USA News Archive

Dr. Sarah Koon-Magnin, associate professor of political science and criminal justice, works with volunteers who act as advocates for sexual assault victims. The work is done through Lifelines Counseling Services of Mobile.

Examining the 'Disclosure Experience'
July 18, 2019

The #MeToo movement has brought focus to sexual assault. Dr. Sarah Koon-Magnin works to make talking about it less traumatic. ...

Through undergraduate research, Baraa Mando, a senior in chemical engineering, found an outlet for his love of science, math and computer coding.

Student Spotlight: Baraa Mando
July 17, 2019

From computer games to chemistry, how one South student parlayed his love of programming into serious, scientific research. ...

College of Medicine Part of $50M NIH Grant
July 17, 2019

The USA College of Medicine is one of five academic institutions in the southeast that is part of the Center for Clinical and Tran ...

Summer Undergraduate Fellowships Awarded
July 17, 2019

More than 60 USA undergraduates are working with faculty on summer undergraduate research fellowships. ...

Internal Grants Awarded for Research
July 17, 2019

Previous awardees of internal research grants have gone on to earn nearly $20 million in external funding. ...

Astronaut Edwin "Buzz" E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot of the first lunar landing mission, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag. NASA photo.

Fifty Years After 'One Small Step'
July 17, 2019

South's Dr. Carlos Montalvo talks about how we got to the moon five decades ago, and what's next in space exploration. ...

Russell Standridge, a physical therapist in Decatur, Ala., said he gets satisfaction from seeing his patients improve. His clients arrive having faced a variety of medical challenges: from surgeries to athletic injuries to automobile wrecks to neurological disorders.

#MyFirstJob: Russell Standridge
July 15, 2019

With an interest in sports and medicine, Russell Standridge found the 'perfect mix' in a career as a physical therapist. ...

Dr. Devin Stephenson, left, Northwest Florida State College president, and Dr. Tony Waldrop, University of South Alabama president, sign an agreement that adds NWF State College to the list of Gulf Coast institutions that have joined South's Pathway USA program, increasing access to a four-year education for community college students.

NWF State College Joins Pathway USA
July 12, 2019

Northwest Florida State College is the fifth Gulf Coast institution to team up with South to increase access to a four-year degree ...

Eugenie Sellier, '11, '16, is the director of child nutrition programs for Feeding the Gulf Coast, where she oversees four child hunger relief programs serving more than 20,000 children.

In a Storm's Wake, a Service Focus Emerged
July 10, 2019

Two-time South alumna Eugenie Sellier's career at Feeding the Gulf Coast was inspired in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. ...

#MyFirstJob: Lacey Bolden
July 2, 2019

Lacey Bolden says you never know what will happen in the ER. But with her degree from South, she feels prepared for every patient. ...

South physician assistant graduate students traveled to Peru to help treat patients at risk for cervical cancer. From left are Kaycee Villane of Gulf Breeze, Fla., Cole Stephens of Anniston, Ala., and Tori Moore of Philadelphia.

Meeting Patients Where They Are, in Peru
June 28, 2019

South P.A. students travel to South America to treat patients in a country with one of the highest rates of cervical cancer. ...

Gurinder Singh, a graduate of the USA College of Engineering, is director of global sustainability for the American Bureau of Shipping. “Today’s world is quickly changing, and the shipping industry is navigating a complex regulatory landscape and rapid technology changes,” he said.

Solutions Through Creativity, Innovation
June 27, 2019

Engineering alumnus Gurinder Singh leads efforts to transition the maritime industry to sustainability and lower emissions. ...

Billie McKinney, a graduate of the University of South Alabama, is a structural engineer at Ingalls Shipbuilding, one of Mississippi's largest employers. “As a structural engineer at Ingalls, my job consists of ensuring the safety of the men and women of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. I take great pride in providing these men and women with the utmost dedication, professionalism and work ethic that they provide our country daily.”

