Resources

The purpose of the Eagle Scholars Program is to (1) offer business students with assistance during their college career and (2) provide real-world corporate training, coaching and professional development to enhance student education and career preparation.

Learn more about the Eagle Scholars Program.

The Cintas Business Student Ambassadors strive to promote excellence, unity, and service in the College of Business & Economic Development at the University of Southern Mississippi through representation, recruitment, service, and facilitation. Ambassadors play a critical role in recruiting prospective students, engaging current students, fostering alumni relations, and maintaining sound relationships with corporate partners.

Learn more about the Cintas Business Student Ambassadors Program. 

Southern Miss Business is committed to student success in an ever-evolving global business environment. Our business study abroad programs provide students a unique opportunity to experience diverse cultures as they learn about new business environments while engaging with international and American companies abroad.

Learn more about Business Study Abroad Programs. 

Hands-on skills training and experiences are in great demand by employers. Since developing your career is a major mission of the College of Business and Economic Development, we provide opportunities for internships to students taking upper level courses. Find out more about our internship opportunities. 

January 2024

Professional Headshots
Wed, Jan 31 from 10:00 – 1:00 in the Lock Commons
Get your professional headshot made and polished up for use on LinkedIn, websites, bios, and other uses (not your resume). There is no charge to have your picture taken. Later, if you decide to order the picture, there will be a $15 charge.

February 2024

Resume Development Strategies
Tues, Feb 6 at 12:20 pm in SCH 1048
Learn the basics of resume writing and how to make it fit your desired career.
Click HERE to join online. Password: BizResume

Financial Services Career Fair
Wed, Feb 7 from 10:30 – 1:30 in the Lock Commons
Talk to representatives from various financial companies about internships and full-time career opportunities.

Site Visit to The First Bank
Fri, Feb 9 in Hattiesburg
Learn about the multiple divisions within a bank and the career paths available and meet with executives. RSVP by Monday, Feb 5 at BusinessCareers@usm.edu.

Professional Dress Workshop
Thurs, Feb 15 at 12:20 pm in SCH 1048
Learn the difference between business casual and business professional, including tips and strategies for building a professional wardrobe.
Click HERE to join online. Password: LookGood

White Collar Careers in Blue Collar Industries
Tues, Feb 20 at 4:00 in SCH 1048
A panel discussion with representatives from various companies discussing lucrative executive-level careers and daily life within trade industries.
Click HERE to join online. Password: WhiteBlue

Networking & How to Work Job Fairs Workshop
Thurs, Feb 22 at 12:20 pm in SCH 1048
Learn how to get the most out of networking events and job fairs. Topics will include how to prepare, what to talk about, and how to follow up.
Click HERE to join online. Password: Connections

USM Spring Career & Internship Fair
Tues, Feb 27 from 10:30 – 1:30 in the TCC Ballroom
Connect with regional and national employers from various industries for internship and full-time career opportunities.
Check HANDSHAKE to view the list of participating employers. The list updates regularly.

Spring Business Career & Internship Fair
Wed, Feb 28 from 10:30 – 1:30 in the Lock Commons
Connect with regional and national employers from various industries for internship and full-time career opportunities.
Check HANDSHAKE to view the list of participating employers. The list updates regularly.

March 2024

Gulf Park Careers on the Coast Job Fair
Tues, Mar 5 from 11:00 – 2:00 in the Gulf Park Library
Connect with employers located on the coast from various industries for internship and full-time career opportunities.

Interviewing Success Workshop
Wed, Mar 6 at 12:20 pm in SCH 1048
Learn how to make a positive impression during job interviews with your discussion during the interview and overall professional presence.
Click HERE to join online. Password: GetHired

Evaluating Job Offers & Conducting Salary Negotiations
Wed, Mar 20 at 12:20 pm in SCH 1048
Learn what to consider when considering a job offer, how to make your case for a higher starting salary, and the pitfalls to avoid.
Click HERE to join online. Password: SayingYes

April 2024

Etiquette Dinner
Tues, Apr 9 at 6:00 pm in Trent Lott Center
Develop your professional skills by learning the basic rules of social and dining etiquette. Topics include introductions, protocols, using the correct utensils, and handling tricky foods. Space is limited, so you must sign-up in advance.
Pre-Register by Mon, Apr 1 in Scianna Hall Suite 2025

The Testing Center, located on the second floor of Scianna Hall, provides ample space for online testing for business classes offered by the College of Business and Economic Development. Visit the Testing Center website to find out what you should know before arriving.

NOTE: The College of Business and Economic Development Testing Center is not the same as the University Testing Center. We do not administer any of the National Exams. i.e. the PRAXIS, GRE, TOEFL, GMAT, etc. Please call the University Testing Center at 601.266.6123 for these exams. GED exams are given at local Community Colleges.

The Center for Student Success is your go-to resource for academic support, guidance, and planning your path to graduation. Our dedicated academic advisors are here to help with course selection, degree planning, academic standing concerns, and any challenges that may impact your success. We'll also connect you with university resources for financial aid, career services, and personal support—ensuring you have everything you need to thrive at Southern Miss Business.

Southern Miss Business has a long list of scholarship opportunities specific to students who are currently pursuing a major within the College of Business and Economic Development. Visit the Southern Miss Business Scholarships page to see a list of these opportunities and their unique requirements.

Interested in getting more involved and gaining professional experience? Join a student organization! 

