Southern Miss Business

college of

business and

economic

development

annual report

2019-20

a message from the dean

Greetings from the College of Business and Economic

Development at The University of Southern Mississippi.

While this report serves to celebrate and publicize the

accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff and alumni,

I know that many of you were significantly impacted by the

COVID-19 pandemic, and I want you to know that we are

thinking about you as you go through this time of great

uncertainty. I would like to extend my deepest condolences

to everyone who experienced the loss of loved ones during

this time. Take care of yourself, your family, your friends and

your colleagues. It is times like these that should make us

realize how much we need each other.

I am proud to share with you the many achievements of our

students, faculty and staff, and I am certain you will agree

that the 2019-20 academic year was eventful as COVID-19

presented many unprecedented challenges. Despite these

challenges, the past year can only be described as a great

success. Students, faculty and staff demonstrated significant

flexibility and resilience as we transitioned to working

and learning remotely. I would like to express my sincere

gratitude to our faculty and staff for all that they did to help

our students successfully navigate unchartered waters

while continuing to produce impressive scholarly research

and provide service to their schools, college and university.

Because of their dedication and efforts, we have much to

celebrate in 2019-20.

You will find more information about our accomplishments

and initiatives in the following pages, and I hope you enjoy

reading about the exciting things happening in the College

of Business and Economic Development.

Should you have any questions or suggestions, please

feel free to reach out to me at bret.becton@usm.edu or

601.266.5544.

Kind Regards,

J. Bret Becton, Ph.D.

Dean

The College of Business and Economic

Development is accredited by the

Association to Advance Collegiate

Schools of Business (AACSB). Founded

in 1916, AACSB International is the

longest-serving global accrediting body

for business schools and is recognized as

a premier process. Less than 5% of the

world’s 13,000 business programs have

earned AACSB accreditation in accounting

and in business. Dean Joseph A. Greene

led the school to membership with AACSB

in 1967 and to its initial accreditation

in 1976. The college then achieved

accreditation in accounting in 1982. AACSB

accreditation is a “gold standard” of

quality that assures a focus on continuous

improvements over time. The process of

reaffirming accreditation every five years

includes peer review, team visits and

reviews, national committee reviews, and

the development of distinctive programs

that have an impact.

Graphic Design – Kat VanSkiver, Hillary Lovinggood

Writing – Bailey Harris

Editing – J.T. Tisdale, Bret Becton, Heather Graves

Photography – Kelly Dunn, Paul Lijewski

Graduate Programs

at a Glance

Learn more about what makes

our graduate programs unique.

Scianna Hall’s

Newest Addition

In order to prepare graduates

for successful careers, the

college has established a

state-of-the-art Professional

Sales Lab that provides a

technology-enhanced, flexible

learning environment for

students to develop highdemand

sales, presentation

and customer service skills.

Faculty

Excellence

Our engaged faculty take

teaching, research and

service seriously.

4 Southern Miss Business Adopts New Strategic Plan 5 By the Numbers 12 Connecting With Real-World Leaders

24 Immersion in the Field 28 Student Highlight 30 Hard Work Pays Off 32 Eagle Scholars Program 34 Student

Research 36 Cultivating Student Leaders 40 Study Abroad 42 Affiliated Center Contributions 48 Alumni Highlight

51 New Adventures and Retirements 54 Where Do They Go After Graduation? 56 Faculty Intellectual Contributions

and Impact 58 Recognizing Extraordinary Excellence 61 Student Outcomes 62 In Memorium

Maintaining Quality

While Working Remotely

Online course delivery

and virtual meetings have

become the new norm. In the

middle of the spring 2020

semester, faculty jumped into

action to transform their faceto-face

classes into online

courses while upholding the

high-quality standards of the

college’s curriculum.

The Power of

Experiential Learning

Our top priority is to set our

business students up for success

upon graduating from Southern

Miss. One way we are dedicated

to developing the skills they

need to succeed is by providing

considerable experiential

learning opportunities. Our

students are often immersed in

innovative, stimulating learning

environments both inside and

outside of the classroom.

Alumni

Highlight

Successful Alumnus Bernard

Green and Alumna Cindy

Gaddis share their stories and

how Southern Miss Business

helped them thrive.

Southern Miss Business Adopts

New Strategic Plan

VISION

We will be a recognized leader in providing

business educational experiences that

inspire and empower business scholars and

students to fearlessly lead on the national and

international stage.

MISSION

Our purpose is to develop leaders who leverage

an entrepreneurial mindset to create value and

innovative business solutions. We ensure that

all students have applied experiences that build

the knowledge and develop the skills needed to

succeed and lead in the global marketplace. We

support economic development by advancing

knowledge through influential scholarship and

collaboration with our communities.

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

In the next five years, the College of Business and

Economic Development will focus on the following:

• Becoming the business school of choice for

experiential learning, real-world preparation

and entrepreneurial mindset

• Expanding opportunities for community,

industry and global engagement

• Fostering a culture and community of scholars

characterized by excellent teaching, impactful

teaching and research, collegiality, and

considerate service to all stakeholders

• Enhancing external relations and

fundraising activities

ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES

Authenticity: We stay true to who we are and

always act with integrity.

We are committed to relationships and interactions with

our colleagues, students, alumni and partners that are

characterized by honesty, integrity and respect. We

value trust in all that we do and understand that our

word and reputation are evaluated by how trustworthy

we are. We aim to be ethical, authentic and genuine

in our actions in order to build and maintain trusting

relationships with all our stakeholders.

Unity: We respect others’ perspectives and work

together to strengthen our community.

We are one team and one family. One family that cares

deeply about each other, our students and community. We

are committed to our success while also working to help

our students, partners and community achieve success.

We will provide educational experiences and outreach

typified by collaboration, inclusiveness and teamwork.

We strive to create a culture of warmth and belonging.

Resiliency: We persevere by being relevant,

tenacious and adaptable.

We know that nothing comes easy. Persistence and

hard work are required to accomplish anything of

significance. We believe that rolling up your shirtsleeves

is a prerequisite for success, and we ensure our

relevance in an ever-changing world through our

adaptability, tenacity and resilience.

Passion: We nurture passion and inspire boldness.

Passion is at the heart of everything we do. We are

constantly moving forward, boldly innovating, and

positively improving to impact our students, academic

disciplines, and community. We use our drive and

commitment to energize, engage, and inspire others.

Resourcefulness: We foster curiosity, creative

problem-solving and forward thinking to meet

challenges head-on.

We are entrepreneurial and enterprising. We experiment,

take risks and reach beyond existing boundaries.

Through creativity, innovation, forward thinking and

curiosity, we challenge the status quo to find new ways

of doing things.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

By the Numbers

2,113 28%

SOUTHERN MISS

BUSINESS

STUDENTS

(FALL '19)

268

Fall ' 19

SOUTHERN MISS

BUSINESS

STUDENTS ON

DEAN’S LIST

345

Spring ' 20

STUDENT-ATHLETES

ARE SOUTHERN MISS

BUSINESS STUDENTS.

#36

BEST ONLINE

BACHELOR’S

IN BUSINESS

LEARN.ORG, 2020

ACCORDING TO THE

USM FOUNDATION, NEARLY

$80,000

WAS AWARDED TO SUPPORT

FACULTY IN THE COLLEGE OF

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT LAST FISCAL

YEAR THROUGH THE

GENEROSITY OF OUR DONORS.

193 scholarships

awarded

(FALL ‘19, SPRING ‘20, SUMMER ’20)

$239,481

scholarship funds awarded

(FALL ‘19, SPRING ‘20, SUMMER ’20)

UNDERGRADUATE

PROGRAMS

Accounting

Entrepreneurship

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

MBA (Master of Business Administration)

Emphasis in Sport Security Management available

MPA (Master of Professional Accountancy)

Master of Science in Economic Development

Master of Science in Sport Management

General Business

Finance

Healthcare Marketing

Hospitality and

Tourism Management

International Business

Management

Marketing

Merchandising

Sport Management

CERTIFICATE

PROGRAMS

Certificate in Business Essentials

Certificate in Casino Management

Certificate in Professional Selling

Certificate in Apparel Construction and Design

Graduate Certificate in Business Foundations

Graduate Certificate in Sport Security Management

Graduate Certificate in Economic Development

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 5

graduate programs at a glance

MPA (MASTER OF PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANCY)

HIGHLIGHTS

100%

OF MPA STUDENTS ACHIEVED

BOTH ASSOCIATE AND EXPERT

CERTIFICATION IN MICROSOFT EXCEL.

FLEXIBLE HYBRID CLASS FORMAT

100% placement

OF MPA GRADUATES

SEEKING EMPLOYMENT

WHILE COMPLETING

HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES,

SUCH AS CASES AND

PROJECTS, MPA STUDENTS

UTILIZE ANALYTICS AND

ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE,

INCLUDING MICROSOFT

EXCEL, MICROSOFT

ACCESS, SAGE 50, IDEA,

TABLEAU AND MORE!

A CPA EXAM PREP COURSE is now being offered as an

elective option, as many MPA students begin taking the CPA

exam while still enrolled in the MPA program.

This year, the School of

Accountancy hosted both

MEET THE FIRMS and the

SPRING MEET AND GREET

to provide students with a place

to network with employers.

Combined,

these two

events hosted

46 firms and

over 400

students.

JOSHUA SPIVEY (MPA '19) PASSED ALL FOUR CPA EXAM

SECTIONS ON HIS FIRST ATTEMPT, A NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENT. SPIVEY

COMPLETED SEVERAL OF THE SECTIONS WHILE STILL ENROLLED IN THE

MPA PROGRAM AND ALL BEFORE BEGINNING HIS POSITION AS A STAFF

ACCOUNTANT FOR ERNST AND YOUNG IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

Joshua returned to

Scianna Hall to represent

his firm, Ernst and Young,

at the Spring 2020

Meet and Greet.

“THE MPA PROGRAM HELPED ME PREPARE FOR THE

CPA EXAM AND HONE MY SKILLS AS A WELL-ROUNDED

ACCOUNTANT. THE PROFESSORS PUT AN EMPHASIS ON

THE IMPORTANCE OF PASSING THE CPA EXAM, AND THE

CURRICULUM TRULY EXEMPLIFIED THAT IMPORTANCE. THE

ADDED BENEFIT OF BEING AROUND MPA CLASSMATES WHO

HAD THE SAME GOAL OF PASSING THE CPA EXAM PLAYED A

TREMENDOUS PART IN MY SUCCESS.” – Joshua Spivey

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

graduate programs at a glance

MBA (MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION)

HIGHLIGHTS

#74

BEST ONLINE

#20 #1

MBA PROGRAMS

#127

#213

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT, 2020

BEST FULL-TIME

MBA PROGRAMS

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT, 2021

BEST PART-TIME

MBA PROGRAMS

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT, 2021

Best MBA Degree

Programs Online

LEARN.ORG, 2020

best Online

MBA Programs

in Mississippi

COLLEGE CONSENSUS 2019

FEATURED AS A TOP ONLINE

SPORT MANAGEMENT

MBA PROGRAM

ONLINE MBA PAGE – MBA WITH SPORT EVENT

SECURITY MANAGEMENT EMPHASIS, 2019-20

This program can be completed

in as little as one calendar

year when enrolled full-time.

In the last six years,

MBA enrollment has

more than tripled.

Available

100%

online

USM offers the only MBA with a

Sport Event Security Management

EMPHASIS IN THE NATION.

2019-20 GRADUATES (Summer 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020)

students completed

THE MBA PROGRAM.

57% MALES

21-48

Age Range 43% FEMALES

48% WERE ONLINE STUDENTS.

204 STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY PURSUING AN MBA AT SOUTHERN MISS.

HAD NON-BUSINESS

40% undergraduate degrees.

21-59

Age Range

53%

47%

MALES

FEMALES

years of professional work

7 EXPERIENCE (on average)

3.68

AVERAGE

GPA

WERE ENROLLED PART-TIME AS

55% WORKING PROFESSIONALS.

HAD NON-BUSINESS

34% undergraduate degrees.

years of professional work

7 EXPERIENCE (on average)

ARE ENROLLED PART-TIME AS

74% WORKING PROFESSIONALS.

64% ARE ONLINE STUDENTS.

are international students from

4% 8 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

(Bangladesh, Brazil, Dubai, Egypt, Guatemala,

Thailand, Tunisia, Uzbekistan)

“The heart of the College

of Business and Economic

Development is inclusivity

and providing a place

for all kinds of people to

seek business education.

Southern Miss students

come from all over the

country and the world to

study for their Master of

Business Administration

degree. When different

cultures of people learn

and work together, they

can offer each other

priceless perspective and a

diversity of experiences.”

– Dr. Bret Becton, Dean

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 7

graduate programs at a glance

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN SPORT MANAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTS

37 GRADUATES

FROM THE PROGRAM

(Summer ’19, Fall ’20, Spring ’20)

Available

100%

online

12-hour graduate certificate

in sport security management

is also available.

30% growth

IN PROGRAM OVER

THE LAST 3 YEARS

BEST ONLINE MASTER’S

IN SPORT ADMINISTRATION

ONLINE SCHOOLS REPORT, 2020

OVER 110 STUDENTS ARE

currently enrolled in this

program at Southern Miss.

BEST ONLINE MASTER’S IN

Sport Management Degree Programs

INTELLIGENT.COM, 2020

#11INTELLIGENT.COM, 2020

BEST ONLINE

Sport Management

Degree Programs

“This recognition validates the dedication and

perseverance of the sport management faculty in

providing a quality educational experience for our

students. The curriculum is flexible with degree

requirements being offered in both online and

traditional formats.”

– Dr. Brandon Allen, Program Director

THE BILOXI SHUCKERS,

a double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers,

collaborated with Southern Miss Sport

Management in its graduate sport marketing

class this fall semester, which enabled students to

assist the organization in future sports marketing

planning. This experiential learning opportunity

was beneficial to both parties involved. Dr. Chris

Croft, assistant professor of sport management,

and Hunter Reed, Biloxi Shuckers general

manager, coordinated the joint effort.

Reed conducted a training session for the course

that included history of the organization, current

success of the team the last two seasons, and the increased opportunities to attract

fans from the New Orleans and Mobile corridor with their recent loss in minor

league baseball. The students applied what they were learning in class about sport

marketing and conducted research on the New Orleans and Mobile markets.

Next, they developed a sports marketing plan that provided possible options to

attract those areas and promotional ideas for the 2020 season home games.

“The Shuckers are very proud to be able to partner with Southern Miss Sport

Management. It’s truly a win-win across the board, as the class gained reallife

work experience in the industry while providing marketing assistance

to our organization. I’m looking forward to implementing some of their

new ideas and continuing to work with them on more opportunities in the

future.” – Hunter Reed, Biloxi Shuckers General Manager

2020 GRADUATE SCHOOL

Hall of Fame

EACH YEAR, THE USM GRADUATE

SCHOOL RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING

STUDENTS FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND

ACCOMPLISHMENTS, LEADERSHIP

AND SERVICE TO THEIR FELLOW

STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

AARON WESLEY ROMERO BROUSSARD

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

BILOXI, MISS.

Aaron is currently a working professional who serves as

a sales supervisor at Coca-Cola Bottling United. Aaron’s

capstone project simulated running a business over an

eight-year period. It examined how to successfully manage

a corporation by making decisions regarding research and

development, marketing, sales forecasting and human

resources. The goal was to maintain and grow market

share in order to achieve industry success.

graduate programs at a glance

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS

The program is celebrating its

40 TH ANNIVERSARY

IN 2020.

SOUTHERN MISS WAS THE

FIRST IN THE NATION TO

OFFER A MASTER’S-LEVEL

PROGRAM IN ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT.

12-HOUR GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AVAILABLE.

STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY

23 ENROLLED IN THIS PROGRAM.

GRADUATES OF THE PROGRAM ARE WORKING

AT MANY OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS

ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

100%

placement of MSED

graduates seeking

EMPLOYMENT

OVER 300 STUDENTS HAVE EARNED THEIR MSED

SINCE THE PROGRAM’S INCEPTION IN 1980.

“The MSED program is the only program like

it in the state, and one of only about half a

dozen in the United States that focus on local

economic development.”

- Dr. Chad R. Miller, Program Director

Students in the program completed over 30 COMMUNITY-SPONSORED

projects generating OVER $50,000 for data platforms and student travel.

THE STUDENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (SEDA)

sold T-shirts and conducted a crowd-sourcing campaign to

raise money for networking trips to meet program alumni

in Baton Rouge and Nashville (read more on page 39).

THE TRUE SOUTH

BASIC ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT COURSE

is a four-day class that can be taken independently or as

a part of the MSED program designed for community

leaders and stakeholders who participate in the process

of community economic development. This introductory

course exposes participants to the fundamentals and

practice of creating jobs, increasing wealth, improving the

tax base, and enhancing a community’s quality-of-life.