#MyFirstJob: Billie McKinney
June 24, 2019

As an engineer at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Billie McKinney's job helps ensure the safety of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard personnel. ...

The University of South Alabama Board of Trustees recently elected officers for three-year terms. Picked were businessman James H. “Jimmy” Shumock of Mobile as chair pro tempore, Mobile philanthropist and civic volunteer Arlene Mitchell as vice chair and businesswoman Alexis Atkins as secretary.

USA Board of Trustees Elects Officers
June 18, 2019

Jimmy Shumock, Arlene Mitchell and Alexis Atkins were elected to lead the USA Board of Trustees for the next three years. ...

Zane Patterson's official title at Shipshape Urban Farms is account manager. But working at a start-up means pitching in wherever he's needed, and Patterson said he thrives on that culture. "I enjoy the flexibility of entrepreneurship,” he said.

#MyFirstJob: Zane Patterson
June 17, 2019

An account manager at Shipshape Urban Farms, Zane Patterson thrives on start-up culture. 'I get to help shape this business.& ...

Rodriguez awarded NIH diversity supplement
June 14, 2019

Yelitza Rodriguez is a graduate student in the University of South Alabama Basic Medical Sciences Graduate Program. ...

Her Majesty Queen Mother Dowoti Desir Hounon Houna II will discuss African-based religious practices at South Alabama. And, her husband the Supreme Spiritual Chief of Vodun Hwendo His Majesty Dada Daagbo Hounon Houna II Guely will share reflections on the Clotilda and how the enslaved were captured. Both are religious leaders who travel and speak globally.

West African Religious Leaders to Speak at South
June 14, 2019

USA will host a free lecture to discuss vodou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion, and other African-based religious practices. ...

Andrew Conniff, who earned a strategic communication degree from the University of South Alabama in 2017, was named 2019 Photojournalist of the Year by the Alabama Broadcasters Association.

Creating His Own Story, Telling Others'
June 13, 2019

Andrew Conniff, who earned a strategic communication degree from South in 2017, is named 2019 Photojournalist of the Year. ...

Nick Lawkis, who was named executive director for governmental relations at the University of South Alabama, holds two degrees from South and has worked for the University since 2011.

Lawkis Named Executive Director
June 12, 2019

Nick Lawkis, a University advocate in Montgomery and Washington, D.C., since 2015, was tapped to head governmental relations. ...

When Tara Principe enrolled at South, she thought she would return to Road Island after graduation. “But my parents knew by my sophomore year at South that I was not coming back home to live. There’s no snow here, and I am close to the beaches.” Principe began as the marketing and communication director at Distinguished Young Women just four days after graduation. When Tara Principe enrolled at South, she thought she would return to Road Island after graduation. “But my parents knew by my sophomore year at South that I was not coming back home to live. There’s no snow here, and I am close to the beaches.” Principe began as the marketing and communication director at Distinguished Young Women just four days after graduation.

#MyFirstJob: Tara Principe
June 10, 2019

Distinguished Young Women's new marketing director got a rehearsal performance even before she graduated. ...

College of Engineering Dean Named
June 7, 2019

Dr. John M. Usher has been named dean of the USA College of Engineering. He arrives Aug. 1 from Mississippi State University. ...

The 2018 hurricane season will be remembered mostly for hurricanes Michael and Florence, that latter pictured here in an image with elements furnished by NASA. An average Atlantic hurricane season produces 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

How to Forecast the 2019 Hurricane Season
June 7, 2019

Sea temperatures, sea-level pressure and monsoons all factor into a hurricane forecast. Here is South's experts' take on ...

Caroline Carithers, a 2019 South graduate who is starting at WKRG-TV5, joins Chief Meteorologist Alan Sealls as a member of the WKRG First Alert Storm Team. Sealls taught Carithers while she was at USA.

