A True Gentleman: Southern Miss Business Faculty Mac Forsyth Honored with SAE Outstanding Chapter Advisor Award

Mon, 10/27/2025 - 02:45pm | By: Bailey Harris Shoemake

Maurice “Mac” Forsyth, J.D., assistant teaching professor in the School of Finance at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), has been named a recipient of the Outstanding Chapter Advisor Award by Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) nationals. Forsyth has been a faculty member in the College of Business and Economic Development since 2012, teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses in business law, estate planning, professional ethics, real estate principles and real estate law.

The honor, awarded by nomination only, recognizes advisors who go above and beyond in their service and leadership. Forsyth was unaware that the men of his chapter had nominated him for the recognition until his name was called during the 2025 Sigma Alpha Epsilon National Convention.

“I was quite surprised,” Forsyth said, laughing.

Forsyth became the chapter’s faculty advisor in 2013, shortly after a severe tornado struck Hattiesburg, Miss. He didn’t expect to find a lifelong brotherhood under the broken branches and damage that devastated the city, but that’s exactly what happened when a group of Southern Miss fraternity brothers from Sigma Alpha Epsilon showed up, unprompted, to help clear the debris at Forsyth’s church across from the Hattiesburg campus. The men of the fraternity returned every day until the cleanup was complete.

What began as a simple act of service to strangers in a time of need became the foundation of a decade-long connection built on mentorship, mutual respect and a shared sense of duty. Not long after, the chapter asked Forsyth if he would be their faculty advisor, and he was formally initiated as an adult member of the fraternity. Since then, he has been an integral part of the chapter’s growth, guiding them through highs and lows. From mentoring individual students to organizing support for the chapter’s needs, he approaches his role with a hands-on, no-nonsense mindset.

“I speak very frankly to these young men,” he said. “You’ve got to hold them accountable. That’s what’s going to help them become responsible adults.”

Bryce Mullen, the current Mississippi Sigma chapter president, was one of the men who nominated Forsyth for the honor. "Mac Forsyth has performed numerous actions that deem him worthy of this outstanding chapter advisor award,” said Mullen. “He has helped scholastically, been a father figure to many undergraduates, and he has fostered brotherhood and inclusivity throughout his time serving as our chapter’s advisor."

Forsyth is quick to point out that he’s not supporting the chapter alone, sharing his advising duties with local chapter alumni Bobby Banks, Ron Doleac and Paul Sims. Each play a unique role in the chapter, assisting with finances, alumni relations and coordination with the national office.

“There’s no playbook for this,” he said. “You just meet the members where they are. Sometimes they need an odd job for extra money. Sometimes they need a meal. Sometimes they need someone to tell them the truth. And I can do all of that.”

That balance of discipline and compassion has helped shape a chapter that lives up to SAE’s creed of being “true gentlemen.” Over the last three years, the Southern Miss SAE chapter has been ranked among the top five chapters nationwide. Two of those years, they were among the top three, making them finalists for the prestigious Zeal Award.

In addition to teaching at Southern Miss, Forsyth has spent decades as a youth court judge, work that can be emotionally heavy and rarely tied to clear outcomes. Being part of SAE, he says, offers the kind of long-term, life-changing results that make the work worth it.

“You see young people with opportunities, with bright futures ahead of them,” he said. “And I get to follow that through. I get to watch them do well. That’s the reward.”

He went on to share that he has watched his former students become lawyers, doctors and business professionals. He’s attended their weddings, kept in touch long after graduation, and helped facilitate meaningful mentorship between alumni and current members.

The chapter members earned an average 3.2 GPA for the Spring 2025 semester, and recently initiated 29 new members, growing their chapter to nearly 80 members. Their newest philanthropic focus supports the Osceola McCarty Youth Development Center in Hattiesburg, where members volunteer to help underprivileged youth.