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Hattiesburg, Miss. – Members of the media greeted Dr. Martha Dunagin Saunders today at the door of the Aubrey K. Lucas Administration Building to record the beginning of her first day as the ninth president of The University of Southern Mississippi. She is the first woman to hold the position. Media interviews and meetings with students and university cabinet members marked her first day on the job. Saunders, a Mississippi native and Southern Miss alumna, was named president on April 5 by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), following a day-long slate of interviews with numerous campus and community constituency groups. She succeeds Dr. Shelby F. Thames, whose term as president concluded May 20. Saunders’ schedule over the next couple of weeks includes more meetings with various vice presidents, university directors and constituency groups, including the Athletic Foundation Executive Committee, Faculty Senate Officers and the presidential transition team. A group of 18 student representatives met with Dr. Saunders today for lunch and had opportunities to share their views of the university and to ask questions of the new president. “I’m personally excited that we have a woman president at Southern Miss,” said Wren Ward, a speech communication major from Little Rock, Ark., and Panhellenic president. “This is such a time of change for our campus and for the Greek system in particular with The Village residential complex opening this fall. I’m excited about all the changes.” Dr. Saunders told the students that much of what they describe about Southern Miss is what she remembers from being a student herself at the university -- the family atmosphere, educational opportunities and freedom to be yourself. “This place I fully credit for giving me a good start in my career,” said Saunders. “It’s gotten better in a number of ways, but the essence hasn’t changed throughout the years.” She challenged the students to remember three things: -- Ride all the rides – do everything that’s available to you as a student;
-- It doesn’t count unless you finish – be sure to graduate;
-- Never forget that you are getting your education on the backs of those who weren’t able to do it. “We are a public institution, and although state funding has decreased through the years, it’s still paid for in large part by the people of Mississippi. It falls back as a responsibility on you who are students now.” Saunders is among only 23 percent of women nationally who held higher education presidential positions in 2006, up from 9.5 percent in 1986, according to a February 2007 study by the American Council on Education. She previously was chancellor of the university of Wisconsin-Whitewater, the first woman to hold that position. With nearly 30 years in higher education, Saunders also served as vice president for academic affairs at Columbus State University in Columbus, Ga., and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of West Florida in Pensacola, where she also worked as director of the University Honors Program.
Dr. Saunders has extensive training and experience in the field of communication, and her scholarship in the area has led to numerous publications and national awards. A native of Mississippi, Saunders earned her B.A. in French from Southern Miss; her M.A. in journalism from the University of Georgia in Athens; and her Ph.D. in communication theory and research from Florida State University in Tallahassee. Saunders is married to Joseph Bailey, who recently retired from the telecommunications industry. They have seven grown children and three grandchildren. The couple will move into the president’s home on Jamestown Road in Hattiesburg sometime later this week. For the past several weeks, the home has been undergoing a number of repairs and renovations. Plans also are in place for a refurbishment of the home’s master suite over the next few months. Saunders is the third president to live in the 8,300-square-foot home since it was built in 1979.
Dr. Martha Dunagin Saunders’ first day as the ninth president of The University of Southern Mississippi included a lunch meeting with campus student leaders. Dr. Saunders, left, fielded a variety of questions and challenged them to take advantage of the opportunities available at Southern Miss. (Southern Miss Public Relations Photo by Steve Rouse)
Columns of the Aubrey K. Lucas Administration building form the backdrop for this photo of Dr. Martha Dunagin Saunders on her first day as the ninth president of The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss. (Southern Miss Public Relations Photo by Steve Rouse) 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. -30-
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