MISSISSIPPI DEFENSE INITIATIVE UPDATE

Working with the Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in

Economic Development and Entrepreneurship, the program

is completing the $1.8 million Phase 2 of the Department

of Defense-funded Mississippi Defense Initiative and was

AWARDED A FURTHER $1.8 MILLION

for Phase 3, which will run for 18 months.

The program is going into year three of the Department of

Energy Tuscaloosa Marine Shale socioeconomic project.

WILL FORD

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

HATTIESBURG, MISS.

Will has completed numerous economic development research projects for the Trent Lott National

Center’s clients. His work includes conducting economic impact analyses for new and existing jobs

in various regions; creating comprehensive industry performance analyses based on job growth,

sales and regional impact; and secondary data analyses for economic development organizations.

He has completed work for the Area Development Partnership, the Mississippi Forestry

Commission, Entergy Mississippi, the City of Hernando, Miss., the Hattiesburg Concert Association

(FestivalSouth), and the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 9

Scianna Hall’s

Newest Addition

State-of-the-Art

Professional Sales Lab

In order to prepare graduates for successful careers, the

College of Business and Economic Development (CBED)

has established a state-of-the-art Professional Sales

Lab that includes physical and technical instructional

and research resources. The vision for this lab and the

Professional Selling program is to create a technologyenhanced,

flexible learning environment for students

that facilitates the development of high-demand sales,

presentation and customer service skills.

The Professional Sales Lab, located on the second floor

of Scianna Hall, includes three rooms equipped with

Internet Protocol (IP) cameras and noise cancellation

microphones that capture video and audio of all

interactions in the space. The footage captured will

be used primarily to critique sales role-play exercises

but can also be used to record other activities, such

as mock interviews, research simulations and business

idea pitches. Authorized personnel will be able to

observe and coach students in real time through a web

portal or at a later time using the recorded performance.

Mounted outside of each room is a QR code reader

that students scan prior to beginning their sessions,

allowing them to later access their recorded sessions

via a personal student account. Instructors can add

timestamped, typed feedback, allowing students to click

on each note and “jump” to the specific point in the

video to which the comments refer. Additionally, students

can create e-portfolios that can be shared with program

sponsors and employers to assist with placement in the

sales profession.

The need for a lab of this caliber was initiated by the

continued success of our students in the professional

selling program. This year, three Professional Selling

students attending the 13th Annual National Sales

Challenge, ultimately being ranked #4 overall, #2 and

#9 in the Top 10 Role Play Competition, and #9 in the

Top 10 Sales Challenge Champions (read more on page 23).

The lab will also support the healthcare marketing program.

Over the last four years, eight of our Healthcare Marketing

students have been selected for Eli Lilly internships

(read more on page 24). The Professional Sales Lab will

be instrumental to growing the size and renown of the

Professional Selling and Healthcare Marketing programs in

the college. ■

Listed in the Sales

Education Foundation (SEF)

Magazine amongst the

Top Universities for

Professional Sales

Education in the U.S.

4 YEARS IN A ROW

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

“We are so pleased to see this lab come to

fruition. This state-of-the-art interactive sales

training and research lab will provide us

with opportunities to enhance our curriculum

to strengthen students’ skills and better

position them in the professional sales job

market, recruit and retain prominent faculty

specializing in sales, and enhance relationships

between the college of business and economic

development and employers. The Professional

Selling and Healthcare Marketing programs

have been quite successful without this needed

resource, so I am excited to see what the future

holds with this at their disposal.”

– Dean Bret Becton

If you or your company are interested

in being a sponsor of the Professional

Sales Lab, please contact J.T. Tisdale

at james.tisdale@usm.edu.

More than 50%

of today’s college

graduates start

their careers in a

sales position.

According to the Sales Education Foundation

88% of

marketing majors

begin their

careers in sales.

According to the Sales Education Foundation

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 11

connecting

with real

world

leaders

Golden Idea Pitch Competition

This year the College of Business and Economic

Development hosted the inaugural Golden Idea Pitch

Competition. The competition provided a platform

for budding entrepreneurs to pitch their innovative

products and services to established, professional

entrepreneurs from the community.

Experience Business Casually

Each year, the College of Business and Economic

Development hosts Experience Business Casually,

an event facilitating casual conversation between

business students and professionals from the local

community and beyond. Students have the opportunity

to interact with professionals as they sharpen essential

skills, such as crafting a 60-second elevator pitch,

perfecting a firm handshake, dressing for success,

preparing for a presentation, and much more.

More than 250 students attended

35 professionals attended

13 essential skill stations

Thank you to our generous

corporate sponsors for helping

make this event possible.

SOUTHERN FARM BUREAU ®

LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

Thirty teams comprised of up to four students each

submitted proposals for their ideas to be considered.

In their proposals, students discussed their products,

what problems these products would solve, their

target markets and potential revenue. The proposals

were reviewed by an expert committee and narrowed

down to 10 teams that advanced and pitched their

ideas at the competition to the panel of judges. Each

team had two minutes to pitch their ideas and three

to five minutes for questions.

Pro Waiter captured first place and the $1,000 cash

prize. Tiera Bryant and Whitney Jackson, both senior

entrepreneurship majors, proposed an app called

Pro Waiter that allowed understaffed restaurants to

search for and temporarily hire wait staff from a pool

of screened and trained applicants.

Sugar and Spice, led by senior nursing major Natalie

Rushing, took second place and a $500 cash award

with the idea for a specialty spice store. Two teams

tied for third place and a $250 cash award. Bus Spot

was formulated by Rida Hassan, a senior management

major from Karachi, Pakistan, and Kevin Morgan

Bailey, a senior marketing major from New Concord,

Ohio. They proposed an app that tracked the route of

campus shuttles with estimated arrival times to assist

students who utilize the service. Brice Wilkinson, a

junior entrepreneurship major from Madison, Miss.,

shared third place with PolyPole, an idea that would

utilize recycled plastics to create utility poles.

The competition was sponsored by the USM

Entrepreneurship Club, the College of Business and

Economic Development, the School of Management, and

the Center for Economic and Entrepreneurship Education.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Spring Meet and Greet

meet the firms

Meet the Firms is a national initiative. The annual

career fair, hosted by the School of Accountancy, is

designed to benefit both accounting students and

recruiting firms. Firms from all over the nation are

invited to showcase their organizations’ attributes

to undergraduate and graduate students from the

School of Accountancy. This venue provides the

business professionals an outlet to meet and connect

with numerous potential candidates from Southern

Miss to fill positions within their companies, whether

that be internships or full-time career positions.

28 firms in attendance

More than 250 participants

The School of Accountancy’s inaugural Spring Meet

and Greet event was a huge success this year. The

event provided another opportunity for accounting

students to meet and network with employers, as a

complement to the annual Meet the Firms event. This

event gave students a less intimidating atmosphere

so they could focus on making valuable connections.

18 firms in attendance

More than 170 participants

“This spring recruiting event provides the

opportunity for our students to gain exposure

to the accounting profession and network with

firm representatives and potential employers,

assisting with their career development, and gives

them a competitive advantage in securing both

internships and full-time positions. We look forward

to continuing this new tradition in future years.”

– Amber Hatten, CPA, Professor of Practice and Program Director

of the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) program

USM School of Accountancy alumni return to campus for the

first spring Meet and Greet to represent their firms.

LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP ROW:

Brooke Smith – C Spire, Ridgeland, Miss. (BSBA in Accounting)

Peyton Rutherford – KPMG, Jackson, Miss. (MPA)

Josh Spivey – Ernst & Young, New Orleans, La. (MPA)

Aubrey Sanders – KPMG, Jackson, Miss. (MPA)

Russ Thompson – Harper, Rains, Knight & Company, Ridgeland, Miss. (BSBA in Accounting)

Cory Herrington – KPMG, Jackson, Miss. (MPA)

LEFT TO RIGHT, BOTTOM ROW:

Julia Marreel – Jones Logistics, Hattiesburg, Miss. (BSBA in Accounting)

Erin Howell – Harper, Rains, Knight & Company, Ridgeland, Miss. (MPA)

Kameshia Mays – KPMG, Houston, Texas (MPA)

Elizabeth Craft – Haddox Reid Eubank Betts PLLC, Jackson, Miss. (MPA)

Lauren Hatcher – Haddox Reid Eubank Betts PLLC, Jackson, Miss. (MPA)

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 13

connecting with real-world leaders

2019 Boardman alumni of the year

Perfecting Essential Skills

and Making Connections

It is important to us that students gain and perfect

essential skills while attending Southern Miss. The

College of Business and Economic Development

hosts several activities throughout the year in an

effort to form connections with students, as well as

prepare students for their future professions.

Coffee and Conversations welcomed all business

students interested in research to get to know one

another, as well as faculty members who support

student research. Attendees enjoyed a coffee break

while exchanging ideas and receiving valuable

advice from experienced research faculty.

Discovery of Internships allowed students who had

completed internships the opportunity to share

their stories with their peers. Those who shared

encouraged their classmates to take the plunge

and participate in the important, meaningful

experience. Internship coordinators were present

to answer questions and help those interested in

finding further resources.

Billy Hewes was recognized as the Boardman

Alumnus of the Year and Hattiesburg Mayor

Toby Barker as the Young Alumnus of the Year.

Hewes earned his bachelor’s degree in personnel

management from USM in 1960. Hewes was inducted

into the Southern Miss Hall of Fame in 2014 and is

a member of the Southern Miss Alumni Association,

Eagle Club, Honor Club and the Great Southern Club.

Résumé Development Workshop facilitated the conversation

of how to strengthen student résumés in anticipation

for the Career and Internship Expo. Students also

discussed how to dress for the occasion.

Interview Boot Camp prepared students interested in

interviewing for sales positions in the pharmaceutical

and medical device industries. The boot camp, led by

Dr. Kelli King and Mr. Chris Balaski, taught students

about behavioral interview questions, competencies,

answering questions in STAR format, and closing the

interview.

Professional Polish was a School of Marketing

workshop on networking hosted by Mr. Mark

Killingsworth, retired vice president with Dillard’s

and current Business Advisory Council member.

Boss Up! connected students in the School of

Management with one another and their professors

through engaging activities. Students learned more

about their major, degree planning, study abroad,

internships, essential skills, and resources available

on campus.

Mayor Barker was elected to the Mississippi House

of Representatives to represent District 102. At

that time, he became the youngest legislator and

first millennial elected to the House. At 37, he now

serves as the 35th mayor of Hattiesburg. Barker

moved to Hattiesburg in 2000 to attend USM. After

earning his bachelor’s degree in communications,

he earned his Master of Science in Economic

Development in 2006.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

sometimes it's all fun and games

In addition to the time we spend with our students

in an educational environment, we also aim to build

community and fellowship by connecting with our

students in casual, interactive ways. On the first day

of class each semester, faculty and staff hand out

breakfast in Scianna Hall and assist students in finding

their classrooms. Throughout the semester, we have

numerous holiday celebrations, fairs and tailgates.

Movie nights are hosted in our 285-seat McDonnell

Auditorium, and complimentary popcorn, candy,

snacks and drinks are provided. During finals week,

we provide pizza and snacks to fuel our students while

they are studying throughout Scianna Hall.

Welcome Back Cookout 2019

Halloween Monster Mash 2019

Economic Outlook Forum

Study Abroad Fair 2019

Sponsored by

The annual Economic Outlook Forum welcomed

experts from banking, finance and academia

to explore and discuss research related to the

economic trends for 2020. Event speakers included

Jack McCabe, a research specialist in the Economic

Policy and Research Group at the American Bankers

Association who focuses on macroeconomics and

banking; Ashley Edwards, the CEO of the Gulf

Coast Business Council; and Adrienne Slack, the

vice president and regional executive of the Federal

Reserve Bank in Atlanta, New Orleans Branch.

Southern Miss Business Football Tailgates

“The Economic Outlook Forum gives us a unique

opportunity to learn about what is going on in

the national, state and local economies in one

sitting. This is extremely useful for the business

community in planning for the year, setting goals

and determining priorities based on the state of

the economy and the economic outlook for the

coming year.” – Dr. Bret Becton, Dean

BSAC 2020 Mardi Gras Festival

faculty

excellence

Teaching Innovation Mini-Grant

Dr. Chao Meng (Assistant Professor, School of

Marketing) was one of four faculty members at Southern

Miss to receive a fall 2019 Teaching Innovation Mini-

Grant from the Center for Faculty Development. These

grants are designed to support innovation in the

classroom and stimulate strategies or experiences that

will motivate and ignite student engagement to improve

learning outcomes. Dr. Meng used the grant to purchase

materials for his distribution game in his Supply Chain

Management course.

In spring 2020, Dr. Arielle Newman (Assistant Professor,

School of Management) was named a recipient of a

Teaching Innovation Mini-Grant. Dr. Newman applied for

this grant to support the purchase of dry-erase boards

with the business model canvas template on them for

her Introduction to Entrepreneurship class. With the

students able to visualize their business models on the

boards, Dr. Newman hopes the students will get more

from the experience and collaborate together.

Dr. Arielle Newman

attending the 2019 Alumni

of the Year Luncheon

Service-Learning

Faculty Fellows Program

Dr. Wei Wang (Assistant Professor, School of Marketing)

and Dr. Chao Meng (Assistant Professor, School of

Marketing) both completed USM’s Service-Learning Faculty

Fellows program in spring 2020. As a fellow, they spent

the spring learning about the integration of community

engagement into the classroom to enhance student

learning and address community needs.

Certification in Advanced Hotel

and Tourism Analytics (CAHTA)

Dr. Sungsoo Kim (Associate Professor, School of Marketing)

earned the CAHTA, a certification geared toward revenue

managers, general managers, corporate staff and research

professionals that focuses on data research for hospitality

and tourism industry professionals. Less that 1% of faculty in

the hospitality and tourism fields are currently certified in the

CAHTA due to the rigor of the required exam and project.

ACUE

USM’s Association of College and University

Educators (ACUE) Faculty Development Institute is

an innovative initiative focused on expanding the use

of effective teaching practices in higher education.

Southern Miss began its partnership with ACUE to

advance instruction, support college educators and

promote student success. The program consists of

three 10-week courses, which focus on researchbased

techniques for promoting active learning,

improving assessment techniques and designing

effective courses.

Dr. Greg Bradley and Dr. Wei Wang are one course

away from becoming ACUE Distinguished Teaching

Scholars.

Currently, we have eight professors who have already

earned the impressive title of ACUE Distinguished

Teaching Scholar: Dr. Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong,

Dr. Steven Stelk, Dr. Sungsoo Kim, Dr. Joanne Cao,

Dr. Chris Croft, Dr. Reginald Wilson, Chris Balaski

and Russ Willis.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Heart of Gold

Faculty Service Award

Russ Willis (Assistant Teaching Professor,

School of Management) was awarded the

Heart of Gold Faculty Service Award, given by

the Office of Admissions to a faculty member

who has shown great support of recruitment

and enrollment initiatives.

Business

Advisory Council

Building Business Excellence

Russ Willis with students

Faculty sharing their expertise

Faculty are often approached by organizations,

journals and news outlets to share their expertise and

views in their respective fields in relation to current

events. During the fall semester, Dr. SherRhonda

Gibbs (Director, School of Management) and Chris

Balaski (Professor of Practice, School of Marketing)

were both featured in videos by Direct Selling

Education Foundation discussing the value of

incorporating direct selling in professional selling and

entrepreneurship classrooms. Russ Willis (Assistant

Teaching Professor, School of Management) spoke

on employee benefits and their value while Dr. John

Miller (Professor of Sport Management, School of

Marketing) shared his views on how the changes

in minor league baseball may impact Mississippi

teams. Both articles were featured in the Mississippi

Business Journal.

Celebrating 20 Years

This year we had the privilege of celebrating 20 years

of the Business Advisory Council (BAC). Former Dean

Bill Gunther had an idea to form a group comprised

of dedicated alumni and business professionals to

provide guidance and support for the business school

at USM. The early members of this group came together

to take many critical actions to advance the college

and its programs. The BAC has been instrumental

in accomplishing many endeavors, including the

completion of the groundwork for a new business

building. Additionally, they have assisted with providing

faculty support for research, improving programs to

maintain relevance, assisting students with the dream

of studying abroad, and supporting special initiatives of

each dean since its inception.

Mike Morgan (Instructor, School of Finance) is

interviewed frequently by news outlets regarding

financial mindfulness, such as credit card usage

and building credit at a young age. As COVID-19

developed, even more outlets sought out our

expert faculty to weigh in on the impact that the

pandemic would have on the economy and the job

market. Morgan was featured in local news articles

concerning the economic impact of COVID-19,

specifically in the Pine Belt. Dr. Marvin Bouillon

(Director, School of Accountancy) was interviewed by

the Mississippi Business Journal to discuss how the

pandemic could be affecting accounting graduates.■

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 17

“I think I can speak

for all students

in the College of

Business and Economic

Development in saying

‘thank you’ to all

of our faculty and

staff for working so

earnestly to create

just as comfortable

of a learning

environment online

as we were provided

in Scianna Hall.”

