This briefs package highlights timely news and events from The University of Southern Mississippi. For more information on any of the stories below or for assistance in arranging interviews, contact the Department of Marketing and Public Relations at 228.865.4573.

• Southern Miss Choirs to Present Two Local Concerts
• War and Society Roundtable April 14 at Hattiesburg Library
• Golden Eagle Powwow April 24-26 at Southern Miss Payne Center
• Town Hall Meeting on Women’s Issues April 30 at Southern Miss
• Tennessee Williams Scholar Interviewed on Australian National Radio
• Spring Pottery and Art Sale May 1-2

Southern Miss Choirs to Present Two Local Concerts

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The University of Southern Mississippi’s Southern Chorale, Chamber Singers and Spirit of Southern Male A Cappella ensemble will present a spring concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 14 at Bay Street Presbyterian Church in Hattiesburg. 

The concert will feature an array of choral styles and historical time periods in addition to several different conductors, including graduate students fulfill degree requirements for the master’s and doctoral degrees in choral conducting. 

On Thursday, April 16, the Concert Choir, University Singers and the Spirit of Southern Male A Cappella ensemble will perform at 7:30 p.m. at Parkway Heights United Methodist Church. This performance will also feature music from all time periods and styles and will boast nearly 100 singers during the evening of song. 

Both concerts are free and open to the public. For more information, call the School of Music at 601.266.5433 or visit online at www.usm.edu/music.

     Fourth War and Society Roundtable of Spring April 14 at Hattiesburg Library

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for the Study of War and Society will host the fourth War and Society Roundtable of the semester at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 14 at the Library of Hattiesburg, Petal and Forrest County, located at 329 Hardy Street in downtown Hattiesburg.
 
The 2008-2009 roundtable series focuses on war fiction and the featured novel this month is “Dog Company Six” by Edwin Howard Simmons. The discussion will be moderated by Colin Colburn, a master’s degree candidate in history at Southern Miss.
 
The story of “Dog Company Six” is one of a Marine Reserve captain, George Bayard, who was recalled to service during the Korean War and given command of rifle company D, which shipped out in time for the attack on Inchon.
 
Several copies of the book are available for loan at the library before the discussion begins. For more information, contact Sean Farrell at the Library at 601.584.3166 or Kyle Zelner at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .
 
The Center for the Study of War and Society serves as a local, national and international resource for the study of the history of conflict using social, economic, political, cultural and military methods. For more information, contact the Southern Miss Department of History at 601.266.4333.

Golden Eagle Powwow April 24-26 at Southern Miss Payne Center

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Golden Eagles Intertribal Society (GEIS) at The University of Southern Mississippi will hold its seventh annual Powwow, “Honor Our Elders” April 24-26 at the Southern Miss Payne Center. 

The event serves as a fundraiser for GEIS membership and recruitment, retention, and scholarships for American Indians at Southern Miss. It is also an opportunity for people on the Southern Miss campus as well as those in the Hattiesburg community to learn more about Native American traditions. 

The Powwow will feature gourd and intertribal dancing and dance contests, as well as cultural presentations and Indian arts, crafts and foods. This event is free and open to the public. On Friday, April 24, the Powwow will be open to area grade school students from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. with events such as exhibition dance, storytelling, stickball and crafts.

For more information on GEIS and the Powwow visit www.usm.edu/geis.

Town Hall Meeting on Women’s Issues April 30 at Southern Miss

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The University of Southern Mississippi Committee on Services and Resources for Women is hosting its final Spring Town Hall meeting Thursday, April 30 from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at the Hattiesburg Public Library. 

The theme for the meeting is "Surviving and Thriving in Times of Crisis." Discussion will begin with comments by invited panelists, including Southern Miss President Martha Saunders; clergy; financial planners; and experts on women's health issues, followed by questions and comments from audience members. 

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Linda Pierce Allen at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

     Tennessee Williams Expert Interviewed on Australian National Radio

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Dr. Philip Kolin, professor of English at the University of Southern Mississippi and a noted Tennessee Williams scholar, was interviewed April 4 on Australian national radio for his expertise on the famed American playwright and Mississippi native.

Three major Streetcar productions are coming to Australia, and Kolin was interviewed because of his many books and articles on the play. In September Australian actress Cate Blanchett, who has appeared in such films as Queen Elizabeth and the Aviator, will star  as Blanche in Melbourne; Andre Previn’s operatic version of Streetcar will also  be performed in Australia this spring as well as a ballet version of Williams’s play.

Kolin was interviewed by Margaret Throsby on the Australian Broadcast Corporation’s popular morning  show Classic FM. Both Throsby and her producer Mark Hastings relied on Kolin’s work for their interview background material. 

Among the many topics covered in Kolin’s interview were why Williams’s play remains so popular over the decades; the differences between the 1951 Streetcar film and its
Broadway premiere in 1947; the various productions of the play by black and gay theatre troupes; the ways in which Williams’s script has been adapted for music and dance; and how Williams used Shakespeare to develop the character of Blanche.

Spring Pottery and Art Sale May 1-2 at Southern Miss

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- University of Southern Mississippi students, faculty and staff of the 3D Arts area of the Department of Art and Design announced its Annual Spring Pottery and Art Sale to be held Friday and Saturday, May 1-2, at the studio on West Fourth Street in Hattiesburg.

Ceramic sculpture, traditional pottery and many other creative expressions will be available for purchase. A percentage of the proceeds will help purchase a much needed clay mixer for the students.

Jennifer Torres, associate professor and area coordinator, said the Fall Pottery and Art Sale “was a great success in December (2008), and many folks took home some lovely objects for holiday gifts. Some serious collectors also walked away with some quality ceramic works as well.”

For the spring sale, Torres also said “the bargains are many, but the good stuff goes fast. There are artworks here for every style and taste, so everyone will find something to take home.”

Cash sales, with applicable Mississippi sales tax, will be accepted only, no checks or credit cards. For more information contact Torres at 601.266.6032 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it . 

About The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi, founded in 1910, is a comprehensive doctoral and research-extensive university fulfilling its mission of being a leading university in engaging and empowering individuals to transform lives and communities.  In a tradition of leadership for student development, Southern Miss is educating a 21st century work force providing intellectual capital, cultural enrichment and innovation to Mississippi and the world.  Southern Miss is located in Hattiesburg, Miss., with an additional campus and teaching and research sites on the Mississippi Gulf Coast; further information is found at www.usm.edu.