Browsing: Education

TikTokers and social media fanatics, it’s time to continue the “Unwritten” dance challenge—this time listening to Natasha Bedingfield belt out the hit song at Bulldog Bash.

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) has begun construction of a new oyster hatchery that aims to help alleviate the decline in oyster harvests along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The hatchery will be located at USM’s Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center (TCMAC) Cedar Point campus in Ocean Springs, Miss. It will be capable of producing up to one billion eyed larvae per year for use in restoration and research, with completion expected in late summer or early fall 2026.

A comprehensive master plan has been recently completed for a new 15-acre district featuring a boutique hotel, restaurants and retail stores on the land between the MSU campus and the Cotton District, developers announced Aug. 20. It is to be named the Crossroads District.

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) has once again been recognized as one of the most transfer-friendly universities in the nation, earning a spot on Phi Theta Kappa’s (PTK) 2025 Transfer Honor Roll. This marks the eighth consecutive year Southern Miss has received the prestigious distinction, reinforcing its reputation as a top destination for community college transfer students.

Danyell Latham watched as a crowd of Lambda Chi Alpha members celebrated the groundbreaking of her new home Thursday [Aug. 14].

Latham has worked for the university for nearly a decade and has served as a chef for the Lambda Chi fraternity house for about a year. By November, she and her sons, Robert and Kasen Kelly, will have the keys to a house built by volunteers from Mississippi State, Starkville Habitat for Humanity and the young men she sees every day at the university.

This summer, 21 staff members took time off from their usual jobs at the University of Mississippi to dive into some personal passion projects.

They all had support from the Staff Creative Residency program, launched in 2022 by the Mississippi Lab with funding from the Office of the Provost. The program offers a $500 stipend and five days of paid creative time so recipients can complete a project of their choice.

The University of Southern Mississippi’s Pride of Mississippi Marching Band and the Dixie Darlings will kick off the 2025 football season with Pride Preview, set for 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, at Southern Station behind the Thad Cochran Center on the Hattiesburg campus. The concert is free and open to the public.

The University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra–the oldest orchestral ensemble in Mississippi-proudly announces its 106th concert season, “American Perspectives,” exploring the vast variety of American music, from pioneering classics to bold modern voices.

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) has been awarded a $1.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program. The initiative aims to increase retention and graduation rates for high-achieving, underprivileged students pursuing STEM degrees that require Calculus I––a course that can be challenging for many students.

For the eighth consecutive year, the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) at The University of Southern Mississippi hosted its annual Summer Enrichment Academy––focused on providing youth and young adult students with disabilities a summer employment learning experience through its Transition of Teens to Adult Life (ToTAL) program. The academy was held at both the Hattiesburg and Gulf Park campuses.

Taylor Garretson, a senior at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), was crowned the 2025 Mississippi Miss Hospitality during the final night of competition held July 19 at the Historic Hattiesburg Saenger Theater. The Greene County native emerged at the top of a highly competitive field of 47 contestants from across the state, following a rigorous week of interviews, speeches and stage presentations.

Mississippi’s education ranking has climbed to 16th in the nation – the state’s highest ranking ever – according to the 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book released this summer. 

Move over, Muscadine Ripple—to make room on the freezer shelf for two new Mississippi State-borne ice cream flavors.

Blueberry and sweet potato plan to join MSU’s 11 other palette-pleasing ice cream flavors in 2026 at the MAFES Sales Store, also the home of famous MSU cheese.

The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) Thad Cochran Marine Aquaculture Center (TCMAC) has launched the Marine Aquaculture Demonstration Initiative for Economic Development. The project is funded by Gov. Tate Reeves through the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA).

(Photo by Bryce Mitchell)

A new digital tool aims to make it easier for southeast Mississippi residents to stay informed, engaged and connected to what matters most in their communities.