#MyFirstJob: Caroline Carithers
June 4, 2019

"I was kind of shocked I got my dream job so quickly, so I'm very excited," says South grad and WKRG-TV5's new ...

Dr. Ken Heck, professor emeritus, and Alex Rodriguez, a technician in Heck's lab, look at seagrass samples from near Port St. Joe, Fla., as part of their research to find ways for replenishing the grasses.

Protecting the Gulf's Underwater Nurseries
May 31, 2019

Propellers, hurricanes and even sea turtles pose a threat to Gulf of Mexico seagrass. South researchers aim to reverse its decline ...

A mural of the Clotilda is painted along Bay Bridge Road in Mobile's Africatown community.

'Resistance, Resilience and Survival'
May 30, 2019

The USA community reflects with joy, sadness, optimism and apprehension on the discovery of the Clotilda in the Mobile Delta. ...

Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grant Awarded
May 23, 2019

South's Lydia Turner is one of 75 students nationwide to receive the award. ...

Faculty Receive National Credential in Teaching Excellence
May 23, 2019

The faculty demonstrated their commitment to student success by completing a yearlong Course in Effective Teaching Practices. ...

Dr. Kevin White, professor and chair of the department of civil, coastal and environmental engineering, and Jordan Blackmon, sophomore civil engineering major, stand on the edge of one of five landscaped bioinfiltration swales near Meisler Hall. The swales help capture storm water runoff instead of it running off on the surface and eroding soil that eventually deposits into Three Mile Creek.

Erosion: Keeping a LID on It
May 20, 2019

USA Engineering is using low-impact development, or LID, to reduce erosion and storm water runoff into Three Mile Creek. ...

Briana Morris completed her third year as a member of the USA soccer program in 2018, where she ranked second on the team in points and tied for third in goals.

Soccer's Morris Picked for Sun Belt Summit
May 16, 2019

Briana Morris has been invited to be a part of the Sun Belt Conference's 2019 Diversity and Inclusion Summit. ...

Mitchell College of Business junior Jack Stover will spend 10 weeks in a summer program in Indonesia. “I’m sure it will be a great, eye-opening experience for me.”

One Summer, a Half a World Away
May 15, 2019

Mitchell College of Business student Jack Stover will spend 10 weeks learning about Indonesian language, culture and chocolate. ...

College of Nursing students welcomed visitors to an open house, a National Nurses Week event where information was provided about the college's nursing programs and curriculum.

South Celebrates National Nurses Week
May 13, 2019

Amid a projected shortage, USA is adding nurses to the 4 million in the U.S., and to the more than 15,000 College of Nursing alumn ...

One of Dr. Gloria Wilson's works is her “Blackademic Project,” an ongoing examination of the intersections of race and academic identity. She designed and constructed a doctoral robe to serve as a metaphor to describe the challenges of negotiating a racialized academic identity.

Art Honors Life, Connects to History
May 13, 2019

South graduate Dr. Gloria Wilson's creativity is inspired by family ties and influenced by those who came before her. ...

Common Read/Common World Book Chosen
April 10, 2019

'When the Emperor was Divine' by Julie Otsuka was picked as South's Common Read/Common World book selection for 201 ...

University of South Alabama College of Nursing student

Online RN-to-BSN Offered at South
May 6, 2019

Registered nurses can complete the professional courses for a bachelor's degree in one year. Nursing scholarships are availab ...

Ovie Mughelli, an environmental advocate and former NFL fullback, told graduates that "what you do has to be about more than a job, more than a paycheck. Your purpose in life is inside you."

Grads Urged to Live with Purpose, Integrity
May 5, 2019

Former NFL fullback Ovie Mughelli and USA advocate Happy Fulford addressed graduates at Spring Commencement ceremonies. ...

Dillon Blount, left, a senior meteorology major from Pelham, Ga.; Dr. Wesley Terwey, assistant professor of meteorology; and Amber Kulick, a junior meteorology major from Falkville, Ala., participate in the VORTEX weather balloon program that seeks to learn more about tornadoes in order to provide timelier forecasts.

