2023 Impact Report

2023 IMPACT REPORT

give wing VERB.

1. To provide the impetus for or enable (something): A mentor gave wing to my career.

2. To free from constraints or allow to operate freely: A poet gave wing to her imagination.

3. To inspire or motivate to achieve great things: Philanthropic support gives wing to USM’s next generation of leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs.

Thank you for giving wing

to Southern Miss!

We are thankful for your support of Southern Miss, as we celebrate the achievement of another storied milestone with the successful completion of Give Wing - the Campaign for Southern Miss . This campaign represented the boldest goals ever pursued in our institution’s history as we set our sights on raising $150 million in charitable contributions from alumni and friends by 2025. Thanks to you, we have exceeded the goal two years ahead of schedule.

This is the Southern Miss way. We set audacious goals and pursue them with an uncommon passion and relentless persistence. With true Southern Miss grit, nearly 20,000 donors made over 130,000 gifts during the campaign. The results are both heartwarming and game-changing.

Give Wing - the Campaign for Southern Miss was designed around three priorities: Student Success, Academic Excellence, and Innovation and Discovery. Students are our why , our reason for being, and donors invested more than $124 million for Student Success with the creation of 232 new scholarships and the enhancement of existing scholarship funds. Included in this category are $44 million in gifts to support student-athletes through scholarships and athletic facilities.

In the area of Academic Excellence, $31 million has been raised for academic programs, endowed professorships, the Dale Center for the Study of War and Society, the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection and other academic enhancements. In the area of Innovation and Discovery, $1.1 million has been contributed for research and entrepreneurship initiatives.

Perhaps the very best news is that more than $72 million is designated to our endowments, invested funds that generate perpetual revenue, which provide long-term financial security. This includes $54 million for scholarships that, when fully matured, will generate over $2 million annually in additional aid for our students. These are the gifts that keep on giving!

These impressive results are created by our alumni and friends who cherish this University and believe in our mission. Every gift to Southern Miss, no matter the size, is making a difference. We extend our appreciation to you, who love, serve and invest in this noble institution, and we thank you for your investment.

Southern Miss to the Top!

Joseph S. Paul, PhD President

The University of Southern Mississippi

Stace Mercier Executive Director The USM Foundation

Jeremy McClain Director of Athletics and CEO of the

USM Athletic Foundation

MAKING HISTORY CHANGING THE GAME

We make educational achievement a reality for students from all walks of life. We provide them with the opportunity to learn in an environment that blends teaching with life-changing academic discoveries. Our students come to The University of Southern Mississippi with a strong work ethic and big dreams, and our graduates leave with the global perspectives and career tools to achieve immeasurably more than they ever imagined.

RICH HISTORY

PROMISING FUTURE

In our first century, we evolved from a small teachers’ college into a premier research university with a national reputation for excellence. Constant through all our growth and into the next 100 years of excellence is our unwavering commitment to student success. We are poised to write the next chapter of our history and our students’ futures.

CAMPAIGN FOCUS

1. STUDENT SUCCESS

2. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

3. INNOVATION AND DISCOVERY

IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES, YOU WILL SEE HOW TRANSFORMATIVE THE IMPACT IS WHEN YOU GIVE WING .

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 helped others do the same.

THE GENEROSITY IS UNPRECEDENTED.

THE IMPACT IS LIFE-CHANGING.

The University of Southern Mississippi completed its largest, most ambitious fundraising campaign. Through the USM Foundation and the Southern Miss Athletic Foundation, our alumni and friends have made history and changed the game. Originally set to end in 2025, we have exceeded our $150 million goal two years earlier than expected in an unparalleled commitment to current and future Golden Eagles.

CAMPAIGN ACHIEVEMENTS

$112 MILLION WAS CONTRIBUTED THROUGH THE USM FOUNDATION.

• More than $70 million directly supports the endowment, invested funds that generate a perpetual source of income, which provides long-lasting financial security.

