Letters at The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast will host this month’s session of the Spring Poetry Reading Series featuring Dr. Casey Maugh on Wednesday, Feb. 29, at 7 p.m. in room 204 of the Gulf Park campus library in Long Beach.

Maugh, assistant professor of communication studies, will read selections of her own poetry. Her primary research focuses on intercultural rhetorics and rhetorics of security surrounding globalization and government aid organizations. Along with her teaching and research, she serves as the director of the Gulf Coast Speaking and Writing Center.

The series is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served. For more information, contact the Southern Miss Gulf Coast College of Arts and Letters at 228.214.3245 or visit www.usm.edu/gulfcoast/gcartsletters.

Southern Miss Graduate to Appear on CBS’ “The Amazing Race” Feb. 19

w301717 — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:08:35 +0000

David Tisdale

Kerri Jones Paul, a University of Southern Mississippi alumna from Pass Christian, Miss. will appear on the season premiere of the CBS reality television show “The Amazing Race” Sunday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. Central Standard Time. She will be joined on the show by her cousin, Stacy Bowers, also of Pass Christian.

“The Amazing Race” pits teams of two against each other in a race around the world, working against the calendar and clock to get to their destinations on time. Sunday’s premiere will mark the Emmy award-winning show’s 20^th season.

“It’s amazing,” Paul said of being chosen along with her cousin to be on the show. “I’ve been a fan of it for a while now, but have become an even bigger fan through the casting and researching episodes that I’ve missed.”

Paul, who is program coordinator for the city of Gulfport’s Leisure Services Department, earned a bachelor’s degree in speech communication in 2004 and a master’s degree in public relations in 2005, both from Southern Miss. A Leadership Scholar at the university, she served as president of her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and was chosen senior homecoming maid.

To learn more about the show, online visit http://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/

Southern Quarterly Edition Honors Black History Month

w301717 — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:16:59 +0000

The current issue of the Southern Quarterly, titled "African American Identities," celebrates Black History Month. Edited by University of Southern Mississippi Distinguished Professor of English Philip Kolin, it contains scholarly essays on black literature, art, music as well as original poetry by four distinguished black authors plus a bibliography on black architects.

The first three articles concentrate on how key black novels/texts have investigated African American struggles, identities, and triumphs -- James Weldon Johnson's The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man (1912), Zora Neale Hurston's first novel, Johan's Gourd Vine (1934), which Carl Sandberg called "unforgettable and priceless"; and Shirley Anne Williams' neo-slave narrative Dessa Rose (1986).

Writing on Hurston, Helen Yitah, who teaches at the University of Ghana, argues that we need to view the Great African Migration to the North not in exclusively geographic terms but in psychic ones. In his essay entitled "Mammy Ain't Nobody’s Name,” Angelo Rich Robinson shows how Williams’ slave narrative deconstructs a white racist culture that erased the identity of mammies through the very fictions it created by making these women members of a white family.

This issue also features the work of artist Lois Mailou Jones, whose prolific career spans over seven decades and whose courage challenged and changed the segregated world of art. Cornell University art historian Cheryl Finely focuses on Jones's Southern landscapes and portraits and features seven of Jones's celebrated canvases, including her anti-lynching painting Mob Violence/Meditation. Jones's South is reflected in her paintings about North Carolina, Haiti, and the greater African Diaspora.

Following Finely's keen observations is Kolin's interview with Dr. Chris Chapman, M.D., Jones’s godson, confidant and managing director of her estate. Chapman provides invaluable information about her paintings, masks, and designs which are exhibited in major galleries around the world.

Honored by American presidents as well as heads of state in the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa, Jones’s art reflected the landscapes and residents of these regions and, according to Chapman, can be divided into various stages depending on where she painted. One of her paintings was recently used by the HBO producers of Treme as an emblem of black heritage for African Americans living in post-Katrina New Orleans.

Celebrating African American music, this issue contains an essay by distinguished dramatist Ifa Bayeza, whose Ballad of Emmett Till (2008) earned her national recognition. Bayeza explains how she transformed her novel, Some Sing, Some Cry, into a musical drama, Charleston Olio, and thereby expanded the significance of a musical genre, the olio, that referred to songs and dances performed on stage as minor entertainment during scenery changes for the main production.