–savannah Rheams

healthcare marketing

maintaining

quality while

learning

remotely

Along with most universities and schools, COVID-19 caused

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) College of

Business and Economic Development to seek innovative

solutions to keep students engaged after converting all

face-to-face spring 2020 courses to an online delivery

format in a matter of two weeks.

Online course delivery and virtual meetings became the

new norm, as many professors hosted their classes in a live

video format and worked with experts in the field as they

virtually hosted guest speakers and worked with companies

and organizations on class projects. Students and faculty

alike worked diligently to uphold the high-quality standards

of the college’s curriculum.

Chris Balaski (Professor of Practice, School of Marketing),

worked to keep his course as close to the real thing as

possible. By utilizing video conferencing technology, his

students continued with their assignments as they would in

the classroom.

Experiential learning is a major component of Balaski’s

Advanced Professional Selling course, a highly interactive

and hands-on class that often hosts sales representatives

and professionals in the classroom as guest speakers, or

sales pitch and role play participants and judges. These

professionals provide examples of their own sales

experiences and techniques before students take what they

have learned and implement it into sales pitch scenarios.

Since converting to online delivery, Balaski hosted guest

speakers, virtual presentations and role play scenarios

with large corporations, such as Northwestern Mutual and

Zoetis. He has also invited alumna and former professional

selling student Leighton Keonnen to virtually provide

valuable peer feedback, while playing a customer in their

mock sales pitches.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Savannah Rheams, a student of Balaski’s, said, “I am

so thankful for the frequent check-ins by Mr. Balaski to

see how we are all doing with the course, virtual role

play preparations, sales calls with real professionals

over Microsoft Teams, and full lesson plans provided on

Canvas, so we are fully prepared for all exams. I think I

can speak for all students in the College of Business and

Economic Development in saying ‘thank you’ to all of our

faculty and staff for working so earnestly to create just

as comfortable of a learning environment online as we

were provided in Scianna Hall.”

Northwestern Mutual representatives Keith Frye,

managing director and financial advisor, and Becky

Broersma, experience leader, shared their thoughts

on virtually assisting the students with perfecting their

sales pitches.

“This is our second semester partnering with Chris to

help his students develop in their advanced sales skills.

I believe the skills and experience they are getting in this

class are top notch,” Frye said. “It is also impressive that

these unprecedented times could not stop them from

learning and growing. Learning to adapt is an extremely

valuable skill in any marketplace.”

These resilient business students overcame their fears

of the unknown and thrived in this new format. Chelsey

Liddell, a student in the class, shared her thoughts.

“Mr. Balaski has done an exceptional job transitioning

our course to an online format. Advanced Professional

Selling is a nontraditional course and requires

interaction to get the full benefit, and by incorporating

Microsoft Teams into our home learning experience, we

have been able to continue doing exactly what we would

be doing in the classroom,” Liddel said. “We still get to

hear from real professionals, learn their techniques,

and then give our own spin to them during our virtual role

plays. At the very least, finishing school at USM during

COVID-19 has taught me to become more resilient and

flexible, which is a necessary trait in the sales force.”

Virtual Guest Lectures

USM MPA alumnus, Kyle Stoner, recorded guest lecture

videos for Amber Hatten's Audit Analytics and IT Auditing

(ACC 615) course. Stoner has obtained extensive experience

in the use of analytics with PricewaterhouseCoopers

(PwC) through his involvement with PwC’s analytics team.

He consults with a variety of audit clients and assists

with advising engagement teams across the country

regarding their use of analytics within their audit teams.

Stoner visits accounting classes each year to share his

experiences and provide real-world context to our MPA

students. He is a fantastic resource, given his significant

industry experience in analytics, and we are grateful that

he chose to overcome the current circumstances and

still invest his time to impact our students virtually!

Teaching More Than Just Southern

Miss Business Students Remotely

Mike Morgan conducted a webinar for Innovate Mississippi

titled "Raising Capital in a Pandemic". Morgan’s webinar

was intended to help startup CEOs raise capital, even

during these difficult times. As part of USM Center for

Faculty Development initiatives, Dr. Gregory Bradley

led two virtual summer workshops called “Creating

Collaborative Projects in Canvas” to teach fellow faculty

members on campus how to effectively utilize student

portals to continue to facilitate group projects virtually. ■

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 19

Current and former

corporate leaders are

frequently brought in to

share their stories and

advice while cultivating

relationships with students.

David Williams with HORNE LLP

David Williams with Carr, Riggs & Ingram, spoke to

multiple accounting classes about preparing for audits,

analyzing financial statements, and the importance of

understanding the business and industry risks.

The Power of

Experiential

Learning

Our top priority is to set our

business students up for success

upon graduating from Southern

Miss, and we work hard to ensure

that our business students are

prepared to thrive once they embark

on their next journey. One way

we are dedicated to developing

the skills they need to succeed

is by bringing in the experts and

providing considerable experiential

learning opportunities. Students gain

invaluable knowledge by hearing

first-hand experiences and practicing

the proficiencies they are learning

in their courses. Students are often

immersed in innovative, stimulating

learning environments both inside

and outside of the classroom.

Zimmer Biomet

Madison Rosonet, a 2019 healthcare marketing

graduate, spoke to a group of healthcare marketing

students about his career in the medical device industry.

Rosonet currently serves as a sales representative and

orthopedic specialist for Zimmer Biomet.

Uniqlo

For the first time ever, Uniqlo, a global Japanese fast

fashion retail brand, visited Southern Miss to recruit

for their Management Trainee Program. Southern Miss

Business alumna Michelle Le returned to campus with

colleague Angela Liu to host an information session for

both undergraduate and graduate students interested

in learning more about their internship opportunities.

Le serves as the new store opening assistant manager

out of Orlando, Florida, while Liu works in the New

York, New York, headquarters office and serves as a

university recruiter and talent acquisition manager.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Industry experts are

invited by professors to

assist with teaching and

sharpening skills.

Aaron Beam

As part of an annual ethics speaker series, Aaron

Beam, co-founder and former chief financial officer

of HealthSouth Corporation, shared his story and the

lessons he learned from his involvement in one of the

biggest accounting scandals in U.S. history. Over 100

students attended Mr. Beam’s thought-provoking and

insightful presentation on corporate fraud. Beam also

had a more in-depth session with accounting students

and Beta Alpha Psi members about the importance of

ethics in accounting practices.

Pfizer

Healthcare marketing students participated in a

Lunch-and-Learn with Southern Miss alumni Bobby

Smith (BS, Marketing ’96) and Ashley Castleman (MS,

Sport Management ’08, BS, Sport Administration ’07)

from Pfizer. Students learned about Pfizer, the role

of a territory sales manager, networking, and they

participated in a Q&A session.

Professional Business Standards (BA 211)

The class focuses on preparing accounting students

specifically to enter the accounting profession by

covering important topics, such as interviewing,

completing internships, pursuing graduate school,

passing the CPA exam, and finding full-time career

positions. Hosting guest speakers is a norm for

the class, as they frequently invite professionals to

share tips on things like résumés, appropriate attire,

networking, and transitioning from college to career.

Guest Speakers

• Karen Moody and Lydia Windham, Mississippi Society

of CPAs

• Erica Parker, FBI

• Michael Hill, BKD LLP

• Mark Peach and Nina Bellipanni, KPMG LLP

• Chrissy Leggett, Lori Crocker, Jonathan Krebs,

Matt Parker and Randa Craig, Horne LLP

Frito-Lay

Each semester, Mr. Chris Balaski’s Advanced

Professional Selling course partners with Frito-Lay

representatives for a mock sales pitch competition.

The exercise provides students with the opportunity

to test the skills they are learning in class on sales

professionals. Following each mock pitch, Frito-Lay

representatives provide valuable feedback on what

the student did well and where they can improve.

This spring marked the fourth time that Frito-Lay

has invested their time building relationships

with our sales students while assisting them with

strengthening and perfecting their sales approach.

Congratulations to Jordan Riekhof and

Savannah Rheams for being selected as

the Frito-Lay Sales Competition winners!

Sport Management Collaborating

with New Orleans Pelicans

New Orleans Pelicans senior group sales account

executive, Jesse Nantz, involved undergraduate

sport management students in the professional ticket

sales process by leading three training sessions in

Dr. Chris Croft’s sport marketing class. The sessions

covered a brief introduction to the NBA team,

discussions of the sales process and promotion, roleplaying

scenarios and cross-selling, and tips on how

to overcome challenges on the sale.

The students assisted with ticket sales

initiatives that resulted in over $6,000

in financial revenue for the Pelicans.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 21

the power of experiential learning

Local and national organizations serve as clients in the

classroom while students develop innovative solutions

and strategies to challenges they are facing.

Hattiesburg Clinic

Dr. Kelli King’s Marketing in Healthcare Industry

(MKT 471) students were assigned a real-world

scenario class project presented to them by

Hattiesburg Clinic’s chief corporate planning and

development officer, Kristy Gould, and marketing

director, Harlon Aultman. Students worked in groups

to research, develop comprehensive marketing

plans, and prepare presentations. After presenting

their plans, students received valuable feedback

and suggestions from Mrs. Gould and Mr. Aultman.

International Business Students

Serve as Global Food Supply Chain

Interruption Consultants

In the early stages of COVID-19 in the U.S.,

Dr. John Lambert and his international business

capstone students were approached by Southern

Miss International Business alumnus and current

Sanderson Farms export manager for Mexico,

Shelly Reboul, to take on the project of analyzing the

potential impact of COVID-19 on the global poultry

supply chain. Little did the students know that the

real-time research they'd be conducting would

become extremely beneficial as the corporation and

the world entered this unprecedented time. Soon,

the project attracted another USM alumnus, an honor

graduate of the International Business and MBA

programs, Ryan Grady, who works as a supply chain

consultant. Thus, the students had the added benefit

of working with alumni who were in that very same

class just a few years prior.

As the project progressed, the students predicted

supermarket shortages and many jolts that the retail

supply chain faced prior to their occurrence. Our

international business students gained practical

experience using real-world, real-time techniques,

which allowed them to analyze information, both

domestic and international.

The results of this project include a 144-page report

given to Sanderson Farms on the Global Poultry

Supply Chain Interruption due to COVID-19; a similar

report sent to the U.S. Senator from Mississippi,

Cindy Hyde-Smith, on the global food supply chain

interruption; and a manuscript accepted for publication

in Journal of Business Management and Change.

Creative Marketing:

Promoting Innovation

The Creative Marketing (MKT 322) course

challenges students to develop innovative, unique

marketing solutions for real-world clients. Students

first meet with the clients at the beginning of the

semester to discuss goals and have a Q&A session.

Students then split into groups and complete a

rigorous process to formulate new ideas on how

the client could improve marketing efforts based on

challenges they have shared.

In the fall, students worked with Caroline Nurkin and

Michael Dixon from The Pinebelt Foundation, while

in the spring, they worked with the USM College of

Business and Economic Development. In the spring,

they continued to work in groups through virtual

platforms, and final presentations were conducted

through videos in order to promote social distancing.

Southern Miss Athletics:

Men’s Basketball

Sport management graduate students worked in

collaboration with Southern Miss Men’s Basketball

Head Coach Jay Ladner and coaching staff to

develop a campaign with the goal of increasing

student attendance for their debut season. The

students conducted research and created a detailed

plan to increase student attendance through social

media and crowd engagement initiatives.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Students tour corporate

headquarters, visit

facilities, and attend

conferences to put

their skills to the test

and obtain hands-on

experience.

Sport Management at College Football

National Championship and More

Sport management students receive numerous

hands-on learning opportunities in several of their

courses. While volunteering with the Greater New

Orleans Sports Foundation during the 2020 College

Football Playoffs National Championship, several

sport management graduate and undergraduate

students had the opportunity to meet and network

with sports professionals from across the country.

13 th Annual National Sales Challenge

Chloe Faul, Macie Tullier and Leighton Keonnen

attended the 2019 National Sales Challenge in

New Jersey. During the three-day event, top

sales students from over 35 universities met with

representatives from major corporations. Prior to their

trip, Chris Balaski invited Lindsey Cockrell, a sales

representative for Zoetis, to speak to the students and

their classmates as they prepared for the competition.

“A big event like this is a once-in-a-lifetime

opportunity, and I’m grateful to have the

experience. It takes so much preparation and

personnel to manage an event like the College

Football Playoff Championship.” – Cole Wallace,

Sport Management

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN

MISSISSIPPI RANKED #4 OVERALL, AMONG

THE TOP 10 UNIVERSITY SALES TEAM

CHAMPIONS.

MACIE TULLIER

#2 IN THE ROLE PLAY COMPETITION

#9 IN THE SALES CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS

LEIGHTON KEONNEN

#9 IN THE ROLE PLAY COMPETITION

Sanderson Farms Championship

Sport management students met Herschel Walker

while volunteering at the Sanderson Farms

Championship.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 23

Immersion

in the Field

Internships, Leadership

Programs and

Full-Time Positions

eli lilly

Keione Mellon and Savannah Rheams (Healthcare

Marketing) were selected for 2020 summer

internships with Lilly. Keione, a junior from Vicksburg,

Miss., participated in a 10-week undergraduate

summer sales internship. Savannah is a junior

from Norwood, La., and participated in a 10-week

undergraduate marketing internship. The marketing

internship was originally scheduled to be held at

Lilly headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind., but due to

COVID-19, the internship is being conducted remotely.

“The corporate experience these internships

provide is invaluable to students with interests

in this industry. I am very proud of Keione and

Savannah, as well as previous students who

have represented Southern Miss well. Southern

Miss Healthcare Marketing has now had eight

students selected for Lilly internships in the last

four years.” – Dr. Kelli King, Assistant Teaching

Professor of Healthcare Marketing

Merit Health Wesley

Brook Chambliss (Management) has been

serving as an HR Intern in the Human Resources

department at Merit Health Wesley since August

2019. During her internship, she has assisted with

employee and community engagement events,

along with open enrollment while learning about

the different positions within an HR office and their

responsibilities, company policies and software, and

pay grade systems.

“As soon as I started the internship, I fell in

love with working in the department. The Merit

Health Wesley HR staff are extremely kind and

knowledgeable. They have allowed me to help in

many ways, and I have learned so much!”

– Brook Chambliss

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

International Internship Program

Cameron Hardy, James Estrada and Jazlyn Young

(Management) were all selected to participate in

the prestigious International Internship Program at

Southern Miss for summer 2020 in Dublin, Ireland.

Although the students were enthusiastically looking

forward to the opportunity, their trip was cancelled

due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Even though the

students were unable to go, we are still very proud of

these students for being selected.

kpmg

Katie Niemeyer, Ian Vowell and Abby Anderson

(Accounting) participated in spring 2020 internships

with KPMG LLP in the New York, N.Y.; Jackson,

Miss.; and Dallas, Texas, offices. At the start of their

internship, they attended training together at KPMG’s

brand new, state-of-the-art learning and development

center in Orlando, Fla., called the Lakehouse. As

a result of their internship experience, all three

students accepted full-time positions with KPMG

upon completion of the MPA program in 2021.

American Legislative Exchange Council

Kirkland McDuffie (Marketing) proudly served as

a public affairs intern at the American Legislative

Exchange Council (ALEC) in Washington, D.C.,

during the summer of 2019. Kirkland shared that the

program sharpened his communication, writing and

personal development skills, as well as taught him

the importance of individual engagement and

media outreach.

Marriott International

Nabina Lama (Hospitality and Tourism Management)

spent the summer of 2019 as an intern for Marriott

International at a Courtyard by Marriot in Seattle,

Washington. She experienced the day-to-day

operations of the multinational company, worked with

senior leaders to sharpen her skills, and explained

that her favorite part of the internship was meeting

new people every day.

kpmg Embark Scholars

Internship Program

Patrick Tyler Pittman (Accounting) has been

selected as a KPMG Embark Scholar as part of a

multi-summer internship program. Due to COVID-19,

the internship was facilitated remotely this summer

with the Jackson, Miss., office. Throughout the

summer, Pittman participated in a virtual learning

and development program that provided training

and skill-building experiences, as well as mentorship

and networking opportunities. He also engaged with

professionals in the audit, tax and advisory practices.

Next summer, he will have to choose one of those

practices to complete a full internship.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 25

Immersion in the Field: Internships, Leadership Programs and Full-Time Positions

frito-lay

Two Southern Miss Business students participated

in 2019 summer internships with Frito-Lay.

