Once again, Southern Miss is at the forefront of relevant research.

Governor Barbour will be on our Hattiesburg campus today to lend support to a new partnership between Southern Miss and GE Aviation, a world leader in the production of jet engines and one of our state's outstanding corporate citizens. 

Researchers with both GE Aviation and the University of Southern Mississippi will be working together to develop composite materials and processes that will be used at the company's Batesville, Mississippi, facility.

Composite materials are the way of the future in aviation.  Composite aircraft components offer unparalleled weight savings and durability, which in turn yield greater fuel efficiency and greater operability in the aircraft in which they are used.

This exciting new public-private partnership will utilize the expertise at USM's School of Polymers and High Performance Materials and will draw on our state's considerable research capabilities to develop real solutions that will have a long-lasting impact on the future of aviation. 

Our students will benefit from working with a global aviation leader on sophisticated research and development work that has an important real-world application. The collaborative effort between GE Aviation and USM provides hands-on research experience to Mississippi students and build our state's research and development capacity for the future.

The College World Series was an amazing experience for Eagle fans and players alike.  I am proud of our team who showed us the way to Omaha.  Even though we were the smallest school in the competition, the stadium was a sea of gold as fans from across the country converged to cheer for our boys.  We made a lot of noise.  Special thanks to Hattiesburg Mayor, Johnny Dupree, who was there rooting for the home team. 

Congratulations Coach Palmer.  It was a great ride.

A little rain did not deter massive attendance at this year's Mississippi Day in Central Park.  Locals and visitors lined up for some fine catfish and downhome conversation.  Governor Barbour was there enjoying the festivities.  Southern Miss and the City of Hattiesburg partnered up to display the best of South Mississippi. 

The scrappy Golden Eagles baseball team did us all proud this weekend.  They whipped the Florida Gators in the Super Regionals and are going to the Big Show in Omaha - the College World Series for the first time in school history.  Congratulations to Coach Palmer and all his staff.

Read below for some good news for the Golden Eagle fans who will not be able to travel to Gainesville this weekend:

"And what is so rare as a day in June?

Then, if ever, come perfect days."  (Lowell)

We've had a few such perfect days already at Southern Miss this June.  On Monday, our baseball team and beloved coach, Corky Palmer, returned in triumph after winning the regional tournament.  They'll be moving on to super regionals this weekend in Gainesville, Florida.

This morning's mail held the exciting news that Tyler McCleery has been selected as one of the Society of Physics Students' 2009 Top Leadership Awardees.  Tyler was selected from a group of exceptional applicants.  I commend him and his faculty mentors for outstanding academic performance.

The best part of a great graduation weekend was the spontaneous conga line formed by the faculty in the recessional at the Southern Miss Gulf Coast commencement.  The inspiration was most certainly the music of Professor John Wooten and his Steel Pan Orchestra.  What a great day!

Beloved community leader, Jerry St. Pe' offers his thanks upon receiving the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

Steel Pan Orchestra preparing for recessional.

Strike up the band!

And the party begins...

It's Graduation Day!  Today we celebrate our handiwork as 1700 students receive their diplomas.  We wish them well and expect great things from them.  We also hope they will join the Alumni Association and STAY IN TOUCH!  We have three commencement ceremonies:  two in Hattiesburg today and one on the coast tomorrow where we will award an honorary doctorate to Jerry St. Pe'.  He's an amazing man with the soul of a citizen.  Read his bio on the web site.  Better yet, plan to attend.

At the Honors College Reception today, we are celebrating notable "firsts" for this year:

Jennifer Lamb was named our first Morris K. Udall Scholar in recognition of her commitment to the environment.  She was one of 80 Scholars selected from more than 500 applicants.

Terry Johnston was named our first James Madison Fellowship Recipient in recognition of his commitment to a career as a social studies teacher.  He is the Fellow for the state of Mississippi.

Justin Poelma became the university's first Marshall Scholarship Reserve List Finalist and he was also the only student from a Mississippi institution to be selected as a Phi Kappa Phi national fellowship recipient.  Each chapter may submit only one nominee and from there 60 Fellows are chosen.  Not only was Justin selected as a Fellow but he was selected as the Hohenstein Fellow for the South Central Region meaning he was the top ranking applicant from our entire region.

Suzanna Ellzey was named the university's first Phi Kappa Phi Emerging Scholar (one of 60).  She was also one of three USM students to be chosen to receive Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants.  She along with Ruth Poe and Alexis Smith are the first to receive PKP Study Abroad Grants.  Only 50 were granted and USM was one of only three chapters nationwide to receive the maximum of three grants.

Cindy Burleson is the first student from USM to be representing us at the International Olympic Academy in Athens Greece this summer.  She will present a paper on using Olympic Truce as a peace-keeping tool.

Last but not least Jessica Shackleford was named to the USA Today All-Academic Third Team.  This is on the third time a USM student has been named to the team and is the first such an honor by a USM student in more than a decade.  Only thirty students nationwide are named to the team.

Congratulations go to Dean Davies and the host of faculty who supported these students in the classrooms and through letters of nomination.

Every week has its ups and downs and this past one was no exception.  Best moment by far was our theater department's production with the unlikely title, Urinetown. I cannot remember when I have laughed so hard.