Many CBED classes require students to utilize specific computer programs and web services. Therefore, CBED students are required to have a computer capable of handling the necessary tasks. Students may select any computer that meets the minimum system requirements specified below. Students should be aware that, while they may utilize computers that exceed the given specifications, these are the minimum equipment capabilities expected to be necessary during their CBED studies.

Operating System: Windows 10 Home Premium, or later

Processor: Intel I3/I5/I7 or comparable AMD processor Ryzen 3/5/7 that is less than four years/generations old. Avoid low-end CPU’s such as the Celeron that are frequently found on low-cost leader laptops. These CPU’s will struggle to run the software in CBED classes.

Memory (RAM): A minimum of 8GB RAM.

Storage (HDD or SSD): There is no minimum hard drive size; instead, the minimum amount of free space your device should have for classes is 60GB. This will likely require a laptop with at least a 250GB drive to start with (Windows & other common apps will generally immediately use up at least 80GB, leaving very little space on a low-cost leader laptop that came with only 120GB). Suppose you do not have at least 40GB free to perform the classroom tasks of installation and running software. In that case, it is the student’s responsibility to remove enough media/previous software to find the free space required for each piece of software as needed.

Wireless 802.11ac/b/g/n

Using Alternate Operating Systems and Emulators: The College of Business and Economic Development requires students to have access to a Windows-capable PC. Classes may require software that will not work on a Macintosh. If a student is using a Mac as their device, they are expected to be able to run Windows on it. This may require students to purchase VMWare's Fusion, or Parallels, and a license for Windows 10/11. Students will be expected to know how to run these programs in order to emulate Windows on their Mac. Please note that instructors will not be able to help with this task. It is the student’s responsibility to have any necessary emulators configured properly and be able to run them.

Using Tablets: Chromebooks and most tablets such as the iPad/iPad Pro/Samsung Galaxy are not capable of replacing a laptop to run classroom software. Exceptions, such as a 2-in-1 functionality laptop, such as a Surface Pro, are allowed. 

All Southern Miss students are eligible to download Office 365 for free. To find out more, visit USM iTech. 

Grammarly’s AI-powered products help people communicate more effectively. Millions of users rely on Grammarly every day to make their messages, documents, and social media posts clear, mistake-free, and impactful. As you type, Grammarly checks your text for hundreds of common and advanced writing issues, including common grammatical errors, contextual spelling mistakes, phonetic spelling mistakes, irregular verb conjugations and more. Grammarly also provides synonym suggestions to make your writing more readable and precise. 

Being a College of Business & Economic Development students means you have access to the Premium version, free! To activate your Grammarly account, please follow the steps below...

1. Actively check your junk/clutter for the invite. Invites are sent FROM Grammarly (typically from info@send.grammarly.com).
2. You should not change the e-mail address in your Grammarly account.  You must use your USM account.
3. If you can’t find the Grammarly email and are using your phone, you need to log in (on a computer) to your USM account (portal.office.com) and check the junk mail folder.
4. If you still cannot access Grammarly after trying the above steps or cannot locate the email, please email CBEDGrammarlyFREEMississippi.  

GMetrix is a self-paced training program designed by Certiport that prepares test-takers for the Microsoft Office Specialist Exam. The College of Business and Economic Development currently has an unlimited license, making this program completely free to all CBE students, faculty, staff, and alumni. 

To use GMetrix...

1. Acquire the GMetrix access code from Patrick%20Browning.
2. Install the GMetrix program on personal device or use the Finance Lab computers. Installation instructions can be found HERE.
3. Create a GMetrix Account.
4. Start GMetrix SMS client on your device, enter the appropriate access code to create a test, and pick your product, test bank, and training or testing mode.
5. Run all three banks to 90% completion in training mode.
6. Run all three banks to 90% completion in testing mode.
7. After this, you are now ready to take the actual exam. Most successful test takers claim that 8 hours of preparation time was sufficient.
8. Create a Certiport account. 
9. Register to take the test in Scianna Hall 2046 by emailing Patrick Browning with the subject line: Certiport Registration. The test fee is $60 per attempt (proctor fee included). Payable by cash/check.

The GMetrix SMS software is intended to run on a windows machine, and at this time there is no Mac version. You will need to run it in a virtualization of Windows Vista, 7 or 8 using software such as Parallels or Fusion, along with the proper version of the Office product you wish to test. For example, you cannot select GMetrix Excel 2010 test under Parallels or Fusion and expect your Mac’s Office 2011 or 13 for Mac to launch and run. You would need to have installed Office 2010 within your Fusion or Parallels installation. For additional troubleshooting, please contact GMetrix Support.

Did you know there is a print station located on the second floor of Scianna Hall?

WEPA has created a cost-effective and intuitive method of printing to one central print station using their mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, as well as an application students can download directly to their computer. Select your preferred method and print away! Print prices can be seen on the screen saver of each print station.

Download the Print app to your computer HERE.
NOTE: You must log in with your SOAR credentials.

For specific instructions, visit support.wepanow.com

Other available print stations: 
Asbury Hall, 206-A
Cook Library, on each floor
Marsh Hall
Liberal Arts Building

Courses, at any level, can be tough! The College of Business & Economic Development wants to ensure that our students have the best chance of succeeding in our most challenging courses taught in the College, which include accounting, finance, and managerial statistics. Find out more about our tutoring services.