Tyler Barnett (Healthcare Marketing) served as a

sales management intern in Cleveland, Ohio. While

there, Barnett was assigned the task of learning all

he could about the district sales lead position while

working on the project of creating a presentation

addressing how to solve issues with sales

representative turnover. Following the internship,

Barnett accepted a full-time position with Frito-Lay

as a district sales lead upon graduation.

“One of my goals when I began at Southern Miss

was to land a job with a Fortune 50 company,

and the College of Business and Economic

Development provided me with the skills I needed

to qualify for the roles I was interested in. This

internship experience gave me great insight into

how a company of that caliber operates and the

opportunity to witness real-world sales functions.”

– Tyler Barnett

Cortlandt McCullough (Marketing) participated in the

sales internship at the Jackson, Miss., location. He

was assigned the goal of growing sales and resetting

the store layout of 23 small grocery locations in the

Jackson area. Cortlandt graduated with his bachelor’s

degree in May 2020 and is now pursuing his MBA at

Southern Miss.

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation

Xavier Hawkins (Marketing) represented Southern

Miss well in Washington, D.C., during the summer of

2019 while serving as a Congressional Black Caucus

Foundation intern. Hawkins was also selected to

attend the Forbes Under 30 Scholars Program in

Detroit. Forbes invites select undergraduate and

graduate students under the age of 30 from all over

the world to the annual event. Attendees received

the opportunity to network with corporations,

startups, peers and professionals during engaging

seminars, demonstrations, socials and contests.

“To be in a program that facilitates the personal

and political interests of young African American

students in public service and policy assisted me in

fostering a sense of professionalism. I was inspired

by the many stories, personalities and motivations

of the students within my cohort.” – Xavier Hawkins

on being an intern for the Congressional Black

Caucus Foundation

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Accounting Student Attends Summer

Leadership Programs

Rachel Green (Accounting) participated in summer

2020 leadership programs hosted by two major

accounting firms, Carr, Riggs and Ingram and Ernst &

Young. Green was also invited to the BKD Summer

Leadership Program and the Crow Shields Bailey

Leadership Program; however, both events were

canceled due to COVID-19 precautions. Green will

be interning with Ernst & Young in summer 2021.

JONATHAN BRENT has accepted

a full-time position with KPMG

LLP after completing an internship

with them in Dallas, Texas

HUNTER GRAHAM

completed a spring 2020

internship with Topp

McWhorter Harvey PLLC

in Hattiesburg, Miss.

LUKE WILLIAMS has

accepted a full-time position

with May and Company in

Vicksburg, Miss.

BENJAMIN DAVIS

completed a spring

2020 internship with

Harper, Rains, Knight

& Company, PA in

Ridgeland, Miss.

KRISTEN STULL

completed a summer

2020 internship

with KPMG LLP in

Jackson, Miss.

MEGAN FAIRLEY

has accepted a fulltime

position with

GrathamPoole CPA

in Ridgeland, Miss.

IAN VOWELL has accepted

a full-time position with

KPMG LLP once he completes

the MPA program after

participating in an internship

with them in Jackson, Miss.

PAIGE DILLISTONE

has accepted a full-time

position with KPMG LLP after

completing an internship with

them in Jackson, Miss.

KAYLA MARTIN

completed a spring 2020

internship with Carr, Riggs

& Ingram in Laurel, Miss.

SAYLE SANSON has accepted

a full-time position with

PricewaterhouseCoopers after

completing an internship with

them in New Orleans, La.

The following students also completed accounting internships:

LAURA CHATHAM and

KAYLA MARTIN with Carr,

Riggs & Ingram CPAs and

Advisors in Laurel, Miss.

MAHUM CHAUDRY

with KPMG in

New York City

SAMANTHA COBLENTZ

with Wright CPA Group

PLLC in Hattiesburg, Miss.

HANNA HINOHARA ASO

with McHugh Fuller

Law Group

MYLES KENDRICK

with Molpus

Woodlands Group

RICHARD MCINTOSH,

JAKE ROSEBERRY and

COLLIN SOMERS with Horne

LLP in Hattiesburg, Miss.

KAYLEE NICHOLS

with Laura Brame

Cerra CPA LLC

SABRINA PRICE

with Voss &

Associates PLLC

KAYLA RAINEY

with Topp McWhorter

Harvey PLLC

RYAN SHERRER with

PricewaterhouseCoopers in

New Orleans, La.

TRENT WILSON

with Horne LLP

SACHIN YADAV with

Piltz, Williams, LaRosa &

Company in Biloxi, Miss.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 27

student highlight

meet

danielle

leno

Danielle Leno is a senior pursuing her BSBA. in

marketing, as well as a minor in graphic design. The

Mobile, Alabama, native has made quite a splash on

campus since become a Golden Eagle in 2017. As a

freshman, Danielle was selected as the sole Coca-Cola

Campus Ambassador for Southern Miss, and she has

had tremendous success in the role.

Danielle shared that when she first took on the position,

she didn't really know what to expect, as one of the

perks of the job is immense flexibility. Over the course of

a semester, Danielle is expected to host 6-10 sampling

events around the Hattiesburg campus, having the

freedom to choose when, where and how she samples

the products she is provided by Coke, which are a

variety of classic, new and limited-edition products.

Over time, she has thought of several innovative ways

to engage Southern Miss students while sampling.

She described her first few self-led events as being

a learning process, and at the time, she was not

yet pursuing a marketing degree. Once she got the

first few events under her belt and began taking

marketing courses her sophomore year, her role as

the ambassador became more natural. Through her

courses, she gained knowledge on how to effectively

reach more students and to better structure her events.

“One of my favorite events was the Minute Maid event

that I did on campus. I had a giant poster board with a

question written across it. Students would write one of

the best moments they had in college on a sticky note

and post it to the board until all of the sticky notes

eventually filled the question up.”

Being a marketing major also assisted her as she planned

her digital advertising strategies. Part of her role as an

ambassador is to be an influencer on social media. She

shared her experience doing lifestyle ads for a variety of new

and traditional products, as well as Coca-Cola in general.

“Sometimes I will share something simple, like

enjoying my favorite Coke product on the beach,

while other times I might put a theme with it,

especially when advertising for an event on campus

that I am partnering with. For SMAC Crawfish Fest,

one of my ads read, ‘Chill Out on the Green with

Peace Tea’ since it was a social event where everyone

grabbed a spot on Centennial Green to hang out,

eat and chat with friends.”

There are over 100 Coca-Cola Campus Ambassadors

serving in similar roles on college campuses around the

nation. These ambassadors have networking and training

events throughout the year and become very close to

one another, often sharing ideas, encouraging each other,

and celebrating their successes together.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Danielle was

selected as the

sole Coca-Cola

Campus

Ambassador

for Southern Miss

“I have made friends for life through this program, and I

know we will stay connected even after college. I have

a best friend who lives in Idaho and another who lives

in Florida. By the time I graduate, I will know people all

across the United States. A group of ambassadors even

celebrated New Year's Eve together this year in Nashville.”

In addition to her role as a Coca-Cola Campus Ambassador,

Danielle has held a second part-time job throughout college.

She is currently a server for the Hattiesburg Country Club

and completed a mini-internship during the spring semester

with Christie Fountain Advertising in Ocean Springs,

Mississippi. The locally owned and operated advertising

agency tailored the experience to Danielle's interests in

graphic design, giving her free rein over their social media

platforms while teaching her how to utilize Adobe Creative

Cloud software.

Danielle looks forward to carrying on as the Coca-Cola

Campus Ambassador for Southern Miss through her senior

year before passing the torch to a young, creative and eager

student. Her goal upon graduation is to land a job with the

Coca-Cola Company in marketing, graphic design or sales.

“If I could share some words of encouragement with

my fellow classmates, I would tell them that they are

capable of anything as long as they put in the effort and

to network, network, network!”

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 29

hard work

pays off

Scholarships

and Awards

Public Company Accounting

Oversight Board Scholarship

Keiyana Gaskin (Accounting, Vicksburg, Miss.) was

awarded the $10,000 merit-based scholarship from

the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board

(PCAOB) for 2019-20. Only one student from more

than 300 accredited U.S. colleges and universities

nationwide is selected to receive the award. The

recipient is chosen based on their demonstration of

high ethical standards and their interest and aptitude

in accounting and auditing. This marks the second

year in a row that a Southern Miss Business student

has been selected for the honor.

American Hotel and Lodging Association

(AHLA) Foundation Scholarship

Tayler Motes (Hospitality and Tourism Management)

and Patrick Napier (Hospitality and Tourism

Management) were both awarded 2020 AHLA

Foundation Scholarships. The AHLA Foundation

received and evaluated over 1,000 applications

for their nine scholarship programs. Scholarships

were awarded to students enrolled in hospitalityrelated

bachelor’s or graduate degree programs

at universities across the U.S. based on their

academics, financial need, relevant work

experience, extracurricular activities, personal

attributes, and passion to pursue a career in the

hotel and lodging industry.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Mississippi Young Bankers Scholars

Each year since 1979, five scholarship finalists

statewide have been invited to the Mississippi Young

Bankers (MYB) Study Conference and Convention

to interview with the MYB Scholarship Committee.

The Orrin Swayze Scholastic Awards carry on the

tradition of banking excellence started by the widely

respected Mississippi banker and promoter of

banking education, Orrin H. Swayze Jr.

This year, Alese Jones (Finance, Metairie, La.) and

Brandon Cade (Finance, Brookhaven, Miss.) were

both selected as 2020 Swayze Scholar finalists and

were ultimately selected as MYB Scholars. Both were

awarded a $1,500 scholarship.

CFA Society of Mississippi

Photo Left to Right: Casey Cameron, Sachin Yadav,

Alese Jones, Brook Chambliss

Each year, the CFA Society of Mississippi recognizes

one outstanding finance major in the state of

Mississippi. Sachin Yadav (Finance, Birgunj, Nepal)

was honored with the CFA Society of Mississippi

Award at the 17th Annual Forecast Dinner in Jackson,

Miss., this year.

Mississippi Society of Certified Public

Accountants (MSCPA) Scholarship

The Horne Family Business Scholarship

William F. Horne Jr. and wife Jackie have established

a new scholarship endowment fund. The Horne

Family Business Scholarship will continue the

family’s commitment to their community and

Southern Miss by awarding scholarships to students

from Jones County majoring in accounting. Billy

serves as a member of the School of Accountancy’s

Advisory Board. We are very grateful for their

generosity and support of our accounting program.

Paige Dillistone (MPA, Hattiesburg, Miss.),

Kayla Martin (Accounting, Hattiesburg, Miss.) and

Jacob Jenkins (Accounting, Natchez, Miss.) were

selected as 2019 MSCPA Scholarship recipients.

The Education Foundation of the Mississippi Society

of CPAs seeks to promote accounting education

in Mississippi colleges and universities by helping

students pursue a CPA career. College juniors,

seniors and graduate students representing nine

Mississippi institutions applied for the scholarships

ranging from $1,000 - $2,500, and only 16 students

are chosen statewide.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 31

eagle

scholars

program

Interested in being a part of this program? We have an

endowment fund where you can contribute a gift of

any amount to support the EAGLE Scholars. If you are

interested in leaving a lasting legacy, consider changing

lives by establishing an EAGLE Scholars Program

Scholarship. For more information about contributing,

contact J.T. Tisdale at 601.266.6824.

Through this scholarship and professional development

program, EAGLE Scholars receive $8,000 per year,

the possibility of a study-abroad scholarship, and the

opportunity to participate in a series of professional

development programs. Lacey Wallace, Alexis Austin,

Hunter Graham, Savannah Rheams and Elizabeth

Rivera-Vega were the five outstanding students selected.

The scholars attended multiple workshops, including

Financial Mindfulness and Personality Assessment Training.

They were given the opportunity to interact one-on-one with

guests of the college, such as Aaron Beam, co-founder and

former chief financial officer of HealthSouth Corporation,

and Cindy Gaddis, retired vice president of finance and

global downstream controller of Shell Oil Company. They

were invited by CEO Jonathan Duhon to the corporate

headquarters of Yak Access to tour their facility and discuss

their business model. The EAGLE Scholars grew close

to one another through team-building activities, such as

completing an escape room before time ran out, and met

regularly with the dean to discuss the leadership book they

were reading together.

SAVANNAH RHEAMS

HEALTHCARE MARKETING | NORWOOD, LA.

“I am beyond honored to be an EAGLE Scholar. Not only has it taken

a financial burden off my family and me, but it has allowed me to

make connections with well-known professionals, visit successful

businesses, and sharpen vital skills that I will need in my future

career, such as communication, time management and leadership.”

HUNTER GRAHAM

ACCOUNTING | SUMRALL, MISS.

“My favorite part about the EAGLE Scholars Program so far has been

interacting with so many people who I otherwise may have not had the

opportunity to get to know. From personally meeting Aaron Beam to

doing an escape room with Dr. Becton, the program is so engaging!

Hunter will be graduating in December 2020 and plans to pursue his MPA at Southern

Miss while also studying for the CPA exam.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

ALEXIS N. AUSTIN

ENTREPRENEURSHIP | RIDGELAND, MISS.

“Being an EAGLE Scholar has assisted me with developing my

professional skills as I prepare to graduate next year. I have

learned so much through the various opportunities I have had to

network with experts in the corporate world, and I can’t wait to

see what the program holds for me this coming year. Because of

this program, I am more motivated than ever to stay positive and

finish my academic career strong!”

LACEY K. WALLACE

MARKETING | JAYESS, MISS.

“I feel honored and especially grateful to have been chosen as an

EAGLE Scholar. This scholarship allowed me to focus on coursework

and campus involvement instead of worrying about how I would

finance my education. This program has equipped me with the skills

to become a better leader, hold myself to higher accountability, and

continue reaching my goals. Because of this scholarship, I had the

opportunity to study abroad in both Italy and the United Kingdom.”

Upon graduating in May 2020, Lacey is now pursuing her MBA at Southern Miss.

ELIZABETH RIVERA-VEGA

ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE | BILOXI, MISS.

“Being chosen as an EAGLE Scholar has been an honor. Through the

program, I have gained immense knowledge, experience and skills

that have helped me become a better student and professional.

Thanks to the mentoring and training I received, I was able to

make wiser decisions for my academic and professional careers.

What I have enjoyed most about the program is meeting all of the

wonderful and unique individuals who have shared their different

experiences and knowledge with us.”

Upon graduating in May 2020, Elizabeth is working to obtain her CPA license.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 33

student

research

Yours, Mine or Ours?

Undergraduate research had been of interest to

Lacey Wallace (Marketing) ever since beginning

college. After enrolling at Southern Miss as an

incoming junior, Wallace was accepted into the

Honors College as an Honors Keystone Scholar.

She began working on her research with thesis

advisor, Dr. Joanne Cao, and identified an interest in

the effects and outcomes of shared economy.

As her thesis took shape over the course of her junior

and senior years, she landed on the title, “Yours,

Mine or Ours? Exploring the Role of Cultural Values in

Sharing Economy Services.” In spring 2020, Wallace

was awarded both the Eagle SPUR and NCUR grants

through the Drapeau Center for Undergraduate

Research (DCUR) at USM. Her research was selected

for presentation at the 2020 Association of Marketing

Theory and Practice (AMTP) Annual Conference and

the 2020 National Conference on Undergraduate

Research (NCUR). Unfortunately, both conferences

were canceled due to COVID-19, but that did not stop

Wallace from sharing her findings at the Research

Showcase in Scianna Hall, mentioned below.

Wallace graduated summa cum laude in May 2020

and began pursuing her MBA at Southern Miss

immediately after. Wallace will continue her work with

Dr. Cao as they further investigate the influence of

cultural values in sharing economy services.

Wallace is the first Southern Miss College

of Business and Economic Development

student ever invited to present at NCUR.

Three Minute Thesis

The Three Minute Thesis is an academic research

communication competition held in the fall that

challenges graduate students to explain the

significance of their research projects to a general

audience in three minutes or less.

• Rachel L. Bronson (MBA and MS in Sport Management)

Building on the International and Diverse Makeup

of a Baseball Organization and How Teams

Capitalize on It

• Caroline Cenci (MS in Economic Development)

What Are the Motivations for Publicly Funded Sports

Stadiums, and Can the Same Ideas Apply in Rural

Communities?

• Nichada Satasuk (MBA and MS in Sport Management)

Professional Athletics and Social Media Sponsorship

• Nirmala Baral (MBA)

Leading with Emotional Intelligence

Their research evolved over the course of the year,

and a few of these students were accepted to

present their research at national conferences.

Sport Management Graduate

Students Publish Research

Six graduate students in the Master of Science in

Sport Management program will have their research

published in academic journals. Dr. John Miller

(professor of sport management) worked with the

students on their publications and will appear as a

co-author.