• A new $3.1 million home for military students, QuinlanHammond Hall of Honor is the first 100% privately funded building through the USM Foundation.

• Funding from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation is enabling us to provide outdoor classrooms and accessible playgrounds for The Children’s Center for Communication and Development on both of our campuses.

• A robust scholarship endowment for STEM students from disadvantaged backgrounds has been established by brothers Wick and Randall Moorman, along with an endowed academic position to support these scholars.

• We’ve seen a successful start for an initiative to endow the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection Curatorship.

• During the pandemic, endowed support for and the naming of the Public Health program was committed by Drs. Geoff and Marcia Hartwig to honor its founder, the late Dr. Lynn Cook Hartwig.

$44 MILLION WAS CONTRIBUTED THROUGH THE SOUTHERN MISS ATHLETIC FOUNDATION.

• Circle of Champions membership, providing support for the priority needs of Southern Miss Athletics, has grown to over 200 members

• Eagle Club memberships, 100% of which provide scholarships to student-athletes, are at an all-time high, topping over 2,800 members this year.

• Athletic facility enhancements include:

• Pete Taylor Park upgrades

• The completion of the Bower Academic Center

• Volleyball and beach volleyball facilities

• M.M. Roberts Stadium improvements

• A new golf facility

“I am honored to have served our beloved alma mater as chair of the Campaign Leadership Council, a group of dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly to champion this campaign from concept to launch to completion. Thank you to each and every one who contributed to athletics, academics, buildings, scholarships or research endeavors.”

JOE QUINLAN ’73 Chairman – First National Bankers Bankshares Inc.

TOTAL RAISED

$54 million for endowed student scholarships, when fully matured, will generate OVER $2 MILLION ANNUALLY in additional support of our students.

April 2018 October 2023

WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR CAMPAIGN

Reed Allison ’83

Senior Vice President of Investments – Stifel

Leigh Breal ’95 President – Ward International Trucks, LLC

Julie Breazeale ’01, ’07

Chief Executive Officer – Polk's Meat Products Inc.

Beverly Dale ’68

Retired Health Industry Professional, Philanthropist and Social Advocate

HOW WILL YOU GIVE WING?

This question has been asked of many over the last five years as we reimagined the impact that philanthropy could have on our beloved Southern Miss. It is one that I asked of myself when I was approached to serve as the chairman of the Give Wing Campaign. Thank you to all who have answered this battle cry by investing in the wide variety of campaign initiatives that have changed our University for the better. Alumni and friends exceeded all expectations of what was possible! As you will see in the enclosed report, together, by giving wing , we have risen to new heights, particularly in the way that we support current and future Golden Eagles. An incredible foundation has been laid on which we will continue to build philanthropic resources for future generations. While we celebrate the close of this successful campaign, we remain committed to helping our students succeed, our faculty excel, and our University lead in innovative new ways.

Joseph Quinlan ’73

President – USM Foundation Board Chair – Give Wing Campaign Chairman – First National Bankers Bankshares Inc.

LEADERSHIP COUNCIL MEMBERS:

Louie Ehrlich ’81

President – Ehrlich Capital, LLC and Retired Chief Information Officer – Chevron

Kristy Gould ’09

Chief of Corporate Planning and Development – Hattiesburg Clinic, PA

Wren Hood ’07

Rickey Jones ’92

Member/Manager – Front Court Development, LLC

Duane Lock ’83

President – River Oaks Energy Inc.

Jennifer Payne ’04

Director of Marketing and Community Relations – Payne Companies

Tracy Powell ’86

Attorney – Sherrard, Roe, Voight & Harbison, PLC

Chuck Scianna ’75

Owner and President – Sim-Tex, LP

Cathy Sessums

Retired Physician – Women's Pavilion of South Mississippi

2022-23 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1. Joseph Quinlan ’73

President and Give Wing Chair

Chairman – First National Bankers Bankshares Inc.

