The University of Southern Mississippi would like to thank you for sending us your college admission test results. A successful university experience often depends on a student's participation in every aspect of campus life, and at Southern Miss we recognize how your life outside the classroom will influence your life inside the classroom. We ensure a warm welcoming community where you can find your place, create new friendships and connections, and make a difference.

Southern Miss offers a healthy dose of school spirit for students, and traditions here run deep. From the first day you step on campus you become indoctrinated into the history and traditions of those who have passed before, and with more than 230 student groups, getting involved is easy. From Greek life to service learning, student government to intramurals, there is a group or activity where you can become involved.

The University of Southern Mississippi is rich in history and tradition, but we continue to change and improve, keeping an eye on the future and a step ahead of the competition.  Southern Miss is the only dual-campus university in the state, with two campuses and five teaching and research sites across the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We are ranked among the top 150 universities in the nation by the Carnegie Foundation; we are a nationally accredited research-extensive institution offering approximately 180 undergraduate, graduate, and specialist's degree programs.  Our university serves as the educational home to more than 16,000 students from almost every state and 60 countries, but features a student-focused learning community where each person matters.

Our students tell us that they are attracted to Southern Miss not only because of its excellent academic programs and campus life, but also because of the friendliness and the personal attention they receive from an accessible, caring faculty and staff.  Newsweek Kaplan College Catalog 1999 lists Southern Miss as a top school in six categories, including "Schools Offering the Maximum amount of Individual Academic Attention."

We invite you to learn more about The University of Southern Mississippi, become a part of our family, and embrace the opportunities we can afford you. To ask questions about our university, its programs, and scholarships, or to visit, please call the Office of Admissions at (601) 266-5000. Until you are able to visit, check out our Web site at www.usm.edu.  I look forward to meeting with you soon and welcoming you to the Southern Miss family.

Very truly yours,

Shelby F. Thames

President