Southern Miss Business at Work
2020-21 Annual Report
Want to know what is going on at Southern Miss Business? Check out some of the stories in our latest Annual Report, Southern Miss Business at Work! This year's report includes stories about some of our outstanding alumni, research features, student success stories, and much more.
Southern Tire Mart Owners Named Recipients of 2021 Tire Dealer of the Year Award
Jim and Tommy Duff have been named recipients of the 2021 Tire Dealer of the Year award, presented by Modern Tire Dealer (MTD) Magazine. Starting out in their fathers' small-town tire business, the Duff Brothers have become giants in the tire dealer business and have created thousands of jobs throughout the country in the process.
Tommy is a 1979 Southern Miss Business alumnus and Jim was awarded an honorary doctorate in December 2016 from USM. Together, they were named the College of Business and Economic Development Entrepreneurs of the Year in 2016. Additionally, the Duff brothers have been longtime supporters of The University of Southern Mississippi and we thank them for their generosity. Congratulations Jim and Tommy!
The Hatchery: Coming soon
We are thrilled to be reinventing a space in Scianna Hall to become the home of The Hatchery, the hub of USM's entrepreneurial activity equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and software for innovation. This will be THE place, open to all Southern Miss students seeking to explore an entrepreneurial idea or create their dream team! The Hatchery is designed to foster innovation and creative thinking in our students and faculty. The Innovation lab will be located on the second floor of Scianna Hall and contain basic makerspace and prototyping equipment including 3D scanners, 3D printers, vinyl cutters, laser etchers, graphic design software, etc. as well as a separate space for small group meetings, mentoring, brainstorming, and creative activities.
Experience Business Casually
October 7, 2021 | 11-1 PM
Experience Business Casually is a great way for our business community to coach students on professional development in a casual, comfortable environment. The various topic stations include the art of small talk, communication etiquette, dress to impress, mock interviews, social etiquette, personal brand, and more. This popular, annual event is loved by both students and executives. If you are interested in participating as an executive, reach out to Amy Yeend at Amy.Yeend@usm.edu.
Southern Miss Business Receives Lofty Rankings
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
#19 Best Online MBA Programs in the South, Fortune Education, 2021
The University of Southern Mississippi’s online Master of Business Administration program has received a No. 19 ranking by FORTUNE Education in its inaugural list of the Best Online MBA Programs in the South.
Master of Science in Sport Management
#21 Online Master’s of Science in Sport Management, Intelligent.com, 2022
#17 Online Sport Management Program, Intelligent.com, 2022
Golden Idea Pitch Competition
The Golden Idea Pitch Competition, sponsored by Southern Miss Business & the Center for Economic and Entrepreneurship Education, offers an annual opportunity for Southern Miss students from every major and school on campus to get professional feedback on their big idea and to compete for more than $2,000 in total cash prizes! Students who have a great idea for a for-profit or non-profit business have the ability to get mentoring from successful entrepreneurs who want to see you succeed. Student don't need a business plan, existing customers, or experience. They only need an idea!
Golden Idea Mixer
Students interested in participating in the Golden Idea Pitch Competition were encouraged to stop by the The Powerhouse's Southern Wing Company on Tuesday, September 28th from 11:30-1:30pm for the Golden Idea Mixer. This informal event provided students with the opportunity to meet and potentially team up with other creative students for the Golden Idea Pitch Competition. Participants were able to ask questions and learn more about the event as well as mingle with involved faculty members over light snacks and refreshments.
Southern Miss Business Tailgate
Tailgating is back, and we are so excited to enjoy the game day experience with our students, faculty, and alumni! Stop by the Southern Miss Business Tailgate in the Scianna Hall Courtyard on the following dates for food, music, games, and more.
- Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021 (Homecoming) — starts at 3:00 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct 16, 2021 — starts at 11:30 a.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 — starts at 11:00 a.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021 — starts at 11:00 a.m.
Patrick Davis Memorial Annual Scholarship
The College of Business and Economic Development is honored to announce the inaugural scholarship recipients for the Patrick Davis Memorial Annual Scholarship. The award provides two $1,000 scholarships to dually enrolled graduate students in Sport Management and Business Administration. The financial award pays tribute to the late Patrick Davis. Mr. Davis served as a graduate assistant for the Sport Management program and was an avid golden eagle fan. His pursuit of business, accounting, and sports were evident to those who knew him. Mr. Davis unexpectedly passed away on September 10, 2020. Through this generous scholarship, Mr. Patrick Davis’s legacy will continue to live on.
Kinsley Hanback
“My name is Kinsley Hanback, and I am a graduate assistant for the College of Business and Economic Development at The University of Southern Mississippi. I recently earned my undergraduate degree in business administration. I am an athlete on the Volleyball team at USM and was also a Tri Delta while in undergrad. I am currently dually enrolled in the MBA and MSSM programs at USM. I choose to further my education in business because it will assist me in my future aspirations of being a corporate lawyer.”