2. Chris Anderson ’95

Vice President

Chair, Department of Surgery – University of Mississippi Medical Center

3. Wade Howk ’03, ’06

Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair

Chief Operating Officer – INSPIRE

Entertainment Resort

4. Steve Strickland ’86

Investment Committee Chair

President – Stonehenge Private Client Group

5. Carol Jones-Russell ’03

Policy and Bylaws Committee

Chair

County and Youth Court Judge – Forrest County and Youth Court

6. Jennifer Payne ’04

Member-at-Large

Director of Marketing and Community Relations – Payne Companies

7. Kelsey Rushing ’94, ’96

Immediate Past President

Capital Defender – Office of Capital Defense, State of Mississippi

8. Stace Mercier ’89, ’96

Secretary

Executive Director – The USM Foundation

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

8.

Retired Vice President of Finance and Global Downstream Controller – Shell PLC

Acting Superintendent – South Orange-Maplewood School District,

1. Rebecca Boudreaux ’01 President – Oberon Fuels

2. Carlen Chestang ’84 Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1 (Human Resources Director) - U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command

3. Alan Coats ’78 Director – BlackHorn Partners, LLC and Retired Senior Director – Halliburton 4. Lisa Conn ’91 Owner – Quill Communication

5. Becky Cowart ’76

6. Beverly Dale ’68

7. Robert Donnell ’92 Owner – Donnell CPA Group, PC

Cindy Gaddis ’85

9. Thomas Gibbens ’86 Senior Vice President and Territory Manager – Lamar Outdoor Advertising – Little Rock

10. Kevin Gilbert ’94, ’96

Maplewood, N.J.

11. Scott Lanehart ’99 Owner and President – Lanehart Inc.

12. Joy Lightsey ’73 Retired Business Owner – SunTech

Vickie Lock ’08

Nurse

Adele Lyons ’86, ’88 Chief Executive Officer – Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce Inc.

Keith Mooney ’80

Retired Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Investment Officer – Cadence Trust and Asset Management

Omar Nelson ’94

Attorney – Gibbs Travis, PLLC

Rhonda Phillips ’83, ’86 President, Chatham University

Roderick Posey ’74, ’75

Retired Accounting Professor – The University of Southern Mississippi and Alabama A&M University

20. Chuck Scianna ’75 Owner and President – Sim-Tex, LP

DeMario Smith ’97 Executive Strategic Partner – American Fidelity Assurance Company

Edward Taylor ’87 Chief Customer Officer – Ferrara

Adalius Thomas ’99

Chief Executive Officer – FSV Tech, LLC

Alvis Wright ’97, ’00

Marketing Programs and Support Manager – Alabama Power Company

19. Tracy Powell ’86 Attorney – Sherrard, Roe, Voigt & Harbison, PLC

STUDENT SUCCESS

Success stories don’t write themselves. GIVE WING TO TODAY’S BRIGHTEST STUDENTS, TOMORROW’S FRONT-RUNNERS, AND THE NEXT GENERATION OF TRAILBLAZERS.

STUDENT SUCCESS GOAL

$120.5 MILLION RAISED $124.3 MILLION

SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENTS

GOAL: $53.5 Million

RAISED: $53.9 Million

Academic Scholarships: $52.8 Million Athletic Scholarships: $1.1 Million

ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS

GOAL: $31 Million RAISED: $30.3 Million

Eagle Club Scholarships: $11.4 Million

Non-Athletic Scholarships: $18.9 Million

PROGRAM AND OTHER STUDENT SUPPORT

GOAL: $19.7 Million

RAISED: $19.0 Million

Athletic Programs: $13.6 Million

Non-Athletic Scholarships: $5.4 Million

FACILITIES

GOAL: $16.3 Million

RAISED: $21.1 Million

Athletic Facilities: $17.9 Million

Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families: $3.2 Million

The challenging and supportive atmosphere of Southern Miss inspires students to pursue their passions and drives them to be the authors of their own futures. They experience the rigors of a highcaliber academic community and develop their intellects through close relationships with faculty. They cross campus borders to experience the communities in which they will live, work and excel. Philanthropy helps Golden Eagles to enter the world equipped with a solid foundation of knowledge, realworld experience, and the confidence and boldness to achieve their highest aspirations.