Bayeza's Olio is rich with lyrics, which she incorporates into her article and song, revealing how African Americans, trapped in slavery in both antebellum and modern times, express their dreams of escape, emancipation, and selfhood.

Kolin has also included an "African American Poetry Miscellany" with original works by renowned poets (three of whom are Mississippians)--Natasha Trethewey, Mississippi's Poet Laureate and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry; Sterling D. Plumpp, blues poet and winner of the Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence, who writes about memories of his grandfather being lynched; Claude Wilkinson, a Pulitzer Prize nominee, whose poems pay tribute to African American photographer Gordon Parks; and Duriel Harris, an experimental poet and co-founder of the Black Tool Collection, who provocatively expresses the anxieties black artists face in authoring their identity.

The Southern Quarterly also includes a bibliography on archival resources for studying black architects as well as book reviews of African American writers, including Richard Wright.

This issue marks Kolin's debut as the editor of the Southern Quarterly. An internationally recognized Shakespeare and Tennessee Williams scholar, he has served as a guest editor for three issues of the publication.

Now in its 50^th year, The Southern Quarterlyisan independent journal of the arts in the South published at Southern Miss since 1962. It is one of the first journals devoted to the interdisciplinary study of Southern culture. To order a copy of this African American Identities issue of the Southern Quarterly, online visit www.usm.edu/soq/

Southern Miss Audience Gives Thumbs-Up to 'Dancing with the Deans'

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:29:44 +0000

David Tisdale

Tuesday’s much anticipated “Dancing with the Deans” event at a packed Thad Cochran Center Ballroom on the University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg campus treated its audience to a mix of Fred Astaire-style agility and a few disco-inspired flashbacks.

Featuring Southern Miss administrators and their dance partners, the event was held in conjunction with the formal kickoff of the university’s 2012 Campaign for Southern Miss. Emceed by WDAM-TV news director Randy Swan, the event was judged by Southern Miss President Emeritus Dr. Aubrey K. Lucas, former assistant vice president for student affairs Vrita Delaine and alumna and former Dixie Darling Bonnie Warren.

“Don’t quit your day job,” quipped Lucas to one contestant in reviewing his performance.

Donning an eye-catching, glimmering gold shirt, College of Health Dean Dr. Mike Forster had the audience swooning to a case of “Saturday Night Fever” as he shimmied across the dance floor, earning him the Crowd Favorite award.

But it was Dean of University Libraries Carole Kiehl who archived the event’s Grand Champion title, wowing the audience with her rendition of the rhythmic Cha-cha-cha along with dance partner Kyle Tullos, a Southern Miss senior from Hattiesburg.

“It was a load of fun,” Kiehl said. “My partner (Tullos) made me work hard to get ready.”

Tullos, who also partnered with Graduate School Dean Dr. Susan Siltanen and College of Business representative Dr. Leisa Flynn, praised Kiehl for “stepping up to the challenge” to get ready for the event. “I thought she was fantastic,” Tullos said of Keihl. “She was really dedicated in her preparation, and it showed on the dance floor.”

Linda Bass, proctoring and training specialist for the Southern Miss Learning Enhancement, said she hoped “Dancing with the Deans” becomes an annual event. “It was extremely fun. I was really impressed with the level of talent,” she said as the event concluded with audience members invited for a final dance on the floor. “I’d love to see it every year.”

Dancing with the Deans” included presentation of information from the USM Foundation showing how easy it is to support the 2012 Campaign for Southern Miss, including through payroll deduction. The goal of the campaign is to increase employee participation in support of the university and its programs. Annual gifts from Southern Miss faculty and staff members provide the necessary resources for programs and services that help the university maintain its margin of excellence in numerous areas.

For more information on how to support the campaign, contact USM Foundation Development Officer and 2012 Campaign for Southern Miss coordinator Jessica Cloud at 601.266.6429, or e-mail jessica.cloud@usm.edu.

