Browsing: People

Our greatest asset in Mississippi is our people. Get to know the people who make up our Mississippi home!

Building on a legacy of transformative giving, the Jimmy A. Payne Foundation recently made grants totaling $502,689 through the USM Foundation to support 17 projects across all four academic colleges, the Graduate School, University Libraries, Academic Affairs and Student Affairs at The University of Southern Mississippi.  

Mississippi is home to countless talented artists and entertainers. One of them is James Earl Jones. The iconic actor, known for his golden baritone voice, passed away this week. He left behind a legacy of performances in Hollywood classics like Field of Dreams and Star Wars, where he famously voiced Darth Vader.

Imagine enjoying local dining, shopping, exercising, and relaxing without ever having to get behind the wheel of a car. For many people in Mississippi cities, a walkable or bikeable neighborhood like this seems out of reach. However, longtime friends Beth and Kaite Seymore are trying to change that, starting with the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The friends recently opened Tour de Coast, Mississippi’s first private E-Bike share company.

The influence of a legendary University of Southern Mississippi (USM) professor convinced Louise Smith to come to Hattiesburg and study to be a music educator – ultimately following a “call to teach” that has since struck a chord with those singing praises for her work as the longtime band director at Gautier (Miss.) Middle School.   

Many people recognize these lyrics as part of Lauren Daigle’s award-winning song, “You Say,” from Look Up Child, her third studio album. However, fewer people might realize that this album became the highest-charting Christian album from a female artist in over 20 years. 

The late Bernard Coffindaffer spent millions leaving his mark.

Crosses of Mercy stand along numerous roadways reminding us of Jesus’ death and of Coffindaffer’s evangelism. Clusters of three crosses, two painted heavenly blue flanking a center one painted Jerusalem gold, are scattered in 29 states, the District of Columbia, Zambia and the Philippines.

While living in New Orleans, London met Scott Hoverman, owner of 3 Alarm Comics in Ocean Springs. Hoverman invited London to come and sign autographs as a celebrity guest, introducing him to Mississippi. “I fell in love with Ocean Springs,” shared London. “It is truly a magical little place. So beautiful.” At that time, London’s family was expecting. “We were about to have a baby, and New Orleans didn’t feel like the place we truly wanted to be,” shared London. “So the Universe brought us here.”