The primary goals in the area of Student Success were SCHOLARSHIPS, ATHLETIC SUPPORT and FACILITIES . The following pages demonstrate how your gifts give wing to our students.

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.

SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENTS

Total Scholarship Endowments

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Quintavius Whigham | Major: Computer Science

Hometown: Waynesboro, MS

Moorman STEM Jump Scholarship Endowment

"I will be the first to graduate college in my family, and I look forward to making them proud, as well as myself. Having the scholarship is truly inspiring to me, knowing that there are people out there who also care about my education. With your contribution, I won’t have to work too many hours and will be able to focus on my schoolwork more."

Shrijal Thaoa | Major: Theatre

Hometown: Lalitpur, Nepal

John B. Smith and Charles M. Smith Theatre Scholarship Endowment

"I am very grateful for the belief, trust, support and immense blessing that you have showered upon me, which will not just help me throughout my collegiate career, but my professional one, as well. This provides me with extreme motivation to push forward to become a better actor, theatre practitioner, and overall better human being, and to contribute to the society that has given me so much."

Thomas Grayson

Major: Nursing

Hometown: Collinsville, MS

Jimmy A. Payne Foundation

Gap Annual Scholarship

"I became interested in nursing when I joined my high school HOSA Club. My mother and older sister are also nurses so I grew up surrounded by the profession. I intend to graduate nursing school and really make an impact with the skills USM has given to me. This scholarship will help me greatly along the way. Being a scholarship recipient is truly humbling. I am so encouraged knowing that somebody believes in my capacity to succeed here at USM and in my future career as a nurse."

Jennifer Davis | Major: Social Work | Hometown: Picayune, MS

Carol Partridge Moraway Annual Scholarship

"I have four children, including three adults and a teenage girl, and I am currently raising my niece who is 12 years old. I lost my father on January 5, 2021, and decided, not long after, that I was meant to do more with my life than remain a paralegal. At that time, I chose to major in social work because I have always wanted to help people. On September 19, 2023, I found out that I had only a week to three months left with my mom due to lung cancer. This scholarship is a light in the midst of that tunnel. I currently work as a parent peer support specialist for parents of children and adolescents with mental and behavioral health conditions. After graduating from the BSW program, I plan to become a wraparound facilitator with my current company while I pursue a degree in the MSW program to eventually become a licensed clinical social worker/therapist."

Kayiana Jasper | Major: Health Science | Hometown: Meridian, MS

Luckyday Scholarship and Joe Paul Student Leaders Scholarship Endowment

"I am actively involved in Southern Style, IDEAL Women, Honors College, Luckyday Scholars, and I am also serving as a RISE mentor for the Institute for Disability Studies program here at Southern Miss. Being a recipient of these prestigious scholarships is an honor and humbling experience. As a student from a single-parent, low-income household, attending college can be a struggle without the help of scholarships. I chose to major in health sciences because of my own healthcare experience and the way the doctors and medical staff made my treatment amazing. Their care process and inclusion with not only my parents but me as a patient is what has truly driven me to pursue a career in the healthcare field in order to help others."

Toryn Posey | Major: Forensics | Hometown: Hattiesburg, MS

Dr. Eddie Holloway Scholarship Endowment

"I chose to major in forensics (biological sciences) after taking a CTE class in high school. Our teacher really made the subject interesting and had us travel to different crime labs to see the process firsthand. We even had a crime scene test to see what we learned. Being a scholarship recipient is an honor, and being chosen for such a big opportunity is something I will not take for granted. Having someone believe in my goals is enough for me to be encouraged and keep going."