When Storms Approach, Balloons Go Up
May 5, 2019

South faculty and students are participating in a program that aims to learn more about tornadoes, resulting in timelier forecasts ...

South graduated its first class of PASSAGE USA, a two-year program to promote independence for students with intellectual disabilities.

'There Are No Limits for These Students'
May 4, 2019

South graduates first class of PASSAGE USA, a two-year program to promote independence for students with intellectual disabilities ...

Dr. Hank M. Bounds, who will join South's College of Education and Professional Studies this fall, will help guide student and faculty innovators by providing higher educational leadership, resources, connections and expertise.

Bounds Joins College of Education and Professional Studies
May 1, 2019

Dr. Hank M. Bounds, outgoing president of the University of Nebraska, will serve in the department of leadership and teacher educa ...

Natalie Williams will begin her career as a nurse in a local intensive care unit. “I love a good adrenaline rush,” she said. “I love the fast-paced environment of working in the emergency room. I have learned that I can work in intense situations and not be broken by the experience."

At Her Beginning, She Sought End Answers
April 29, 2019

Nursing senior Natalie Williams, driven by the death of her grandfather, focused on palliative care for her Honors College thesis. ...

In addition to earning her degree Saturday, Khamaria Saadiq will receive the military rank of second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. Her first station of duty will be the University of Michigan, where she will work as a recruiter.

Has Degree and Officer Bars, Will Travel
April 29, 2019

For Khamaria Saadiq, hospitality and tourism management offers an opportunity to be 'around good ideas' and 'enjoy ...

While at South, Stacy Lynwood Sergeant was involved as a Mitchell Ambassador, in the Catholic Student Association and as a member of the Marketing Club and Kappa Alpha fraternity. He also volunteers at Christ United Methodist Church and has trained his golden retriever, Moose, as a therapy dog.

Continuing the Family's Jaguar Line
April 29, 2019

Stacy Sergeant, a third-generation Jaguar, said a co-op with a shipbuilding company allowed him to make important connections. ...

William J. “Happy” Fulford, left, whose USA career spanned nearly 40 years of service in governmental relations, alumni and development, and Ovie Mughelli, a former football star whose post-NFL career has focused on empowering youth and living an ecologically friendly lifestyle, will address USA graduates during Spring Commencement ceremonies.

University Readies for Spring Commencement
April 29, 2019

A longtime University leader and an ex-NFL star-turned-environmentalist will address graduates Saturday at the Mitchell Center. ...

New MBA Offered for Health Care Professionals
April 26, 2019

South's Master of Business Administration program will offer a concentration in health care leadership with a flexible schedu ...

The University of South Alabama Greek organizations are awarded the Deans Cup for their outstanding service and leadership. From left, Michael Simmons, president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity; Nolan Ricketson, president of Sigma Chi Fraternity; and Albany Wisner of Chi Omega Fraternity.

Greek Community Awarded for Achievements
April 25, 2019

The annual awards ceremony recognized fraternities and sororities for academics, membership, service and campus involvement. ...

A Mitchell College of Business team of MBA students Rachel Smith, Jaikishan Maru and David Hinson took first place and $4,000 in a recent business case competition at the University of West Florida.

USA MBA Team Takes First
April 23, 2019

Mitchell College of Business students beat out students from Illinois, Kansas, North Carolina and Florida. ...

Senior Raven McShan is one of only 10 recipients of a prestigious teaching assistantship that will take her to France to teach English. Although guidelines for the assistantship state preference for applicants with master’s degrees, McShan’s background of community service and interest in multicultural diversity contributed to her selection.

Combining Two Loves: Teaching and French
April 23, 2019

Honors College senior Raven McShan is awarded a prestigious teaching assistantship that will take her overseas. ...