• Cameron Corken, Jack MacDonald and Thomas

Goodale had their work, titled, “Sport Event

Operators Must Deliver Promises to Avoid Gross

Negligence,” accepted for publication in the

Physical Educator Journal.

• Rachel Bronson, Millie Barr and Collin Kilcrease

had their work, titled, “University of Maryland

Offensive Lineman Dies from Heatstroke After

Team Workout,” accepted for publication in the

Physical Educator Journal.

Recent MBA graduate, Tara Hosey, presented her research,

“Is Social Media Engagement Necessary? Investigating

Expectations Based on Gendered Brand Communication

Styles,” for the first time at the 2019 Society for Marketing

Advances Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

“These students

put in a lot of hard

work to prepare

for these research

presentations. It

only seems right

Research Showcase

Because of the mentorship provided by the college’s

faculty, four business students were accepted and

selected to present their research projects at the

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice (AMTP)

Annual Conference in Sandestin, Florida, this year.

Unfortunately, these plans changed changed due to

the continued spread of COVID-19 and universitysponsored

travel restrictions. The students’ remarkable

efforts did not go unnoticed, however. In lieu of

the conference, the School of Marketing hosted a

showcase for the students to present their research

findings to a small group of faculty and peers.

• Matthew H. Yang (Business Administration and Economics)

The Impact of Culture on Multinational Business

Expansion: A Case Study Evaluating Merchandising in

Asian 7-Eleven Franchises

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong

• Lacey Wallace (Marketing)

Yours, Mine or Ours? Exploring the Role of Cultural

Values in Sharing Economy Services

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Joanne T. Cao

• Rachel L. Bronson (MBA and MS in Sport Management)

Building on the International and Diverse Make-up of a

Baseball Organization and How Teams Capitalize on

This Growth: The Rise of Latin Americans in Baseball

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Chris Croft

• Nichada Satasuk (MBA and MS in Sport Management)

Early-Career Professional Athletes, Social Media

Marketing and Sponsorship

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong

In addition, Mikhail Esipov (MS in Economic Development)

presented his research, titled, "REDRL Industry Targeting

Analysis: A Tool for Regional Economic Development."

His faculty advisor is Dr. Chad Miller. Although he was

not attending the AMTP Conference, he, along with

the other four students listed above, were planning

to present their research at the Southern Miss

Undergraduate or Graduate Research Symposiums

being held on campus.

to provide them an

outlet to share their

findings. Following

this successful

showcase, we

hope to continue

hosting this annual

event recognizing

our incredible

business student

researchers.”

–Dean Bret Becton

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 35

Cultivating

Student

Leaders

Student Organization

Highlights

Student Center for the Public Trust

This year, Erin Howell (MPA), Kayla Martin

(Accounting) and Dr. Marvin Bouillon (Director,

School of Accountancy) led the initiative to charter a

chapter of the Student Center for the Public Trust at

Southern Miss. The organization exists to provide a

platform for corporate America and the accounting

profession to explore, promote and advance ethical

practices in organizations. The organization is

devoted to promoting the importance of upholding

integrity in leadership, providing students with the

tools to face difficult ethical dilemmas once they

enter the workforce. Any student, regardless of their

field of study, is welcome to join. The 12 charter

members of the newly established group discussed

real-life experiences with ethics and maintained a

strong sense of community even after they began

holding their meetings virtually. The organization

planned to send two members, Kayla Martin and

Hunter Reed, to the 2020 StudentCPT Leadership

Conference in Colorado Springs, Colo., this summer

until the event was cancelled.

Members of the Student Center for the Public Trust

participated in a community service program called

Easter for Eli by assembling Easter baskets for

children at Forrest General Hospital.

Eta Sigma Delta

A combination of current Eta Sigma Delta members

and prospective incoming members attended the

2019 Global Food and Beverage Conference in

Las Vegas to meet and learn from professionals in

the industry. These top performing hospitality and

tourism management students were selected after

going through a highly competitive application

process for the merit-based scholarship.

American Marketing Association (ama)

During this year’s AMA Marketing Week, the Southern

Miss chapter members volunteered at Give and Take

Kitchen, where they packed meals for children in

local after-school programs, hosted a profit share at

a local Hattiesburg restaurant, and collaborated with

Hattiesburg’s College Town Escape Rooms to host an

escape room right in Scianna Hall!

The Student Center for the Public Trust was

recognized as the “Best New Organization” at

the 2020 SOAR Awards, hosted by the Office

of Leadership and Student Involvement.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Beta Gamma Sigma (bgs)

59 new members

WERE INDUCTED INTO THE

USM CHAPTER OF BETA GAMMA SIGMA

DURING THE 2019-20 ACADEMIC YEAR

Beta Gamma Sigma is the international honor society that operates

exclusively for AACSB-accredited business programs and is made

up of the top business students from around the world. The USM

chapter is considered a “Highest Honors” chapter within Beta

Gamma Sigma International and is recognized for its commitment

to academic excellence, leadership and student success.

“While serving as the

president of Beta Gamma

Sigma, I was able to grow

both personally and

professionally. I met and

worked with some wonderful

people, and I am ending

the year with five amazing

new friends in my fellow

officers. The opportunity

to represent Southern

Miss and my chapter at the

Global Leadership Summit

is something that I will

always be thankful for. My

last year at USM would not

have been the same without

the experience of serving

in a leadership role in Beta

Gamma Sigma.”

– Rachel Bronson, President of

Beta

Chapter

Gamma Sigma, Southern Miss

Student officers Rachel Bronson (MBA and MS in Sport

Management), Kayla Martin (Accounting), Lacey Wallace

(Marketing), Nichada Satasuk (MBA and MS in Sport

Management) and Laura Chatham (Accounting) attended the

Beta Gamma Sigma Global Leadership Summit in Chicago, Ill.,

in November 2019. Over 400 BGS members and corporate

professionals from around the world were at the annual

networking event. Attendees learned from real-world leaders in

different fields of business and academia, participated in skillbuilding

exercises, and engaged in professional development

and networking opportunities. During the KPMG-sponsored Team

Case Competition, Laura Chatham’s group was named the winner

of their case category for the GLS 2019 team case competition,

based on their innovative and creative solution for the assigned

business case and the effectiveness of their presentation.

In service to the local community,

the Southern Miss Chapter of

Beta Gamma Sigma sponsored

a canned food drive within

the College of Business and

Economic Development, which

resulted in the donation of over

2,000 canned food items to a

food pantry in Hattiesburg – just

in time for Thanksgiving!

In February, as part of BGS Founders Week, BGS officers presented

“Steps in Ethical Decision Making” and gave an overview of their

experiences at the Global Leadership Summit to fellow members.

In addition, during the 2019-20 academic year, Rachel Bronson,

Lacey Wallace, Nichada Satasuk and Kayla Martin completed the

BGS Ethical Leadership Certification process.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 37

cultivating student leaders: STUDENT ORGANIZATION HIGHLIGHTS

Beta Alpha Psi

This academic year, seven Zeta Mu chapter

members attended Beta Alpha Psi’s Annual

Meeting in Chicago, Illinois. The event was

exceptionally special this year as they celebrated

the 100th anniversary of the international honor

organization. While at the conference, accounting

students visited a local learning center to speak

about the importance of literacy, met with recruiters

and CPA representatives, attended several

seminars, and explored the city of Chicago. Later

in the year, nine members attended the 2020

Regional Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. While

there, students heard from a range of accounting

specialists and discussed best practices of Beta

Alpha Psi chapters across the country, bringing

ideas to implement at USM back with them.

The USM Beta Alpha Psi chapter

ACHIEVED

SUPERIOR

STATUS

for the 2019-20 Reporting Year!

In addition, Southern Miss Beta Alpha Psi members

participated in the CPA Day of Service, served

during the Big Event, attended an etiquette dinner,

and assisted with Black and Gold Day on campus!

BAP played a large role in the planning events

hosted by the School of Accountancy, such as Meet

the Firms and the Spring Meet and Greet.

Frequently throughout the year, the organization

invites guest speakers from prestigious accounting

firms and a variety of other financial/accounting

organizations to participate in professional

development meetings. Although the conversion

to distance learning was necessary during the

spring 2020 semester, it did not stop Beta Alpha

Psi from continuing to provide this valuable content

to its members. The last two of its 11 professional

development meetings were facilitated virtually.

Valerie Simmons was honored for 11

years of service as the faculty advisor

for Beta Alpha Psi. The chapter is

extremely grateful for her commitment,

service and leadership

CANDIDATES

WERE INITIATED INTO

BETA ALPHA PSI

THIS YEAR.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Student Economic Development Association

The Student Economic Development Association (SEDA)

is made up of both graduate and undergraduate students

who have an interest in pursuing careers that will promote

economic development on a local, regional, national and

international level.

During the fall semester, SEDA took a trip to Baton Rouge,

Louisiana, to visit area economic development programs.

While touring Louisiana Economic Development (LED)

FastStart, representatives shared their marketing strategies,

discussed artificial intelligence training programs, and

explained different sectors of economic development. At

Baton Rouge Area Chamber, MSED alumnus, Jayson Newell,

hosted students and shared from his own experiences how

the skills the students are learning in their MSED program

will be valued and used once they begin their careers.

The students wrapped up their trip with a visit to the LSU

Innovation Park.

The student organization took another professional

development trip to Tennessee at the beginning of the

spring semester to visit the Nashville Chamber of Commerce,

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Vanderbilt. The trip

provided members with a hands-on, immersive learning

experience and networking opportunity. The organization

enjoys hosting casual networking events, such as football

and baseball tailgates to allow for current students to engage

with economic development professionals and alumni.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 39

study abroad

The College of Business and Economic

Development traditionally offers three summer

study-abroad programs to business students

each year: Asian Studies, British Studies

and Italian Studies.

Like many universities around the nation, the

Southern Miss Study Abroad office had to

make the difficult decision to cancel all three

programs for summer 2020 as part of a protective

measure against COVID-19. Although this was a

challenging decision, the safety and well-being

of the university community is our top priority.

Our college had 50 business students enroll in the

three summer programs for 2020, an increase of

25% when compared to enrollment last summer.

The Study Abroad Task Force, made up of business

faculty and staff, were thrilled with this increase

and were looking forward to hearing about the

students’ experiences upon their return. Now, many

of the students who were planning to participate

will not have another chance before graduating.

However, some plan to re-enroll for summer 2021.

“Study abroad is something I have always

wanted to participate in, and I have worked

hard to earn scholarships to go. I feel

like traveling to Italy as a hospitality and

tourism management major goes hand-inhand,

and having that experience could

benefit both my personal and professional

goals. Whenever I heard we would no longer

be traveling to Italy this summer due to the

COVID-19 pandemic, I was devastated. There

is so much uncertainty during this time, but

I know we have to be resilient. I have made

the decision to study abroad next summer

and feel by doing so, I can learn how Italy

has been impacted and changed through the

current events. Next year will be the perfect

opportunity to learn about the endurance

and strength of the country of Italy in

relation to its business and culture.”

—Will Walters, Tourism Management (plans to attend

Italian Studies in summer 2021)

Students like Will, who have chosen to study abroad

next summer, will have priority enrollment and will be

guaranteed a spot in their preferred program. The task

force anticipates enrollment numbers to be greater

than usual due to this unique situation.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Building Strong Relationships

The college has built strong relationships with

professional contacts around the world through our

study-abroad initiatives. Southern Miss Business and

Kaetsu University in Tokyo, Japan, have collaborated

in study-abroad and exchange efforts for many years.

Each summer, our business students who study abroad

in Japan visit the Kaetsu University campus and spend

time bonding with and learning from their students.

From August 2019 to March 2020, Taro Yamaguchi,

a student at Kaetsu University, came to Mississippi

to study at the English Language Institute at

Southern Miss, and in February 2020, we hosted

Dr. Hideyuki Takano, a Kaetsu professor who

works in close liaison with USM, in Hattiesburg.

Dr. Takano met with several individuals on campus,

including Dr. Bret Becton, Dr. Amy Chasteen,

Dr. Jamye Foster, Dr. Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong,

Dr. Joanne Cao and Dr. Kimberly Goodwin. ■

“The Italian Business

and Culture course

is designed to give

students exposure to

businesses and industry

leaders in a personal

way. Our partnerships

have developed into

friendships over

the years, and our

connections to them

and their families are

personal. When the

situation began to unfold

in Italy, I reached out

right away to make sure

they were okay and to see

if there was anything we

could do to help.”

– Dr. Brigitte Burgess,

associate professor of

merchandising in the School

of Marketing

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 41

affiliated center contributions

Center for Economic and

Entrepreneurship Education

James Wilcox (Director, Center for Economic

and Entrepreneurship Education) delivered

an invited presentation at the 5th Federal

Reserve District Joint Council on Economic

Education Meeting. The regional meeting,

which took place at the Charlotte Branch

of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond,

focused primarily on the challenges faced by

K-12 students and teachers in rural areas and

small cities. Wilcox’s presentation provided

an experiential look at the value of youth

entrepreneurship education, as well as proven

resources that can be implemented to directly

support rural students and educators within

this pathway. Meeting attendees included

Federal Reserve Bank employees, economists,

and K-12 educators and administrators from

the Federal Reserve Bank’s 5th District

(Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina,

Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.).

SOUTHERN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM (SEP)

SEP continues to advance

statewide support of youth

entrepreneurship through

SEP Arrive and SEP Strive!

The annual kickoff event

attracted 500+ high

school students and

educators from across

Mississippi.

This 13th annual event was held during Global

Entrepreneurship Week and included a discussion

panel of young entrepreneurs and a hands-on

innovation challenge.

PARTNERSHIP WITH MCLEAN

INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AND

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, OLE MISS

A strong partnership between the CEEE

and the McLean Institute has developed

over the past year due to a number of

efforts and co-presentations highlighting

the collaborative work being done to further

youth entrepreneurship and community

development initiatives in Mississippi. In July,

Wilcox presented with the McLean Institute

director, Dr. Albert Nylander, at a Community

Development Society conference in Columbia,

Mo. Additionally, Wilcox presented with the

McLean Institute project manager, Dr. J.R.

Love, at the John W. Hammond Institute for

Free Enterprise at Lindenwood University in St.

Charles, Mo., during Global Entrepreneurship

Week, which takes place in November each

year. This spring, Wilcox represented USM as

a part of the McLean Institute's planning team

for the annual Mississippi Entrepreneurship

Forum and NextUP student pitch competition.

The year's challenge opened with a presentation by

Justin Wilkes, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

public information officer for rural development in

Mississippi. Students were introduced to the concept

of "value-added production" and were challenged

to leverage each of their counties' most exported

agricultural products to find new market opportunities.

Since its establishment in 2007, the SEP has engaged

more than 6,000 students and teachers from 66 high

schools across 38 counties.

SEP Strive! North Mississippi Regional Business

Competition was scheduled for March in Tupelo, Miss.

The pitch competition would have included high

school students, business coaches and economic

developers from across north Mississippi.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Designing Solutions for Defense (Ds4d)

The DS4D course, commonly titled Hacking for Defense (H4D), originated at Stanford University and is currently

being used at about 30 universities, including James Madison, Columbia, Duke, Georgetown and Southern Miss.

During the spring semester, James Wilcox co-taught the course alongside Henry Jones, PhD and Josh Hill, PhD

During the course, students from business, computer science and criminal justice work in interdisciplinary teams

to develop solutions and prototypes to address real-life needs that have been identified within our intelligence

community and Department of Defense. The course uses an adaptation of the Lean Model Canvas as a framework

for discovery as students create and test their own Minimum Viable Products (MVP) through market research

and weekly stakeholder interviews. The spring class included business students studying entrepreneurship,

management and economic development.

Camp Shelby submitted a problem for our students to address and had the following to say about the

collaborative experience with our Southern Miss student team: "The tools, analytics and feedback provided

have already been used in making major gains and will be used for justifications to support our way forward,

especially with funding, plans and training development." Specifically, the student team's efforts were recognized

by Camp Shelby as helping open the door for them to be one of three initial Army installations upgrading to 5G.

CEEE LAUNCHES THE HATCHERY

The Hatchery is an entrepreneurial

ecosystem funded from the Jimmy A. Payne

Foundation located on the USM campus.

This year’s Development Phase created

a student internship, mapped out campus

entrepreneurship resources, and evaluated

best practices among peer universities for

entrepreneurship and innovation support.

MASTER TEACHER OF

ENTREPRENEURSHIP (MTENT)

PROGRAM

This year, CEEE celebrates 10 years of the

MTEnt Program.

CEEE retooled the training program to be

delivered fully online in spring 2020 in

response to COVID-19.

The Hatchery participated in National

Entrepreneurship Week by showcasing the

university’s grown network of individuals and

resources dedicated to the advancement

of innovation, business development and

commercialization.