Bethany Woods | Major: Marketing

Hometown: Starkville, MS

Lake Little Memorial Scholarship Endowment

"I grew up in Starkville, Mississippi. From the moment I heard about Southern Miss, I knew it was the place for me. Although both of my parents attended Mississippi State, my aunt introduced me to Southern Miss and helped me fall in love with campus and the surrounding city. Receiving this scholarship is especially important to me as I attended high school with the late Lake Little. I know she was a beautiful soul. It is truly an honor to receive her memorial scholarship. I will strive to live like Lake in my time at Southern Miss and throughout the rest of my career."

Tamia Evans | Major: Elementary Education

Hometown: Hattiesburg, MS

Oseola McCarty Scholarship Endowment

"Being able to receive this scholarship is truly humbling and heart-warming. As a first-generation college student, it is great to know that somebody sees my potential and ability to succeed here at USM and in my future career as an elementary teacher. As a child, I enjoyed going to school and my former teachers made learning fun for me. Because of that, I chose to major in elementary education so I could make an impact on future generations. There is a need for teachers, and I want to fill that void."

Ashlyn Roche | Major: Accounting

Hometown: Madisonville, LA

Lou Ann and Louis Poynter

Eagle Scholars Accounting Scholarship Endowment

"Thank you for your scholarship support. Your support helps fund my on-campus housing, meal and textbook expenses so that I may focus on my studies and not take out student loans. Living on campus has been critical for my academic success. I am passionately involved in USM’s Sexual Assault Prevention Ambassadors (SAPA) and the Honors College Leadership Council’s Philanthropy Committee. Through the Philanthropy Committee, I volunteer as a teaching assistant at Aldersgate Mission in Hattiesburg. I am also so grateful to be on track to enter my professional career without student loans. After completing my BSBA in accounting, I will enroll in USM’s Master of Professional Accountancy program and sit for the CPA exam."

Ty Cothern | Major: Biomedical Science | Hometown: Brandon, MS

Theta Alpha Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi Scholarship Endowment

"I am a third-generation Golden Eagle. My grandfather, father and older brother are all former graduates of USM. Since I was a young kid, I have always bled black and gold because of the history of the school in my family. I am also a legacy of the Pi Kappa Phi (Theta Alpha) chapter and now serve as the current Archon of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. Receiving this scholarship has truly been a humbling moment in my life. After discovering I was awarded this scholarship, it has continued my motivation to keep striving for success and influence those around me in a positive manner."

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I CAN’T DO EVERYTHING, BUT I CAN DO SOMETHING TO HELP SOMEBODY. AND WHAT I CAN DO, I WILL DO. I WISH I COULD DO MORE.

– OSEOLA MCCARTY

A REMARKABLE WOMAN, AN UNFORGETTABLE GIFT AND A LEGACY BEYOND COMPARE

Hattiesburg native Oseola McCarty’s unexpected planned gift to The University of Southern Mississippi made global news in the mid-’90s, not because it was the largest gift ever made, but because the woman behind the gift captured the hearts of all who heard her story. In 1995, McCarty designated USM as the beneficiary of a $150,000 planned gift, forever changing philanthropy at the University. As an 87-year-old laundress who lived frugally, this gift represented the majority of her life savings. An endowment was established in her name, and to date, $631,397 in scholarships have been awarded to 130 students.

Starting at the age of eight, McCarty worked after school beside her mother Lucy, grandmother Julia and aunt Evelyn. She began stashing away money she earned for safekeeping in her doll buggy. Her childhood dream was to become a nurse, but she left school in the sixth grade to care for her ill aunt and never made it back to the classroom. For 75 years, McCarty took in laundry and ironing work until arthritis forced her to stop.

