AT&T Contributes Gift To Thames Scholarship for High Ability Students

Pictured from left to right are: Dr. Julian Allen, Associate Vice President for Research at Southern Miss, University President Shelby F. Thames, Scott Cook of AT&T, Kathleen Shaughnessy of AT&T, and Tim Ryan, Executive Director of the Southern Miss Foundation. (Photo by Danny Rawls)

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – AT&T, formerly BellSouth of Mississippi, recently presented Dr. Shelby F. Thames a check for $5,000 to go towards the newly named Shelby F. Thames and Shirley D. Thames Scholarship for High Ability Students Endowment.

The scholarship endowment, named in honor of Dr. Shelby F. Thames, President of The University of Southern Mississippi and his wife, Shirley, provides financial support to deserving students who have shown tremendous academic achievement.

“On behalf of our many years of past support through our former corporate name, BellSouth, and through the continued priority and emphasis AT&T provides through financial gifts to higher education in Mississippi and the southeast region, it is my pleasure to present this check to President Shelby Thames,” said Kathleen Shaughnessy, Manager of External Affairs for AT&T.

According to Shaughnessy, AT&T hopes that other individuals and organizations follow suit with honoring Dr. and Mrs. Thames with contributions to this scholarship endowment.

“It is an additional pleasure to have this gift placed in the Shelby F. Thames and Shirley D. Thames Scholarship for High Ability Students Endowment that recognizes supports and recruits the best and brightest students to Southern Miss,” Shaughnessy added. “AT&T is also pleased to show its support to a fund that honors the many years of dedicated service to this university, this region, and the state of Mississippi by President and Mrs. Thames.

“Their legacy to Southern Miss is one to be proud of, and to hold up as a shining example so others have the opportunity to acknowledge these two wonderful people in a similar manner.”