MEET OUR FACULTY

		Cyndi Gaudet is director of the WLPI and associate professor and coordinator for the Human Capital Development (HCD) degree program. Her cutting-edge workforce development research has received awards from NASA, the Southern Growth Policies Board, andthe New Orleans Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development. One of the high-growth, high technology research initiatives under Dr. Gaudet’s direction was identified as a top five finalist for the U. S. Department of Labor’s 2005 Recognition of Excellence Award, Educating America’s 21st Century Workforce. She has presented professional papers at more than 100 regional, national and international conferences, and her research has been published in journals such as the HRD Quarterly, International Journal of Instructional Media, NABTE Review, URISA Journal, and the Delta Pi Epsilon Journal. Gaudet holds a B.S. and M.Ed. from Southern Miss and a Ph.D. in Human Resource Education and Workforce Development from Louisiana State University.
		Heather Annulis is the assistant director of the WLPI, an assistant professor of WTD, and coprincipal investigator for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Geospatial Technology Apprenticeship Program (GTAP) grant to develop the geospatial workforce. Dr. Annulis blends her teaching and training management experience to coordinate the Master of Science program in Workforce Training and Development at Southern Miss. She also directs the WLPI Training and Development Certificate Program offered for training and human resource development professionals as a systematic method for developing competencies. Her research has garnered numerous awards, and she was recently named one of Mississippi’s Top 40 Under 40 by the Mississippi Business Journal. Annulis holds a B.A. and M.S. from The University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Ph.D. in International Development from Southern Miss.
		Ken Malone chairs the Department of Economic & Workforce Development. His economic development practice and research is focused on technology-based economic development including technology transfer, research parks and technology commercialization management. He currently is implementing grants from the Lemelson Foundation and the National Science Foundation for providing entrepreneurial training to science and technology graduate students. Dr. Malone served as the Chief Operating Officer for the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast campus. Prior to joining the University, he held leadership positions in finance, mergers & acquisitions, marketing, business management, research and manufacturing for the global chemical arm of TotalFina Elf and for the regional chemical operations of Georgia Gulf.
		Brent D. Hales, serves as an assistant professor of economic development at Southern Miss. Dr. Hales previously served as director of the Center for Business and Entrepreneurial Research and of the Center for Community and Economic at Delta State University. His primary area of research since 1996 has been the examination, promotion, and community adoption of telecommunication technologies into the community’s economic development plans and practices. Dr. Hales has developed questionnaires, conducted needs assessments, held conferences and workshops, and worked with service and application providers, community leaders, and businesses to meet the needs of the communities at their levels. He also spearheaded the development of the Mississippi Delta Technology Council, a collaborative project between public and private entities actively using technology in their business, development, or educational activities. He was named as one of the Mississippi Delta’s top community leaders by the Delta Business Journal in 2005. He also received the 2004 New Professional Award from the Community Development Society and was also honored as a Distinguished Young Scholar by Trinity College of Hartford, Connecticut. He received a B.S. from Brigham Young University, an M.A. from Middle Tennessee State University, and a Ph.D. from Iowa State University.
		Bruce Waguespack is an assistant professor at the WLPI and teaches graduate courses in Human Capital Development (HCD) and Workforce Training & Development (WTD) degree programs. Dr. Waguespack has served as an adjunct professor at The University Southern Mississippi and Louisiana State University for over ten years. He worked with WLPI in a part-time basis to help establish the Geospatial Technology Apprenticeship Program standards and industry partners. He is a facilitator in the Training and Development Certificate Program. His innovative teaching style is grounded by practical, real life experience. Dr. Waguespack is an independent consultant through his company, Potential Unlimited Inc., where he designs and aligns performance improvement strategies that achieve key organizational objectives. Waguespack was, for seven years, the corporate manager for training and development at Georgia Gulf Corporation where he was responsible for employee performance improvement and organizational development. Dr. Waguespack was instrumental in establishing the industry-driven Process Technology Associate Degree program in Louisiana. He served two terms as president of the Baton Rouge chapter of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). Waguespack is a Certified Professional in Learning & Performance (CPLP) pioneer, as he is among the first in the industry to earn this certification. Waguespack now serves on the CPLP review team for ASTD. Waguespack holds a B.S. in Agriculture Business from Nicholls State University, an M.S. degree in Adult & Extension Education and a Ph.D. in Human Resource Education and Workforce Development from Louisiana State University.
MEET OUR ADJUNCT FACULTY
		Jack J. Phillips, a world-renowned expert on measurement and evaluation, provides consulting services for Fortune 500 companies and workshops for major conference providers throughout the world. Phillips is the author or editor of more than 30 books and more than 100 articles. His global expertise is based on more than 27 years of corporate experience in five industries (aerospace, textiles, metals, construction materials, and banking) practiced in more than 30 countries. The American Society of Training and Development named Phillips, the recipient of the 2006 Award for Distinguished Contribution to Workplace Learning and Performance. Dr. Phillips has served as training and development manager at two Fortune 500 firms, senior HR officer at two firms, president of a regional federal savings bank, and management professor at a major state university. Phillips has undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering, physics, and mathematics from Southern Polytechnic State University and Oglethorpe University, a master’s degree in decision sciences from Georgia State University, and a Ph.D. in human resource management from the University of Alabama.
		Patti P. Phillips, an internationally recognized author, consultant, and researcher, is President and CEO of the ROI Institute, Inc., the leading source of ROI evaluation education, research and networking. Dr. Phillips works with corporations, government and academia to broaden the application of ROI evaluation to programs directly influencing the economic growth of communities around the world including South Africa, Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Turkey, France, Germany, and Canada as well as throughout the United States. Patti’s academic accomplishments include a Master of Arts Degree in Public and Private Management from Birmingham Southern and a Ph.D. in International Development from The University of Southern Mississippi.

 

APPLY NOW

For graduate application information, visit: usm.edu/graduatestudies

Applicants are required to submit the following materials:

• Application fee ($30)
• Official GRE scores
• Official transcripts
• Three letters of recommendation
• Statement of qualifications and resume (This statement is an important part of the application portfolio. Applicants should use the title “Statement of Qualifications, Goals, and Career Objectives” with name and degree you are seeking in the upper right corner. The statement should address the following: reasons this graduate program was chosen, how the applicant plans to relate the specialty area to his or her education and experience, expected career benefits from this program, and any other matters that should be taken into consideration. Maximum of two pages double-spaced.)
• Immunization compliance [PDF form]

For financial aid and graduate assistantship information, visit:

• usm.edu/financialaid
• usm.edu/wtd/ga