McCarty’s example is a powerful reminder that no matter how humble one’s circumstances may be, there is always an opportunity to help someone else. She continues to inspire others with her outstanding and improbable act, exemplifying the generosity for which Mississippians are known. When the public found out what McCarty had done, over 800 people from across the nation made donations that more than tripled her original gift.

It was McCarty’s dream that the corpus of her scholarship would reach $1 million. At this level, 20 students, each receiving $2,000 for educational expenses, could be supported annually in perpetuity.

Through the course of the campaign, almost 1,000 gifts were made to the Oseola McCarty Scholarship Endowment totaling over $309,000. The average gift size was $316. With the support of donors, we are only $50,000 away from reaching Ms. McCarty’s goal.

McCarty with one of her first scholarship recipients, Stephanie Bullock Ferguson

McCarty Scholars (left to right) Dana Pichon, Kaitlyn Hendrix and Destiny Johnson pictured with the statue honoring Oseola McCarty

LUCKYDAY FOUNDATION RENEWS SUPPORT FOR SCHOLARS PROGRAM

A faithful supporter of University of Southern Mississippi (USM) students for more than 20 years, the Luckyday Foundation of Ridgeland, Miss., made commitments to the Luckyday Scholars Program during the course of the campaign totaling over $18 million. Since the beginning of the program in 2001, more than 2,300 USM students have benefitted from the generosity of the Luckyday Foundation.

The late Frank Rogers Day of Jackson, Miss., had a noble vision of investing in young people and their education. Through his foundation, this mission remains strong as Mississippi residents gain the opportunity to pursue a higher education at Southern Miss inclusive of academic mentoring, a supportive student community, service engagement, leadership development and financial assistance. Luckyday Scholars are Mississippi high school seniors who are exemplary students that display strong leadership skills and community engagement. The performance of Luckyday Scholars has been astounding, as evidenced by a current cumulative GPA of 3.6, demonstrating that financial support aligned with student development, relationship-rich programming and meaningful service can

lead to exceptional academic success displayed through timely graduation and career preparedness.

The Luckyday Foundation’s continued investment provides incoming Luckyday Scholars with $24,000 in scholarship assistance over four years of enrollment. The program provides significant personal support and encouragement and helps ensure academic success through a freshman seminar, a freshman-year mentoring program, leadership opportunities, a living community in Luckyday Hall, community service requirements, and many other opportunities.

With service being a component of the Luckyday Scholars Program, scholars are introduced to the philosophy of servant leadership to provide a framework of leading others by choosing to serve. Although students are required to volunteer 10 hours each semester each of their four years of enrollment, many students exceed this amount once they are engaged in meaningful service opportunities. Students are challenged to make a difference in their communities by actively participating in local charitable organizations.

Leadership opportunities follow their first semester with a large number of students serving in principal positions in many campus and community organizations which provide an active learning environment for students as they learn to lead.

NEW HOME FOR MILITARY STUDENTS

On Friday, February 11, 2022, military students entered the new home for the Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families, Quinlan-Hammond Hall of Honor. Named in honor of lead benefactor and USM alumnus, Joe Quinlan ’73 and the Center’s founding director, Maj. Gen. Jeff Hammond (U.S. Army, Retired) ’79, ’86, the facility was made possible by the generosity of 240 donors who collectively contributed over $3.1 million in the first 100% privately funded building through the USM Foundation.

In this 5,500-square-foot facility, nearly 1,600 military students, representing 12% of the student body, learn, connect and feel inspired and motivated while Center staff aid and support them as they move through admission on to graduation and career placement. The iconic structure is an educational opportunity for others who may not be intimately familiar with our nation’s military and the sacrifices veterans have made. It contains intentional design elements revealing the priorities, pride and values of the military and honors those who serve.

Above: Quinlan-Hammond Hall of Honor

Below: Previous home of the Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Faculty hold the intellectual capital of Southern Miss.

