Southern Miss News Friday, March 1, 2019
Welcome to the daily email for media members that includes news and notes from The University of Southern Mississippi. Today's message includes a special coverage opportunity regarding the annual VEX Robotics State Championship being held today and Saturday on the Hattiesburg campus. In addition, news releases features a preview of the Women's History Month Keynote Speech upcoming on March 7 and the latest collection of poems published by Professor Philip Kolin.
Media inquiries can be directed to Van Arnold at 601.266.5568 or van.arnoldFREEMississippi or David Tisdale at 601.266.4499 or d.g.tisdaleFREEMississippi.
Special Coverage Opportunity
USM Hosts Robotics State Championship Today, Saturday
More than 700 young innovators from across the state will converge at The University of Southern Mississippi today through Saturday, March 1-2, for the annual Mississippi VEX Robotics State Championship. The competition will showcase elementary, middle and high school students from approximately 50 Mississippi schools in an educational competitive robotics program to be held at USM's Payne Center on the Hattiesburg campus. The competition also focuses on teamwork, communication, and keeping students engaged in hands-on technology challenges that build their interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). To schedule coverage, contact Van Arnold or David Tisdale.
News Releases
Women's History Month Keynote Speech Set for March 7 on Hattiesburg Campus
Dr. Janet Allured, professor of history and director of the Women's Studies Program at McNeese State University, will present “Mississippi Methodist Women and The Woman's Society of Christian Service: Leaders of Social Justice in the South” Thursday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. in room 116 of Asbury Hall on The University of Southern Mississippi's (USM) Hattiesburg campus.
Dr. Allured's presentation is sponsored by the USM Committee on Services and Resources for Women (CSRW), and will be the keynote address for Women's History Month at USM.
USM Professor Kolin Publishes New Book of Poems, "Reaching Forever"
Dr. Philip Kolin, a University of Southern Mississippi Distinguished Professor of English (Emeritus), has published his ninth collection of poems, "Reaching Forever," in the highly respected Poiema Poetry Series of Cascade Books. Kolin's 67 poems are anchored in Scripture-- parables, settings, characters, metaphors, voices, --and are organized according to Biblical topics, such as Where Water Flows, Sheep, Wolves, God's Voice, and Toward Forever.
http://news.usm.edu/article/kolin-publishes-new-book-poems-reaching-forever
Photo/Video Opportunity
An exhibit featuring pieces from the papers of women from Mississippi involved in the National Organization for Women (NOW) during the 1980s, drawn from a collection held in the University of Southern Mississippi's (USM) McCain Library and Archives, is currently on display in the Cook Library lobby on the Hattiesburg campus. The exhibit, “The National Organization for Women, 1980-1985,” showcases the variety of materials in the collection and the topics that concerned women during this time. Organized in 1966, NOW was an advocate for women's rights, the Equal Rights Amendment, lesbian rights, and reproductive freedom. This collection contains correspondence, flyers, press releases, membership lists, and other types of documents from the state and national groups. To schedule coverage, contact Van Arnold or David Tisdale.
Expert Availability
The University of Southern Mississippi provides a wide range of faculty experts who can offer insights on newsworthy topics. To schedule an interview, email mediaexpertsFREEMississippi. For a full list of USM media experts visit: http://news.usm.edu/resource/usm-faculty-experts-media-requests
Did You Know?
The University of Southern Mississippi's new Marine Research Center is located at the Port of Gulfport, situated along Highway 90. The research center is the centerpiece for a new maritime blue economy in South Mississippi. The center provides shoreside support to USM's 135-foot oceanographic research vessel, the R/V Point Sur, and to a number of academic programs. The facility includes classrooms, laboratories, an 8-foot-deep in-ground testing tank, administrative offices and storage areas.
About The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is a comprehensive public research institution delivering transformative programs on campuses in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites in central and southern Mississippi, as well as online. Founded in 1910, USM is one of only 130 universities in the nation to earn the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education's "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity” designation, and its robust research enterprise includes experts in ocean science and engineering, polymer science and engineering, and sport venue safety and security, among others. USM is also one of only 40 institutions in the nation accredited in theatre, art and design, dance and music. As an economic driver, USM generates an annual economic impact of more than $600 million across the state. USM welcomes a diverse student body of approximately 15,000, representing 71 countries, all 50 states, and every county in Mississippi. USM students have collected four Truman Scholarships and 35 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, while also leading Mississippi with 21 Goldwater Scholarships, an honor that recognizes the next generation of great research scientists. Home to the Golden Eagles, USM competes in 17 Division I sports sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). For more information, visit usm.edu.