I am very proud that a University of Southern Mississippi faculty member has been named Mississippi’s top diversity educator among the state’s public institutions.

Dr. Kim LeDuff, an associate professor and the associate director of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism, was chosen by the Institutions for Higher Learning as the Black History Month Educator of the Year for 2012. I was honored to be with Dr. LeDuff when she accepted the award in Jackson earlier this month.

In our recent interview, she speaks about her passion for spreading diversity in the classroom, her research on race and representation in the mass media, and her role as chair of the university’s Diversity Committee. Dr. LeDuff’s philosophy of teaching others that diversity is bigger than race and that our focus should be on commonalities rather than differences is a perspective that we should all embrace.

The university is very pleased to have Dr. LeDuff as part of the Southern Miss family. I look forward to her continued work on our campus and in our community.

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Earlier today, the university enthusiastically announced its campaign to raise funds for a new School of Nursing Building on our Hattiesburg campus. I spoke with Dr. Katherine Nugent, director for the School of Nursing, to get her thoughts on this endeavor and how this will transform health care education for students at Southern Miss.

During our chat, Dr. Nugent discusses the school’s rich history of providing the region with top-notch nursing professionals since its establishment in 1967. She notes that our School of Nursing programs encompass a full-range of nursing opportunities, meeting the workforce needs at every tier by producing nurses, researchers, nurse practitioners, nurse executives and nurse administrators.

She shares her excitement to continue the tradition in a new space that will be better suited to accommodate the needs of these programs. Undoubtedly, the new three-story building, boasting an expanded simulation lab, classrooms with advanced technology, a learning resource center, a student lounge and a dining area, will prove to be a great resource to our students’ success.

I, like Dr. Nugent, am pleased to have the support of so many who are eager to see the benefits of this new space and its tremendous impact on the lives in Mississippi and across the region.

Click here for the full story about the School of Nursing Building Campaign announcement on Southern Miss Now.

Read more here about how Southern Miss’ School of Nursing is improving lives and transforming health care.

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The Faculty Senate at Southern Miss plays a key part in the university’s commitment to building a climate for academic success. I recently sat down with Dr. Tim Rehner, president of the Faculty Senate, who weighs in on this governance group’s role in the decision-making processes at the university.

Dr. Rehner shares with me that the Faculty Senate is ultimately a voice that represents faculty interest to the administration. He says this falls in line with how universities were uniquely set up to maximize knowledge-building and truth-seeking involving faculty.

In our conversation, Dr. Rehner emphasizes the Faculty Senate’s dedication to educating future leaders in order to make the state of Mississippi a better place to live and work. He explains his view of higher education as a vital enterprise in Mississippi considering its role in the economy, workforce development and improved lives for graduates.

I look forward to seeing the positive impact that the work of this group will continue to have on the university.

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Today I had the privilege of sitting down with our new head football coach and gaining some important insight into how he plans to run the Golden Eagle football team. Ellis Johnson, who spent some time with the Golden Eagles as a defensive coordinator, comes to Southern Miss from South Carolina.

In our conversation, new head coach Johnson shares his football philosophy, what made him decide to return to the university, what Golden Eagle fans can expect and where he plans to lead his new team.

I am excited to see his passion for Southern Miss take our Golden Eagles to new heights.

Click here to read the full story about Ellis Johnson on Southern Miss Now.

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