GIVE WING TO THE FACULTY WHO INSPIRE OUR STUDENTS AS THEY LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND BREAK NEW GROUND, GENERATING KNOWLEDGE THAT AFFECTS ALL AREAS OF OUR WORLD.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE GOAL

$26 MILLION

RAISED $30.8 MILLION

ACADEMIC SUPPORT

GOAL: $20 Million

RAISED: $22.8 Million

FACULTY/STAFF POSITIONS AND SUPPORT

GOAL: $5.7 Million

RAISED: $7.7 Million

ACADEMIC FACILITY SUPPORT

GOAL: $0.3 Million

RAISED: $0.3 Million

At The University of Southern Mississippi, we prioritize the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research and campus citizenship among our faculty. As leaders in their fields of study, our professors’ superior teaching, research and course offerings draw students to Southern Miss. By providing supplemental resources, philanthropy ensures every student has access to high-caliber teachers and researchers.

By investing in programs in each college, school and unit in every area of our campuses, donors assist students in developing academically, personally and professionally. Southern Miss faculty work to incorporate career preparedness and applied learning content into rich educational experiences beyond classroom walls.

The primary goals in the area of Academic Excellence were PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR ACADEMIC AREAS, FACULTY SUPPORT and ACADEMIC FACILITIES . The following pages demonstrate how your gifts give wing to our faculty and programs.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM SUPPORT HIGHLIGHTS

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

THE ARTS RECEIVED $686,022.

Included are 4,045 gifts totaling $393,665 to the Partners for the Arts Fund, which is discretionary support for all arts disciplines.

THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK RECEIVED $768,840. THE BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL RECEIVED $237,147.

$500,000 was received in endowed support for the dean’s priority needs.

THE DR. LYNN COOK HARTWIG PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM RECEIVED $880,149.

THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT PROGRAM RECEIVED $600,000.

THE SOUTHERN MISS FUND AN ANONYMOUS PLANNED GIFT OF $1,000,000 WAS GIVEN TOWARD UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT.

$1,831,616.

ENDOWED FACULTY POSITIONS

The University of Southern Mississippi is a Carnegie R1 research institution and one of the nation’s leading research universities. This status distinguishes our University and puts it in elite company. R1 institutions rely on the production of research from faculty to maintain this prestige, and philanthropic support for endowed positions is a marquee retention tool for attracting and retaining accomplished faculty. These endowed positions provide built-in incentives for excellence in teaching and research.

The highest accolade a University can bestow on a faculty member, and a funding source for perpetuity, makes these endowments both an honor to the professor of appointment and an enduring tribute to the donor who establishes it.

Much like the first chair in the symphony’s violin section or first string on the team, endowed positions are the gold standard of faculty distinction and recognition. These academic leaders strengthen programs, address areas of critical importance, and build networks of experts. Our most desirable and talented faculty are empowered with the high level of support and appreciation these esteemed positions offer.

Endowed positions are magnetic. They create a pull for top faculty, who in turn attract high-achieving students, adding momentum to programs and building a self-sustaining cycle which drives innovation and talent acquisition. Supporting faculty with an endowment allows Southern Miss to match highly talented teams with the resources they need to pursue big ideas.

By funding endowed chairs, donors convene the brightest minds to focus on particular problems or issues and spur advances in those areas. The funds generated from the endowment add to salary and resources provided by the University and are used to provide supplements for salaries, support research, and create opportunities for collaboration. Providing this measure of support allows the University to compete for top talent who can command higher pay elsewhere.

Professors can touch hundreds of lives throughout their careers, either through teaching courses, mentoring students, or by conducting research. Having endowed faculty gives our students access to top-tier teaching and the opportunity to work in the research labs of the most talented scholars in the world.

