Kudos

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. 

Reggie Matthews, current Human Capital Development (Instructional Technology and Design), Ph.D. student, published an article titled, "Fostering Acceptance and Effective Integration of AI in Schools," in Generative Minds, The Journal of AI in Education. Read the full article here.

Alexis Barbarin Bradley, a current Ph.D. candidate in our Human Capital Development program, recently authored and published a children’s book titled Dawson’s Different Ways. Inspired by her son Kyrie’s journey with autism and his experience with early intervention, this book is designed to help children and families understand the value of early support and to promote empathy, inclusion, and kindness. Read more here.

Human Capital Development, Ph.D. alumni, Dr. Rebecca Brown and Dr. Larry Webster, along with current HCD (ITD) Ph.D. student Reginald Matthews, recently completed the 2025–2026 Community College Policy Fellowship Program (CPFP). Sponsored by the Mississippi Community College Board, this program equips leaders with the tools to advocate for transformative education policy across the state. Read more here.

Dr. Keith Boyd, Assistant Professor of Management and Leadership at Brenau University and a 2022 graduate of our Human Capital Development doctoral program, was recently awarded the Early Educator Institute Award Scholarship by the Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society. Read more here.

Congratulations to all of our Spring 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 Spring 2025 doctoral graduates who participated in the ceremony—your hard work, dedication, and perseverance have truly paid off, and we can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make in your communities and careers.

Dr. John Hubbard, Human Capital Development Ph.D. alumnus, was elected Mayor of Fairview, Texas, on May 3, 2025. Dr. Hubbard previously served as a council member since 2020, when he was first elected to the Fairview Town Council.

Antara Mahbub, Human Capital Development doctoral student, recently presented a research paper at the Dr. J. R. Smith Business Research Conference at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi, on April 4. Co-authored with Dr. Bhagyashree Barhate, the paper was titled “A Literature Review of Emotional Intelligence at the Workplace: Why is it Crucial for Employees?”

The final session of the 2024–2025 Blue Economy Leadership Certificate (BELC) program took place on Thursday, April 3rd, at the INFINITY Science Center. Congratulations to all of the participants who successfully completed the BELC program. We have loved getting to know this year's cohort and seeing their growth throughout the year!

Congratulations to Reggie Matthews, current Human Capital Development (Instructional Technology and Design) doctoral student, and Dr. Shuyan Wang, Professor of Instructional Technology and Design, on their recent publication "Empowering Educators with AI Tools." You can learn more about their article here.

Dr. Yuanyuan Zhang, Assistant Professor in the School of Leadership, has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Basic Research Award as a part of the annual USM Vice President for Research Innovation Awards. This prestigious award honors faculty whose systematic research advances general knowledge, builds theory, or deepens understanding, and who demonstrate a high level of external recognition. Read more here.

Several of our Human Capital Development doctoral students recently showcased their research at the Susan A. Siltanen Graduate Student Research Symposium. A special congratulations to Susan Dobson, who earned 2nd place in the Social Sciences & Business category for her outstanding poster presentation. Read more here.

Dr. Bradley Winton, Assistant Professor of Management, represented Southern Miss and the School of Leadership at the Southwest Academy of Management’s annual conference in Tulsa, OK. As Program Chair, he led the planning and execution of the event, presented awards, and facilitated a doctoral consortium workshop on revising research for publication. He also shared research on critical thinking, Bloom’s taxonomy, and ethical decision-making, contributing to a strong presence for the School of Leadership.

Dana Torregano, MS, CALT, a 2012 graduate of our Workforce Training and Development master's program recently achieved two incredible milestones—becoming a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and a Licensed Dyslexia Therapist. With specialized expertise in structured literacy and evidence-based intervention, Dana is making a powerful impact by empowering individuals with language-based learning differences and dyslexia.

Human Capital Development faculty and doctoral students from the School of Leadership represented Southern Miss at the 2025 AHRD International Research Conference in Arlington, VA. Highlights included twelve peer-reviewed poster presentations, one refereed full manuscript presentation, a professional development workshop, and leadership roles held by Drs. Barhate, Alizadeh, and Brown.

Melissa Brown and Peter Kalejaiye, Human Capital Development doctoral students, each received the USM Graduate School’s Dissertation Completion Grant Award. Through the Jimmy A. Payne Foundation, these grants help doctoral candidates reduce dissertation costs and help them finish their degrees on time. 

Dr. Larry Webster, a Human Capital Development Ph.D. alumnus, received the prestigious Phi Theta Kappa Distinguished College Administrator Award! As Dean of Career and Technical Education at Coahoma Community College, Dr. Webster's dedication to student success earned him this incredible recognition from his students. Read more about this honor here.

Drs. Abu Haddud, Yuan Zhang, and Zikai Zhou for receiving a Summer 2025 grant to enhance instruction in the Industrial Engineering Technology and Logistics programs. Their project will integrate AI-related content into logistics and supply chain courses, giving students hands-on experience using AI to solve real-world challenges.

Dr. Bradley Winton, Assistant Professor of Management, has been appointed as an Associate Editor for Organization Management Journal. In this role, he will guide manuscripts through the review process with a focus on mentoring and coaching authors. He views the appointment as a way to serve his profession and support academic writers while helping to strengthen the journal’s rigor and impact.