It also collaborated with campus

entrepreneurship stakeholders to facilitate

and fund the launch of the inaugural campuswide

Golden Idea Pitch Competition, which

included 31 business proposals submitted,

$2,500 awarded funds, and 100 attendees.

18 middle school, high school and special

education teachers from across Mississippi

participated in an online pilot.

303 teachers have been trained through this

program since its launch in 2010.

The MTEnt Program is offered in

collaboration with the Mississippi Council

on Economic Education and the Mississippi

Department of Education.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 43

affiliated center contributions

Small Business

Development Center

Transforming one small business at a time

FY 2020 (OCTOBER 1, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 30, 2020)

592 HOURS HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO ASSISTING

SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WITH COVID-RELATED RELIEF.

OVER 500 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS

HAVE BEEN ASSISTED BY THE SBDC WHILE SEEKING

COVID-RELATED RELIEF AID AND INFORMATION.

CURRENTLY SERVING 131 MINORITY-OWNED,

130 WOMEN-OWNED AND

44 VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES

35 JOBS

CREATED

33 WORKSHOP HOURS

ACCUMULATED

$5 MILLION IN

CAPITAL FORMATION

1,500+

COUNSELING HOURS

11 BUSINESSES COUNSELED DURING THEIR

STARTUP EFFORTS

10 CATEGORY WINNERS AND 21 FINALISTS

OF THE 2019 FESTIVALSOUTH BEST OF THE PINE BELT

ARE SBDC CLIENTS

The USM Small Business Development Center

(SBDC) takes a hands-on approach to helping

and serving the community.

Lead counselor, Rita Mitchell, and cocounselor

and USM alumnus, Joma Shelby,

are dedicated to serving the entire state of

Mississippi, as well as the Southern Miss

campus, the Greater Hattiesburg community

and surrounding counties.

In between serving their small businesses,

both counselors are often found assisting

with their community’s entrepreneurial

efforts. Shelby participated in the 2019

Mississippi New Venture Challenge through

Innovate Mississippi, and Mitchell has

become a partner in the Hatchery Project,

led by Dr. Shannon Campbell, director

of the USM Trent Lott National Center for

Excellence in Economic Development and

Entrepreneurship.

Five years ago, the Small Business

Development Center became a part of the

USM entrepreneurial community and has

remained actively engaged with Southern

Miss Business. Mitchell is a member of the

Global Entrepreneurship Week Planning Task

Force, serving as a counselor and judge for

the Golden Idea Pitch Competition.

Mitchell and Shelby participate in the USM

CEEE’s annual SEP Program, with Mitchell

serving as a mentor and judge. Shelby assists

in course lessons for entrepreneurship and

management professors and hosts multiple

workshops throughout the year, such as

“Digital Marketing and Social Media,” which

are open for student attendees.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER

HELPS BUSINESSES NAVIGATE PANDEMIC

Stephen Clairmont and his wife, Deshawn, have built

a successful manufacturing business that produces

decorative home goods with inspirational messages, but

their 12-year-old business, Clairmont and Co., took a hit

when the economy stumbled because of COVID-19.

When the shutdown began in March, the Clairmonts

started the process of applying for the Small Business

Administration's Economic Injury and Disaster

Loan program and the federal Paycheck Protection

Program. SBDC Business counselor Rita Mitchell

walked them through the application process via texts,

phone calls and emails.

"The loans were a definite game changer,"

Stephen Clairmont said. "I could not have done

this so quickly without the MS-SBDC's help."

When the opportunity arose to keep the business

open while serving front-line workers by supplying

mask and gowns, it was a perfect solution for them.

In just two short weeks, the Clairmonts were able to

retool the plant with sewing machines to make masks

and other personal protective equipment that were

hard to find at the time.

The Clairmonts were high school sweethearts who

grew up together in Laurel and returned to start their

business and family after graduating from college.

Clairmont and Co. and their retail store, HAND+made,

are both in Laurel, which has garnered national

interest due to the popularity of the HGTV home

renovation show Home Town.

"Stephen won't volunteer this about himself,

but he is so kind and generous," Mitchell said.

"He and Deshawn are very much part of the

fabric of the community."

The PPE business was brisk until the larger

manufacturers caught up, Then orders started

tapering off, something the Clairmonts expected.

Most of the masks they make are custom orders,

and they are in the process of transitioning back

to creating decorative home goods, but with an

expanded vision for the future.

"Now that we have the infrastructure in place,

we're going to use the sewing machines to add

another product line," Stephen Clairmont said.

"This experience has opened up an avenue to

add pillows and other soft goods. We already

have some in product development right now."

"The story of Clairmont and Co. is still being

written, and the Mississippi SBDC is proud to

help play a supporting role in the reinvention and

relaunch that Stephen and Deshawn are bringing

forth," Mitchell said. "Stay tuned for the next

evolution of Clairmont and Co. I can't wait to see

what visionary ideas they come up with next."

2020 United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference

Rita Mitchell of the Small Business Development Center and James Wilcox of the Center for Economic and

Entrepreneurship Education attended the 2020 USASBE Conference with School of Management faculty members

Dr. SherRhonda Gibbs, Dr. Arielle Newman and Dustin Odom. The conference focuses on entrepreneurship

education, showcasing innovative entrepreneurship research and teaching.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 45

alumni highlight

BERNARD GREEN

Family Values

Grow Strong

Roots

Growing up in rural Marion County Mississippi,

Bernard Green received the message loud and clear

that faith, family and personal responsibility were the

keys to being successful at whatever he decided to do in

life. He heard that early and often from his parents, the

late Rev. Arthur L. Green and Debra P. Green. He also

heard that using those values to obtain a good education

would be the vehicle to lead him to success.

His father was not only a minister but also a 30-year

veteran in the United States Army, and his mother spent

her career devoted to early childhood education. “They

had an amazing way of encouraging me, yet it was very

clear that excuses were unacceptable,” Green said. “I

often heard, ‘no excuses, just make it happen’ or ‘adapt

and overcome!’” It was clear to him that giving anything

less than your best wasn’t an option.

With a family that was dedicated to giving it their all and

obtaining an education, Green came to Southern Miss

to be away at college, yet still close to home. At USM,

he began his pursuit of a BSBA in finance and became a

member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

While at Southern Miss, there were several professors

that played a large role in helping him grow and learn.

In the College of Business and Economic Development,

Dr. Alvin Williams and Dr. James Lindley had a lasting

impact on his life. He explains that they had a shared

mission to both challenge and encourage students to

reach their full potential. Dr. Alvin Williams was always

well-spoken, polished and authentic, while Dr. Lindley

showed genuine interest in Green and challenged him to

give the maximum effort.

Dr. Eddie Holloway, then dean of students, also

played a role in keeping Bernard on track as a

student and as a person. “He knew my family; he

actually taught my father during his time at William

Carey University,” Green said. “Oftentimes in student

life, we develop a false sense of independence,

which usually leads to poor decision-making

and misguided priorities. Dr. Holloway always

reminded students of the principle of choices and

consequences, and as this became very real, he

often reminded us that every decision mattered.”

These family, academic and social experiences are what

he credits to helping him prepare for the real world. In

1993, he became a commissioned officer and followed

in his father’s footsteps in the United States Army,

where he served for 23 years in the U.S. Army Reserve,

ultimately retiring at the rank of major. “The Army values,

my family values, my fraternity values, every aspect

of my life seemed to always point back to the same

core principles,” Green said. “From completing Officer

Candidate School at the Mississippi Military Academy,

to the response to Hurricane Katrina, Operation Iraqi

Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, the bottom

line was Mission First, People Always!”

Though his initial plan after graduation was to pursue

a career in banking and finance, there were no job

opportunities for him at the time. A conversation

with his dad about this reminded him that every

decision matters and there are no choices without

consequences. His dad asked him what he was going

to do and reminded him that only two adults could live

in his childhood home, his father and his mother.

“That conversation, that reality check, was a pivotal

moment in my life,” Green said. The following week,

Green accepted a sales position at Mike Smith

Motors, a local auto dealership in Columbia, Miss. The

opportunity ignited the entrepreneurial spirit within

him. Though he flourished in that position and gained

great sales experience, he still desired to be in the

financial services industry. His next opportunity was to

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

work with a non-profit organization, Pearl River Valley

Opportunity Inc. His role was to establish a business

loan program to increase economic development

and employment in rural communities. They assisted

with financing business and economic development

activities to create or retain jobs in disadvantaged and

remote communities, and provide loans to socially and

economically disadvantaged minority and womenowned

businesses. Green shared that this was a

very rewarding experience and provided invaluable

exposure to the entrepreneurial perspective for him,

which led to the next chapter in his life.

“Southern Miss was an excellent choice for

me. My Southern Miss education was far

more than the classroom. The exposure and

experience introduced me to a more diverse

environment, with regards to people,

culture and socioeconomic status.”

In 1998, he started his very own insurance agency and

quickly found out that insurance was the best kept secret

in finance. That first experience led him to now be the

agency owner and managing principal of Green Insurance

Group LLC, doing business as GlobalGreen Insurance

Agency in Hattiesburg, Miss. As a locally owned

independent insurance agency, he represents more than

50 insurance companies, allowing him to offer more

choices and better service. With the strong partnerships

and access to specialty and diversified markets, he has

many options to fit client specific needs. He is committed

to helping people accumulate wealth and protect it along

the way by using an array of insurance and financial

services. Additionally, he is the president and chief

executive officer of A.B. Green & Associates, Inc., a real

estate investment firm.

When talking to the business leaders of tomorrow, he

offers some similar advice to what he was told growing

up. “Adapt and overcome; have discipline and always

have a great attitude. Attitude will make or break a

company, a school, a church or a home. Also, employers

want thinkers on their team. Students learn to think in

their academic disciplines and the discipline of thinking

propels you infinitely ahead of your peers and ultimately

your competition. Thinkers find ways to solve problems

and view challenges as opportunities.” Green said that

he often tells his children, "Work beats talent, when

talent won't work."

Green firmly believes that service is the rent we pay for

the privilege of living on this Earth. He has always enjoyed

giving back. He currently is serving on the Business

Advisory Council and has served on the USM Alumni

Association Board of Directors and the USM Foundation

Board of Directors, and has been inducted in both the USM

Alumni Association and the USM Greek Halls of Fame.

Additionally, he has endowed the Reverend Arthur L.

Green Scholarship and Arthur Bernard Green Scholarship.

Green and his wife, Trish, have five children, Ieesha, Trey,

Raegan, Jeremiah and Alexandria, and two grandsons,

Lenden and Laiden. They are active members of the

West Point Baptist Church in Hattiesburg. “Ultimately,

my success is because of the grace of God. The Bible

teaches us that the race is not given to the swift nor the

strong but he who endures until the end." ■

Trey Pittman followed in

Bernard's footsteps by

also pursuing a degree

from Southern Miss in the

College of Business and

Economic Development.

At the ceremony, Trey

was recognized as the

Outstanding Student in Sales.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 47

alumni highlight

CINDY GADDIS

Coming

out of

her Shell

After over 34 years with Shell Oil Company,

Cindy Gaddis retired as vice president of finance

and global downstream controller based in Houston,

Texas. In addition to the VP role, she also held the

role of country finance functional lead for the United

States, where she was responsible for overseeing the

development of the finance skill pool in the country.

As a multicultural leader, Cindy managed staff directly

and indirectly in Europe (including the Middle East),

Asia, and North and South America.

BUILDING A LIFE AT SOUTHERN MISS

Cindy graduated from Southern Miss with honors

after earning her degree in business administration

with a minor in economics. As Cindy reminisced on

her time at USM, she shared the impact that some of

her professors and classes had on her long-term. The

business curriculum provided a solid foundation upon

which to build her career.

“A female business statistics professor taught the

material in a way that made it relevant to the real

world, which helped me apply the concepts much more

seamlessly once I started my professional career.”

Group projects provided great insight to how teams work

and how to manage those team members who aren’t

delivering value to the projects. She kept the majority of her

electives focused on finance, marketing and management.

“My management professor was so approachable,

had a good sense of humor, and didn’t take himself

so seriously. I watched his consistent and authentic

approach throughout that semester, and those

traits resonated with me.”

Cindy held both part-time and full-time jobs while

going to college. She revealed that this helped

develop effective time management skills that

continued to serve her well throughout her career.

Time management was a skill that was tested many

times as she spent her freshman year often sprinting

across campus to her classes after missing the shuttle

bus from Hillcrest Hall. She recalled getting her first

car while attending Southern Miss for the purpose

of driving to her off-campus job. After a single, quick

lesson on how to drive a manual transmission, she was

the proud new owner of a used Chevrolet Vega. The

next day, as she began to drive her car to work, the

vehicle kept stalling. Desperate not to arrive to work

late, she spotted a fellow student, whom she didn’t

know, and called out for his assistance. He quickly

discovered the root of her problem was that the car

was in third instead of first. As she went on her way,

she yelled her many thanks out of the window to him,

grateful that Southern Miss had such friendly students!

“After work that night, I waited until everyone

had left before I tried to get my car going… only

took three attempts!”

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Cindy and her husband

started a family while

attending Southern Miss.

Some of her fondest family

memories of Southern

Miss are at football games.

They started bringing their

son to games as early as

two years old. He instantly became a fan, toddling

around their home and singing USM football cheers.

NAVIGATING IN A

MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY

After a successful campus interview with Shell,

Cindy was invited to Houston for a second interview.

Cindy has been married to her husband,

Philip for 40 years, and they have two

children. Their son, Christopher, is a

junior high algebra and pre-algebra

teacher, as well as a girls basketball

coach and a published fiction writer.

Their daughter, Ericka, is a family nurse

practitioner and experienced emergency

room nurse. In her free time, Cindy

enjoys reading fiction, spending time

with her two-year-old granddaughter,

Leighton, and has plans to learn how to

play the saxophone.

“I ultimately chose Shell because

I liked the variety of opportunities

they showcased. Prior to doing some

research, I mainly knew about them

only because of their gas stations.”

Cindy went on to share that leaving behind their

support system made up of close friends and family

and taking the plunge to move from Mississippi to

Texas was a tough decision for her and her husband,

as their son was only three years old at the time. In

retrospect, she sees that as one of the best decisions

they ever made.

Shell was the only company Cindy worked for after

graduation, joining the company in 1985. She chose

assignments that would provide the opportunity

to learn the end-to-end value chain, providing a

pathway for working her way up in the company.

“My career in Shell was mainly in the finance

function, partnering with and supporting the

various Shell businesses and other supporting

functions, for example the IT department. In

some ways it was a tale of two halves.”

During the first 15 years of her career, Cindy’s

roles mainly focused on the U.S. businesses. She

was a financial analyst for five years primarily

in the downstream sector before moving into a

leadership position in the accounting department.

In this role, she found leadership fit her well as she

had a passion for helping others develop. Once

she moved to the upstream sector, her leadership

skills further developed while managing larger

teams, as well as her knowledge of the integrated

Shell business model.

As time went on and her roles evolved, her international

travel increased as she served on numerous global

leadership teams. Additionally, she spent four years

as a senior business consultant and team leader of

an internal consultancy team. She frequently traveled

to the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, the Philippines,

Argentina, Singapore, Australia, Turkey and more.

“I traveled to over 20 countries for work alone, not

counting all of the places I visited as a tourist.”

She was able to make a substantial amount of global

connections, even taking on the role of the vice president

of finance for Shell’s Global Chemicals business, which

required her to uproot her family and move to London,

England, where they lived for almost five years.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 49

alumni highlight: cindy gaddis

“This assignment really leveraged my

core finance skills and virtual leadership

skills, as well as collaboration and

inclusiveness efforts developed during

previous assignments. During this period,

I travelled to places like Germany, Qatar,

United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia,

China and Hong Kong.”

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

In retirement, Cindy has decided to use her extensive

experience by seeking non-executive and non-profit

board positions. She has invested her time in giving

back to her alma mater by serving on the Business

Advisory Council for the College of Business and

Economic Development. In the fall, she was honored

as the college’s Inspired Leaders Series speaker. This

semiannual event hosts an executive in Scianna Hall

to answer the question, “What inspires you?” These

established professionals engage with students in both

large- and small-group settings through conversations

about what has inspired them throughout their lives and

careers in hopes that it will inspire those with whom

they interact.

While living in London, she oversaw staff located

around the globe, chaired the Contract Committee

and served as a member on various teams and

boards, such as the Chemicals Leadership Team,

multiple Decision Review Boards, the Board of

Directors for a non-operated joint venture, and the

Global Downstream Finance Team.

Moving back from London, she continued in the VP

of finance role for the Chemical’s business for two

more years, before taking on her last role as VP of

finance and global downstream conroller and U.S.

country finance functional lead.