The University of South Alabama men's and women's tennis teams both took home Sun Belt championship titles. NCAA tournament selection will be held April 29.

USA Tennis Takes Two Titles
April 22, 2019

South Alabama women's and men's tennis teams claim Sun Belt Conference titles to advance to the NCAA tournament. ...

South Employee Campaign Exceeds $1 Million
April 19, 2019

Employee and retiree donations, along with matching gifts, surpassed $1 million and the goal set by 30 percent. ...

The women's golf team – from left, Caroline Berge, Lexi Worrell, MacKenzie Peyton, Julie Hovland and Siti Shaari, with Coach Matt Luther – claimed the Sun Belt Conference championship when it finished with a season-low 877 combined score at the LPGA International – Hills Course.

Women's Golf Wins Sun Belt Championship
April 18, 2019

The women's golf team advances to the NCAA regional for the first time after claiming its second Sun Belt Championship. ...

Dorgan Receives CAREER Grant from NSF
April 17, 2019

Dr. Kelly Dorgan, assistant professor of marine sciences, has received a prestigious CAREER grant from the NSF. ...

Full News Archive

Examining the 'Disclosure Experience' July 18, 2019

Student Spotlight: Baraa Mando July 17, 2019

College of Medicine Part of $50M NIH Grant July 17, 2019

Summer Undergraduate Fellowships Awarded July 17, 2019

Internal Grants Awarded for Research July 17, 2019

Fifty Years After 'One Small Step' July 17, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Russell Standridge July 15, 2019

NWF State College Joins Pathway USA July 12, 2019

In a Storm's Wake, a Service Focus Emerged July 10, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Lacey Bolden July 2, 2019

Meeting Patients Where They Are, in Peru June 28, 2019

Solutions Through Creativity, Innovation June 27, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Billie McKinney June 24, 2019

USA Board of Trustees Elects Officers June 18, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Zane Patterson June 17, 2019

Rodriguez awarded NIH diversity supplement June 14, 2019

West African Religious Leaders to Speak at South June 14, 2019

Creating His Own Story, Telling Others' June 13, 2019

Lawkis Named Executive Director June 12, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Tara Principe June 10, 2019

College of Engineering Dean Named June 7, 2019

How to Forecast the 2019 Hurricane Season June 7, 2019

#MyFirstJob: Caroline Carithers June 4, 2019

Protecting the Gulf's Underwater Nurseries May 31, 2019

'Resistance, Resilience and Survival' May 30, 2019

Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grant Awarded May 23, 2019

Faculty Receive National Credential in Teaching Excellence May 23, 2019

Erosion: Keeping a LID on It May 20, 2019

Soccer's Morris Picked for Sun Belt Summit May 16, 2019

One Summer, a Half a World Away May 15, 2019

South Celebrates National Nurses Week May 13, 2019

Art Honors Life, Connects to History May 13, 2019

Common Read/Common World Book Chosen April 10, 2019

Online RN-to-BSN Offered at South May 6, 2019

Grads Urged to Live with Purpose, Integrity May 5, 2019

When Storms Approach, Balloons Go Up May 5, 2019

'There Are No Limits for These Students' May 4, 2019

Bounds Joins College of Education and Professional Studies May 1, 2019

At Her Beginning, She Sought End Answers April 29, 2019

Has Degree and Officer Bars, Will Travel April 29, 2019

Continuing the Family's Jaguar Line April 29, 2019

University Readies for Spring Commencement April 29, 2019

New MBA Offered for Health Care Professionals April 26, 2019

Greek Community Awarded for Achievements April 25, 2019

USA MBA Team Takes First April 23, 2019

Combining Two Loves: Teaching and French April 23, 2019

USA Tennis Takes Two Titles April 22, 2019

South Employee Campaign Exceeds $1 Million April 19, 2019

Women's Golf Wins Sun Belt Championship April 18, 2019

Dorgan Receives CAREER Grant from NSF April 17, 2019