Southern Miss senior Kelly DeVoe believes college is a time to discover passions, learn important skills for a successful career, and meet people who will be lifelong connections.
A marketing major from Mobile, Ala., DeVoe has done just that through her involvement with just some of the hundreds of organizations at The University of Southern Mississippi, including Delta Gamma Sorority, Golden Eagles Masters Swim Club, Horticulture Club, and Cintas Student Business Ambassadors, among others. But she doesn’t stop at just being a member – DeVoe learned the value of initiative and taking on leadership positions, which has helped her make a significant difference in these organizations, as she is currently president of EagleCatholic.
“Student involvement has pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me valuable lessons,” DeVoe said. “I’ve learned to be patient with others and push them to be their best versions. I’ve learned how to get back up and learn from failure. And I’ve learned to give back instead of only taking things for myself.”
The Southern Miss Office of Leadership and Student Involvement (LSI) in the Division of Student Affairs enjoyed a year of achievement like the kind DeVoe has experienced, with 2023-24 seeing a record number of registered student organizations, including the chartering of new student organizations, and academic success for the for the organizations under its purview.
LSI oversees registered student organizations and houses the Southern Miss Activities Council (SMAC) campus programming board, as well as Golden Eagle Welcome Week (GEWW) and the UNV 100 first-year seminar course.
For the last several years, registered student organizations have numbered between 175 and 185 annually. The 2023-24 academic year saw a milestone 200 registered student organizations thanks to a record-breaking 23 student organizations chartered in 2024.
Dr. Emily Holmes, director of LSI, is looking to build on last year’s success in the upcoming school year.
“We’re incredibly proud of the growth of our student organizations in the last year,” said Dr. Emily Holmes, director of LSI. “Student organization involvement is critical to student belonging and success on campus. Knowing our students can make connections and find their people among our 200-plus active student organizations tells us that Southern Miss is well-equipped to empower students to become leaders outside of the classroom, graduate with impactful degrees, and be ready for life.
“Additionally, the average GPA of presidents of student organizations for the spring semester was a 3.596. This tells us our student leaders are not only excelling outside of the classroom, but inside as well, and we plan to keep up that momentum in 2024-25.”
Rodney Bridgeforth, a senior entrepreneurship major from Brookhaven, Miss., and president of Eagle Gaming Club, says getting involved on campus has a myriad of benefits whether as a general member or in a leadership role for a student organization.
“In terms of the benefits of being a general member of a campus organization, it often helps to make students feel more connected and that they have a space where they belong; it can be especially useful for an international student or a student from out of state. It’s also a great way to make new friends in a new environment. These friends may develop life-long bonds, motivate students to do well academically, help them maintain good mental health and find out about resources they never would have known initially.”
As for leadership roles in campus organizations, Bridgeforth says they can help prepare a student to be successful in the workplace and life.
“Some skills resulting from leadership experience include networking, communication, and time management,” Bridgeforth further noted. “Student leaders often interact with a vast array of people from diverse backgrounds. Being in a leadership role has frequently put me in contact with people I never would have met otherwise.”
Paige Fellows, a senior from Baton Rouge, La. majoring in elementary education and minoring in English, agrees with Bridgeforth that getting involved with student organizations can help a student from out of state settle more easily into a new environment.
“My experience at Southern Miss would not be the same without my campus involvement,” Fellows said. “As an out-of-state student, I came to Southern Miss not knowing anyone on campus, but I knew I wanted to get involved. I decided to go through sorority recruitment in the hopes that I’d make some friends but didn’t think how it would affect me further than that. Now, three years later, I serve as the president of the College Panhellenic Council and can look back and see what a difference getting involved made for me.
“Southern Miss has truly allowed me to grow as a student and leader, and as I’ve poured into and loved these organizations, they have loved me back like no other. I feel so thankful for the opportunities Southern Miss has given me and feel prepared for life after graduation in just a year.”
DeVoe says the way to bring USM President Dr. Joe Paul’s mantra of “Leave Southern Miss better than you found it” to fruition is through getting involved on campus, to truly learn the importance of leadership, empathy for others, responsibility, how to take initiative, and more.
“You can spend these four or more years of college going to class, but if you don’t get involved outside the classroom you miss a benefit of college,” DeVoe continued. “Getting our degrees is what we are here for, but if we stop at the degree, we miss the opportunity to grow as students, professionals, and humans.
“Our goal should be to do well in school, but also have the additional goal of doing well in life. So, get involved, say ‘yes,’ and leave not only USM but the world better than you found it.”