Kudos

Dr. Anesa Davis, Human Capital Development PhD alumna, recently published her book, Mind Your ‘Ships, a career development resource focused on how relationships and visibility drive career growth. Her work bridges research and practice, offering practical guidance to help individuals navigate and accelerate their careers with intention and impact.

Several of our doctoral students recently participated in the Mississippi Educational Computer Association (MECA) Conference, held in Jackson, MS. Tracy Wolverton and Modist Jones presented, while Sandra Kelly and Reggie Matthews also attended; Reggie currently serves on the 2026 MECA Executive Board and will serve as MECA President for the 2027 conference.

Human Capital Development faculty and doctoral students from the School of Leadership represented Southern Miss at the 2026 AHRD International Research Conference in Irving, TX by sharing their research through peer-reviewed poster and manuscript presentations, engaging in professional development sessions, and connecting with leading scholars from across the globe.

Dr. Vishal Arghode, Associate Professor in the School of Leadership, in his first year at USM, has been awarded a Summer 2026 Summer Grant for the Improvement of Instruction. This competitive award recognizes faculty who are committed to developing innovative teaching strategies that enhance instruction and strengthen the assessment of student learning.

Dr. Casey Maugh Funderburk, Associate Professor, and Dr. Bradley Winton, Assistant Professor, recently published their article, “Connecting Collectivism and Commitment: The Role of Faith‐Based Subcultures in Business and Society,” in Business and Society Review, 2026, Vol. 131(1). Read their article here.

Reginald Matthews, a current Human Capital Development (Instructional Technology and Design) doctoral student, recently co-authored a book chapter titled “Developing and Designing Effective Online Learning Across Diverse Environments” with Dr. Lorilyn M. Thompson in the book Exploring Effective Online Teaching and Learning Strategies. Their chapter highlights effective approaches to designing inclusive, adaptable, and high-quality online learning experiences across diverse environments. The book is available to read online here.

Dr. Yuanyuan Zhang, Associate Professor, recently presented at the 105th Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. Dr. Zhang presented two papers on Active Travel in the sessions of “Transportation Access for Children, Caregivers, and Families” and “Research on Vulnerable Road User Safety”. Selection for these sessions is highly competitive and subject to a rigorous, multi-stage peer-review process managed by TRB. Notably, the two papers were recommended to be published in the Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board.

Elena Knoll, a current undergraduate Business Administration student, recently accepted a Marketing and Content Creation Internship with the International Elite Program (IEP). IEP is a global soccer organization committed to expanding access to the sport for individuals of all backgrounds, with a strong focus on youth development in urban and underserved communities.

Susan Dobson, current Human Capital Development doctoral student, recently published her first article. Drawing on more than 15 years as a recreational age-group triathlete and her expertise as a public health practitioner, Susan served as a co-author on an interdisciplinary triathlon research study, ! Their article, “Injury Epidemiology and Preventive Strategies in Triathletes: A Study of the 2022 Season,” was published in the Journal of Sports Rehabilitation in January. You can read the article here. 

Heather Glausier, a current Human Capital Development doctoral student, had an exciting Fall 2025 semester of accomplishments. Heather was promoted to Assistant Director, Career Education and Employment Readiness in Career Services and recently presented her interactive workshop, “Career Ready for Life,” at the Spring Educators Retreat hosted by The University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Faculty Development. During the session, faculty explored the NACE career readiness competencies and ways to intentionally embed them into course design through best-practice syllabi, assignment alignment, and collaboration with Career Services.

Dr. Yuan Zhang, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering Technology, was selected as a 2026 Faculty Fellow in the USM Faculty Leadership Institute, beginning in January. The Faculty Leadership Institute brings together an interdisciplinary community focused on leadership and professional development through training, workshops, and engagement with campus and community leaders.

We are proud to recognize four of our doctoral students, Jessica Langston, Kenya Hubbard, Suzette Jung, and Alexis Barbarin Bradley, who were awarded a Fall 2025 Dissertation Completion Grant. These competitive awards are intended to reduce the burden of dissertation-related expenses while helping to decrease students’ time to degree.

Congratulations to all of our Fall 2025 School of Leadership graduates! Commencement is our favorite time of the year, and we are so proud of your accomplishments. A special shout-out to our Fall 2025 doctoral graduates who were hooded in the ceremony.

Dr. Abu Haddud, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering Technology, recently presented at the Decision Sciences Institute (DSI) 56th Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. He served as both Session Chair and Presenter, sharing his research on “How ChatGPT Can Help Address the Seven Wastes of Lean Manufacturing.”

Drs. Casey Maugh Funderburk and Bradley Winton recently published their article, “Examining the Impact of Collectivist Subcultures and Emotional Intelligence on Resilience and Grit,” in Human Resource Development International. Read their article here.

Yuting Hou, current Human Capital Development Ph.D. student, recently presented at the Southern Management Association with co-authors, Dr. Alex Scrimpshire and Savannah Priest. Their paper was titled, “What Have I Done for Me Lately? Exploring How and Why Employees Engage in Competitive Licensing.”

Dr. Yuanyuan Zhang, Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering Technology, had two papers accepted for presentation at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) 2026 Annual Meeting:

1. Evaluating Neighborhood Active School Travel Friendliness Using a School Travel Index
2. Evaluating Pedestrian and Cyclist Friendliness in Urban Neighborhoods Using an Active Travel Index System

Bree Hartfield, current Human Capital Development doctoral student, graduated from Leadership Pinebelt. This program brings together leaders and volunteers dedicated to strengthening our communities. Through Leadership Pinebelt, participants enhance their leadership skills, deepen their understanding of regional issues, and discover new ways to make a lasting, positive impact across the region.

Dr. Kenneth Kirkland, Human Capital Development doctoral candidate, was recently appointed as the Chief External Affairs Officer for the Alabama Board of Nursing. The position is responsible for the Leadership Institute, Center for Nursing Excellence, Workforce Development, Strategic Planning, Continuous Quality Improvement, and Nursing Education Programs for the agency. 

Dr. Vishal Arghode, Associate Professor of Human Capital Development, published the following article, "Emotionally intelligent and ethically grounded AI: Reimagining learning and development in the digital age," in the European Journal of Training and Development. Read the article here.

Dr. Yuanyuan Zhang was recently promoted to Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering Technology and received tenure.

Dr. Zikai Zhou was recently promoted to Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering Technology and received tenure.

Dr. John Lambert, Associate Professor of Management, was appointed to the Editorial Board for the Swiss Business School's Journal of Applied Business Research.

Dr. Bradley Winton has been selected to serve as a Provost Faculty Fellow in Fall 2025, where he will focus on “Career Guidance and Readiness for Students” at Southern Miss. He will analyze current practices, evaluate how career readiness is integrated into coursework, and recommend future programming to support student success. This fellowship provides faculty the opportunity to contribute to key academic initiatives within the Office of the Provost.

Dr. Vishal Arghode, Associate Professor of Human Capital Development, published the following article, "Dynamics of authentic leadership: A comparative analysis across constituent dimensions," in the Indian Journal of Industrial Relations 61(1), 72–88.