“As I reflect back, a few things come to

mind that contributed to my career in

Shell and navigating a male-dominated

industry. I discovered early on the

importance of earning credibility. You

must ensure you have a strong functional

foundation, as they expect that you

know what you are doing as a financial

professional. Next, authenticity can

build trust and contribute immense

value to the team. People notice and

remember that about you. Lastly, having

a servant leader’s mentality helped

me gain the trust of both finance and

business colleagues, creating long-lasting

collaborative relationships.”

ADVICE FROM CINDY

Be curious about the organization you work for and its

business model. Invest your personal time to learn the

business, how your team or department links to others,

and how everything fits together.

Be courageous and take risks. Be willing to take on

assignments outside of your comfort zone, even if that

means physically moving to a new state or even country.

Voice your perspective, especially when everyone else

seems to agree with one another. Group think can be a

dangerous thing, and having someone voice a different

point-of-view can yield better outcomes. And most

importantly, speak up when other team members’ views

aren’t being actively sought or are being dismissed out

of hand. Diversity and inclusion matter.

Be confident and develop yourself and your abilities.

Speak with confidence and share your input.

Hone your communication skills both verbal and written.

Learn to gauge what information is needed and how to

get your point across with key points up front. Instead

of providing every detail right away, give a summary

with key points and allow for questions to be asked to

develop further understanding. ■

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

new adventures and retirements

DR. STACEY HALL

INTERIM DIRECTOR OF NCS 4

Dr. Stacey Hall has been named the interim director of The University of Southern

Mississippi’s National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS 4 ). Dr. Hall

played an important role in the creation of NCS 4 , serving as the associate director from

2006 to 2014. She takes on this role after serving as the executive associate dean for

the College of Business and Economic Development. Dr. Hall developed the graduatelevel

emphasis program in sport security management for the Master of Business

Administration and the Master of Science in Sport Management programs at Southern

Miss. Currently, Dr. Hall teaches undergraduate and graduate sport management

courses in economics, finance and security.

“I hope to create a strong connection between industry and academia as we work to elevate our research and academic

profile. This work will be guided by scholars and practitioners and will include the valuable input of an established

national advisory board and specialized advisory committees comprised of senior-level security managers and thoughtleaders

across the sports industry. The creation and dissemination of new knowledge in this industry will help all of us

make sport venues a safer and more secure place for participants, spectators, staff and community partners.”

MICHELLE FLEMING

ACADEMIC ADVISOR, GULF PARK CAMPUS

Michelle Fleming has retired after 25 years of service to The University of Southern

Mississippi. Michelle spent nearly 20 years serving as an academic advisor in multiple

colleges over the course of her career, including the College of Business and Economic

Development, College of Health, and College of Nursing. Michelle shared that the role of

an advisor allowed her to guide students through their degree programs and ultimately to

degree completion while they balanced their classes, personal lives and careers.

Michelle began working at the Southern Miss Gulf Park campus in 1995 as a Financial Aid

clerk. As a first-generation student, she immediately took advantage of the opportunity to

earn a degree and began taking classes at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, where she

earned her Associate of Arts. She never stopped pursuing further education as she went on to earn her bachelor’s

degree in management information systems, master’s degree in workforce training and development, and a second

bachelor’s degree in geography, all at Southern Miss.

Michelle’s servant heart has led her to give back to the university and her community in a variety of ways throughout

her career. She served in many capacities on numerous community fundraising committees. She was the Race Day

coordinator for four Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Fun Runs, co-chair of United Way, and a committee

member for Breast Cancer and Heart Walks, as well as the groundbreaking for both the Gulf Coast Library and the

Fleming Education Center.

Michelle took the lead on a USM campus project called Working on Wellness! (WOW!), which focused on the

development of health and wellness initiatives on the Gulf Coast. This work ultimately led to the creation of the

Gulf Park Fitness Center, which was established in 2014 and is located on the east side of the Gulf Park campus.

She established and funded the GOALS Scholarship in 2003-04 for part-time students, full-time professionals who

were unable to qualify for the full Pell Grant. Michelle also served a three-year term on the USM Staff Council, was

a staff advisor and founding member of the Catholic Student Association, and was a member and presenter for

the Association of Office Professionals. She enjoys volunteering for the annual commencement ceremony held

on the Gulf Park campus to watch the students she has grown to know so well walk across the stage and receive

their diplomas. The opportunity to celebrate those who have worked extremely hard and overcome challenges and

hardships to reach this milestone has been a driving force for Michelle and her work.

“Southern Miss quickly became my extended family. Although I didn’t know anything about higher education,

I came to love the atmosphere, students and my co-workers.”

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 51

new adventures and retirements

DR. BETH LAFLEUR

ASSOCIATE DEAN, MBA DIRECTOR AND FULL PROFESSOR OF MARKETING

Dr. Beth LaFleur has retired as the associate dean of the College of Business and

Economic Development and director of the professional MBA Program at The

University of Southern Mississippi.

During her time as MBA director, program enrollment has more than tripled.

Dr. LaFleur spearheaded the work done to shape the MBA program into what it

is today, leading many changes to keep the program relevant over time. These

improvements included reducing the number of prerequisites, creating the hybrid

and online formats, developing the Business Foundations graduate certificate,

partnering with NCS4 and the sport management faculty to offer an MBA with an emphasis

in sport event security management, establishing waivers of the GMAT requirement, and working to have the

program recognized and ranked by U.S. News and World Report. In addition, she has remained an advocate for

graduate and undergraduate programs in business on the coast and was the driving force that initiated the start

of Who’s Who on the Gulf Park campus.

She served as a full professor of marketing and and joined the Southern Miss Gulf Park faculty in 2004. Prior

to 2004, she was a member of the business faculty at Nicholls State University, Mississippi State University,

Spring Hill College and the University of South Alabama, where she served as the director of the Small Business

Development Program and the Small Business Institute.

Dr. LaFleur received her BSBA in marketing in 1974 and her MBA with a field emphasis in marketing in 1975, both

from The University of Southern Mississippi. She received her doctorate in business administration, with a major in

marketing and minors in management and quantitative analysis from Mississippi State University in 1989.

Dr. LaFleur has over 40 years of professional experience in the business world, consulting and academics. She

began her career as an industrial market research analyst with the Business and Industry Development Division

of the Mississippi Research and Development Center in Jackson.

Her consulting activities over the last three decades include marketing research and promotional strategy design, execution

and control focused on the property development, banking, healthcare, shipbuilding, oil and gas, and legal industries. She

also serves on the Advisory Board of Foreign Trade Zone #92, one of three FTZ’s in the state of Mississippi.

Dr. LaFleur was honored to be selected as a Senior Fulbright Scholar (University of Mauritius, 1997-98). She spent

a year on Mauritius Island, Indian Ocean teaching MBA students and the business faculty, while also leading

training programs and seminars for the business community. During the Fulbright year, she traveled extensively

with her family in the sub-Saharan African region and in Europe.

Dr. LaFleur received the Presidential Award for Teaching Excellence at Nicholls State University and the Presidential

Service Award. She is the recipient of numerous research and best paper awards throughout her academic career.

She was inducted into two international marketing honoraries (Alpha Mu Alpha and Mu Kappa Tau), is an active

member of Phi Kappa Phi, and was selected for Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in multiple years.

Her research focused on professional services marketing and business ethics during her career. It has been

published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,

the Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management, the Journal of Marketing Education, the Journal of

Healthcare Marketing, Marketing Health Services, the Marketing Educator, the International Review of Retail,

Distribution and Consumer Research, Tourism Analysis, the Journal of Computer Information Systems, the

Journal of the Academy of Business Education, Personnel Administrator, Marine Fisheries Review and the

International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change Management. Her research has been published in

other academic journals and in the proceedings of international, national and regional professional conferences

in marketing and management. She has also received numerous grants for her research.

Dr. LaFleur and her husband, Dr. Charles LaFleur, reside in Bay St. Louis, Miss.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DR. STEVE JACKSON

EMERITUS FULL PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTANCY, GULF PARK CAMPUS

Dr. Steven Jackson spent 16 years of his career teaching students at The

University of Southern Mississippi before retiring as a full professor and receiving

emeritus status in fall 2019. Southern Miss was where Dr. Jackson took his first

tenure-track position after he earned his PhD at Arizona State. He shared that

the area, specifically the Gulf Park campus, brought him to Southern Miss, and

although he spent 10 years teaching at other universities, he ultimately came back

to Southern Miss for the remainder of his career for the same reasons.

Dr. Jackson devoted himself to his students and to serving the universities where he

taught. Throughout his career, he received two outstanding research awards and six outstanding teaching

awards, including our college’s highest teaching award, the Joseph A. Greene Teaching Excellence Award

in 2012, which is only given to one faculty member per year. From 2007 to 2009, Dr. Jackson served as the

director for the School of Accountancy. He has held distinguished professorships at the University of Tennessee

at Martin and Loyola University New Orleans, where he also served as the director of the accounting program.

He has been listed in Who’s Who Among American’s Teachers and Who’s Who in Business Higher Education.

Additionally, he was a member and held officer positions for several university councils and committees and

remained active in the American Accounting Association, the American Institute of CPAs and the International

Management Accounting Association.

Dr. Jackson’s research interests are in accounting education and behavioral issues in ethics and auditing. He

has published articles in such refereed journals as Journal of Accounting and Finance Research, Journal of

Economic and Social Measurement, Journal of Economic and Business Perspectives, Journal of Business and

Economic Research, Accounting Educators Journal, and Journal of Accountancy. Dr. Jackson served as the

editor of the journal, Advances in Accounting, Finance and Economics from 2007 to 2009. Dr. Jackson is the

co-author of Managerial Accounting: A Focus on Ethical Decision Making, now in its ninth edition.

JEWEL ADAMS

ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST, SCHOOL OF FINANCE

After serving Southern Miss for 24 years, Jewel Adams has retired from the

College of Business and Economic Development, School of Finance. Adams

began her journey with Southern Miss by accepting a position with the National

Food Service Management Institute. She then accepted a position in the School

of Human Performance and Recreation, where she stayed for 17 years before

ultimately becoming the administrative specialist in the College of Business and

Economic Development. She served as president for the Association of Office

Professionals for two terms and served on numerous committees, including the

Southern Miss Diversity Committee and Staff Council.

During the 2020 Eagle Awards Ceremony, Adams was selected as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement

Award. This is the event’s top award and is given to one recipient each year that has dedicated his or her life to

making an impact in the lives of others.

Other Awards

Department of Athletics Outstanding Staff // Association of Office Professional (AOP) Office Professional of the Year

// University of Southern Mississippi Staff Excellence College of Health Distinguished Office Professional // African

American Student Organization (AASO) Outstanding Black Staff

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 53

where do they

go after

graduation?

WASHINGTON

MONTANA

Valentina Haupt

(BSBA, Sport

Management

’19) is a full-time

professional

golf player

from Santiago,

Chile, and will

be the first in the

USM Women’s Golf

program’s history to

tee off in an LPGA event. While attending

Southern Miss, she was the only Golden

Eagle to be a WGCA All-American Scholar

all four years. She broke the record of

most rounds under par at Southern Miss,

and her final outing was a career-low,

2-under 214 at the C-USA Championships.

Her 115 career rounds tied for the

school record. She graduated with a

3.9 GPA and was recognized for Who’s

Who Among Southern Miss students.

OREGON

294

CALIFORNIA

NEVADA

IDAHO

110

ARIZONA

UTAH

WYOMING

153

COLORADO

NEW MEXICO

GUAM

ALASKA

HAWAII

EAGLES ABROAD

OUR GRADUATES LIVE IN

MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

Albania 1 • Australia 4 • Bangladesh 2 • Belarus 1 • Bolivia 2 • Botswana 1 • Brazil 14 • Bulgaria 1

Cameroon 1 • Canada 22 Chile 1 • China 17 • Colombia 12 • Cyprus 2 • Denmark 1 • Dominican Republic 1

Ecuador 10 • El Salvador 11 • Finland 1 France 2 • Germany 12 • Ghana 2 • Guatemala 2 • Guinea 1

Honduras 7 • Hong Kong 8 • India 25 • Indonesia 1 • Israel 1 • Italy 2 • Jamaica 3 • Japan 31 • Jordan 1

Kenya 1 • Republic of Korea 4 • Kuwait 2 • Kyrgyzstan 1 • Lebanon 1 • Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav

Republic 1 • Madagascar 1 • Malaysia 54 • Mexico 5 • Nepal 4 • Netherlands 2 • New Zealand 2

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

A T

TOTAL OF 26,265 LIVING

BUSINESS ALUMNI.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

NORTH DAKOTA

SOUTH DAKOTA

NEBRASKA

KANSAS

OKLAHOMA

MINNESOTA

IOWA

103

MISSOURI

172

ARKANSAS

1,464

TEXAS

1,568

LOUISIANA

WISCONSIN

122

ILLINOIS

INDIANA

MICHIGAN

627

TENNESSEE

KENTUCKY

OHIO

PENNSYLVANIA

WEST VIRGINIA

234

VIRGINIA

VERMONT

312

NORTH CAROLINA

155

SOUTH CAROLINA

NEW YORK

896

15,815 1,350

GEORGIA

MISSISSIPPI

ALABAMA

PUERTO RICO

1,153

FLORIDA

NEW JERSEY

MARYLAND

DISTRICT OF

COLUMBIA

MAINE

MASSACHUSETTS

RHODE ISLAND

DELAWARE

CONNECTICUT

VIRGIN ISLANDS

A R M E D

FORCES

AMERICAS 2

EUROPE 26

PACIFIC 10

A T

P A C I F I C

Nicaragua 5 • Nigeria 3 • Panama 7 • Peru 5 • Poland 1 • Romania 1

Russian Federation 5 • Saudi Arabia 6 • Singapore 10 • Slovakia 3 • Spain 3

Sweden 6 • Syrian Arab Republic 2 • Taiwan 23 • Thailand 12 • Trinidad

and Tobago 1 • Turkey 1 • United Kingdom 9 • United Arab Emirates 1

Venezuela 25 • Viet Nam 25 • Virgin Islands (U.S.) 2 • Western Sahara 1

Yogoslavia 1 • Zimbabwe 2

P A C I F

I C O C E A N

L A N T

I C O C E A N

L A N T

I C O C E A N

I N D I A N

O C E A N

I N D I A N

O C E A N

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 55

Faculty Intellectual

Contributions and Impact

peer-reviewed journal articles 7/1/2019 - 6/30/20

Alqahtani, A., Wither, M.J., Dong, Z., Goodwin, K.R.

(2020). Impact of news-based equity market volatility on

international stock markets. Journal of Applied Economics,

23(1), 224-234.

Becton, J. B., Walker, H. J., Gilstrap, J. B., Schwager, P.

(2019). Social media snooping on job applicants: The effects

of unprofessional social media information on recruiter

perceptions. Personnel Review, 48(5), 1261-1280.

Beh, Y. S., Sajtos, L., Cao, J. T. (2020). Complainers’ resource

investment and mobilization in digital environments

using conservation of resource theory. Journal of Service

Management, Ahead of print.

Chen, J., Wang, W., Jensen, O., Kim, H., Liu, W.-Y. (2020).

Perceived impacts of tourism in the Arctic. Journal of Tourism

and Cultural Change.

Christensen, L. J., Newman, A. M. B., Herrick, H., Godfrey,

P. (in press). Separate but not equal: Toward a nomological

net for migrants and migrant entrepreneurship. Journal of

International Business Policy.

Chu, Z., Wang, L., Lai, F. (2019), Customer pressure and green

innovations at third party logistics providers in China: The

moderation effect of organizational culture. International

Journal of Logistics Management, 30(1), 57-75.

Chu, Z., Wang, Q., Lai, F. Collins, B. (2019), Managing

interdependence: Using Guanxi to cope with supply chain

dependency. Journal of Business Research, 103, 620-631.

Dogru, A. K., Keskin, B. B. (2020). AI in operations

management: Applications, challenges and opportunities.

Journal of Data, Information and Management (JDIM), 2,

67-74.

Dowis, W. B., Anderson, M. H. M., Englebrecht, T. D. (2020).

Real estate professional treatment: Easier said than done.

Real Estate Taxation.

Feng, B., Jiang, Z., Lai, F. (in press). Robust approach for air

cargo freight forwarder selection under disruption. Annals

of Operations Research.

Futterman-Collier, A., Wayment. H., Wolf, M. (2020). Do-ityourself

activities and subjective well-being. International

Journal of Applied Positive Psychology.

Gordon, K., Czekanski, W. A., Hall, S. A., McAfee, K. E. (2020).

Understanding the interface between security and customer

service at NCAA Division I FCS football venues. Journal of

Contemporary Athletics, 14(1).

Hill, A. D., Bolton, J. F., White, M. A. (in press). A call to find

knowledge in our non-findings. Strategic Organization.

Howard, M. C., Murry, A. S. (2020). Does the courage

measure (CM) measure persistence despite fear? Testing,

Psychometrics, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 27(2),

271-277.

