Campus Recreation Graduate Assistants Soar During 2019-2020 School Year

Mon, 06/15/2020 - 10:59am | By: April Jordan

Several graduate assistants at The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) Campus Recreation were honored for outstanding achievement, leadership and service during the 2019-2020 school year.

Chancee Davis, a first-year graduate student in the School of Communication from Terry, Miss., was awarded the Top Communication Studies Master’s Student award for the spring 2020 semester. She was selected for the award by the department’s faculty as the top student in the major.

Davis is currently the graduate assistant of marketing for Campus Recreation, where she helps manage the department’s social media accounts, special events and promotion of student recreational programming. She previously graduated from USM with a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies. Davis plans to graduate in spring 2021 with a Master of Arts in communication studies and pursue a career in the public relations and marketing industry. When asked about receiving the award, Davis said, “I am so honored and humbled to have received this award. My first year in graduate school has been extremely memorable, and I cannot wait for next year.”

Kelvin Doss Jr., a third-year graduate student in the College of Business and Economic Development, received the Outstanding Master of Business Administration Award for the spring 2020 semester. This award was given to the top student in the business administration major. Doss graduated in spring 2020 with master’s degrees in business administration and sport management. He will begin employment as a management trainee at Cintas. Doss previously received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Mississippi State University. While attending USM, Doss served as the graduate assistant of fitness for Campus Recreation. In this role, Doss was responsible for helping train and oversee the group fitness and personal training programs for the department.

Upon receiving the award, Doss said, “It's an honor to be recognized by the Southern Miss College of Business and Economic Development with this award. I am truly humbled, blessed, and grateful.” He is originally from Madison, Miss.

Tucker Paschen, a second-year graduate student in the School of Business and the graduate assistant for facilities for Campus Recreation, received several awards during the 2019-2020 school year.

During the fall 2019 semester, Paschen was awarded the NIRSA Region II Excellence Scholarship, which is awarded regionally to recognize outstanding students who are employed by collegiate recreation departments on university and college campuses. The award is intended to identify undergraduate and graduate students who set the standard and epitomize leadership on campuses across the region. While working at Southern Miss Campus Recreation, Paschen helped oversee facility operations and maintenance at the Payne Center.

Paschen also received the Outstanding Master of Science in Sport Management Award in fall 2019. This award was selected by the department’s professors and is given to the top student in the sport management program.

Paschen, who is originally from Combined Locks, Wis., graduated in spring 2020 with a Master of Science in kinesiology and an emphasis in strength and conditioning. He previously received a Bachelor of Science in sport management from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Post-graduation, Paschen plans to stay and pursue employment in Campus Recreation.

When asked about receiving the awards, Paschen said, “I am very grateful and appreciative for my professors who chose to select me as the top student in our program. I am also honored to be selected to receive the NIRSA Scholarship as a top student in the Region for our association.” For information about USM Campus Recreation, visit https://www.usm.edu/campus-recreation/campus-recreation.php.