Greetings All,
Welcome to Homecoming at Southern Miss. This is a special time of year when we focus on remembering good times past while enjoying the qualities of the present. As I write this message, activity is high as our students are preparing for big competitions, the big homecoming parade, the big game and other big events.
As I attend many of these events, Im reminded of the words of TS Eliot who wrote:
Home is where one starts from. As we grow older
The world becomes stranger, the pattern
More complicated
Southern Miss has been the starting place for so many people who have gone on to touch others and change the world for the better. Even though life occasionally becomes more complicated, Homecoming gives us a chance to focus on simpler times. Welcome Home!
Check out these notable recent headlines. There are always good things going on at The University of Southern Mississippi.
Southern Miss Awarded $3.5M Homeland Security Grant
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security will provide the Center for Spectator Sports Security Management at The University of Southern Mississippi with nearly $3.5 million to train an estimated 5,370 officials at 1,055 institutions nationwide on sport security management, U.S. Sens. Thad Cochran and Trent Lott announced. Read more about this important story here.
Gift to Mathematics Totals $2.9M
Wright W. Bill Cross, the University of Southern Mississippi alumni and benefactor who established the universitys first endowed chair and funded one of the universitys first math scholarship programs, died July 26, 2007 at his home in Baker, La., leaving behind a gift of approximately $2.9 million to the universitys Department of Mathematics. Read the complete story.
Southern Miss and Sun Herald Host Gubernatorial Debate in Biloxi
The University of Southern Mississippi and the Sun Herald newspaper hosted the first gubernatorial debate of the political season. As part of an ongoing Issuses + Answers lecture series, the event was held at the Saenger Theatre, Biloxi, on September 20 to a packed house. We are proud to co-sponsor worthy community events with business and civic partners.
Photojournalist Hall of Fame
The University of Southern Mississippi School of Mass Communication and Journalism will induct two former faculty members and six alumni into the schools Hall of Fame as part of the Southern Mississippi Photojournalism Summit. Read and see these notable scholars here.
World-Renowned Violinist Plays With Symphony
Volunteering and Learning Go Hand In Hand
The Office of Community Service Learning (OCSL) is celebrating its 15th year of blending community service with the world of academia at The University of Southern Mississippi. As with many successful entities, the OCSL started small ... but with a vision. "I had a vision to develop this volunteer resource center," said Barbara Ross, OCSL founder and director of Union and Programs. Congratulations for this effort and learn more about this outstanding university student affairs office.
Fall Convocation 2007
I am happy to report that the state of the university is good. It is healthy. It is growing. It is changing, Saunders said to faculty, staff, students and community members during 2007 Fall Convocation at Bennett Auditorium. See the video A Momentous Year that highlights accomplishments of the past year.
In closing
We welcome a few new faces to our university team. I call them returning faces as these two distinguished alums come to their alma mater to serve. Chad Driskell is the Executive Assistant to the President for External Affairs. Look to Chad to enhance legislative, municipal and other external relationships valuable to our institution. Also Mary Day Gregg is Executive Assistant to the President focusing on relationships with community colleges and assisting with strategic planning. A long-time faculty member, she serves in a role vitally important to Southern Miss.
Our key searches are all underway and I am happy to report progress has been made in searches for the Provost, deans and the Vice President for Advancement. My thanks to the many who are serving on these important search committees.
I am blogging! Have you caught my blog? Its on the home page and is a way I can keep in more current communication with you giving you a feel of the goings-on of our university.
Thank you for your loyalty and support of The University of Southern Mississippi. It means a great deal and we move forward to design our future together.
Dr. Martha D. Saunders
President
