USM Welcomes First-Year Students as Part of Annual Move-In Day

Tue, 08/20/2019 - 03:45pm | By: Van Arnold

Ian Gardner came for the forensics program. Selena Crusoe decided to walk a familiar family path. The two University of Southern Mississippi (USM) freshmen joined hundreds of other first-year students on Tuesday, August 20 for Move-In Day at residence halls on The University of Southern Mississippi’s Hattiesburg campus.

Gardner, a native of Madisonville, La., grew up a devout LSU fan, but USM prevailed when he began searching for the right college fit.

“A couple of years ago I became really interested in forensics after watching some TV shows,” said Gardner, whose goal is to become an FBI agent. “I started looking around for forensics programs in Louisiana and none of the universities there really offer anything of that kind. I checked into USM’s program and knew pretty quickly that this was the right place for me.”

Crusoe, a native of Madison, Miss., is looking forward to the social opportunities that accompany life as a college student. Her primary academic interests are film and philosophy.

“I tend to be an introvert by nature, so I’m hoping that college will make me a more social person,” she said. “I really enjoy schoolwork and the learning process. I have a lot of family members who attended USM, so I have always been familiar with the school. After taking a tour here, it just felt very comfortable to me.”

The Move-In Day process began on Monday, August 19. The first day of classes for the Fall 2019 semester is set for Wednesday, August 28.

Dr. Dee Dee Anderson, Vice President for Student Affairs at USM, points out that the move-in experience signifies one of the more important and exciting days on a college campus.

“It is the beginning of a new student’s college career and their first opportunity to connect with their peers, faculty and staff, and the community of Hattiesburg,” she said. “It’s a small representation of the care and commitment they will receive from Southern Miss as they pursue their dreams to the top.”