City of Hattiesburg and The University of Southern Mississippi Announce Expanded Employee Education Partnership

Tue, 12/02/2025 - 02:52pm | By: John Arender

On Monday, December 1, the City of Hattiesburg and The University of Southern Mississippi announced an expanded employee education program that will broaden educational opportunities for all full-time city employees.

The program, originally launched in 2018 for sworn personnel in the Hattiesburg Police and Fire departments, provided up to six undergraduate credit hours each semester for eligible officers and firefighters. Many have since completed their degrees through that partnership, which the city and the university jointly fund.

Building on that success, the city and the university have formalized a new agreement that extends the benefit to all full-time sworn and non-sworn municipal employees. Under the expanded program, eligible employees may take up to six undergraduate credit hours or up to three master’s-level credit hours per semester.

“Since taking office, we’ve prioritized opportunities to help our employees grow professionally and personally,” Mayor Toby Barker said. “This partnership with The University of Southern Mississippi has already helped many of our first responders earn degrees that advance their careers and strengthen their departments. Expanding this benefit to all full-time employees allows us to invest even more broadly in the people who serve our residents every day.”

The educational investment is split between the City of Hattiesburg and The University of Southern Mississippi. The city will cover 50 percent of tuition costs, while the university will provide a scholarship for the remaining 50 percent for each participating employee per semester. Employees are responsible for fees, books and other non-tuition expenses.

“We are committed to supporting the workforce and leadership of our Hattiesburg community,” The University of Southern Mississippi President Dr. Joe Paul said. “By extending this opportunity to all full-time city employees, we will support even more public servants in pursuing higher education, as these public servants strengthen their skills and build brighter futures for themselves and their families.”