2018-19 Annual Report

BREAKING
THE MOLD
THE COLLEGE’S FIRST FEMALE
ACCOUNTING STUDENT
In 1952, Miriam Moore Adamson became the first woman to graduate from the Accounting program at
The University of Southern Mississippi. In addition to her undergraduate degree in accounting, Miriam
also received a minor in business administration.
Born in House, Mississippi, she led a life full of adventure as she often
moved to new cities. Miriam rarely stayed in one place for long due
to her father’s position in the Navy. Little did she know, she would
continue to move frequently until retirement.
After graduating high school in a class of only 13, Miriam later attended
East Central Junior College in Decatur, Mississippi. Majoring in secretarial
studies, she explained that at that time, women normally prepared
to be a secretary/bookkeeper, teacher or nurse. Upon completion at
East Central, she began working for Mississippi Paint and Glass as a
secretary and bookkeeper. There, she realized that bookkeeping was
much more enjoyable for her than secretarial work, and that began her
pursuit of an accounting degree. She saved up her money, bought a car,
and drove it down to Hattiesburg.
When asked about her college experience, she described Southern
Miss as a supportive, friendly campus. She and her friends would often
attend football games, go see plays put on by the Theatre department,
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