Goodwin, K. R. (2019). Bargaining power and the choice of

brokerage contract. Journal of Housing Research, 28(1), 129-144.

When a homeowner decides to seek the

assistance of a real estate broker in the sale of

his property, he must decide on the particular

broker and type of contract he will use. The

most common type of brokerage contract is the

exclusive right to sell contract. In this type of

contract, the broker is entitled to his specified

level of compensation whether or not he

can be deemed responsible for bringing the

buyer to the seller. This is usually the default

form of contract in residential markets and is

the preferred type of contract for the broker.

The buyer and seller, however, can also enter

into another type of contract known as the

exclusive agency contract. With the exclusive

agency contract, the contracted broker is

entitled to his specified commission exclusive

of any other broker. The owner, however,

retains the right to market and sell the property

on his own and independent from the broker.

In that case, the seller could potentially avoid

paying a commission to the broker. The

textbook advice is that sellers should never

choose the exclusive right to sell contract

because the broker will not exert much effort

toward the sale of the property. Using a

game theory model of bargaining power, this

study presents an alternative perspective. In

this model, the increased bargaining power

of the seller results in a higher selling price

and no difference in the time on the market.

Idemen, E., Elmadag Bas, A. B., Okan, M. (2020). A

qualitative approach to designer as a product cue: Proposed

conceptual model of consumers perceptions and attitude.

Review of Managerial Science.

Kim, S. (in press). Assessing economic and fiscal impacts of

sports complex in a small US county. Tourism Economics.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Li, X., Wang, C., Lai, F. (2020), Managing supplier integrity

in China's public procurement. China: An International

Journal, 18(2), 26-54.

Miller, J. J. (2019). Facility Maintenance. Facility Planning

and Design for Health, Physical Activity, Recreation,

and Sport (14th ed., pp. 539-555). Urbana, IL: Sagamore

Publishers.

Miller, J. J., Bronson, R., Barr, M., Kilcrease, C. (in press).

University of Maryland offensive lineman dies from

heatstroke after team workout. The Physical Educator.

Miller, J. J., Corken, C., Goodale, T., MacDonald, J. (2020).

Sport event operators must deliver promises to avoid

gross negligence. The Physical Educator, 77(3), 687-694.

Miller, J. J., Seidler, T. (2020). Using a mock trial: An

experiential learning opportunity. Sport Management

Education Journal, 4(1), 58-60.

Miller, J. J., Seidler, T., Curto, J. (2019). Concealed carry

weapons at intercollegiate sport events: Perceptions

of Division I event sport managers. Journal of Issues in

Intercollegiate Athletics, 12, 542-563.

Miller, J. J., Spindler, K. (2020). Safety in softball: Current

perceptions of the use of defensive facemasks at the high

school level. Applied Research in Coaching and Athletics

Annual, 35(11), 59-78.

Miller, S., Hall, S. A., Croft, C. (2020). Leading through

crisis: Competencies for sport event security professionals.

International Journal of Sport Management, 21.

Okan, M., Elmadag Bas, A. B. (2020). Witnessing verbal

aggression: Role of customers' self-conscious emotions.

Journal of Services Marketing, 34(2), 253-268.

Okan, M., Elmadag Bas, A. B., Idemen, E. (in press).

Frontline employee age and customer mistreatment: A

meta-analysis. Journal of Services Marketing.

Pan, Y., Lai, F., Fang, Z., Xu, S., Gao, L., Robertson, D., Rao,

H. (2019). Risk choice and emotional experience: A multilevel

comparison between active and passive decisionmaking.

Journal of Risk Research, 22(10), 1239-1266.

Parker, A., Burns, J., Boyd, J., Reynolds, L., Atkins, K.,

Pollitte, W. (2020). Does BetterBack lumbar support and

posture trainer decrease back pain and improve posture?

Journal of Ergonomics, 9(1), 1-6.

Peneklioglu, O., Elmadag Bas, A. B. (2020). Trust goes

the other way too: Sellers’ trust in buyers and its influence

on sale process efficiency. Journal of Management,

Marketing and Logistics, 7(1), 28-41.

Peyrefitte, J. A. (2020). Small California wine producers

in 2019: An industry note. Wine Business Case Research

Journal, 4(1), 1-17.

Sajtos, L., Cao, J. T., Espinosa, J. A., Phau, I., Rossi, P.,

Sung, B., Voyer, B. (2020). Brand love: Corroborating

evidence across four continents. Journal of Business

Research, Ahead of print.

Schwarz, E., Hall, S. A., Shibli, S. (2019). Sport Facility

Operations Management: A Global Perspective (3rd ed.).

London and New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Seidler, T. J., Miller, J. J. (2019). Trends in stadium and

arena designs (14th ed., pp. 487-501). Urbana, IL:

Sagamore Publishers.

Smith, W. R., Fay, E. M. (2020). Taxation of incentives to

corporations from local governments. Strategic Finance.

Southern Miss is classified as

“R1: DOCTORAL

UNIVERSITIES – VERY HIGH

RESEARCH ACTIVITY”

status in the Carnegie Classification of

Institutions of higher education.

Only 131 institutions nationwide

are in this classification.

Stokowski, S., Goldsmith, A., Croft, C., Hutchens, S., Fridley,

A. (2020). The impact of football on student-athletes with

education-impacting disabilities. Journal for the Study of

Sport and Athletes in Education.

Stokowski, S., Hutchens, N.S., Huffman, L.T., Fridley, A., Croft,

C. (2020). An examination of college athletes' motivation and

athletic scholarship status. Applied Research in Coaching

and Athletics Annual, 35.

Van Mullem, P., Croft, C. (2020). Coach development:

Practical recommendations for collegiate sport. International

Sport Coaching Journal, 7(3).

Wan, Q., Yuan, Y., Lai, F. (2019). Disentangling the factors

driving logistics outsourcing: A configurational perspective.

Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 32(6), 964-

992.

Wang, J., Wang, Y., Lai, F. (2019). Impact of power structure

on supply chain performance and consumer surplus.

International Transactions in Operational Research, 26(5),

1752-1785.

Williams, M. E. (2019). "Literacy Skills for the Mass Media"

first edition (First edition ed.). San Diego, California: Congella

Academic Publishing.

Wilson, R., Kelly, A. (2020). The impact of state political party

association on the gender wage gap. Journal of Business

Diversity, 20(1), 80-89.

Yuan, Y., Chu, Z., Lai, F., Wu, H. (2020). The impact of

transaction attributes on logistics outsourcing success:

A moderated mediation model. International Journal of

Production Economics, 219(1), 54-65.

Zahay, D., Altounian, D., Pollitte, W., James, J. (2019).

Effective resource deployment in digital marketing

education. Marketing Education Review, 29(3), 182-192.

Zantow, K. E., Yu, J., Ye, G., Xi, Y., Liao, X. (2020). An

integrated model for user innovation knowledge based

on Super-Network. IEEE Transactions on Engineering

Management (Early Access).

Zhou, Q., Meng, C., Yuen, K. F. (2020). The impact of secondary

market competition on refurbishing authorization strategies.

International Journal of Production Economics, 228.

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 57

Recognizing

Extraordinary

Excellence

HONORS AND AWARDS

FALL 2019 - SPRING 2020

COMMUNITY AND

FACULTY AWARDS

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR

Billy Hewes, Billy Hewes Nationwide Insurance

DISTINGUISHED YOUNG ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR

Toby Barker, Mayor of Hattiesburg, MS

LOUIS K. BRANDT EXCELLENCE IN

RESEARCH AWARD

Sungsoo Kim, Associate Professor, Marketing

JOSEPH A. GREENE EXCELLENCE IN

TEACHING AWARD

Kelli King, Assistant Teaching Professor, Marketing

BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL (BAC)

RESEARCH AWARD

Joanne Cao, Assistant Professor, Marketing

Kim Goodwin, Interim Director, School of Finance

Chad Miller, Professor, Economic Development

Wei Wang, Assistant Professor, Marketing

Fujun Lai, Professor, Management

Chris Croft, Assistant Professor, Sport Management

Stacey Hall, Executive Associate Dean

John Miller, Professor, Sport Management

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

SERVICE AWARD

Melinda McLelland, Associate Professor, Marketing

Amber Hatten, Professor of

Practice/MPA Director, Accountancy

OUTSTANDING STAFF MEMBER AWARD

Bailey Harris, Marketing Coordinator

COLLEGE AWARDS

OUTSTANDING COAST BUSINESS STUDENT AWARD

Jaeden Michael Alvarez, Biloxi, MS

OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

AWARD-UNDERGRADUATE

Jonathan Fennell, Ellisville, MS

Alese Jones, Metairie, LA

Mahum Chaudhry, Punjab, Pakistan

OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

AWARD-GRADUATE

Erin Howell, Gulfport, MS

Ryan Wood, Rogers, AR

Brianna Klotz, Bellville, TX

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

DELTA SIGMA PI SCHOLARSHIP KEY AWARD

Sabrina Darby, Slidell, LA

Mahum Chaudhry, Punjab, Pakistan

Lacey Wallace, Jayess, MS

Chenoa Wilson, Petal, MS

Jaeden Michael Alvarez, Biloxi, MS

Matthew Manna, Brandon, MS

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

LEADERSHIP AWARD

Lacey Wallace, Jayess, MS

CITIZEN SCHOLAR AWARD

Ian Vowell, Hattiesburg, MS

SCHOOL OF

ACCOUNTANCY

AWARDS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN ACCOUNTING

Erik Handshoe, Bay St. Louis, MS

Sze-Wing Cheung, Biloxi, MS

POSEY-MUNN BOOK AWARD

Allie Eubanks, Mount Olive, MS

Kailee Blackledge, Laurel, MS

Charles-Eric Belanger, Quebec City, Canada

Kinley Yawn, Hattiesburg, MS

JARVIS MAXEY AWARD

Collin Somers, Hattiesburg, MS

CHARLES JORDAN AWARD

Hanna Hinohara Aso, Porto Alegre, Brazil

MISSISSIPPI SOCIETY OF CPAS AWARD

Kayla Martin, Hattiesburg, MS

HADDOX REID EUBANK BETTS AWARD

Benjamin Davis, Mobile, AL

Makayla Beasley, Richton, MS

BKD AWARD

Keiyana Gaskin, Vicksburg, MS

Sachin Yadav, Birgunj, Nepal

Mahum Chaudry, Punjab, Pakistan

BETA ALPHA PSI AWARD

Megan Fairly, Wiggins, MS

FEDERATION OF SCHOOLS OF

ACCOUNTANCY AWARD

Paige Dillistone, Hattiesburg, MS

SCHOOL OF

FINANCE AWARDS

FINANCE FACULTY AWARD

Matthew Jones, Brandon, MS

Jonathan Niehaus, Gretna, LA

Sachin Yadav, Birgunj, Nepal

Brandon Cade, Wesson, MS

Alese Jones, Metairie, LA

OUTSTANDING FINANCE STUDENT AWARD

Faiyez Hussein, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Chris Hua, Hattiesburg, MS

SCHOOL OF

MANAGEMENT

AWARDS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN MANAGEMENT

Macie Tullier, Franklinton, LA

Jasmine Kelley, Kiln, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Clara Gandy, Mobile, Alabama

Jennifer McMillan, Daphne, AL

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Jonathan Fennell, Ellisville, MS

Laurel Buckley, McHenry, MS

MOST ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AWARD

Jacob Smith, Purvis, MS

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 59

Recognizing Extraordinary Excellence

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN HUMAN RESOURCES AWARD

Anna Aldridge, Brandon, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Matthew Yang, Petal, MS

MARTIN STEGENGA ACADEMIC AWARD IN MANAGEMENT

AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Noah Rowell, Wiggins, MS

SCHOOL OF

MARKETING AWARDS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN SALES AWARDS

Trey Pittman, New Orleans, LA

Chelsey Liddell, Hattiesburg, MS

DOLLY LOYD SPIRIT OF MARKETING AWARD

Joel Wambolt, Bassfield, MS

Colby Cuevas, Pass Christian, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN MARKETING

Chad Estes, Biloxi, MS

Lacey Wallace, Jayess, MS

Chenoa Wilson, Petal, MS

DAVID E. FORD MARKETING LEADERSHIP AWARD

RiAnne Taylor, Hattiesburg, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN MERCHANDISING AWARDS

Natalie Martin, Lynn Haven, FL

Julie Fail, Bay Springs, MS

SPECIAL MENTION IN HEALTHCARE MARKETING

Seth Nash, Star, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN HEALTHCARE MARKETING

Alexis Plummer, Sumrall, MS

Taylor Buras, Purvis, MS

SPIRIT OF HOSPITALITY AWARD

Patrick Napier, New Orleans, LA

Taylor Motes, Jackson, AL

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN HOSPITALITY

AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT

Sophie Unson, Gulfport, MS

Madison Latham, Diamondhead, MS

GULF PARK CAMPUS

STUDENT AWARDS

OUTSTANDING ACCOUNTING STUDENT

Joyce Deedre Lewis, Biloxi, MS

OUTSTANDING BUSINESSS ADMINISTRATION STUDENT

Michael Baker, Hattiesburg, MS

OUTSTANDING MANAGEMENT STUDENT

Kayla Tyler, Sumrall, MS

OUTSTANDING MARKETING STUDENT

Sierra Marie Schiesser, Long Beach, MS

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT

Aaron Broussard, Biloxi, MS

GRADUATE STUDENT

AWARDS

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT IN

PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANCY

Erin Howell, Gulfport, MS

Sayle Sanson, Baton Rouge, LA

Jonathan Brent, Hattiesburg, MS

OUTSTANDING MASTER OF SCIENCE

IN SPORT MANAGEMENT AWARD

Tuker Paschen, Kimberly, WI

Rachel Bronson, Selah, WA

GRADUATE SPORT MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP AWARD

Kacey Calabro, Zachary, LA

Tait Carlisle, Northport, AL

OUTSTANDING MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT AWARD

Will Ford, Hattiesburg, MS

Haley Hop, Madison, AL

OUTSTANDING MBA GRADUATE AWARD

Gulnaz Barrera, Ufa, Russia

Kevin Doss, Madison, AL

LEADERSHIP IN SPORT MANAGEMENT AWARD

Martin Stennis, Southaven, MS

Dylan Ryals, Petal, MS

OUTSTANDING STUDENT IN SPORT MANAGEMENT

Lindsley Lingold, Florence, MS

Kiersten Brinkerhoff, Brandon, MS

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

student outcomes

ENROLLMENT

FALL 2014 FALL 2015 FALL 2016 FALL 2017 FALL 2018 FALL 2019

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

Accounting 420 373 394 347 367 322

Finance 141 127 125 120 111 110

Entrepreneurship 156 145 116 146 155 158

General Business 372 520 625 666 726 686

International Business 64 62 68 61 41 45

Management 296 259 218 188 141 106

Healthcare Marketing 40 39 35 41 45 53

Marketing 221 209 212 231 237 215

Hospitality and Tourism Management 113 103 112 89 63 57

Merchandising 67 79 54 47 35 27

Sport Management 105 98 92 109 116 117

TOTAL UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENT 1,995 2,014 2,051 2,045 2,037 1,896

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Sport Management MS 55 58 54 48 55 63

Economic Development MS 17 17 16 16 13 15

MPA 25 25 32 34 21 16

MBA 73 95 110 104 105 109

TOTAL GRADUATE ENROLLMENT 170 195 212 202 194 203

CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

Sport Security Management (Graduate) 3 4 5 3 3 3

Business Foundations (Graduate) 7 10 9 11 5 10

DEGREES AWARDED

Source: Institutional Research, Enrollment Dashboards

DEGREES AWARDED 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

Accounting 77 89 97 82 75 89

Finance 18 30 33 31 25 23

Entrepreneurship 19 17 16 26 15 14

General Business 81 70 82 100 131 178

International Business 14 12 11 12 15 12

Management 83 72 72 57 66 53

Healthcare Marketing 6 9 12 7 11 12

Marketing 47 58 54 55 55 63

Hospitality and Tourism Management 28 22 19 26 27 20

Merchandising 8 9 13 10 15 6

Sport Management 19 11 18 23 19 23

TOTAL UNDERGRADUTE DEGREES AWARDED 400 399 427 429 454 493

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Sport Management MS 35 27 37 20 30 16

Economic Development MS 8 10 12 12 14 11

MPA 20 22 26 25 23 17

MBA 19 25 38 49 45 65

TOTAL GRADUATE DEGREES AWARDED 82 84 113 106 112 109

TOTAL DEGREES AWARDED 482 483 540 535 566 602

Source: Institutional Research, Degrees Awarded Dashboards

ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 61

IN MEMORIUM

Hayward G. Anderson

FORMER ACCOUNTING PROFESSOR

1928—2019

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

EOE/F/M/VETS/DISABILITY UC 82068

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