Southern Miss to Establish Native American Residential Communities

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:29:16 +0000

Jennifer Rigney

The University of Southern Mississippi Department of Residence Life will establish two Native American residential communities on campus beginning fall 2012 semester. The purpose of these living-learning communities is to help make the transition to college smoother for Native American students and offer them a home at Southern Miss where their culture can be strengthened.

“I am very pleased that we are taking a step in this direction,” said Dr. Tammy Greer, associate professor and director of the Center for American Indian Research and Studies. “In doing this, we are making room for Native students and students with an interest in Native issues, to grow and develop this central aspect of Native culture and community right here on campus, even as they leave home for a while to pursue their educational goals.”

“I agree that it is a great addition for Southern Miss to house these communities on campus and bring Native students from different tribes together,” said Danielle Isaac, a senior social work major from Choctaw, Miss. “Through living together on campus, students will be able to learn from and confide in one another as they grow and develop.”

Native American students – who are admitted to the University – wishing to live in campus housing designated for students interested in Native American cultures should contact Justin Long, associate director of Residence Life for assignments and student relations, at 601.266.4783 or justin.long@usm.edu.

For more information about the Department of Residence Life and its programs, visit www.usm.edu/residence-life.

Mother/Nature Conference Scheduled for March 16-17

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:34:37 +0000

Van Arnold

The many facets of motherhood will be open for discussion and interpretation during the inaugural Mother/Nature Conference, set for March 16-17 at The University of Southern Mississippi. The conference, sponsored in part by a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council, will be held at the Thad Cochran Center.

From hurricanes to oil spills, human beings are invariably linked through the loss and degradation of regional and national habitats. The conference seeks to discover interconnectedness and meaning through a study of the shifting influences on the evolving definition of motherhood and consider the conception of the intersection of motherhood and the natural world.

“We’re all tied to nature in many different ways and very connected to our environment on a fundamental level,” said Southern Miss doctoral student Paige Gray, who helped organize the conference along with fellow doctoral students Jennifer Robertson and Laura Hakala. “We thought it would be interesting and enlightening to see what kind of research has been produced concerning the connection between motherhood and nature.”

The conference will include research presentations, panel discussions, poetry readings and special addresses by scholars in the fields of literature and science.

Dr. Barbara T. Gates, Alumni Distinguished Professor of English and Women’s Studies at the University of Delaware, will be the keynote speaker. Gates is an author and Victorianist who studies female nature writers and scientists.

“During the 19^th Century, women were often considered the passive objects of scientific study, rather than producers of knowledge,” said Robertson. “Dr. Gates’ work recovers this lost history of women who explored and investigated the natural world and shared their knowledge through art and writing.”

Other featured speakers include Dr. Catherine Roach, New College Professor in the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Alabama and author Janisse Ray, Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow at Chatham University.

Among the many topics open for discussion during the conference are:

Theories of childbirth in the United States
Nature vs. nurture
Single parenting
Masculinity and motherhood
Educators as “mothers”
Protecting endangered species and landscapes
Redefining motherhood in pop culture

The conference is free and open to the general public. For more information or to register, visit: https://www.usm.edu/english/mothernature-conference

In addition to MHC, other conference sponsors include: The Office of the Vice President of Research; the Committee on Services and Resources for Women; the Department of English; the Honors College; Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association; the English Graduate Organization; the Graduate School; University Libraries, and VISITHATTIESBURG™. The College of Arts & Letters also played a significant role in making the conference possible.

About the Mississippi Humanities Council
MHC is a private nonprofit corporation funded by Congress through the National Endowment for the Humanities to provide public programs in traditional liberal arts disciplines to serve nonprofit groups in Mississippi. MHC sponsors, supports, and conducts a wide range of programs designed to promote understanding of our cultural heritage, interpret our own experience, foster critical thinking, encourage reasonable public discourse, strengthen our sense of community, and thus empower Mississippi's people with a vision for the future.

Office of Provost Names Faculty Recipients of Research Support, Honors

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:34:24 +0000

David Tisdale

The University of Southern Mississippi Office of the Provost recently announced members of its faculty as recipients of various prestigious grants and honors. Excellence in instruction, research, leadership, mentorship, librarianship and service to the university were among the key criteria used in selection of the recipients.