Emilee Hoang
"My name is Emilee Hoang, and I am a first-year graduate student who recently received my BSBA in sport management here from Southern Miss. I’m currently serving as a graduate assistant in the School of Marketing and am dually enrolled in the MSSM and MBA programs to help me become a better athlete development specialist after I graduate from Southern Miss."
Meet the Firms Sees Impressive Turnout in Return to In-Person Format
The opportunity to engage in a traditional format was never more appreciated than during the in-person Meet the Firms event held by the School of Accountancy this month. The annual career fair is held at the beginning of each fall semester and is specifically for accounting students. The event provides an opportunity for students to learn more about careers and opportunities within the accounting field, as well as network with representatives from accounting firms, companies, and other professional organizations in order to develop future contacts and employment prospects. The event also provides recruiting firms a chance to meet and connect with potential candidates from USM to fill positions within their organizations for full-time and internship positions. All accounting students and alumni are encouraged to participate, regardless of graduation date.
Last year, the event was held in a virtual format during the fall 2020 semester due to COVID-19 restrictions. Employers eagerly returned to the Hattiesburg campus for the fall 2021 event held on Sept. 2, with 18 firms represented and more than 150 attendees participating.
"We feel that this event was a massive success during these trying times. Many of the firm representatives shared remarks about their appreciation of our event being in-person," said Dr. Marvin Bouillon, Director of USM’s School of Accountancy.
Welcome, School of Leadership!
Based on the recommendations of the Coastal Operations Leadership Team, the Gulf Park Reorganization Committee, and the administration at Southern Miss, several structural and programmatic changes have been set in motion on the Gulf Park campus. This new configuration creates both opportunities to highlight the unique strengths of our USM Coastal Operations and avenues for new initiatives, community connections, and growth. As part of this coastal reorganization, academics were realigned under a new structure comprised of three schools. For the College of Business and Economic Development, the new structure aligns current business programs and faculty with professional and workforce development, creating the School of Leadership. This new school joined the college in July 2021 and has added valuable programs, faculty, and staff.
The School of Leadership prepares students to succeed in the business world by offering innovative coursework and research as we partner with thriving organizations. These affiliations allow students to foster independence of mind, a spirit of exploration and discovery, an awareness of our common responsibility to work collaboratively across disciplines towards solutions to complex workplace issues while capitalizing on emerging opportunities. The School of Leadership programs provide the academic preparation for the development of competencies necessary for success in the ever-changing modern workforce and global economy.
Meet the Director, Dr. Heather Annulis
Dr. Heather Annulis serves as Interim Director of the School of Leadership and Professor of Human Capital Development. She holds a doctorate from Southern Miss in International Development with a concentration in Workforce Training and Development and a Master’s degree in Organizational Communication from The University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Heather has been instrumental, in generating over $10 million in external funding for Southern Miss. Associated with this funding was research conducted through NASA to help develop a well-trained geospatial workforce. Heather’s work has also been funded through the U.S. Department of Labor and the MS Department of Employment Security. Heather's research interests include creating change readiness and implementing successful change in organizations. She regularly speaks at regional, national and international conferences on these subjects. Her research has been published in the International Journal of Workforce Development, Performance Improvement Journal, Change Management Journal, Conference Board, and Human Resource Development International.
School of Leadership Programs Overview
The School of Leadership offers seven undergraduate programs and one undergraduate certificate:
- Accounting, BSBA
- Applied Technology, BAS
- Business Administration, BSBA
- Industrial Engineering Technology, BS
- Industrial Engineering Technology (Logistics), BS
- Management, BSBA
- Marketing, BSBA
- Undergraduate Certificate: Business Management
The School of Leadership also has five graduate programs and one graduate certificate:
- Human Capital Development, PhD
- Human Capital Development, PhD (Instructional Technology and Design)
- Human Capital Development, MS
- Human Capital Development, MS (Instructional Technology and Design)
- Logistics Trade and Transportation, MS
- Graduate Certificate: Instructional Technology and Design
Graduate Competitive Travel Awards
Congratulations to Courtney Isgett, a Ph.D. student in the Human Capital Development program, for being selected as one of 17 recipients of the Graduate Competitive Travels Award. The Graduate School and the Vice President for Research jointly sponsor the Graduate Competitive Travel Awards program. This competition is held twice annually to support student travel to national or international conferences or exhibitions to present their research or creative project. A total of $10,000 was awarded to the winners who will travel during the fall semester.
'Let's LinkedIn' Workshop Presented by the School of Marketing
This month the School of Marketing hosted a LinkedIn workshop for their students, led by Instructor Mrs. Alexis Stoner. The workshop covered the basics of LinkedIn, including how to set up a robust profile and network on the platform. Students who attended the event were able to learn how to build a professional and successful profile, how to be active and make valuable connections on the platform, and how to use LinkedIn for job searching.
Business Alumni, What's New With You?
Southern Miss Business Alumni, we want to hear from you! Do you have good news to share? Maybe you got a new job, earned a promotion, or won an award? Share your good news with us so that we can help celebrate you! We encourage you to share these things with us so we can include this in future newsletters. Click the link below to fill out the form.