Southern Miss Employees Honored by Staff Council

HATTIESBURG—Natalie Wilkinson, a senior graphic designer with Southern Miss Publication and Printing Services, was honored as Staff of the Month for January by the Southern Miss Staff Council, and Mike Funk, maintenance foreman for the Southern Miss Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, was honored as Staff of the Month for February.

Staff of the Month honorees receive a $40 gift certificate to Barnes and Nobles bookstore or any on-campus food service venue; two tickets to an athletic event of their choice (for sport that is in season at time of award); their photo on the Staff Council Web site; and a one-month trial membership to the Payne Center.

Staff of the Month honorees will automatically be considered for the Staff Council’s Outstanding Staff Member of the Year award. To nominate a staff member for this award or for more information, contact Staff Council president Valerie Horne at 601.266.6285 or visit the Staff Council’s Web page at http://www.usm.edu/scouncil/.

Southern Miss Leadership Studies Program Application Deadline March 31

HATTIESBURG—The Leadership Studies Program is a residential summer program open to students completing grades 6-11 that provides training in areas necessary for leadership development, including fundamentals of leadership, written and oral communication, group dynamics, planning, decision making, personal skills, and values clarification. Students will learn strategies for leadership in school, civil, or religious organizations. Dates for the program are June 18 – 23, with the application deadline set for March 31. Tuition includes room and board. For more information, visit www.usm.edu/gifted, e-mail gifted.studies@usm.edu or call 601.266.5236.

First Friday Programs Dedicated to Faculty Development

HATTIESBURG—The Learning Enhancement Center (LEC) has dedicated the first Friday of each month in spring to meet faculty instructional design and technology needs. Every first Friday, the LEC lab, located in the International Center, Room 317, is open to faculty on a walk-in basis. LEC staff will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to provide one-on-one assistance to faculty, staff, and graduate assistants on any instructional design or technology need, ranging from how to create a PowerPoint presentation to developing an online course.

The LEC staff consists of instructional designers, multimedia developers, and instructional technologies trainers.

“The First Friday concept is our solution to providing one-on-one assistance to faculty who have undergone our workshop trainings, but may need additional guidance in their instructional design or technologies projects,” said Shanna Luke, instructional designer and coordinator of First Friday. “We want faculty to know that in addition to our training services they can count on us for post-training support.”

Sheri Rawls, LEC director, said “First Friday creates an opportunity for faculty to meet up with their colleagues and exchange instructional tips among themselves.”
Susan Dobson, health educator with Student Health Services who was not in need of taking a full course, found First Fridays valuable when a couple of questions arose regarding WebCT. “Instead of stressing over the problems, I saved them for the upcoming First Friday where I was able to sit down with my computer and a member of the LEC staff,” Dobson said. “The opportunity to have clear communication as to the problem and its answer makes understanding so much easier. I would like to see First Fridays continue.”

There are two remaining First Friday sessions for the spring 2006 semester, including April 7 and May 5. For more information about First Friday, please contact lec@usm.edu.

Mass Comm Professor Wins SEJC Journalism Educator of the Year

HATTIESBURG—David R. Davies, associate professor of mass communication, has been named Journalism Educator of the Year by the Southeast Journalism Conference (SEJC).

The award recognizes Davies' contributions to journalism education both at Southern Miss and through the SEJC, an organization of 40 colleges and universities in six southeastern states. Davies was given the award at the SEJC's 19th annual convention
Feb. 18 in Atlanta, Ga.

Davies has been active in SEJC since organizing the SEJC convention in 1992 at the end of his first full year at Southern Miss. He was president of the organization in 1991-1992 and its secretary-treasurer from 1998 to 2003.

"This award recognizes the most outstanding educators in the Southeast," said Margaret E. Williams, publication manager of The Student Printz and Southern Miss’ delegate to the SEJC convention. "The students were simply delighted that Davies won."

Davies, 48, is associate director of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism and served as the school's interim director in 2004-2005. He is an associate dean in the College of Arts and Letters. He was adviser to The Student Printz for a decade.

Southern Miss College of Health Presents March Scholars Series

HATTIESBURG – The University of Southern Mississippi’s College of Health will host its March Scholars Series Monday, March 13 in Cook Library, Room 123, on the university’s Hattiesburg campus. The event is from 11 a.m. to noon.

Lara Monico and Kathy Irving, both from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, are the featured speakers. Monico will discuss “Factors that Affect Outcomes Following Cochlear Implantation.” Irving’s topic focuses on “Technical Aspects and Technological Advances in Cochlear Implants.”

For more information, please contact Susan Hubble Burchell, associate professor within the School of Human Performance and Recreation at 601.266.6325.

BAC Workshops, Open House Planned

HATTIEBSURG – The Business Assistance Center at the University of Southern Mississippi has two GO Zone workshops scheduled for March in Hattiesburg. The first will be held March 16 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Hattiesburg Cultural Center at 723 Main St. The second will be held March 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the same location. Lunch will be provided. Tom Peyton of Donnell and Company will be presenting at both workshops. The BAC will hold an open house on March 29 from 4 to 6 p.m.

For more information or to register for the workshops, call the BAC at 601.544.5682.

Government Sponsored Torture Topic of Campus Debate March 14

HATTIESBURG – A torture “teach-in” will be held at 7:30 p.m., March 14 in Stout Hall, B, on the Hattiesburg campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. Philosophy and religion professor Sam Bruton and military history professor Kevin Dougherty will debate both sides of the issue of torture as tactic in the war on terror. Following the debate, the floor will be opened to the public, which is invited to attend.

For more information, contact 601.266.4522.