Television personality Nan Kelley will be the keynote speaker at the annual awards banquet for the University of Southern Mississippi School of Mass Communication and Journalism Hall of Fame Thursday, April 23.  She will also be inducted into the MCJ Hall of Fame.

A Hattiesburg native, Kelley graduated from Southern Miss in 1988.  She is a fixture on the Great American Country television network, where she is the host of “Opry Live,” “The Top 20 Country Countdown” and other GAC specials, including the annual “Academy of Country Music Red Carpet.” 

“We’re thrilled to have Ms. Kelley on campus and visiting with students,” said Dr. Chris Campbell, director of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism.  “She has such a dynamic personality.  She’ll be a real inspiration, I’m sure.”

A former Miss Mississippi, her entertainment career has included globetrotting as an entertainer for American troops overseas and serving as a television personality on The Nashville Network and on a variety of other national TV programs.

Tickets to the MCJ Awards Banquet are available by calling 601-266-4258.

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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.