Marion Patti, DNP, RN

Asbury Foundation Distinguished Professor in Nursing

Assistant Professor, Tenure-Track School of Professional Nursing Practice College of Nursing and Health Professions

Areas of Research Focus

• Community-based healthcare

• Diversity, equity and inclusion

• Simulation

WE SHOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER WHAT BROUGHT US INTO NURSING IN THE FIRST PLACE. NO ONE GOES INTO NURSING TO LEARN TO SET AN IV. THEY BECOME NURSES TO HELP AND NURTURE PEOPLE THROUGH THE HARD TIMES. AS THE ASBURY FOUNDATION

DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR, I CONNECT OUR STUDENTS WITH MEMBERS OF OUR PINE BELT COMMUNITY FACING CRITICAL MEDICAL SITUATIONS. THEY GROW EXPONENTIALLY THROUGH CLINICAL EXPERIENCES, PATIENT CARE AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, COMPASSION.

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INNOVATION AND DISCOVERY

Golden Eagles are on the brink of new discoveries every day. GIVE WING TO INNOVATIONS WITH A WORLD-CHANGING IMPACT IN DIVERSE FIELDS OF STUDY.

INNOVATION AND DISCOVERY GOAL

$3.5 MILLION RAISED $1 MILLION

ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES

GOAL: $1.5 Million

RAISED: $0.2 Million

OTHER INNOVATION AND DISCOVERY GOAL: $2 Million RAISED: $0.8 Million

USM’s inclusion in the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education’s “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity” category places the University among the distinguished company of only 146 institutions in the nation, including Harvard, MIT, Stanford and Johns Hopkins.

Southern Miss is known for pioneering work in bringing language to children with communication disorders, polymer science, marine science and spectator sports safety and security, to name a few. With the aid of philanthropy, our faculty and students explore new approaches seeking cross-disciplinary collaboration that magnifies the impact of their findings.

The primary goals in the area of Innovation and Discovery were SUPPORT OF RESEARCH and ENTREPRENEURSHIP . Your gifts give wing to creative projects and changemakers.

FACTS AND FIGURES

FISCAL YEAR 2023

THE USM FOUNDATION PROVIDED NEARLY

$ 11 MILLION IN SUPPORT TO THE UNIVERSITY .

Academic Divisions Faculty and Staff

The USM Foundation administers a variety of scholarships for eligible students through the GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES (GO) SCHOLARSHIP AND COMPETITIVE PROGRAMS APPLICATION SYSTEM.

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FULLY FUNDED SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENTS NEW SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENTS ESTABLISHED THIS YEAR

$12.7 MILLION HAS BEEN CONTRIBUTED THROUGH THE FOUNDATION, including approximately $11.4 MILLION in outright gifts and pledges and more than $1.3 MILLION in planned gift commitments. FULLY FUNDED ENDOWMENTS AS OF JUNE 30, 2023

1,041

2,430 PRIVATELY FUNDED SCHOLARSHIPS

were awarded to Southern Miss students, totaling $5.5 MILLION - A RECORD HIGH!

JUNE 30, 2023 AND

ASSETS 2023 2022

LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS

USM FOUNDATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT

OF ACTIVITIES

YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023

CHANGES IN RESTRICTIONS

USM FOUNDATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES

YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2022

CHANGES IN RESTRICTIONS

CHARTERED IN 1959,

The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to serving the University community by overseeing fundraising efforts to raise private support for scholarships and other academic needs at Southern Miss. The Foundation manages donor contributions from alumni and friends of Southern Miss to provide our students with the most advanced educational opportunities.

The Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, whose members serve as advocates for the University, its colleges and programs. Foundation Board members are committed to building successful partnerships with Southern Miss and its many generous supporters.

LOCATION AND OFFICE HOURS

The USM Foundation is located on the third floor of the Trent Lott Center. Alumni and friends are encouraged to stop in while visiting the Hattiesburg campus during regular business hours from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

CONTACT INFORMATION

The University of Southern Mississippi Foundation 118 College Drive #5210 Hattiesburg, MS 39406

601.266.5210 | foundation@usm.edu usmfoundation.com givewingtosouthernmiss.com @USMFoundation