“We’re pleased to recognize and reward these members of our faculty who have given so much for the betterment of the university,” said Dr. Denis Wiesenburg, vice president for research and interim provost. “They are outstanding teachers, researchers and leaders.”

Categories, recipients and area they represent include the following:

*Aubrey Keith Lucas and Ellan Ginn Lucas Endowment for Faculty Excellence. Named for Southern Miss President Emeritus Dr. Aubrey Keith Lucas and his wife Ella, this endowment supports and rewards faculty excellence in instruction and research.

*Lynne Boardman, Speech and Hearing
*Jay Dean, Music
*Jiu Ding, Mathematics
*Brian Gearity, Human Performance and Recreation
*Alen Hajnal, Psychology
*Maryann Kyle, Music
*Kelly Lester, Theatre and Dance
*Jennifer Reagan, Biological Sciences
*Virginia Sumrall, Nursing

*Sabbaticals for 2011-2012 Academic Year. Awarded to faculty for professional development and to assist them in achieving promotion in academic rank and enhance professional development and scholarly reputation.

*Douglas Bristol, History
*Sam Bruton, Philosophy and Religion
*David Butler, Political Science, International Development and International Affairs
*Michael DeArmey, Philosophy and Religion
*Jameela Lares, English
*Shadad Naghspour, Political Science, International Development and International Affairs
*Robert Press, Political Science, International Development and International Affairs
*Michael Salda, English

*Randolph Arnau, Psychology
*David Beckett, Biological Sciences

Grand Marshal-Distinguished Professor Award. This award recognizes a senior faculty member for exceptional teaching, research and service. The recipient is recognized and serves as grand marshal at all university commencement ceremonies for one calendar year.

*David Holley, Philosophy and Religion

Higher Education Appreciation Day –Working for Academic Excellence (HEADWAE): Sponsored by the State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). The HEADWAE award honors academically talented students and faculty members who promote academic excellence at the state’s public and private institutions of higher learning.

*Andrew Wiest,History

Nominee for IHL Black History Month Educator of the Year:

*Kim LeDuff, School of Mass Communication and Journalism

Faculty Excellence Awards: These awards are made to faculty members with records of exceptional teaching, service and librarianship.

*Librarianship: Jennifer Brannock, University Libraries
*Teaching: Ellen Weinauer, English
*Service: Stacy Reischman Fletcher, Theatre and Dance

Nominees forNational Endowment for the Humanities: NEH grants provide faculty members with the opportunity to pursue research contributing to scholarly knowledge, as well as the public’s understanding of the humanities. Nominations are processed through Sponsored Programs Administration.

*David Cochran, Geography and Geology
*Andrew Haley, History

Summer Grants for the Improvement of Instruction:These grants are awarded to faculty members committed to ongoing development of new and innovative teaching strategies or techniques that ultimately result in the improvement or assessment of student learning.
*John Bishop, Curriculum,Instruction, and Special Education

*Jeff Bowersox, History
*Barry Cumbie, Management and International Business
*Jiu Ding, Mathematics
*Geoffrey Hudson, School of Human Performance and Recreation
*Jennifer Regan, Biological Sciences
*Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong, Marketing and Fashion Merchandising

For more information about these awards and the application process, contact Susie Plymale in the Office of the Provost at susie.plymale@usm.eduor call 601.266.6579; online visit http://www.usm.edu/provost/awards_endowments/

Southern Miss AOP Chapter Sponsoring Self-Defense Class on Feb. 21

w301717 — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:55:05 +0000

Officers with The University of Southern Mississippi Police Department will teach a self-defense class Tuesday, Feb. 21 from 9 a.m. – noon in the Hall of Honors, located on the second floor of the R.C. Cook University Union. The class, which is free of charge, is sponsored by the university’s chapter of the Association of Office Professionals (AOP).

The class limit is 50 people. To sign up, call 601.266.4829 or e-mail Connie Knight at connie.knight@usm.edu.